Lesney Matchbox 42c Iron fairy crane

Moko Lesney Matchbox 42c Iron fairy crane

The Lesney model of the Iron fairy crane joined the Matchbox 1-75 series late in 1969 which was around the time that Lesney were starting to convert the range to superfast wheels but as the vehicle was a crane it was not converted to superfast wheels until 1970-71.
It had a die cast body and two piece crane jib and a yellow plastic baseplate, the body was painted red and the crane jib yellow but shades can vary.
The crane can be swiveled and the jib can be raised because it was hinged on an axle pin, To hold the jib in the up position was a die cast hydraulic ram that slid into a plastic sleeve, because it was a snug fit into the sleeve it stopped the jib dropping down.
It was usually fitted with a yellow plastic hook but I do have an example fitted with a red hook but as the hooks can be easily swapped between models I have not included the red hook version until it can be verified with other examples.
The baseplate also included the drivers seat as part of the molding and according to the Stannard the seat can be found with a thick or thin backrest but all my examples of the vehicle have the same size seats so I have not been able to show this variation in the photo guide.
The wheels were 12.5 x 48 black plastic that were fitted on dome head axles with rounded ends.
The early issue had a crane jib with the inner end of the hydraulic ram fitted in a higher position, later the hole for the pin that held the inner end of the ram was lowered but the cut out in the jib to give clearance for the higher pin was not filled in.
There were two body castings for the iron fairy, The main difference between the two is in the area around the grille at the rear end and the crash bars that protect it but there are slight differencies in the checkerplate panels on the front and rear ends of the mudguards, On body 1 the checkerplate comes right up to the edge of the cab and at the rear it comes right up to the edge of the engine cover, on body 2 there is a gap between the edge of the checkerplate and the cab and at the rear there is a gap between the checkerplate and the engine cover.
The iron fairy is fairly common but the early issue with the high mounted jib pin is quite hard to find. It was packaged in an 'F' type box,
The superfast version was deleted in 1972.

Showing the early "high jib pin" casting on the left and a later low jib pin on the right.

above: left, body 1. right body 2, there are other slight variations between the two bodies.

above: The thin and thick seat backs.

code number general wheel type body type drivers seat jib pin

code 1 red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base 12.5 x 48 body 1 thick high pin

code 2 red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base 12.5 x 48 body 2 thick high pin

code 3 red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base 12.5 x 48 body 1 thick low pin

code 4 red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base 12.5 x 48 body 2 thick low pin

code 5 red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base 12.5 x 48 body 1 thin low pin

code 6 red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base 12.5 x 48 body 2 thin low pin

box types	notes
F2	A Lesney Product
F2	Lesney Products & Co Ltd London England

values

with high pin £40+

with low pin £20

values are for mint models in mint boxes

price guide gallery

box gallery

code number	general	wheel type	body type	drivers seat	jib pin
code 1	red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base	12.5 x 48	body 1	thick	high pin
code 2	red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base	12.5 x 48	body 2	thick	high pin
code 3	red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base	12.5 x 48	body 1	thick	low pin
code 4	red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base	12.5 x 48	body 2	thick	low pin
code 5	red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base	12.5 x 48	body 1	thin	low pin
code 6	red body, yellow jib, yellow plastic base	12.5 x 48	body 2	thin	low pin