lesney matchbox 51c AEC 8 wheel tipper

Moko Lesney Matchbox 51c AEC 8 wheel tipper

The Lesney model of the 51c AEC 8 wheel tipper was introduced into the Matchbox 1-75 series in early 1969, It was initially released in orange with a silver tipper & a silver hinged tailboard, it had orange & white labels for 'Douglas' and either a white or a chromed plastic baseplate. The baseplate had the grille & headlight detail included and it was attached by a single round rivet.
The wheels were 11.5 x 45 black plastic on dome head axles with rounded ends. The tipper body can be raised as it hinged on a regular axle pin, it was held in the up position by a 'hydrosleve' that gripped a curved prong cast to the bottom of the tipper, It was fitted with a blue tinted plastic window unit.

Very soon the livery was changed, the cab was recoloured to yellow and the labels were changed to yellow and green ones that now read 'Pointer' and the baseplate was chromed, The change in livery was not something Lesney did very often, in fact the only commercial vehicle to undergo a livey change was the TV service van which went from 'Radio Rentals' livery to 'Rentaset' livery so I wonder if there was not some kind of falling out between Lesney and the Douglas company that brought about the change of livery.

During the livery changeover some of the yellow painted vehicles were fitted with 'Douglas' labels and supposedly some orange versions were fitted with 'Pointer' labels although I have not been able to confirm the second variation yet. There was also a promotional issue that used the yellow Pointer trucks but fitted with labels for 'Alcan on the move', The promotional issue is quite rare. Two pre-production issues are also known, Both have a green painted cab & chassis with either an orange tipper that had no raised panel for the label or a silver painted tipper with a raised panel for the label, Both types are extremely rare.

There were few variations, one was to the rear end of the chassis, on either side of the hydrosleve the chassis can be found with one side thicker than the other, either side can be the thicker side, see the photographs for details.
There was also two variations to the baseplate, One was the inscription "ergomatic cab" can be found on the baseplate or on a raised panel on the baseplate, The baseplate can be found with or without a towing guide molded in,
The model is a fairly common piece, the issue with a white base is not so easy to find likewise the ones fitted with the wrong labels,
It was sold in'F' type boxes, the yellow 'Pointer' liveried version was converted to superfast wheels in 1971.

above: the unplated white plastic grille, photo courtesy George Marshall.

above: Pointer tippers in yellow and orange, photo courtesy George Marshall.

above: a promotional issue for Pointer
photograph courtesy Dave Lane.

above: an unusual Douglas tipper with black & white labels,
so far 5 of these have come to light so could be a pre-production label
photograph courtesy Idris from the forum (Hugh Stiles)

above: The rare Alcan Promotional
photograph courtesy Vectis

above: a pre production issue, one of two types known to exist,
see also the price guide gallery for more information on both types
photograph courtesy Dave Rogers

above: an error piece with miss cut "Douglas" label
photograph courtesy Chris Schofield.

code number	general	labels	wheel type	towing guide	chassis type
code 1	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, white baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	no towing guide	wide on left
code 2	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, white baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	with towing guide	wide on left
code 3	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, white baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	no towing guide	wide on right
code 4	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, white baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	with towing guide	wide on right
code 5	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	no towing guide	wide on left
code 6	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	with towing guide	wide on left
code 7	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	no towing guide	wide on right
code 8	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	with towing guide	wide on right
code 9	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'pointer'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	no towing guide	wide on left
code 10	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'pointer'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	with towing guide	wide on left
code 11	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'pointer'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	no towing guide	wide on right
code 12	orange body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'pointer'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	with towing guide	wide on right
code 13	yellow body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	no towing guide	wide on left
code 14	yellow body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	with towing guide	wide on left
code 15	yellow body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	no towing guide	wide on right
code 16	yellow body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'douglas'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	with towing guide	wide on right
code 17	yellow body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'pointer'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	no towing guide	wide on left
code 18	yellow body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'pointer'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	with towing guide	wide on left
code 19	yellow body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'pointer'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	no towing guide	wide on right
code 20	yellow body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'pointer'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	with towing guide	wide on right
code 21	yellow body, silver tipper, blue windows, silver baseplate	'alcan on the move'	11.5 x 45 black plastic	????	????

box types	notes
F2	"Douglas"
F2	"Pointer" trademark to end flap closers

values

orange, douglas labels, white grille £50

orange, douglas labels, silver grille £20

yellow, douglas labels, silver grille £40

yellow, pointer labels, silver grille £20

yellow, "alcan on the move" labels (promotional) £300

orange, pointer labels, silver grille £??

values are for mint models in mint boxes

price guide gallery

box gallery