Lesney Matchbox 57c Land Rover fire truck

Moko Lesney Matchbox 57c Land Rover fire truck

The Lesney model of the Land Rover fire truck replaced the Chevrolet Impala at the number 57 spot in the Matchbox 1-75 series in early 1966.
The Land Rover was always painted red, It had a blue tinted window unit which included the roof mounted blue dome light. The baseplate was grey plastic which included the hosepipe and fittings detail inside the open rear end in the molding. A white plastic ladder was mounted to the roof and it was enhanced by shield decals applied to the door and the body side panels were adorned with "Kent fire brigade" decals.
The model is usually found with 11 x 45 black plastic wheels on dome head axles with rounded ends but one very short run can be found with grey wheels of the same size which is quite a rare variation.
Silver trim was mask sprayed to the front bumper and headlights but later this was deleted from the headlights and later issues had no silver trim at all.
The vehicle had suspension to all wheels but for added play value Lesney added a slide to the baseplate which could deactivate the suspension, The slides can be found in green, blue, amber, red, white and clear plastic, There are just too many variations of slide to add to the guide so these variations have been omitted.
The plastic baseplate was modified early in the models life when braces were added to the axle carriers and later a D shaped cutout was inserted into one end. Like the slides the baseplate was available in many different molding variations, I have identified six different baseplates so far and there could be as many as ten different versions so the baseplate variations have also been omitted from the variation table as to include them would make between 300 and 500 variations,
Omitting the baseplate types only affects the grey wheeled version as that one is supposedly only available with 13 turns of hose along the top edge of the rear hose reel. There is a partial listing of baseplate types below and more will be added as they come to light.
The model was initially fitted with decals but later labels replaced the decals, First the "Kent fire brigade" decals were replaced with labels and later the door shield decals were exchanged for labels.
There were two casting modification to the body, Very early a brace was added to the body just below the rear opening, then the decal aligning ridges were removed from the side doors and side body panels to allow the labels to adhere properly. The model without the rear brace is quite hard to find.
The Land Rover was converted to superfast wheels in 1970 but lasted less than a year before it was replaced by the Eccles caravan, The superfast version is quite hard to find and the grey wheeled version is rare, The versions with black plastic wheels are common, It was packaged in 'E' and 'F' type boxes
Thanks to Antonin Shenk and various members of the forum for their invaluable help in updating the model details and supplying additional photographs.

above: the rare 11x45 grey wheeled issue.

above: center, the slide to deactivate the suspension.

above right. the early casting without rear brace, left, with rear brace

small connectors.........uneven keys.......small connectors.............level keys......large connectors...........uneven keys
rear panel A........................................rear panel B....................................rear panel C

above: 'D' cutout............................................ axle braces.................................................no axle braces

above: the suspension slide came in many colours

Suspension slide & baseplate molding.

The plastic slide inside the baseplate that activates and deactivates the suspension can be found in green, blue, amber, red, white and clear plastic. I have identified at least six variations to the plastic baseplate and there may be as many as 10 different versions existing so neither of these have been included in the variation listing. With the base and slides included there would be at least 280 variations and possibly over 500.

The removal of the baseplate variations only affects the grey wheeled model which supposedly was only available with 13 turns of hose along the top of the fire hose in the rear compartment.

code number	body colour	silver trim all are mask sprayed	wheel type	body casting	baseplate	rear panel	shield badge	kent badge
code 1	dark red	headlights + front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, no rear brace	no axle braces, no cutout	A	decal	decal
code 2	dark red	headlights + front bumper	11x45 GPW	decal guides, rear brace	no axle braces, no cutout	A	decal	decal
code 3	dark red	headlights + front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	no axle braces, no cutout	A	decal	decal
code 4	dark red	headlights + front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	no axle braces, no cutout	B	decal	decal
code 5	dark red	headlights + front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	no axle braces, no cutout	C	decal	decal
code 6	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	no axle braces, no cutout	A	decal	decal
code 7	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	no axle braces, no cutout	B	decal	decal
code 8	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	no axle braces, no cutout	C	decal	decal
code 9	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, no cutout	A	decal	decal
code 10	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, no cutout	B	decal	decal
code 11	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, no cutout	C	decal	decal
code 12	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, no cutout	A	decal	label
code 13	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, no cutout	B	decal	label
code 14	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, no cutout	C	decal	label
code 15	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, D cutout	A	decal	label
code 16	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, D cutout	B	decal	label
code 17	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, D cutout	C	decal	label
code 18	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, no cutout	A	label	label
code 19	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, no cutout	B	label	label
code 20	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, no cutout	C	label	label
code 21	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, D cutout	A	label	label
code 22	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, D cutout	B	label	label
code 23	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, D cutout	C	label	label
code 24	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	no decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, D cutout	A	label	label
code 25	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	no decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, D cutout	B	label	label
code 26	bright red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	no decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, D cutout	B	label	label
code 27	dark red	front bumper	11x45 BPW	no decal guides, rear brace	axle braces, D cutout	C	label	label

a list of known base moldings

mold number	hose turns	connectors	keys
??	12	small	uneven
2	11	large	uneven
3	11	small	level
??	13	????	????
5	11	small	uneven, left key low
??	10	????	????

box types	notes
E3	"new model", light blue sides,
E4R	light blue sides,
F1	none

values

red body, decals, black plastic wheels £30

red body, decals, grey plastic wheels £400

red body, labels, black plastic wheels £25

price guide gallery