PLEASE NOTE: I will no longer be altering the variation codes. All new discoveries will be inserted in to their correct place in the timeline and given a suffix.
So a new variation that would be nearest to variation 4 would become the new 4a, etc.

photo home1_zpsb2bb0894.gif photo forum1_zps065b0a95.gif

Lesney Matchbox 74a mobile refreshments canteen

Moko Lesney Matchbox 74a mobile refreshments canteen



The Lesney model of the 74 refresments canteen was first introduced into the Matchbox 1-75 series in 1959. The four colour schemes used on the body were white, cream, pink or silver and the base can be coloured sea green or one of four distinct shades of blue, It had three decals applied and the shadow effect on the decal lettering can vary greatly, it was fitted with grey, silver or black plastic wheels on domed head rounded axles.

The body had one casting modification which left an additional casting line across the front, there was a slight modification to the door handle and door window frame but these are only visible under a magnifying glass so it is hardly worth mentioning.

There are three casting variations to the base, firstly the foot beneath the towing hitch was round and the base was attached by a flat spread rivet at the front, Then the towhitch foot was squared off but the spread rivet remained the same, finally the foot was turned 90 degrees and the base was secured by a round rivet,

There were three casting modifications to the serving hatch, firstly the support arms had two braces where it joined to the hatch, this was later altered to one brace, finally the hatch arms were made thicker.

It was released in 'B' 'C' and 'D' type boxes, the hard to find ones are the early white, cream and pink variations and the green base variant (the green is same colour as used on the base on the 39a Zodiac convertible.) The rarest is undoubtedy the black plastic wheeled one, the light blue base is easy to find but the pale blue and dark blue are quite scarce, it was deleted in 1966 to make way for the Daimler bus.

Left: body casting line and square towhitch foot, - right: no casting line and round foot

left: twin hatch braces, - center: single hatch brace, - right: thicker hatch arm.

baseplate colours, photo courtesy Greg Davis

code number general baseplate wheel type foot body casting line hinge braces
code 1 white body light blue base 9 x 20 grey plastic wheels round foot no body casting line twin hinge braces
code 2 cream body light blue base 9 x 20 grey plastic wheels round foot no body casting line twin hinge braces
code 3 pink body light blue base 9 x 20 grey plastic wheels round foot no body casting line twin hinge braces
code 4 silver body light blue base 9 x 20 grey plastic wheels round foot no body casting line twin hinge braces
code 5 as above light blue base 9 x 20 grey plastic wheels round foot with body casting line single hinge brace
code 6 as above light blue base 9 x 20 silver plastic wheels round foot no body casting line twin hinge braces
code 7 as above light blue base 9 x 20 silver plastic wheels round foot with body casting line single hinge brace
code 8 as above light blue base 9 x 20 silver plastic wheels round foot with body casting line twin hinge braces
code 9 as above light blue base 9 x 20 black plastic wheels round foot with body casting line single hinge brace
code 10 as above light blue base 9 x 24 silver plastic wheels round foot with body casting line single hinge brace
code 11 as above sea green base 9 x 24 silver plastic wheels round foot with body casting line twin hinge braces
code 12 as above sea green base 9 x 24 silver plastic wheels round foot with body casting line single hinge brace
code 13 as above sea green base 9 x 24 grey plastic wheels square foot with body casting line single hinge brace
code 14 as above light blue base 9 x 24 grey plastic wheels round foot with body casting line single hinge brace
code 15 as above light blue base 9 x 24 grey plastic wheels round foot with body casting line thick hatch supports
code 16 as above light blue base 9 x 24 grey plastic wheels square foot with body casting line single hinge brace
code 17 as above dark blue base 9 x 24 grey plastic wheels square foot with body casting line single hinge brace
code 18 as above dark blue base 9 x 36 grey plastic wheels rivetted base with body casting line thick hatch supports
code 19 as above light blue base 9 x 36 grey plastic wheels square foot with body casting line thick hatch supports
code 20 as above light blue base 9 x 36 grey plastic wheels rivetted base with body casting line thick hatch supports
code 21 as above mid blue base 9 x 36 grey plastic wheels rivetted base with body casting line thick hatch supports
code 22 as above pale blue base 9 x 36 grey plastic wheels rivetted base with body casting line thick hatch supports

box types notes
B4 none
B5 none
C large model number shown
C medium model number shown
D1 one black side one blue
D2 one black side one blue
D2 two blue sides

values

silver body & dark blue base £90

silver body & sea green base £200+

white body & blue base £200

cream body & blue base £250

pink body & blue base £400+

silver body & blue base & black plastic wheels £700+

all models except those listed above £40

values are for mint models in mint boxes
price guide gallery
box gallery
picture gallery