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Lesney Matchbox 9c Merryweather marquis fire engine

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Moko Lesney Matchbox 9c Merryweather marquis fire engine



In 1959 the Lesney model of the 9c Merryweather marquis fire engine became the third fire engine to appear in the Matchbox 1-75 series,
The model was based on a vehicle that was a common sight on british roads during the 1950s and 1960s.
It was always painted fire engine red with a black baseplate,
It featured silver trim and was fitted with a ladder to the roof that could be painted brown, gold or silver which had 17 rungs on the early issues and 18 on the later.
It can be found with 10 x 24 grey plastic or 10 x 24 or 10 x 45 black plastic wheels and the first issues had dome head axles with crimped heads and all later ones had dome head axles with rounded ends.
Silver trim was initially applied to the radiator grille, headlights, front bumper and at the rear the central hose connector and to the two rectangular panels below the tail lights, Soon the trim to the rectangular panels was omitted and the central hose connector followed shortly afterwards.
All variations can be found without trim but these are factory errors.
There are few casting variations,
All codes can be found with or without ejector rings cast on the inside of the roof,
The earlier issues had a pair of hose connectors cast at the rear, These were later removed,
It was packaged in 'B','C, and 'D' type boxes and deleted in 1966 to make way for the 9d boat & trailer. The issue fitted with the silver ladder can be elusive but in general it is a fairly common piece so it must have been quite popular in its day.

above: all codes can be found with or without ejector rings inside the roof

above: early issues had a 17 rung ladder, later issues had an 18 rung ladder.

code number general wheel type axle type lsdder type rear hoses silver trim
code 1 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 grey plastic dome head crimped 17 rung brown hoses cast full front & 3 areas at rear
code 2 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 grey plastic dome head rounded 17 rung brown hoses cast full front & 3 areas at rear
code 3 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 grey plastic dome head rounded 17 rung brown hoses cast full front & rear hose connectors
code 4 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 grey plastic dome head rounded 17 rung brown hoses cast full front only
code 5 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 grey plastic dome head rounded 17 rung gold hoses cast full front & rear hose connectors
code 6 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 grey plastic dome head rounded 17 rung gold hoses cast full front only
code 7 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 grey plastic dome head rounded 17 rung gold no hoses cast full front only
code 8 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 black plastic dome head rounded 17 rung brown hoses cast full front only
code 9 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 black plastic dome head rounded 17 rung gold hoses cast full front only
code 10 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 black plastic dome head rounded 18 rung gold no hoses cast full front only
code 11 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 black plastic dome head rounded 17 rung gold no hoses cast full front only
code 12 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 black plastic dome head rounded 17 rung silver hoses cast full front only
code 13 red body black base silver trim 10 x 24 black plastic dome head rounded 17 rung silver no hoses cast full front only
code 14 red body black base silver trim 10 x 45 black plastic dome head rounded 17 rung gold no hoses cast full front only
code 15 red body black base silver trim 10 x 45 black plastic dome head rounded 18 rung gold no hoses cast full front only
code 16 red body black base silver trim 10 x 45 black plastic dome head rounded 18 rung silver no hoses cast full front only

box types notes
B4 9b model shown
B4 9c model shown
B5 9b model shown
B5 "Fire engine"
B5 "Fire escape"
C "Fire escape"
D1 one black side one blue
D2 one black side one blue
D2 two blue sides
D2 light blue sides

values

crimped axles and grey plastic wheels £40

rounded axles and grey plastic wheels £30

black plastic wheels & gold ladder £25

black plastic wheels & silver ladder £50

black plastic wheels & brown ladder £40

values are for mint models in mint boxes
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