"MATCHBOX" copies etc.

[misterpop]

Is that Evel Knievel in his Roller?

[ChFalkensteiner]

Despite both 'MILTON' and 'MAXWELL' being in Calcutta, India, they seemed not to be connected in a business sense, but both companies were supplied with tooling from Lesney and Corgi, (among others) at the start of the seventies, with finished models coming to market in 1972 and an odd thing is that they each had only one 'Yesteryear' model, the Road Roller shown above from 'MAXWELL' and the model 'T' Ford from 'MILTON', but please forum members if you know this is not the case, lets hear from you.

I happen to know this is not the case, for many years ago I had a Riley MPH by Maxwell, shown here with its box in an old picture dating from the year 2000:



Besides, I do not believe that Maxwell used original tooling from Lesney. It is much more likely that they used Matchbox models found at retail as a basis for creating their own tooling.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Thank's ChFalkensteiner, for the extra info on the 'MAXWELL' models, glad someone could add something to it, always happy to be corrected by other members.

In all my years of being a model car researcher and Rolls-Royce collector, I have only ever come across the two Lesney copies shown in earlier posts, the model 'T' Ford and the Road Roller and one tends to think that no other models were copied, to go with them, so seeing your Riley is very welcome, thank's again.

Regards,
GHOSTHUNTER.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hello mokosex, thank's for the VW pictures.

As I mentioned in the private message to you, I don't have the VW van shown in your pictures, but I have a matching Bedford 'CA' van, so it seems to come from the same range of models, all made in brightly coloured polythene plastics and coming from the late 1950's.

Off the top of my head, the range included an Armstrong Siddeley car and the Austin FX3 'TAXI', but several other vehicles probably exist as well.

There are two specific versions of these models, the one actually made by 'TUDOR ROSE' in Glamorgan, Wales, and another version with the little 'TUDOR ROSE' logo removed, I am not sure which way round these models were introduced, because some moulds came from France, to create some circa 1/20th scale model cars and some models were copied by 'NACORAL' in Spain and 'ROSEDALE ASSOCIATES' the parent company of Tudor rose, purchased several plastics companies from the U.S. and the U.K. including 'KLEEWARE' in 1959, so, somewhere among this lot, your VW van was made with tools from France, America or the U.K.

The connection with 'NACORAL' in Spain was a proper business collaboration, with TUDOR ROSE making several plastic toys for the company to market and I believe some 1/16th scale car models were sent to Spain for 'NACORAL' to copy, without actually using original 'TUDOR ROSE' tooling.

Your van has obviousely been repainted by a previous owner and looks to have been done quite well as a racing team support service van, I would be tempted to try and restore it back to it's original look by removing all that painting, just to help the natural polythene plastic underneath, breath again to slow down any deteriation and distortion the model may develop.

I would not class it as a direct copy of the Lesney version, but it may have been based on it as a guide.

Regards,
GHOSTHUNTER.

[misterpop]

Its a while back now but I seem to remember using MR Muscle over cleaner on my Pocher Rolls Royce to get the paint off the plastic bodywork..Ten or so years down the line and it has stood up to it...Spray painted then and there was no reaction....Still looks good although still not built.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Yeah, come on misterpop, I want to see you tackle that Pocher, a full break-down of construction with pictures all the way, with a nice gleaming example at the end of it all...................you can manage that, just lay off the tights and open pubs while you do it.....................

Ghosty.

[Ewan]

Midget Models, No.19, Victor 'F' Type..JPG

Here is the white metal copy of the '1-75 series', Victor 'F' Type. It has been made as a simple kit by 'Midget Models', Birmingham. Given a catalogue number of 19 and sold at £2.95, it dates from the early 1980's.

GHOSTHUNTER.

This re-ignited a thought I had some time ago. As I'm sure a lot of you know, some of the early 1-75 models, particularly the commercials, are very close to 'N' scale in model railways. A few of the white metal 'N' kits are incredibly close to Matchbox models. First up is GEM/Fleetline models, the brand has changed hands at least once and can currently be seen at http://www.lytchettmanor.co.uk/fleetline4.html Check out the ERF tanker - I know the fuel tank is different, but the cab and grille detail is uncanny. Admittedly, there are many more models in the range, so they must have had their own model maker(s) but I find the crispness of the ERF suspicious.

Another manufacturer was Thameshead Transport Kits - also seen as TTK. They were taken over by PD Marsh some years ago and you can check their range out online too. I have a small collection of N scale bus kits and one model I came across on ebay once was a Thameshead Bedford SB / Duple Vega. As the Matchbox 21a is (by my calculations at least) a perfect 'N' scale model I wondered if this was another copy. Unfortunately I didn't win it to find out!

[MOKOSEX]

Thanks for the info on the vw,i tried everywhere and could not get one picture of a tudor rose vw van,i have seen the taxi and i have a couple of large old timers somewhere but have not seen anymore normal models,saying that i do have a military lorry by tudor rose ,small scale, thats obviously british but converted to miltary use.
dave
ps the rolls and sundry will be with you tuesday pre 1 oclock.

[MOKOSEX]

lucky toy land rover

[MOKOSEX]

roxy toy tiger coach