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Interesting thread. I'm afraid I'm joining this discussion a bit late and what I'm about to say could have already been covered.
How would or could you know that all the trim variations discussed are genuine? I'm particularly thinking of A in the photo that says hand applied.
Surely this could have been done by a railway enthusiast as the models from around this period were heavily marketed towards this hobby.
A couple of the other trim variations could be the same, red lights - no red lights.

Cheers Steve

A very valid point made by "Matchboxkiwi", in the early period of the 1-75 Series being marketed, they were advertised in one country (was it the USA), specifically in a model railway magazine (I think the '40 years' book has examples of just such adverts).

GHOSTHUNTER.

Interesting point Steve and one that also crossed my mind in fact i have a couple of Superfast which have been super detailed with a great deal of care taken to produce some very convincing results so it would seem very reasonable to presume some examples of RW models with "hand applied" trim may have been done by a skilled enthusiast as opposed to being factory produced.

Idris wrote:Has anyone identified any shades of the metallic blue? I have a very playworn one in a significantly paler shade with a tapped hole towards the middle of the base. (It's actually slightly offset to miss the central ridge.) However, there are no apparent casting variations.

I've finally got all my files on my new (read "less old") PC, so here's a couple of photographs of a standard metallic blue and the paler metallic blue side-by-side. (I hope that the difference is clear.)

Idris wrote:The NAMC’s “Catalog of all Series Matchbox Models” (first edition) lists a "royal blue" (whatever that might mean)

Royal Blue is a very specific dark blue. http://colors.findthebest.com/compare/3 ... Royal-Blue

It seems to match quite well with the pictures Hugh posted on 20th September.

Martin Avis wrote:

Idris wrote:The NAMC’s “Catalog of all Series Matchbox Models” (first edition) lists a "royal blue" (whatever that might mean)

Royal Blue is a very specific dark blue. http://colors.findthebest.com/compare/3 ... Royal-Blue

It seems to match quite well with the pictures Hugh posted on 20th September.

Thank you, Martin. (I didn't think of that as a possible explanation.)

Idris wrote:Has anyone identified any shades of the metallic blue?

Hello Hugh,

I see what you mean about the two different shades of 65a metallic blue.

Attached are a few photos.
Both models are same variation- 3 ejector rings inside roof, no silver trim to number plate or lights.
While some difference would be play worn applicable, what is interesting is the depth of colour with the metallic showing through more on one.
One reason could be the number of coats on mine which could account for noticeable difference with coverage on the underside. All my other 65a’s are nicely coated on underside.
My camera has not quite captured the correct colour but think it has picked up the shade differences between the two.

Regards
Bert

yellowfoden wrote:One reason could be the number of coats on mine which could account for noticeable difference with coverage on the underside. All my other 65a’s are nicely coated on underside.

I'll check the coating of the inside of the sills on mine.