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The huge Massey Harris Tractor

I have shown it with its tiny miniature brother for comparison

The tractor had great play value with the steering wheel steering the front wheels. However the smoke stacks are pretty flimsy and will come off with any vigorous playing.

The big tractor was pretty expensive in its day. In the 1956 UK collectors' catalogue it is shown at 17/6 when miniatures were 1/6 (17 times the price) - not a toy for every child

Very nice Wolfie, certainly a big beast (and an expensive one too!). I think they came in orange and red. Was there anything to hitch it up to?

It was a lonely beast

The only model planned in this scale was a Euclid Quarry Truck of which only one is known to survive. The truck was sold by auction at a MICA convention for £10,200. (I was there) I believe it was bought by a German collector

Wolfie Ginsburg wrote:It was a lonely beast

The only model planned in this scale was a Euclid Quarry Truck of which only one is known to survive. The truck was sold by auction at a MICA convention for £10,200. (I was there) I believe it was bought by a German collector

I think this is what you are referring to Wolfie, can you see yourself anywhere? click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hystQuOIrks

I was there too Wolfie, I wish I had known you were there as I would have said hello,
I have it on good authority that the large quarry truck went to live in the USA.

That's lovely Wolfie, and thanks for showing it with the miniature - I had no idea the Major Tractor was that large!

Ewan wrote:That's lovely Wolfie, and thanks for showing it with the miniature - I had no idea the Major Tractor was that large!

Maybe when they get listed on ebay as a "Barn find" it might be true

Sorry Wolfie but for once have to contradict you (what a rare occurrence) !!! There was also an Aveling & Porter roller planned and is shown in one of the old UK Matchbox mags at a toyfair when Prince Michael ?? visited their stand. there were around 5 or 6 dumpers looking to be in various colour schemes (but B&W photo only) and sitting on one side is a huge road roller albeit missing any wheels it might have had.
What a series this would have made, similar in size to the old Triang tinplate lorries & trucks - superb.

Moyboy wrote:There was also an Aveling & Porter roller planned and is shown in one of the old UK Matchbox mags at a toyfair when Prince Michael ?? visited their stand. there were around 5 or 6 dumpers looking to be in various colour schemes (but B&W photo only) and sitting on one side is a huge road roller albeit missing any wheels it might have had.

I remember that photograph well.
It has alway struck me as being unlikely that only one of those dumpers survived. Perhaps some of them are still out there, unrecognised for what they are.
Does anyone know what identification marks the only known dumper carries underneath? Come to that, what, if anything, does the big tractor have written underneath?

Of course!

I forgot about that photo inn the UK Matchbox magazine April 1982 page 20

There is a large roller and is that a gun of some sort?

And a few Euclids - what happened to them?






Does someone have a better quality photo?

The tractor doesn't have markings on its base but on its tyres it says Made in England by Lesney