VBD2 is closed. Please go to https://vbd3.co.uk instead.

40a Bedford 7 Ton Tipper, issued 1957, length 54mm, box type B.
40b Leyland Royal Tiger Coach, issued 1961, length 75mm, box types C-D and E.
40c Hay Trailer, issued 1967, length 86mm, box types E-F and G.





Two different colours, with MW.


MW and GPW.






The two different types of the base fixing.


A side view of the 1st fixing of the base with a pin behind the front wheels.







George T.

Hay trailer with larger hubs, all wheels,front wheels and rear wheels. J

Only a couple 40s in my pile:

Not exactly rare but it sure took me a long time to find a Leyland Royal Tiger Coach with gray plastic wheels.

It may have taken you a while to get it but it looks like a very nice example Greg.

Hello Greg I too found the GPW hard to find, my one like yours is 9 x 24 tread, but the other GPW model with 9 x 36 tread I think that is even harder to find I am still after that one.



Looking at this model I just thought a different base fixing, but then I noticed that the base plate was about 4mm longer, giving this model a real pronounced rear bumper, which are not on the 1st casting.



George T.

Other than the round rivet itself I never really noticed the other differences within those two base retention variations. There's the rear bumper as you've pointed out George but then your earlier base photo of the two black wheeled models shows very nicely how significantly both the body and base castings were modified at the rear. The base on that riveted example is significantly longer than the other.

The knobby tread BPW wheel variants were the hardest to find for me. I think the GPW variants are often listed incorrectly on ebay and hard to see in some sellers photos, this adds to the difficulty in finding them. The knobby BPW variants are much harder to find IMHO. My Stannard Code 3 variant is now in Christian F's collection and was a model I was lucky enough to purchase new in the toy shop.

I've never really noticed a problem with missing bases on this model. Perhaps the base was altered to make assembly easier. Lesney spent time and money to alter the model and their must have been a reason, it would be interesting to know what that reason was.

Hello Joe (tinman) now I think about it the bpw 9 x 20 tread did take me a very long time too find.



I often wonder why they changed the casting, as it was only used once on the very last Casting (B)

George T.

kerbside wrote: I often wonder why they changed the casting, as it was only used once on the very last Casting (B)

George T.

Sometimes we see changes that seem to be made for no real solid reason. Perhaps some Lesney departments were no different than other large business operations and someone's continued employment might have hinged on making changes (needed or not).