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A spot of Ramsay's guide reading left me thinking it would be quite interesting to start collecting some older toys. Discounting pre war Dinky (range too big, prices too high) and Britains (models too big, prices too high) left me with Charbens, Crescent, John Hill and Taylor & Barrett as the main possibilities - there are others but the ranges are very small. For once I did a little research, purchasing some photocopied magazine articles on T&B and spending a lot of time on Robert Newson's Charbens pages. Of them all, there seems to be less Crescent information out there than any of the others so naturally that's what I'm collecting, although the odd John Hill item has snuck in and I am still hopelessly unable to ignore anything I can't identify!

Whilst browsing Vectis past auctions I came across this Garage Set and have been trying to collect the parts individually since. There appears to be some flexibility in this, I've found another picture of the set in a Norman Joplin book and there are differences. I'm not 100% sure that the set is complete in either case as they don't seem to have the forecourt plants featured on the box and they are known to exist. Speaking of the box illustration (and I'm not reading too much into this!) I find it quite interesting that it appears to feature a Mack truck and a Fageol coach, both of which were Tootsietoys copied in the UK by John Hill. I've also been trying to match the components to catalogue numbers as there is a listing in the back of a different Norman Joplin book based on a 1940 catalogue. The only date I have seen for the set is 1949 and I'm going to try to avoid using the terms Pre and Post War as I believe there is a good chance most items were released in both periods. Anyway, here is the set The first item I got was what I believe to be the A10 Tradesman's Van. Some of the green examples I've seen have Carter Pattison labels and there are also red examples with Royal Mail labels. I spotted a grey 'Ambulance' variation on ebay which appeared to have painted/printed lettering rather than labels and I have no idea if it was original or not. These vans also come with metal hubs fitted with rubber tyres. The black example in the Vectis picture doesn't appear in the Norman Joplin photo of the set. There are two cars in the Vectis set, a racing car and what looks like a Land Speed record car but was probably still referred to as a racing car! The Joplin photo has two record cars in red. I have managed to get an example of each, both are in very poor condition. My record car is the only one I've seen with hubs rather than one piece wheels and goodness knows where I'll find tyres as they really are tiny hubs, much smaller than those fitted to my John Hill Mack trucks. They are both slush cast and the axle's are very corroded. They look as if they may be cast into the bodies, hopefully I'll know for sure when I clean them up. These cars are roughly the same size as a Lesney Maserati 4CLT and I'm not 100% sure on the catalogue number. My listing shows A32 as a Racing Car which could cover both of them, and there is also a catalogue number A223 which is Motor Cars (various)...... Also causing me cataloguing problems is my petrol pump. The 1940 listing shows 3 pumps, all of which are branded (Shell, BP, Power) and I know to be of a completely different style. The style of this one looks so 1930s rather than 1950s to my eyes I find it hard to believe it would be a new Post War issue but you never know. One of the more common components of the set is the Oil Bin (catalogue number AA60), although there are a lot around that look similar but not quite the same. Finally, I found one foreman - he's still waiting for some mechanics to boss around! I realise that all this stuff is a bit outside what most of you collect but I hope you've found it of some interest. As you've probably figured there are some pretty large gaps in my knowledge so if anyone has more information please share!

Thanks Ewan, I have very little knowledge of Crescent toys so have nothing to add to what you have written, I found it a very interesting read, good luck in your hunt for those mechanics,........probably on a tea break somewhere.

Absolutely fascinating, Ewan. Thank you! (I love posts like this!)

Those toys look fascinating! Maybe for a start you can use o-ring seals as tires, there should be a wide spread choice.

The land speed record car is based on the 1931 Campbell-Napier-Railton Blue Bird. I guess it was produced in blue as well.

Thanks for the comments, and also the tip on trying 'O' rings - I hadn't thought of that.
Idris - am I correct in thinking you reference the book 'British Tin Toys' on here from time to time? If so, check out pages 173 and 174 (the 1931 Wells catalogue). A very generic open cabbed delivery van in the following liveries - Carter Pattison, Royal Mail and Ambulance......

Ewan wrote:Idris - am I correct in thinking you reference the book 'British Tin Toys' on here from time to time?

Not guilty, M'lud.

My oops! It's toysnz that does that

Great thread Ewan, hope to hear some more soon.

A couple more bits and pieces have come my way of late, a second oil cabinet, a mechanic and 5 of the diecast shrubs - three of which are incomplete. I've spent this week snatching half an hour here and an hour there and managed to make my version of the garage too! The proportions aren't the same as the original, mine is made of balsa on an A4 sized sheet of ply and I think the original board would be wider but maybe not as deep. Anyway, here's what I've got so far.