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K3B Hatra Tractor Shovel Issued 1965 All England castings.

Body& base: Light orange or orange.
Pad between body & shovel: with or without black plastic pad.
Wheels: Black plastic tires (BPT) with red hubs.
Tow Loops (TL): Closed or open.
Hydraulic sleeves: Black
Windows: Green
Rivets: Large or small; painted or unpainted.
Decal lettering: Thin or thick; straight or angled.
Decal background: Cream or white.

1. Dk.orange body/no blk pad/2 openings/BPT/grn windows/open tow loops/painted rivets/"Hatra" angled lettering decal/white background.
2. Dk.orange body/with blk pad/BPT/grn windows/closed tow loops/painted rivets/"Hatra" angled lettering decal/white background.
3. Lt.orange body/no blk pad/BPT/grn windows/open tow loops/painted rivets/"Hatra" thick lettering decal with cream background.
4. Dk.orange body/with blk pad/BPT/grn windows/closed tow loops/painted rivets/"Hatra" thick lettering decal with cream background.
5. Lt.orange body/with blk pad/BPT/grn windows/closed tow loops/unpainted rivets/"Hatra" thick lettering decal with cream background.
6. Lt.orange body/with blk pad/BPT/grn windows/closed TL/unpainted rivets/"Hatra" thin lettering decal/white background.
7. DK.orange body/with blk pad/BPT/grn windows/closed TL/painted rivets/"Hatra" thin lettering decal/white background.
8. Lt.orange body/with blk pad/BPT/grn windows/closed TL/unpainted rivets/"Hatra" thick lettering decal/white background.
9. Dk.orange body/with blk pad/BPT/grn windows/closed TL/painted rivets/"Hatra" thick lettering decal/white background.
10.Lt.orange body/with blk pad/BPT/grn windows/closed TL/painted small rivet/"Hatra" thick lettering decal & white background.

Nice fleet Charlie with some subtle variations.

One of the best moving parts play value Kingsize model in the B series.

I would love to have seen this in construction yellow or better still as it is depicted in the pocket catalogues and on the header boards of display stands and on the faces of the E boxes.
There is a certain appeal with the red/orange and grey along with what looks to be metal hubs.

Here are pictures of the pre-pro. These were images from Wolfie some years ago and shows it in dark red, white and bare metal. This one has red plastic hubs but was quite possibly used as a reference for the various artworks on boxes , banners and catalogues. Note the red bucket.

Also attached is an image from Wolfie with the angled lettering on door but this looks to have clear windows. Interesting, given the pre-pro has green tint and many pre-pro usually have clear windows.

Acknowledgment to Wolfie Ginsburg (deceased) – author of chapter 9 of the Matchbox Diecast Toys “The First Forty Years” and past VBD member

Bert

yellowfoden wrote:Also attached is an image from Wolfie with the angled lettering on door but this looks to have clear windows. Interesting, given the pre-pro has green tint and many pre-pro usually have clear windows.

Could it be that it doesn't have any glazing fitted?

I am adding some more variations:
a) small and painted shovel rivet
b) large and painted shovel rivet
c) large and unpainted shovel rivet
Antonin

a) shovel directly riveted to the body

b) plastic "pad" between body and shovel

a) open tow loops

b) closed tow loops

yellowfoden wrote: Acknowledgment to Wolfie Ginsburg (deceased) – author of chapter 9 of the Matchbox Diecast Toys “The First Forty Years” and past VBD member

Bert

I really miss Wolfie.

Idris wrote:

yellowfoden wrote:Also attached is an image from Wolfie with the angled lettering on door but this looks to have clear windows. Interesting, given the pre-pro has green tint and many pre-pro usually have clear windows.

Could it be that it doesn't have any glazing fitted?

I just found another image of the same model (with the bucket lowered) although the image is a touch out of focus. This probably helps in this case though as glazing is more evident.

Bert