Matchbox Models of Yesteryear Y-27 1922 Foden Steam Wagon

The Y27-1 1922 Foden Steam Wagon joined the range in 1984. The first version was in the blue and red livery of Pickfords Removers and Storers and this one had quite a few casting modifications carried out to it. The second livery was a limited edition release in the dark brown livery of Hovis which was followed by the mid brown livery of Tate & Lyle's Packet Sugar. The Frasers' van was the fourth version to join and to make it a little different to the earlier models this one had a matching Frasers' trailer, Some guides list the Frasers' van as number Y27b but as the Y27 stayed in production until at least 1992 so I have listed them all here rather than make a seperate page for just the one model. All Fodens had a black plastic boiler and interior and gold plated chimney and sidelights.
Page 2 Spillers, Guinness, Joseph Rank, McMullen and Fullers.

Above: The first Foden was released in 1984 in the blue & red Pickfords livery. Very quickly the dies were modified in the area to the front of the load bed and the sides of the cab, This modification was not successful so it was altered again. Then the framing around the planking on the side of the bed was reduced in depth to allow the tampo decoration to be applied correctly. On a later run some chassis fitted with a hook were used which were really intended for the Frasers' issue as well as some which did not have the hook but did have a hook securing rivet. The second version of the body is rare and so is the one with just a hook rivet,

Above: The Pickford van had red daisy pattern wheels and it can have a light grey or a dark grey canopy and cab roof. The Pickfords logo was blue and white tampo and to the canopy blue and white labels.

Above: Left to right, The first, second and third body casting.

Above: Left to right, No hook or rivet. rivet only, hook & rivet.

Above: The second livery on the Foden was Hovis Bread and it was released in 1985 and it was painted dark brown with a black chassis, The wheels and canopy can be light yellowy-brown or light brown. It was decorated with white Hovis tampo to the body sides and the canopy had brown and white Hovis labels.

Above: Although the Hovis van was released as a Limited Edition at least 100,000 were made.

Above: In 1986 the third Foden was released in the livery of Tate & Lyle's Packet Sugar, It was painted mid brown with a black chassis and a black canopy and cab roof. The model had red daisy pattern wheels and it was adorned with gold tampo lettering to the cab sides and the load bed sides. This version can have deep or shallow planking frame detail to the body sides and can have a 1984 or 1986 copyright date inscribed on the baseplate.

Above: Although this was a standard production run only a total of 125 thousand were made which shows that the Limited Editions were maybe not quite so exclusive after all.

Above: The fourth Foden was released in 1986 in the red & green livery of Frasers' of Ipswich House Furnishers. Although basically the same as previous issues it was improved considerably by including a matching trailer. Both Foden and trailer had a dark green body and red baseplates with red daisy pattern wheels. The white plastic canopies were tampo printed with "Frasers" in green & red and the body sides with white & gold lettering.

Above: All Frasers'vans had a hook added to the baseplate which were inadvertently used for the Pickfords and the Spillers issues. The hook had the "Limited Edition" lettering cast in, The only variation of note for the Frasers version being that the cab roof can be found in white or off white plastic.

Page 2 Spillers, Guinness, Joseph Rank, McMullen and Fullers.