Essex Models and Miniatures - It's a small world

June 17, 2013

Majorette, Scania 140 trucks

by Peter — Categories: Diecast models, Majorette, Scania, Trucks — Leave a comment

Majorette is a very well known French diecast maker and have made a wide and diverse range over the years.

These trucks are based on the Scania 140 tractor unit and the Majorette models were known as the 3000 series, the listed scale is 1:60, these were produced from about 1973 although no definitive dates are available.

The low loader and boat load below is believed to be number 3060.

I have two of these with different coloured boats loads but have also seen the truck in blue with the low loader and boat load.

Another I have is a tanker unit in Esso livery, Shell is more common and Texaco, Fina and Aral liveries have also been seen.

The Esso livery is number 3041.

Like many makers this Scania tractor unit has been used with numerous trailer combinations and liveries.

The real trucks

Founded in 1891 in Södertälje, Sweden, the company’s head office is still in the city. Today, Scania has ten production facilities in Sweden, France, Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, Poland, and Russia. In addition, there are assembly plants in ten countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. Scania’s sales and service organisation and finance companies are worldwide. In 2008, the company employed approximately 35,000 people around the world.

Scania’s logo shows a Griffin, from the coat of arms of the Swedish region of Scania

The real trucks were in production in the 1970′s, certainly between 1973 and 1976 the one below is a 1976 truck.

For more pictures of the Scania 140 trucks Click Here

For more on the Scania history Click Here

June 12, 2013

Lone Star, Austin trucks

by Peter — Categories: Austin, Diecast models, Lone Star, Trucks — 2 Comments

Lone Star did a huge range of diecast vehicles over the years, some of the more modern one’s I have posted here before, the one’s shown in this article are larger castings and far more simplistic but that is the attraction to me, they measure in at 8 3/4 inches (220mm) so sit well with my Matchbox Kingsize trucks.

The first picture is of the Lone Star Austin Low Loader, number 1294, these were issued in 1976 under the name of RoadMaster Majors and came in various liveries and trailer types, what I am not sure of is whether these were a re-issue as they are based on a 1957 Austin and most makers worked with current vehicles.

These are heavy duty toys and have lasted as was intended, and, in my opinion are great looking trucks too.

Two more below, the Milk Truck, No 1281 and the Flat Sided Truck No 1284

Lone star articles and mentions

Lone star Impy trucks

Lone Star Tuf Tots

The real truck

I actually have no real truck information on this one other than it’s an Austin, possibly a ‘Loadstar’ and produced back in 1957, it did continue for quite some years into the 1960′s, if you know more about these trucks then please contact me.

The Austin Motor Co produced Lorries from 1910 to 1968 at Birmingham.

An original sales leaflet for the Austin series.

June 9, 2013

Corgi Juniors, Reliant Simitar GTE

by Peter — Categories: Cars, Corgi, Corgi Juniors, Diecast models, Reliant — Leave a comment

The Simitar GTE is one of my favourite classics from the 1970′s and actually in the process of looking to buy a real one.

Corgi produced this ‘Juniors’ version of the Simitar GTE in 1970 based on the version built for the 1968 motor show in London, from what I believe and reading the page at sporting-reliants.com this was a one-off build and still in existence.

The Corgi Juniors version ended production in 1973.

I like the colour on this one although not impressed with the wheels but all in all a nice copy of the real car.

The base plate show this as the ‘Ogle/Reliant Simitar GTE’, ogle was the design company that had already been involved with many Reliant designs including the GTE, this one had the extra glass above the windscreen.

The Real car

The real Ogle/Reliant Simitar GTE is seen below.

Picture from sporting-reliants.com

The Simitar GTE

Tom Karen of Ogle was asked to submit some body designs based on the Ogle Design GTS estate car experiment for a new four seater Scimitar, the SE5 Reliant Scimitar. Managing Director Ray Wiggin, Chief Engineer John Crosthwaite and fibreglass body expert Ken Wood went to Ogle’s in Letchworth to look at a couple of mock-up body designs for the new SE5. Wiggin told Wood to go ahead and do a proper master.

The SE5 was conceived and ready for the 1968 Motor Show in under 12 months. For the SE5 John Crosthwaite and his team designed a completely different chassis frame, revised and improved suspension, new and relocated fuel tank, a rollover bar, new cooling system, spare wheel mounted in the nose to give increased rear space and a 17 gallon fuel tank. When designing the chassis Crosthwaite worked closely with Ogle body stylist Peter Bailey to modify and refine the prototype.

Information from Wikipedia

June 4, 2013

Jadi, BMW Mini

by Peter — Categories: BMW, Cars, Diecast models, Jadi, Mini — Leave a comment

The new shaped Mini has been around a while now and a common car to be seen on the streets on a daily basis, built and designed by their owners BMW, it’s probably almost as popular now as the older mini was in it’s day.

A little while back I received a few 1:18 scale diecast Mini’s from my other half’s office as they were looking for someone that wanted them or would of ended up in the rubbish , so I inherited them, two are metallic green with graphics and another is metallic blue, again with graphics, the boxes are a bit crushed and one completely missing, they have been sitting by my desk for a while and finally found time to open one and take some pictures.

I’m not a collector of 1:18 scale, mainly because I don’t have the space, but this one I will keep for now.

There is some nice detailing and fully opening doors, boot and bonnet but I expected more from such a large scale, no doubt these come from the lower end of the diecast market, Bburago, Maisto and Kyosho have their own versions of the 1:18 scale mini and strangely enough they all have the same wheels!

This one has a really nice green metallic paint job and a very 70′s graphic overlay.

From close up you can see the lack of fine detail normally expected on this scale.

I do have yet another Mini, this one is a convertible and is unnamed and first glace they look the same but all the details are different and this one is plastic rather than diecast.

They will now both live together in my collection.