Essex Models and Miniatures

I don’t have many Benbros diecast vehicles but some I do have are slightly different to what I usually collect.

First is this tiny horse drawn log wagon, Benbros No2 in the TV series, the TV series had a box resembling an old TV set.

These did come with a log or at least a piece of chopped off doweling and was more often seen with a brown horse and a green wagon with red wheels but my one below is a rarer version.

Next is the Kansas stage coach Benbros No4, the earlier version had a driver in the hole on the roof but later issues didn’t have this.

The red below is the more common colour version and was also issued in yellow, blue and orange.

Benbros (London) Ltd was a British toy company in existence from 1953 to 1965.

The company was founded by two brothers, Jack and Nathan Beneson, the name a contraction of “Beneson Brothers” and were based at 145 Gosport Road Walthamstow.

Benbros produced-

• Die cast metal model cars and farm machinery under the names of Qualitoys and “T.V. Series” that came packed in a box that looked like a television set that were later retitled Mighty Midgets
• Zebra Toys that came in black and white striped boxes that were better quality models
• Hollow cast metal Robin Hood, cowboy and Indian figures and toy soldiers

Timpo Toys sold several of their moulds to Benbros that leads many collectors to have difficulty identifying which company made some figures