Matrix New Releases announced July 2017

By Maz Woolley

All photographs supplied by Matrix.

Matrix latest announcement covers new models which are intended for release in August and September. Not all have samples produced yet. All models listed are to be made in resin to 1:43 scale in China.

MX40103-031 Allard P2 Safari Station Wagon white 1954


 

MX41705-122 Phantom Experimental Vehicle #10EX by Barker 1926


 

MX50102-071 Alfa Romeo 1900L Ti Pininfarina Coupe white 1954


 

MX50206-061 Buick Series 40 Lancefield Drop Head black 1938


 

No pre-production sample available for display

MX51302-011 Mercedes-Benz W194 300SL Transaxle


 

MX51904-021 Talbot Lago T26 Stabilimente Farina Cabriolet black 1951


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Atlas Germany – Ambulance Collection Part 3

By Hans-Georg Schmitt

Photographs are by, and copyright of, the Author.

The fourth and fifth items released in the new Editions Atlas Ambulance series in Germany are a Citroen ID Ambulance and a Barkas B1000.

7 495 104 Citroen ID19 Ambulance (estate)

The new DS models from Citroen, designed by the legendary Flaminio Bertoni, appeared in 1955. A cheaper version without the complicated hydraulic system was launched as the ID. In 1957 an estate version followed, the model name depended upon the number of rear seats, and could be Break, Familiale or Commerciale. With its comfortable suspension system, the car was predestined for use as an ambulance car. The use of ID 19 ambulance cars was widespread in France and an unknown number of lives were saved by these fast and comfortable vehicles.

The miniature is authentically shaped. The flowing lines of the body  are exactly reproduced. The lower part is painted in grey, the roof in white. Many small separate parts are used and even the typical roof rack is not forgotten. The Interior is well executed, only the distance between driver seat and the typical Citroen style steering wheel with bent steering column is a bit too short. The rear windows are covered by blinds so the interior is obscured which helps hide the fact that the stretcher is missing, though a seat for the emergency doctor is included. The wheels are accurate, but the base is only lightly detailed.


7 495 105 Barkas B 1000 “SMH – Schnelle Medizinische Hilfe”

The Barkas B 1000, launched in 1961, was manufactured until the end of the DDR in 1990. In spite of its modest three cylinder two-stroke engine of 991 cc, which supplied only 42 hp, it was very widely used in the former DDR as a van and by the rescue services. In 1976, the “Schnelle Medizinische Hilfe” was introduced so citizens of the DDR would receive help when and where it was needed.

This model is one of a unit used by the emergency doctor service and is on the base of the ubiquitous Barkas B 1000. The Barkas SMH 3 has a special coachbuilt body to provide enough space inside for patients, rescue services, and all the medical equipment.

The miniature captures the original well and is well painted in white and red. Wording and other details are well executed. A lot of small parts are fitted to represent special equipment like the three blue warning lights, a loudspeaker, a search light and two fog lamps. The Interior is very good with a dashboard showing instruments, and well modelled steering wheel and phone equipment. The stretcher can be seen in the rear. Both the wheels and base plate have been modelled in some detail.


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Readers Letter

Notes from another Lamborghini Lover

 

Further to the article on Lamborghini by Mick Haven of the South Hants Model Auto Club I would like to add a few comments/recollections.

As a late teenage boy from a small town in Gloucestershire I was absolutely bowled over at the first sight of the lime green Miura on the front of the Telegraph Magazine at the time of the 1966 Geneva Motor Show. I just had to learn as much as possible about this amazing ‘Supercar’ as it had been described by Car Magazine.

A trip to London by train specifically to visit Lamborghini Concessionaires in Alie Street, in London E.1. was called for. Mick Haven’s description brought the showroom back life. Unlike MIck’s my visit was made during the working day either late morning or early afternoon.

From memory I recall that there was no sales person around to speak to when I arrived. An inspection of the two cars revealed them to be a 400GT and…. a dark blue Miura with white interior. I learned that the Miura belonged to the Shah of Iran and was stored for him in London. The ski rack attached to the roof was for when he came to Europe in the winter to go skiing in Europe!

Before I left the showroom I was allowed to have an official brochure for the 400 GT2+2 and the Miura! A great finish to the day. I still have those brochures today. In autumn 1968 when I learned that the Miura S was to follow on from the P400 I wrote a letter to Alie Street enquiring when would they expect to have the ‘S’ in their showroom. I was amazed to get a reply on a postcard with a red Miura on the front from them saying they had no delivery date as yet. I still have that postcard too!

I only caught up with Lamborghini again in the late 1970s when I started working in London. They were imported by Porsche GB handled by Portman Garages in St George’s Square, W.1. I’d missed the Whyteleafe and Lower Thames Street chapters but met Del Hopkins who ran the servicing side of Lamborghinis out at a separate premises in West London.

My 1:43 die cast Lamborghini collection is of approximately 350 items and still growing. My brochure collection complements it and features factory catalogues up to Aventador.

Last year’s Salon Privé at Blenheim celebrated 50 years of the Miura and starred the 1968 Brussels Motor Show Miura Spyder. That was a must see. If the opportunity should ever arise I recommend a visit to the Lamborghini Factory Museum and the Tonino Lamborghini Private Museum. An eBay auction recently produced a large Lamborghini Factory produced poster for dealers showrooms showing Espada, Countach and Urraco which I’d only ever seen hanging on the wall of Tonino’s Museum.

The lime green ‘Twiggy’ Miura that Mick wrote about can be seen at various car events, and the lady who owns it has a LM002 which appeared at Brooklands Supercar Sunday this year.

Like Mick I’m a life long fan of the Lamborghini marque.

Ian Hunt,
Redhill. Surrey.

By email

 

 

Neo, BoS, and Model Car Group releases July 2017

By Maz Woolley

All photographs based on Neo, MCG and Best of Show  publicity material.

The releases shown below include new colours on previously released models as well as entirely new castings and mouldings. All these ModelCarWorld owned companies seem to be releasing models at a very rapid rate at the moment.

Best of Show

These models are made of resin in China to various scales. They are the budget ModelCarWorld resin range with printed details rather than the photoetched ones generally found on the more expensive Neo models.

BoS 1:18 resin LaSalle Series 50 Convertible Coupe, dark red, 1940

 

BoS 1:18 resin Dodge Eight DG Coupe, beige and brown, 1931

BoS 1:18 resin Lincoln Continental MkV Coupe, gold/beige, 1978

 

BoS 1:18 resin Buick LeSabre Custom Sport Coupe, metallic-beige/black, 1970

 

BoS 1:18 resin Imperial Crown Southampton 4-Door, metallic-blue, 1962

 

BoS 1:18 resin Porsche 911 Turbo Gemballa Avalanche, metallic-dark red, 1986

 

BoS 1:18 resin Buick Century Caballero Estate, metallic red/beige, 1957

 

BoS 1:18 resin Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior Zagato, black

 

BoS 1:87 resin Mercedes W154 Rekordwagen, silver, 1939

 

BoS 1:87 resin Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, silver, 2011

 

BoS 1:87 resin Bugatti Typ 50T, red/black, 1932

 

 

BoS 1:87 resin Mercedes 130 (W23), black/beige, 1934

 

ModelCarGroup

These models are diecast in China to 1:18 scale.

MCG 1:18 metal Tatra 87, metallic grey, and black, 1937

Neo

These models are made of resin in China mainly to 1:43 scale. This is the premium ModelCarWorld resin range with more use of photoetch and small detailed parts.

Neo 1:43 resin Peugeot 604 Limousine Heuliez, silver/black, 1978

 

Neo 1:43 resin VW Stoll Coupe, dark beige/light beige, 1952

 

Neo 1:43 resin Hanomag Henschel F201, beige/red 1967

 

Neo 1:43 resin Citroen SM Opera by Henri Chapron , dark red

 

Neo 1:43 resin Ferrari 375 MM Scaglietti Coupe, silver 1954

 

Neo 1:43 resin BMW M535i (E12), metallic-dark blue, 1978

 

Neo 1:43 resin Fiat Abarth 1000 GT Monomille, red, 1963

 

Neo 1:43 resin Lincoln Continental MKIII Convertible, copper, 1958

 

Neo 1:43 resin Lincoln Premiere Hardtop, light blue/white, 1956

 

Neo 1:43 resin MG TF 1500, RHD, black, 1955

 

Neo 1:43 resin BMW M535i (E12), white, 1980

Neo 1:43 resin Tatra 87, black, 1940

 

Neo 1:43 resin Chevrolet Malibu 2-Door , red/light beige, 1974


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Book Reviews June/July 2017

By Hans-Georg Schmitt

 

Veloce Publishing has just re-released two books of interest to the die cast and tin toy collector.

 

Diecast toy cars of the 1950s and 1960s by Andrew Ralston. English Text. 128 pages. 250 pictures, Softbound, 225x225mm. Published by Veloce Publishing and available from good specialist booksellers and direct from www.veloce.co.uk or www.velocebooks.com.

ISBN 978-1-787111-17-2  19.95 GB Pounds or 30 US Dollars

This book provides a comprehensive overview of diecast toy cars made during these two very productive decades. Many companies shown may be generally forgotten today but their products are still sought after. The pages feature models from firms like Dinky Toys, Corgi Toys, Matchbox, Märklin, GAMA, Solido, Tekno and Tootsietoy. This book brings back memories of the toys of these eras.


 

 

Tinplate Toy Cars of the 1950s and 1960s from Japan by Andrew Ralston. English Text. 160 pages. 173 colour pictures, Softbound, 225x225mm. Published by Veloce Publishing and available from good specialist booksellers and direct from www.veloce.co.uk or www.velocebooks.com.

ISBN 978-1-787111-20-2 19.95 GB Pounds or 30 US Dollars

The book showcases postwar Japanese-built tinplate cars absed on protypes from all around the world. The book features some of the rarest models from a private collection. The book gives history and background for all these toys. This is a  book for specialist collectors and all of those with an interest in vintage toys.


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News from the Continent June/July 2017 – Wiking

By Hans-Georg Schmitt

All photographs have been supplied by Wiking, and their copyright applies.

The Wiking releases planned for August 2017 are illustrated below all are made in plastic to 1:87 scale unless otherwise stated. Wiking models are made in Europe.

 

New Items

0226 04 Austin 7

0788 06 Volkswagen T1b microbus

0381 99 Claas Cargos trailer

0662 02 Fuchs F301 cable excavator

0520 02 Mercedes-Benz LPS 1317 refrigerated artic. truck

0624 03 Mercedes-Benz fire brigade dump truck

0852 39 Mercedes-Benz short bonnet box lorry

0677 03 Magirus Saturn articulated tipper lorry

0433 05 MAN high-sided flat bed truck

Upgraded Models

0806 36 Lloyd Alexander TS

0167 02 Porsche 550 Spyder

0829 06 BMW 507 convertible

0293 06 Volkswagen T3 pick up with crew cab

0105 02 Range Rover

0317 05 Volkswagen T1 Samba microbus

0866 35 Krupp Titan dumper

0532 02 Mercedes-Benz short bonnet concrete mixer

0628 46 Rosenbauer B32 fire brigade hydraulic rescue platform on Mercedes-Benz Econic chassis.

0479 03 Büssing 12.000 flatbed lorry with canvas cover

Models to 1:160 scale

0914 04 4 classic passenger cars


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Aussie Buses and other thoughts

By Mick Haven

During my first trip to Australia back in 1997, I paid little attention to their buses, although buses had played a major part in my life for at least the first third of it. Whilst it’s true that I would have seen plenty of them down there within the first day or two of my arrival, there are two which linger in the memory. The first one is the ‘Surfside’ Leyland National LWB on route number 1, showing the destination, Tweed Heads, a town in Surfers Paradise on Queensland’s Gold Coast. This is on the border with neighbouring New South Wales, a place where you can straddle the state border line, with one foot in Queensland and one in New South Wales. Why does the Surfside stand out? In reality it was no different to any other Leyland National, basically a long rattling tin box with very basic fixtures and fittings, not a patch on the old solid L.T.s, Leyland PDs and Bristols. Maybe it was because it was my first ride on an Aussie bus. Maybe it was due to the novelty of seeing and riding on a ‘British’ bus, one so familiar back home, yet eleven thousand miles away in a foreign town. I would ride the same service the following year. During those first trips down there, I had little or no knowledge of Australian models either, Elle MacPherson aside. I certainly had never heard of Trax or of its parent company, Top Gear Models. Once I did become aware of them, via computer and consequently, the internet, I began collecting models of the ubiquitous ‘Ute’, which is to Australians what pick-up trucks are to Americans. Over a period of time, about a dozen of them made their way north, not only by Trax but by Biante and Classic Carlectables, two other unfamiliar names back then. I was also fascinated by Trax commercial vehicles brand, Trux. In amongst them, all in 1/76th scale, was the Surfside, and I think also there was the same bus, but in the livery of buses plying their trade in Canberra and Tasmania. There were also double deck and single deck buses of a much older vintage. I began getting Trax new and current releases literature by post, and keeping up with them on the ‘net. This would have been around the end of the last century at a guess. I still get regular updates from them in both forms.

My collection of British bus models isn’t extensive, no more than in the low twenties. As, if for no other reason, I don’t see the point in having models of buses which have no relevance to me. Even that is only partially true because as well as buses, I grew up with many of the country’s well known national coach companies, e.g. East Kent, Southdown, Ribble, Royal Blue, Midland Red and so many others, long before they fell under the ‘National’ umbrella that we know today. For a coach spotter in the 1950s, London’s Victoria Coach Station was Mecca. To get models of them would run into hundreds. Consequently, I wouldn’t have the space to display them. So I only collect or have collected, models of buses I grew up with, I rode on or drove for a living, i.e. London Transports and Green Lines on Essex routes, Eastern Nationals and Southdowns.

I digress. Seeing the Surfside in updates from Trax meant that having ridden on one, I had to have the model, so one was ordered. An altogether far more satisfying purchase was to follow. During that same trip down under, I left the Gold Coast and went to Sydney for a couple of days. From there I had to get to Melbourne, where I had arranged to stay with friends. I had three choices of travel, train, plane or long distance bus. The first two were out of the question financially. I opted to go by road, and the method of transport I chose was operated by the ‘Firefly Express’ company who ran a twice daily service between Sydney and Melbourne, and a service between Melbourne and Adelaide. The Sydney/Melbourne service departed at 07:00 and 19:30. It took 12 hours! On arrival at the departure point, there was this splendid double deck bus, or is it a double deck coach? Whatever, it was a super vehicle. I used it there and back.

I had been back home awhile, and looked in on Trax on a regular basis. I had never forgotten the Firefly and thought that it would make an excellent model, so I e-mailed them to ask if they had plans to make one, and if not, could they consider it. An e-mail arrived within a day or so, advising me that by sheer coincidence, the release of one was imminent. It was. I ordered one straightaway, and it arrived within two weeks. My timing was perfect, because the production run was short lived. If ever there was a case of ‘now you see it, now you don’t’, this was it. I got lucky. There were one or two other models sharing the same body, but in the livery of other operators. The vehicle is a ‘Landseer’, by Australian coach builder, Denning, and has the almost mandatory ‘roo bars across the front, very necessary when crossing the outback in the middle of the night. This is a bus model I treasure. The Denning company also produced single deck interstate coaches, not dissimilar to classic American Greyhounds. These too were replicated by Trux. Pictures of many Australian buses and coaches, including Firefly’s, can be found on the Showbus Australia web site.

The Surfside model was cast for Trax by EFE The Firefly chassis has no manufacturers name. Was this a special commission by E.F.E. for the Australian market? That I don’t know, but like far too many EFE.s, neither of them have mirrors. However, I believe the giveaway is in the absence of them. I have never seen or heard it explained why so many EFEs didn’t have mirrors. What doesn’t make sense is that for all those that didn’t, many others did? No bus ever leaves the garage without mirrors, I know, I drove them for a living. The real Firefly had those long protruding affairs, seen on the vast majority of long distance coaches.

The third bus shown is of one operated by Sydney State Transit, and is by C.M.N.L. Northcord. For realism and minor details, including mirrors, it surpasses the other two by some distance. The bus featured is on a Volvo B12BLE CB60 chassis, on route 438 to Parramatta, one of many of the type in service at the time. While the models may look out of place with the London Transports, the Eastern Nationals and the Southdowns, they are nevertheless fine models in a small collection.

Two others which I would like to get my hands on, are a Sydney State Transit Mercedes on route 311 to Bondi, and a little twenty something seater? in service with the Sunbus company in and around Cairns in Far North Queensland. The latter was on a Mercedes chassis. There is a similar Mercedes model in the colours of Surfside, which is probably based on an EFE but that model has a folding door at the front only, where the Sunbus has a longer chassis, with one folding door at the front and one in the middle, so a conversion would only be for the very experienced modeller.

I seem to recall that C.M.N.L. may have produced the other Sydney bus, or one like it, but I can’t find either one anywhere, not even on eBay Australia. As the Firefly and the 311, if indeed one does exist, both date back nearly twenty years, finding a model of either is highly unlikely.

MAR contributors interested in unusual or ‘worldwide’ bus models may like to look in on eBay under ‘Australian buses’. There are a number of classic buses from Trux to be found, Leyland Atlanteans for example, and some even older. At the time of writing, I’ve recently received my regular Trax special offers literature. They are running a ‘Super Sale’, offering classic Holdens, Australian Fords and Chryslers, including some Utes at $23 each, reduced further if ordering more than one, and Trux buses at $30 each, also reduced further for multiple buys. One of those which made me smile was a half cab double decker 1949 AEC Regent. Why? Because the bus has folding doors at the front and an open platform at the rear. Yes, and? Much fuss was made with the introduction of the new ‘Bus for London’, ‘The New Routemaster‘, or even ‘ the Boris Bus’, as it was dubbed. This ‘new’ bus, shares the same configuration as a 1949 A.E.C. Information on the Firefly web site leads me to believe that the Landseer has long been phased out in favour of a single deck coach. Finding a model of one would seem to be harder than finding the real thing.


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Atlas Dinky 25B Peugeot D3A “Mazda”

By Maz Woolley

 

The latest release I have received in the Atlas Dinky Toys collection is another French Dinky: 25B Fourgon Tolé Peugeot.  I hesitate to say the latest release as I frequently hear of other collectors getting the models from Atlas in a different sequence to me.

The D3A was originally launched by Chenard-Walker in June 1946 with a little 1,000cc two cylinder engine and a flat fronted forward control layout.  Citroen launched the H van late in 1946 creating strong competition so a 1133cc engine was bought in from Peugeot and the “pigs snout” added at the front to accommodate the longer unit.

The D3 was smaller than the H and well adapted to light and urban delivery activities. Peugeot took over Chenard-Walker in 1950 as it was a major creditor and could see Chenard-Walker going out of business. It took the van and uprated the engine again to a four cylinder 1290cc unit and called it the D3A. An identical looking D4 with a 1496cc engine from the Peugeot 403 replaced the D3 in 1955 and it ran until the introduction of the J7 in 1965.

The Lampe Mazda livery is interesting. “Mazda” was a trademarked name registered by the US General Electric company in 1909 and licensed to companies around the world to allow bulbs to be made to a standard tungsten filament design and a standard socket design. In France Compagnie des Lampes were licensed  to produce them and traded as Mazda.

The Mazda Lamps liveried version of this model was launched by Dinky in 1953 and was one of their earliest models sold in a yellow box. It was deleted in 1955 by which time Dinky had started on a  long series of alternative liveries on this casting which include Postes, Cibie, and Esso, The rarest D3A versions seem to be those produced with no livery at all. The D3A casting seems to have been produced in one form or another until the early 1960s.

The Atlas replica is very well painted and printed and a nice item for the collection. I wonder what French Dinky model we will see next in this series.


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Atlas Convair enhanced

By John Quilter

All photographs by the Author, and copyright of the Author, except for the photograph of the real plane which was uploaded by Logawl and is in Wikipedia Commons.

In the late mid to late 1940s there was a growing commercial airline business beginning to gear up to the new world after the Second World War. The workhorse Douglas DC-3 was an ageing design and even though there were many available as war surplus, American Airlines commissioned a newer replacement aircraft, also a twin engine mono plane with low wings but now with tricycle landing gear. American also wanted a pressurized aircraft for use at higher altitudes. The result was the Convair 240 the first in this series of aircraft. While Douglas was busy making larger, longer range DC-6s and Lockheed the Constellation L749, Convair stepped in with a smaller twin engine aircraft for shorter distance travel. The 240 had a range of 400 to 1000 miles but with the later stretched version, the 340, this increased to 1875 miles. Both used the well-known Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasp radial engines of 18 cylinders.

The 340 was launched with United Airlines in early 1952. Other airlines using this type were, Braniff, Delta, Hawaiian, National, and internationally, All Nippon, Garuda Indonesian, Philippine, Saudia Arabian Airlines, Ansett, Finnair, Alitalia, Lufthansa, KLM and others. The 340 was similar in size to the Vickers Viscount 700 and 800 but was piston powered rather than jet powered turbo props. Speeds of the two aircraft were similar in the area of 280 MPH for the Convair versus 310 to 350 for the two Vickers. The 340 in piston engine configuration flew in the USA well into the late 1960s and later versions known as the 580s, which were turboprop powered, were still in service as late as the mid-1980s

Atlas Editions make a quite comprehensive range of chrome plated aircraft, and include many of the famous commercial aviation aircraft of the late 1930s s to the 90s. All are in 1:200 scale which makes this Convair 340, shown above, about 4.75 inches in length with a wingspan of 6.5. 1:200th scale is what my aircraft collection comprises so this Convair fit in well with my older Dinky Toy items such as the Vickers Viking, Lockheed Constellation, Caravelle and others. My collection now comprises well over 20 aircraft from the Boeing Stratocruiser all the way to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and on the McDonald Douglas side from the DC-2 to the DC-10. Even such items as the BAE 146 and Lockheed Electra are represented.

The Atlas Edition Convair came in chrome but I really wanted to have it fit in with the other period livery United Airlines propliners in my collection. To do this I found Vintage Flyer Decals http://www.vintageflyerdecals.com/index.html who make very accurate decals for the United scheme but they were In 144:1 scale. When I contacted the owner he agreed to supply me with a 1:200 decal which was perfect for my project. I painted the aircraft (is it a crime to paint over chrome?? [Editor: No crime at all I cannot see the appeal of chrome models, but I know it can be difficult to do!])  in the appropriate silver and white colours and applied the decal when it arrived off the printing queue at Vintage Flyer. It is necessary to prime thoroughly the slick surface of the chrome to get the paint to stick well but I still keep handling it to a minimum. Perhaps scuffing the chrome would have been advisable before painting.


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D Di Mascio Ice Cream Van

By Maz Woolley

All photographs are by, and copyright of, the Author. With the exception of the drawing which is copyright of Oxford Diecast.

Oxford Diecast‘s recent release in 1:76 scale of a D. DiMascio Ice Cream van will strike a chord with anyone who grew up in the Coventry area in the 1950s through to the 1970s. So strong was the presence of this firm’s vans that for many Coventrians the words “D. Di” meant ice cream in the same way that Hoover meant a vacuum cleaner. A van would be parked outside the gates of my secondary school in spring, summer and autumn ready for “home time”. The phrase “I’ll have a D. Di on the way home” was a common one. Another Coventry habit was taking a bowl out to the D. Di van and they would  fill the bowl with ice cream for a suitable number of old pennies, I can remember my Mum doing that as a special treat for us in early 60s Cheylesmore. This is the second D. Di van in the Oxford range as they have previously modelled the “Little D. Di Ford Thames van.

Dionisio Di Mascio came from Cassino in Italy in the inter-war years and started his business in Coventry after working for his Uncle in Glasgow. Before the war the vehicles were limited and the business dominated by D. Di Mascio’s ice cream parlour. Sadly, their premises were destroyed in the blitz. With the huge post-war growth of Coventry and its  relative prosperity the firm grew quickly adding vehicles based on converted cars running two Rovers, six Standards and even an Austin. They also had some larger vehicles like an Austin K8 and Morris PVs.

As business grew D. Di started to standardise on BMC J type vans and soon a fleet of 24 J types was in use. For those of us growing up in the 1960s and 1970s these were the vans that we saw all the time and that is the type of van represented by the one modelled by Oxford Diecast. Sadly none of the vans is known to have made it into preservation. The van modelled is based upon WHP 881 which was registered on 1st August 1958 and driven by Marico.

The Oxford model captures the D. Di livery well and although D. Di vans were not all identically bodied the body is very close to several pictures that can be found on the web. Certainly close enough to make me wish that they made this model in 1:43 scale as well.

For those who want to know more about D. Di Mascio and their vans I can recommend “D. Di Mascio’s Delicious Ice Cream” by Roger de Boer, Harvey Pitcher, and Alan Wilkinson which has provided much information for this post.

I now live in the Northampton area where local ice cream sales are dominated by Gallones. I have recently found out that the current owner of Gallones is the grandson of Dionisio DiMascio which explains the fact that one Morris LD in the D. Di Fleet was ex-Gallone. Perhaps other vans went from D. Di to Gallones? I would certainly welcome a Gallones van from Oxford maybe based upon an LD or Commer van which would offer lots of other opportunities for other liveries like Mr Whippy and Mr Softee as well.


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