Readers Letter – Atlas Dinky Deluxe

Like you, I have been told that my collection is complete, and again my account shows as cancelled. For fun I clicked on the re-activate button and received an email with the following text – 


Dear Customer,

The company is going through a reorganization and Atlas is unsure if the models will come back in stock. Should you wish to contact us again on this subject, please make sure you insert the reference above in the title of your email.

Yours faithfully, 

Customer Services 


Looking at your list I am missing #17, #19 and #20. However, I have received – around mid-September last year – a Simca 1500 Saloon with Luggage. Dinky #523. [Editor: Looking at my old reviews so have I! The Atlas produced collection record is clearly faulty and I need to check it out.]

As you say the expected Binns Road models have never materialised and one wonders if they ever had plans to produce them? I didn’t opt for the garage so that is not an issue for me but I take your point.

I have subscribed to a number of these Atlas offers:

  • British Police Cars – all went well
  • Dinky Trucks – I never received the Guy Spratts van despite many many emails from Atlas suggesting it was all in hand after a number of months I get told that they had sold out! This led to another exchange of email but sadly no Guy Spratts van.
  • Dinky Toys Collection – I cancelled the standard Dinky Toys collection as I didn’t like the way that was going.
  • British Touring Car collection made me feet let down as I was expecting, perhaps naively, a model of every winning car.
  • Dinky Vans collection – well that never really got off the ground!

However, I must say that overall I have been very pleased with my purchases. It’s just a shame that their marketing and communication is not particularly transparent.

I wonder what will become of the tooling for the British trucks – Bedford, Guy, Leyland and Foden. Perhaps Dan Toys will be allowed to use them?  [Editor: They are already using some of the French DInky Trucks so it is possible.]

Stewart Gorman via Email