Toy Land Rovers. A partial list, part six. Dinky Toys

In toys, the name Frank Hornby is almost legendary. He created the long running Meccano series of sets and the Hornby trains, which were announced in 1920. To accompany his railways, he launched various accessories under the name of . Modeled Miniatures. The range also included vehicles. However, sales were not great because of the name, so for a short time .Meccano Miniatures was tried until 1934 when Dinky Toys appeared. From 1934, Dinky Toys remained unchallenged in the UK until the 1950.s when Corgi appeared. Faced with the requirements of competition, the company did little. Dinky 's answer to Corgi's innovations was to produce two-tone toys. The company was very slow to adapt resulting in the company ending up in a position where it was ripe for take-over. The Lines brothers (of Tri-Ang) took over the company. In 1971 the company went into receivership and the Meccano line was sold to Airfix for some cash. This was not enough to save the company and it went into bankruptcy in 1979 and the plant in Liverpool was closed down. More recently, the name has been acquired by Mattel and new versions are being made in China.

27d Land Rover (issued 4/50.1954).

Original price was 3/0. Had a steering wheel, tinplate screen, driver, spare tire behind the driver, a hook for towing a trailer and other Dinky farm equipment. Renumbered 340 in 1954.

grey wheels
1. orange
2. green
3. (later) red 27m Land Rover trailer (issued 4/50-54)
With a tow bar and clip, two wheels. Renumbered 341 in 1954.
1. orange
2. green
3. (later) red
4. mid 1950.s olive drab

202 Customized Land Rover (yellow)

255 Mersey Tunnel police van (issued 1955-61) Variants in the printing in the model
1. red

277 Police Land Rover (dark blue and white) 109 with full length top, sunsheet, alpine windows, no side windows. Red interior. Bonnet and doors open. .Police. on side of top. 282 Land Rover fire appliance (issued 1973-80) Still in production when the factory closed. 1. red

282 Land Rover fire appliance .Falck. Danish export market in red. Same as #282 but with .Falck. decals. 298 Emergency Services Gift Set (contains 277 and five other models) 340 Land Rover (issued 1954-70) Issue price . 4/4. Renumbered, see 27d 341 Land Rover trailer (issued 1954-70). Issue price 2/- Renumbered, see 27m 344 Land Rover Variants had removable treaded tires or speedwheels. This was also available as a kit that you could put together.
1. metallic blue
2. metallic red This was sold in USA catalogues as an .off-road pick-up., not a Land Rover

442 Land Rover breakdown crane Red bonnet and doors, white body. .Motorway Rescue. on box. Black crane (working). Door and bonnet open. 442 Land Rover breakdown crane .Falck. (Danish export version).
1. white and red
2. all over red 604 Land Rover bomb disposal unit (issued 1976-77) Olive with orange panels. 1/42 scale. 109 station wagon with a plastic tracked robot.

OO Scale Dublo Dinky Toys. Produced starting in December 1957 to compete against Matchbox. 073 Land Rover, trailer and horse (green & orange) Variants with grey untreaded wheels, grey treaded wheels, and black painted one piece treaded wheels. The LR had plastic windows. The catalogue listed 074 and 075 as the Land Rover and trailer separately, but they were never sold separately. They were always sold as 073 together.

Kit Dinky Toys 1030 Land Rover breakdown crane (issued 1977). Based on #442 1032 Army Land Rover (issued 1975-78). Based on #344 Reference: Hornby Companion Series, Vol. 4 . Dinky Toys & Miniatures. (Mike & Sue Richardson, New Cavandish Books, London, 1981. 312pp). History of British Dinky Toys, 1934-64 (Cecil Gibson, J.A. Hooker , Windsor, Berks, UK, 1980. 152pp) The next installment will be 1-75 series Matchbox Toys