Dinky Toys

Dinky Toys
Dinky logo used in the late 1970s

Dinky Toys are die-cast miniature vehicles which were produced by Meccano Ltd of Liverpool, England, makers of Hornby railway sets.

Contents

Pre-war history

RAC hut and motor cycle patrol, to O scale, which was about 1/43.

Prior to 1933, Meccano had made many types of tin plate and other metal cars, like the Morgan and BSA 3 wheelers, mostly in kit form (Interesting 1934, pp. 306-307). In 1933 Meccano Ltd issued a series of railway and trackside accessories to complement their O scale (1/45) Hornby Railways model train sets (Force 1988, p. 6; Ramsay 1933, p. 88). These were first called "Modelled Miniatures", but in the April 1934 issue of The Meccano Magazine were given the name Dinky Toys for the first time (Meccano Dinky 1934 p. 332).

The first model car available individually was numbered 23a which was a sports car based on an early MG. Then, seven vehicles were introduced (six numbered 22 a through f) including a sports car, a sports coupe, a truck, a delivery van, a farm tractor, and a tank. These were produced alongside model track workers, passengers, station staff and other O scale trackside accessories (Meccano Dinky 1934 p. 332). The cars were basic representations rather than identifiable marques and had die-cast metal bodies, tin plate bases and wheels with rubber tyres. Later, Frank Hornby, owner of Meccano, expanded the range to include die-cast ships and aeroplanes. These retailed for four shillings. It has been said that the name came from a friend of one of Frank Hornby's daughters, and was likely derived from the Scottish "dink" meaning neat or fine, but according to Merriam-Webster the word has meant "overly or unattractively small" since the 1880s (McCullagh 2008; Merriam-Webster 2011).

Sikorsky S-42, suffering from zinc pest

Some pre-war Dinky Toys were cast from an impure alloy and suffer from zinc pest which makes the metal crack and crumble prematurely. Thus, survivors in good condition are rare today (Ramsay 1993, p. 88). Some early castings have survived in numbers, while it is difficult to find others without some form of damage such as the 28 Series vans. It is believed that lead from Hornby train production, as well as lead ties from sacks in the factory found their way into the metal, corrupting it.

Vehicles

By December 1935 there were around 200 different products in the Dinky range even including dolls house furniture (Ramsay 1993, p. 135). The first model cars were generic representations of vehicle types and were available individually from trade packs of 6. Models would not be available in individual boxes until 1952. In 1935 a new series was introduced which featured accurate likenesses of specific vehicles.

Series 30 included:

Dinky 151a Medium Tank. This model was made 1938 to 1940 and possibly just after the war as industry was commencing again.

The number of commercial vehicles expanded with the addition of Series 28 which included a series of delivery vans. Liveries of well known companies began to decorate these vehicles. Production was halted during the Second World War and the Binns Road factory in Liverpool was given over to the Allied War effort.

Military vehicles

In 1938 a number of military vehicles numbered from 151 to 162 were introduced. These were painted dark olive green and consisted of tanks, equipment trailers, Jeeps, six-wheeled vehicles and guns. These were produced through 1940 though a few like the clever 161b Anti-Aircraft Gun, some of the trailers and the Jeep were also made again in 1946-1948 right after the war (Force 1988, pp. 19,162-163). In some instances it is difficult to tell if the model is pre-war or post. Tracks on the tanks and the 162a personnel carriers were done with Meccano wire-link chain wrapped around the hubs. The Anti-Aircraft Gun was appealing as the side panels folded and not only did the gun swivel 360 degrees, but a little lever geared to its side moved it from level to about a 50 degree angle upward.

Aircraft and ships

Short Singapore

In the early days of the Dinky Toys range aeroplanes and ships formed a considerable part of the output of the Binns Road factory alongside models of cars and vans. Both civilian and military aircraft were subjects for the Dinky modellers, and the model of the Spitfire was also sold in a special presentation box between 1939 and 1941 as part of The Spitfire Fund in order to raise money for the production of real Spitfires. Some models were clearly identified whereas others had generic names such as Heavy Bomber (66a) and Two Seater Fighter (66c). The reason for this is not clear and it may have been that these were not true representations of particular aircraft types, but there were rumours that some models of aircraft and ships were disguised so that enemy agents would not be able to recognise allied aircraft and shipping from the Dinky models. This was of particular importance in the production of French Dinky models due to the political friction in Europe before the war and the fact that France was occupied by the Nazis during hostilities.

Production of model aircraft continued after the war with a mixture of civilian airliners and new jet-powered aircraft. Production of Dinky planes tailed off in the 1950s and 1960s but was resurgent in the 1970s with a range of World War II types to coincide with the release of the film The Battle of Britain complete with battery-powered propellers; modern jet fighters; and even a helicopter. These are some examples of the sizeable range:

Two 1930s Dinky Toy liners of equal age and storage history, one badly affected by zinc pest, the other not.

Although the production of aircraft models continued after the war, the heyday of Dinky ships was between 1934 and 1939. The models were cast from the same unstable alloy that was used across the entire pre-war Dinky range and have therefore also suffered from metal fatigue that makes survivors all the more rare. Small metal wheels were also included in the design and concealed in the underside of the hull so that the models could be moved smoothly across surfaces. Mirroring the aircraft range, both civilian and military ships were issued, and again, some were disguised. It was not until the 1970s that any further models were added to the long line of maritime releases from Dinky Toys. Models in the pre-war range include:

Post-war history

Besides some of the military vehicles offered before and after the war, the first significant releases from Dinky in the late 1940s were the 40 series of vehicles, which were all British Saloons. These were the opening chapter of the "golden age" of Dinky Toys in the post-war era and represented far greater accuracy and detail than their pre-war counterparts. These were very popular and today are often considered to be the quintessential Dinky models. The 40 series cars were manufactured from better quality alloy, meaning that the survival rate is higher and although originally sold from trade packs of six, they were re-coloured in two-tone paintwork and renumbered in 1954 becoming some of the first models sold in their own unique boxes. The first two were in 1:48 scale, while the others were in 1:45 scale (Schellekens 2010). The series included:

Into the 1950s

No. 192 Desoto Fireflite (1957) sedan produced about 1960.

By the early 1950s, Dinky Toys had become popular in the United Kingdom. The smaller cars were in a scale of 1:48, while the larger cars and many Supertoys were in a scale of 1:45, which blended in with O scale railway sets, but many buses and lorries were scaled down further (Schellekens 2010). In 1954 the Dinky Toys range was reorganized with a new numbering system - there were no series of models differentiated by a letter, with many sold in sets with multiple vehicles. Now each model had its own unique three digit catalogue number, and cars were now sold in individual boxes.

The Dinky Toys range became more sophisticated throughout the 1950s. Several models introduced even today still seem to have been unique choices, and included several American vehicles. A 1954 Packard convertible, a 1955 Plymouth Belvedere, a Cunningham, the 1953 Studebaker Commander, a Chrysler New Yorker Convertible, a Connaught race car, and a Maserati Birdcage were made available.

Dinky Toy No. 155: Ford Anglia (issued 1961–1966)

Competing with the 'Ones with Windows'

Dinky offerings at this time were striking, but due to the lack of much competition, development of new models was perhaps a bit slow. That was until July 1956 when Mettoy introduced a rival line of models under the Corgi brand name. The most obvious difference was the addition of clear plastic windows. While Corgi called their vehicles, "The Ones With Windows", Meccano Ltd responded by updating the Dinky Toys range and the models from both companies quickly became more and more sophisticated featuring such things as working suspension, 'fingertip steering', detailed interiors, and jeweled headlights. In many cases Dinky models were just as interesting as those from Corgi, like the Rambler, late model Hudson Hornet, AC Aceca, late 1950s Packard and Studebaker, and Humber Super Snipe.

Truck offerings remained continuously creative including a Simca glass truck with sheets of 'glass' (clear plastic), a Leyland Octopus flatbed truck complete with realistic chain around the bed, a car carrier with a car carrying trailer, a Dunlop tire rack full of tires, a Berliet truck hauling an electrical transformer, and an intricately detailed Brockway bridgelaying truck. One of the most astounding was the Mighty Antar truck hauling a large gold ship's propeller (Force 1988, 42-56). A wide variety of military vehicles continued under production.

A rival third range of model cars also appeared in 1959 called "Spot-on" which were manufactured in Northern Ireland and produced by Tri-ang, a division of Lines Brothers. This range were kept to one scale, 1:42, also featured mainly British makes, and were comparatively more expensive, never managing to sell as many units as Corgi and Dinky. To compete with Spot-on, the scale of British Dinky Toys was increaseed to 1:42 in 1963 (Schellekens 2010). In 1964 Tri-ang took over the parent Meccano company (which included Hornby trains as well as Meccano itself). Since Dinky Toys were more popular, Spot-On Models were phased out in 1967, although a few cars originally designed for Spot-On were made in Hong Kong and marketed as Dinky Toys. After the take-over, Dinky continued to use the 1:42 scale for many of the English made cars and trucks until 1977. The French factory stuck to 1:43 scale, which it had used since 1951 (Schellekens 2009).

Speedwheels Monteverdi 375L coupe made from 1970-1974.

In 1967, Mattel's Hot Wheels entered the U.K. model car market. Their low-friction axles gave play value that Dinky and the other major British brands including Corgi and Matchbox did not possess. Each manufacturer responded with its own version of this innovation - Dinky's name for its wheel/axle assembly was "Speedwheels" (Force 1988, p. 8). The company continued to make innovative models, with all four doors opening (a first in British toy cars), retractable radio aerials (another first), Speedwheels, high quality metallic paint, and jewelled headlights (which were pretty, but not very realistic). Such features, however, were expensive to manufacture and the price could only be kept down if the quantities produced were sufficiently high, and in the face of Mattel's creation, Dinky was facing an uphill battle.

Supertoys

As part of the post-war development and expansion of the range, in 1947 Meccano Ltd introduced a series of model lorries also modelled to the usual Dinky scale of 1:48, and called the range Dinky Supertoys. To many collectors these are the most desirable Dinky Toys, and big premiums are paid for rare issues and difficult to find casting / wheel variations. Some models produced under the Dinky banner were issued in this line, including:

  • 501 Foden 8 Wheel Wagon (1947)
  • 502 Foden Flat Truck (1947)
  • 503 Foden Flat Truck with Tailboard (1947)
  • 504 Foden Tanker 'Mobilgas' (1953)
  • 505 Foden Flat Truck With Chains (1952)
  • 933 Leyland Comet 'Ferrocrete' (1954)
  • 942 Foden Tanker 'Regent' (1955)
  • 943 Leyland Tanker 'Esso' (1958)
  • 944 Leyland Tanker 'Shell BP' (1963)
Dinky Supertoy No. 923: Big Bedford Van "Heinz" (issued 1955–1958), from a 1960 Dinky Toys catalogue.

In 1950 Dinky Supertoys introduced a number of Guy Vans finished in period liveries which have become among the most recognised and desirable the company have produced. Each model was an identical all metal box van with opening rear doors. The Guy cab was joined by a Bedford S cab in 1955 and a Guy Warrior cab was introduced in 1960.

  • 514 Guy Van 'Slumberland' (1950)
  • 514 Guy Van 'Lyons' (1952)
  • 514 Guy Van 'Weetabix' (1952)
  • 514 Guy Van 'Spratts' (1952)
  • 918 Guy Van 'Ever Ready' (1955)
  • 919 Guy Van 'Golden Shred' (1955)
  • 920 Guy Warrior Van 'Heinz' (1960)
  • 923 Bedford S Van 'Heinz' (1955)

Dinky Supertoys continued producing beautifully detailed commercials through the fifties and sixties, including such diverse subjects as a Mobile Television Control Room and Camera Van in both BBC Television and ABC Television liveries, a Leyland test chassis with removable miniature 5 ton weights, a series of military vehicles including a Corporal Erector Vehicle and missile (a subject also modelled by Corgi Toys at the same time), a range of Mighty Antar heavy haulage transporters complete with loads and a Horse Transporter in British Railways livery.

Dublo Dinky

In December 1957 Meccano Ltd introduced the Dublo Dinky range of models in 1:76 scale which were designed to be used with the Hornby Dublo railway system. They were relatively cheap to produce having a one piece die-cast metal body a baseplate and plastic wheels. There was the added bonus of being able to compete in the small scale toy car market which, at the time, was dominated by Lesney's Matchbox range.

A diverse range of vehicles were available despite the small number of models issued. There were a total 14 models in the range although with upgrades and modifications there are possibly up to 34 model variations (not including box variations) that were manufactured and all models came boxed. There were no colour changes throughout their short life.

They met with limited success and a comparison of the Ford Prefect with the corresponding Matchbox model will go some way towards understanding why the Dublo Dinky range suffered from low sales. The first models were withdrawn in September 1959 with one only having been on sale for 18 months. Further models were withdrawn in October 1960, April 1962 and April 1964 until in December 1964 those models that remained were taken off the shelf seven years after Dublo Dinky Toys were introduced.

The range:

  • 061 Ford Prefect: Introduced in March 1958 and withdrawn September 1959. There were 2 model variations and no box variations.
  • 062 Singer Roadster: Introduced in March 1958 and withdrawn October 1960. There were no model or box variations.
  • 063 Commer Van: Introduced in March 1958 and withdrawn October 1960. There were no model or box variations.
  • 064 Austin Lorry: Introduced at the launch in December 1957 and withdrawn April 1962. There were 3 model variations and 3 box variations.
  • 065 Morris Pick Up: Introduced at the launch in December 1957 and withdrawn September 1959. There were no model or box variations.
  • 066 Bedford Flat Truck: Introduced at the launch in December 1957 and withdrawn October 1960. There were 3 model variations and 3 box variations.
  • 067 Austin Taxi: Introduced in March 1959 and withdrawn April 1964. There were 3 model variations and no box variations.
  • 068 Royal Mail Van: Introduced in April 1959 and withdrawn April 1964. There were 2 model variations and no box variations.
  • 069 Massey-Ferguson Tractor: Introduced in September 1959 and withdrawn December 1964. There were 2 model variations and no box variations. This model was also issued with a low sided wagon as part of the Hornby Dublo railway system. It was numbered 4649 and was boxed.
  • 070 AEC Mercury Tanker: Introduced in October 1959 and withdrawn April 1962. There were 3 model variations and no box variations.
  • 071 Volkswagen Delivery Van: Introduced in March 1960 and withdrawn December 1964. There were 2 model variations and no box variations.
  • 072 Bedford Articulated Flat Truck: Introduced in June 1959 and withdrawn December 1964. There were 3 (possibly 4) model variations and 3 box variations.
  • 073 Land Rover & Horse Trailer: Introduced in September 1960 and withdrawn December 1964. The most complex of all there were 6 model variations and no box variations. The horse came in both light and dark tan.
  • 076 Lansing Bagnall Tractor & Trailer: Introduced in June 1960 and withdrawn December 1964. There were no model or box variations.
  • 078 Lansing Bagnall Trailer (Trade box of 6): Introduced in May 1961 and withdrawn December 1964. There were no box variations.

Mini-Dinkys

A second series of small scale models was introduced four years later in 1968, this time somewhat larger than the Matchbox range at 1:65. Mini-Dinky Toys, as the range was called, were of a high quality and featured opening bonnets, doors and boots and were produced in Hong Kong and Holland, with some construction models designed in Italy by Mercury to a smaller 1:130 scale. In a bid to make this series stand out in toy shops, each model was sold in a plastic garage, complete with opening door, rather than the usual cardboard box. This novel feature did not help sales, however, particularly in light of all the excitement Hot Wheels were causing.

Television and movie tie-ins

Dinky no. 350 Tiny's Mini Moke (1970)

Although Dinky Toys were not known as widely for producing television related models as Corgi Toys, they still made a number of intriguing vehicles widely known from the small screen. Many of these models were the result of beating Corgi Toys to the signing of a licensing deal with Gerry Anderson's Century 21 Productions, whose programmes are immensely popular in Britain.

Country specific models

France and Spain

In 1912 Frank Hornby set up an office in Paris on Rue Ambroise Thomas to import Meccano into France. By 1921 the French market had proved so successful that production of Meccano began in Paris at the newly opened factory on Rue Rebeval, with another plant opening in 1929 at Bobigny where production of the Dinky Toys range would be based. In the early days production consisted mainly of model ships and aeroplanes, with vehicles gradually increasing in number. During the Second World War the Meccano factories were commandered by the invading Germans and used in the Nazi war effort, as well as production of model vehicles in the German Märklin range. In the early post-war years the model vehicles were forced to be shod with metal wheels due to Nazi activity during the war which had virtually cut off supplies of rubber to France, rubber tyres not being fitted on models until 1950. In 1951 the old factory at Rue Rebeval closed and Dinky Toys production was now solely based at Bobigny.

In 1951, French Dinky seems to have been the first manufacturer to introduce 1:43 scale. Initially, the scales of French Dinky Toys were similar to those of English Dinkys. The Citroën Traction Avant (24N), released in 1949, was 1:48, while the Ford Vedette 1949 (24Q), released in 1950, was 1:45, the same scales as used in the British 40 series. But then, in 1951 French Dinky released their first car in 1:43 scale: the Peugeot 203 (24R) (Schellekens 2009).

By the 1950s the French Dinky Toys range had begun to diversify from that of the British parent company, concentrating on the products of the French motor manufacturers; Citroën, Renault, Peugeot and Simca, along with examples of American cars which were thought of as exotic at that time on mainland Europe. Some models such as the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia were produced both in France as 24m and in Great Britain at the Binns Road plant in Liverpool as number 187. By the 1960s there was virtually no crossover of products between the two countries resulting in a fascinating range that complemented the better known UK models. The vast majority of the French Dinky range were only available in the home market although a few models did make it across the English Channel to be sold in Britain. Similarly, some examples of the British range of Dinky Toys were exported to France at the same time. The factory at Bobigny closed in 1970 and production moved to Calais where the range continued to be manufactured until closure in 1971, although the Spanish company Pilen produced some models originally sold as French Dinky Toys until the early 1980s.

South Africa

Meccano Ltd exported Dinky Toys to all of Britain's old colonies relatively cheaply because of existing Commonwealth trade agreements. South Africa was one of its big importers.

A limited edition set of Dinky Toys from the mid-1950s shipped to the South African Defense Force.

In the mid-1950s, Meccano Ltd shipped to South Africa a limited edition set of military vehicles for the South African Defence Force. They were all painted military green and included a Motor Truck, a Covered Wagon, an Ambulance, a Dispatch Rider and a Van.

When South Africa withdrew from the Commonwealth in 1961, it imposed a luxury goods import tax, making Dinky Toys very expensive – a potential loss for Meccano Ltd. To resolve this problem, in 1962 Meccano Ltd began shipping Dinky Toy parts to South Africa where models were assembled and painted locally. The importing of unfinished goods was not subject to import tax. These models were sold in South Africa between 1962 and 1963 and it is believed that only one batch of each model was produced, making South African Dinky Toys very rare. South Africa also imported Dinky Toy parts from the French factory in 1966 and six models were assembled and painted locally (Binns Road website).

Some of the distinguishing features of South African Dinky Toys are:

  • The boxes have Afrikaans lettering at the one end and "Printed in South Africa" on the side.
  • The colours are often different from those on the same models assembled in the UK.
  • The base plates have a glossy finish, whereas the same models released in the UK have matt black base plates.

India

Some toolwork was sold by Meccano to S. Kumar in India. First the toys were sold under the Dinky name. Apparently, copyright infringement halted use of the Dinky appelation in India and the brand name was changed to Nicky Toys (Dinky Toys 2008-2011). These were selected Dinky dies, and not the whole British range. In September of 2011 a Nicky Toys catalog sold on eBay for $105.00, so collectability doesn't only apply to original Dinky Toys.

Hong Kong

Between 1965 and 1967 six model cars were produced for Dinky Toys in Hong Kong for the lucrative U.S. market. Originally intended to be produced by Spot-On, but re-branded as Dinky Toys when the Spot-On parent company (Tri-ang) bought Meccano Ltd, they were built to the usual Spot-On scale of 1:42. These were all American vehicles:

During 1978 and 1979, production of Dinky Toys in Hong Kong was again resumed. These were poor quality models, however, compared to earlier Dinkys, and an attempt to cut production costs and possibly shift production should the Binns Road Factory Close, which it eventually did. So, the last new Dinky Toys made by Meccano were Hong Kong products. Ironically, these are now some of the most desirable of all Dinky Toys. A few, such as the Mk2 Ford Granada, and Steed's Jaguar from the New Avengers TV series exist as pre production samples only.

Demise

Changing fashions in the toy industry, international competition and the switch to cheap labour in lower wage countries meant that the days of British made toy vehicles like Dinky Toys were numbered. After attempts at simplifying the products as a means of saving costs, the famous Binns Road factory in Liverpool finally closed its doors in November 1979. Corgi Toys managed to struggle on until 1983. Matchbox was taken over by Universal International of Hong Kong in 1982 (McGimpsey & Orr 1989, p. 28). Thus ended the era when UK-made die-cast toy models were dominant.

The Dinky trade-name changed hands many times before ending up as part of Matchbox International Ltd in the late '80s. This seemed to be a logical and perhaps synergistic development, uniting two of the most valuable and venerated names in the British and world die-cast model car market under one roof. Matchbox began issuing model cars of the 1950s through the 'Dinky Collection' in the late 1980s - these models were marketed toward adult collectors. The models were attractive and honoured the tradition of the Dinky name in terms of both quality and scale, before production stopped after only a few years. The 'Dinky Collection' then became absorbed into the themed series offered by Matchbox Collectibles Inc, owned by US giants Mattel, who have shown little interest in or understanding of the Dinky brand preferring nowadays to rebadge normal Matchbox models as Dinky for some editions of their models in certain markets, or to reissue 1:43 models from the Matchbox era. No new "dedicated" Dinky castings have been created in the Mattel era since Matchbox Collectibles was shut down in 2000.

See also

References

External links

Very large images of Dinky Toys


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