Dinky Supertoys
In the January 1955 issue of Meccano Magazine, it was announced that DINKY SUPERTOYS will be returning to the Dinky Toys stable during 1955, having been deleted several years previously in February 1951.
"The Toyman" in his monthly column indicated that these models "will be made and finished more beautifully than ever, and will be remarkable for the brilliant finish that will be given to them - and to Dinky Toys also - by the use of a new range of enamels. The result of this and other improvements will be to make them more attractive than ever."
The range of Supertoys was announced in the February 1955 issue of the MM, and the following were the initial range:
- 901 Foden Diesel 8-Wheel Wagon
- 902 Foden Flat Truck
- 903 Foden Flat Truck with Tailboard
- 905 Foden Flat Truck with Chains
- 917 Guy Van "Spratts"
- 941 Foden 14-ton Tanker "Mobilgas"
- 955 Fire Engine with Extending Ladder
- 961 Blaw Knox Bulldozer
- 963 Blaw Knox Heavy Tractor
- 964 Elevator Loader
- 971 Coles Mobile Crane
- 973 Goods Yard Crane
- 981 Horse Box
- 982 Pullmore Car Transporter
- 991 A.E.C. Tanker "Shell Chemicals Limited"
- 999 D.H. Comet Airliner (Previously No. 702)
Eliminated from the Supertoys range were the following.
- 622 10-Ton Army Truck
- 651 Centurion Tank
- 911 Guy-4-ton Lorry
- 912 Guy Flat Truck
- 913 Guy Flat Truck with Tailboard
- 921 Bedford Articulated Lorry
- 922 Big Bedford Lorry
- 931 Leyland Comet Lorry
- 932 Leyland Comet with Hinged Tailboard
- 933 Leyland Cement Wagon
- 951 Large Trailer
Of the above, 622 and 651 were to return to Supertoy status by May 1956. The remainder were renumbered on being "downgraded" to Dinky Toys status in February 1955 to the following.
- 431 Guy-4-ton Lorry
- 432 Guy Flat Truck
- 433 Guy Flat Truck with Tailboard
- 409 Bedford Articulated Lorry
- 408 Big Bedford Lorry
- 417 Leyland Comet Lorry
- 418 Leyland Comet with Hinged Tailboard
- 419 Leyland Cement Wagon
- 428 Large Trailer
The next addition to the Dinky Supertoys range was 972 Coles 20-ton Lorry Mounted Crane that was launched in May 1955, packaged in a blue-striped DINKY SUPERTOYS box. And then Meccano became confused! The following month, the replacement for the 941 Foden 14-ton Tanker "Mobilgas", the. "Regent" was launched, but in a bluestriped DINKY TOYS box. (Like all Fodens, it still carried the Supertoy trade name on the chassis.)
In October 1955, things got back to normal when the Euclid Rear Dump Truck,
No. 965 was released as a Dinky Supertoys in a Dinky Supertoys blue striped box.
The next in the range was in December 1955 when two Supertoys were launched, 923
Big Bedford Van "Heinz" and 918 Guy Van "Eveready". both
packaged in a Dinky Supertoys blue striped box.
But by May/June 1956, confusion again reigned supreme! No.660, Mighty Altar Tank Transporter, clearly labeled a Supertoy in the casting, was packaged in a yellow lidded picture box, with DINKY TOYS on both ends and on the lid top, but with an obvious overprint on the lid, DINKY SUPERTOYS. The interesting thing about the Mighty Antar, is that the inscription "DINKY SUPERTOYS" on the trailer was on a raised casting. As for 965 Euclid Rear Dump truck discussed in Issue 1 page 5, this model too appears as if it was originally intended to be sold as a DINKY TOYS as evidenced by the box and the raised casting under the trailer.
Returning to 1955, although there was much fanfare over the return of Dinky Supertoys, in fact, these had never really disappeared. Although almost all packaging did change to DINKY TOYS, practically all Supertoys always had their baseplates or castings showing them to be a Supertoy. (521 was always packaged as a Supertoy.)
It appears as if Meccano was still undecided about the trade name of DINKY SUPERTOYS from the time they were launched in 1947 until they disappeared from packaging and sales literature in late 1965.
This feature is a sample of the articles found in
DINKY NEWS Australia's International newsletter for Dinky toy and Dinky Supertoy
Collectors.
For more information contact landahoy@bigpond.com.