Robin Brasher Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 DeAgostini are publishing a fortnightly magazine for £7.99 which includes a replica Dinky Toy. The second issue is a Bedford 10cwt Kodak van. These are similar to the vehicles that Atlas produced a couple of years ago. DeAgostini describes the models as 1/43 scale but the only model that Dinky Toys produced to 1/43 scale was the Goods Yard Crane. The Kodak van is 1/48 scale. Despite this it does not look out of place on an 0 gauge layout unless you place it next to an Oxford diecast 1/43 scale Bedford van. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Probably a daft question but are they metal or plastic ? Brit15 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 . All metal with rubber tyres. The body is made of Zamac and it is clipped to a black-painted steel baseplate. The accompanying magazine that I bought from W. H. Smith describes it in full. The price was £7.99 but Smiths charged me £4.99. I pointed out the error but they let me have it for £4.99. The Atlas model had a Dinky Toys advertisement on the side panel.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Thanks for that Robin - I'll have a look at them. Brit15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfsboy Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Atlas have a new Dinky Supertoy range of trucks that will include a lot of French Dinkies which I confess is my main interest .I did get an Atlas Buick Roadmaster ,a toy I have lusted after since I was a kid Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 What is the consensus on these 'new' Dinkies? They are obviously better than the original in paint and finish, etc but they don't have the same cache as those from Binns Road. They are a lot cheaper though! Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted April 1, 2016 Author Share Posted April 1, 2016 I don't like the way that Atlas tries to make people buy the whole series. I bought the Mini-Traveller, the Triumph TR2 and the Dinky Toys van but cancelled my subscription when the Ford Thunderbird came out as that would not fit in well with the club layout. Similarly I have ordered an Octopus petrol tanker from them but I am going to cancel my subscription as soon as it arrives because I have already got a beautifully restored Heinz van. Making a second run using Atlas' subsidiary DeAgostini enables people to select which models to buy. I don't think there is much difference in quality between the Dinky Toys and Atlas versions and I would be interested to see a full list of the models they are both going to produce. I like the magazines that come with the models. They remind me of Toyman's reports in the Meccano Magazine. The Ford Thunderbird in DeAgostini's Classic Dinky Toys Collection has just come out and I saw it in WH Smith in Poole yesterday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 (edited) Does anyone know whether the De Agostini vehicles are a trial run in certain areas only, as I have not seen them locally and I couldn't find any mention on their website.We've had the dinosaurs and the vinyl and Mustang have just started. Conversely my Atlas tanker arrived a few days ago (I must remember to cancel.....) The Mini-Traveller has been decorating a shelf for some time. They're not quite the same as a real Dinky, but, as already stated, a lot cheaper. Some are available on eBay but at a considerable mark up. Edited April 1, 2016 by Il Grifone Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted April 3, 2016 Author Share Posted April 3, 2016 (edited) I am sorry that I do not know if the De Agostini models are a trial run in certain areas only. They are available in W H Smith in Swanage and Poole. Perhaps the manager of each shop can decide what to order. They take up a lot of space with their packaging. Meanwhile here is a picture of the Atlas green and the Dinky Toys ivory Morris Mini-Traveller. The Dinky Toys Mini-Traveller came out in 1961 at the same time as the prototype. The prototype was only available in ivory, light blue and red. The Mini-Traveller had a cream grill and the Morris emblem on the front whereas the Austin 7 Countryman had a chrome grill with the Austin emblem. My Dinky Toys Morris Mini Traveller has an Austin emblem so it must have got in the wrong production line. Later Dinky Toys made the Morris Mini-Traveller in green and this is the version Atlas have made. It looks like De Agostini is going to produce a white Morris Mini-Traveller with issue 4 which should come out in a fortnight. The Mini-Travellers are in 1/45 scale which is slightly too small for 0 gauge. Edited April 6, 2016 by Robin Brasher Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 I am sorry that I do not know if the De Agostini models are a trial run in certain areas only. They are available in W H Smith in Swanage and Poole. Perhaps the manager of each shop can decide what to order. They take up a lot of space with their packaging. Meanwhile here is a picture of the Atlas green and the Dinky Toys ivory Morris Mini-Traveller. The Dinky Toys Mini-Traveller came out in 1961 at the same time as the prototype. The prototype was only available in ivory, light blue and red. The Mini-Traveller had a cream grill and the Morris emblem on the front whereas the Austin 7 Countryman had a chrome grill with the Austin emblem. My Dinky Toys Morris Mini Traveller has an Austin emblem so it must have got in the wrong production line. Later Dinky Toys made the Morris Mini-Traveller in green and this is the version Atlas have made. It looks like De Agostini is going to produce a white Morris Mini-Traveller with issue 4 which should come out in a fortnight. I think the Mini-Travellers are in 1/48 scale which is slightly too small for 0 gauge. Its OK for Hornby tinplate. Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted April 4, 2016 Author Share Posted April 4, 2016 Some of the Dinky Toys are excellent accessories for Hornby tinplate as they were made in the same factory and the same paint was used for both. One pairing is the Hornby yellow Portland cement wagon and the yellow Dinky 533 Leyland Cement wagon. 1/50 scale has been adopted as the standard scale for die-cast lorries and they do not look out of place on 0 gauge layouts. When Dinky made the Austin 1100 Dinky adopted 1/42 scale as the standard scale for cars so the later models are very close to 1/43rd scale 0 gauge trains. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 (edited) I am sorry that I do not know if the De Agostini models are a trial run in certain areas only. They are available in W H Smith in Swanage and Poole. Perhaps the manager of each shop can decide what to order. They take up a lot of space with their packaging. Meanwhile here is a picture of the Atlas green and the Dinky Toys ivory Morris Mini-Traveller. The Dinky Toys Mini-Traveller came out in 1961 at the same time as the prototype. The prototype was only available in ivory, light blue and red. The Mini-Traveller had a cream grill and the Morris emblem on the front whereas the Austin 7 Countryman had a chrome grill with the Austin emblem. My Dinky Toys Morris Mini Traveller has an Austin emblem so it must have got in the wrong production line. Later Dinky Toys made the Morris Mini-Traveller in green and this is the version Atlas have made. It looks like De Agostini is going to produce a white Morris Mini-Traveller with issue 4 which should come out in a fortnight. I think the Mini-Travellers are in 1/48 scale which is slightly too small for 0 gauge. According to Meccano Ltd., the Morris Mini-Traveller and Austin Countryman are 17/64" to1 foot scale which is about 1/45 or 'box scale' if you prefer. The larger prototypes tend to be a smaller scale to fit the box. Edited April 4, 2016 by Il Grifone Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 The question must be asked, why didn't they adopt a standard size, O gauge being the most logical at the time? The answer is probably lost in the mists of time and Meccano records! Tinplate O is not the most critical scale so a decimal point is neither here nor there. Supertoys were probably the most accurate but they made most other Dinkies look small. Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted April 4, 2016 Author Share Posted April 4, 2016 Thank you Il Grifone. You are correct. The Morris Mini-Traveller is 17/64 inches per foot or about 1/45 scale as in appendix 2, scales of Dinky Toys on page 294 of Dinky Toys & Modelled Miniatures. I tried working it out from the width and height of the car. The Dinky Toys were made to different scales so they could fit in a boy's pocket. It seems ridiculous to me as the Dinky Toys originated as accessories for Hornby 0 gauge model railways. It seems particularly ridiculous to make railway related vehicles like the B.E.V truck to 1/38 scale, the fork lift truck to 1/29 scale and the mechanical horse to 1/59 scale. In the early 1960s Spot-On produced all its models to 1/42 scale and Dinky Toys followed suite with its cars. When I collected Dinky Toys in the 1950s and 1960s I assumed that the cars and the Dinky Supertoys were to 1/43rd scale as there was no information about the scale in their catalogues. I still don't think most of them are too far out of scale to appear on an 0 gauge layout and I can remember Dinky Toys adorning the superb 0 gauge Modeland layout at New Romney station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 I rather think Dinkies are on most tinplate layouts for the same nostalgic reason as the layout itself. Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 (edited) The question must be asked, why didn't they adopt a standard size, O gauge being the most logical at the time? The answer is probably lost in the mists of time and Meccano records! Tinplate O is not the most critical scale so a decimal point is neither here nor there. Supertoys were probably the most accurate but they made most other Dinkies look small. Brian. The standard size was to fit the box. Lesney/Matchbox probably being the classic example. The standard box size would be for easier packing and distribution. The only Dinky ranges to be to a consistent scale were the figures (though these do vary) and the Dublo Dinkies. Most of the buses and coaches are also Dublo scale. (5/32" to 1"). The Austin 7 etc. are often said to to be suitable for 00, but they are too big. The Forward Control Lorry is also near to 00 (1/72), but is ridiculously long (why?), like the Dublo Dinky Bedford flat lorries. The excuse for the latter is to take the Dublo containers, but why they made those too long involving a complete wagon tooling is unknown. The standard wagon underframe would have been ideal for a CONFLAT, as in the 0 gauge range. I always thought 1/42 was an odd choice of scale, but at least the range was consistent. In answer to my own earlier question, the range is now available by direct subscription on the De Agostini website. There is also an option to order back issues. There is still no sign of it in the local shops on either side of the river. There is a pointless (IMHO) partwork of Star Wars helmets (nothing to do with the release of a film? ) Edited April 11, 2016 by Il Grifone Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fodenway Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 Does anyone know whether the De Agostini vehicles are a trial run in certain areas only, as I have not seen them locally and I couldn't find any mention on their website.We've had the dinosaurs and the vinyl and Mustang have just started. Conversely my Atlas tanker arrived a few days ago (I must remember to cancel.....) The Mini-Traveller has been decorating a shelf for some time. They're not quite the same as a real Dinky, but, as already stated, a lot cheaper. Some are available on eBay but at a considerable mark up. The DeAgostini range may well be marketed only in certain geographical outlets, I have yet to find any in any of the W H Smiths branches in Lancashire and Yorkshire that I visit often. The Atlas Dinky range ran to eighty models, and DeAgostini plan to issue the same castings but in different colours to Atlas (their subsidiary company). This will provide alternatives for collectors, but I wonder what they will do when they come to the Leyland Octopus tanker. Dinky originally only did the Esso livery on the tin-tank version, their later Shell-BP and the rare "Corn Products" promotional had a new, more modern style plastic moulding instead of the previous tin pressing. It would be nice to see it in the earlier red/green Shell-BP livery - we will have to wait and see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted April 18, 2016 Author Share Posted April 18, 2016 There were a couple of Dinky Ford Thunderbirds and a lot of Morris Mini-Travellers at Asda in Bournemouth this morning. It looks like the new mini is white whereas the original Dinky min-traveller was ivory. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted May 5, 2016 Author Share Posted May 5, 2016 I bought this Atlas Dinky Supertoy 1/48 scale Leyland Esso tanker for £2.99 and have now cancelled my subscription. Although 1/48 scale is a bit small for 0 gauge it fits in well with the Purbeck Model Railway Group and is close to one of the standard scale that manufacturers have adopted for lorries and buses. One picture shows it crossing Haycraft Lane bridge at Harmans Cross on our layout. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 The Atlas Dinky toys fitted in well in the Hornby Railway Collectors Association 0 gauge layout last night at Broadstone. The latest model is 920 Guy Warrior Heinz van with glazing. Dinky Toys originally made this from 1960 to 1961. The last model I saw in the DeAgostini range was the Jaguar XK120 about three weeks ago but the firm has stopped sending them to W H Smith in Swanage now so I expect the demand had been lower than expected. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fodenway Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 De Agostini have recently suspended distribution of their Dinky range "temporarily" for unspecified reasons. There is speculation that it was a marketing trial that did not meet expectations (possibly due to being run in tandem with the Atlas releases, which are continuing). My latest Atlas arrival last week being the Bedford TK tipper, although the next issue Guy Flat truck is already appearing for sale on Ebay - Atlas release schedules seem to vary widely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted December 17, 2016 Author Share Posted December 17, 2016 On 14 December 2016 the Advertising Standards Association ruled that the advertisements for the Dinky Toys Morris Mini-Traveller and Leyland Octopus Esso Tanker must not appear in their current form as they were promoting a subscription offer and not stand alone models for a one off payment. Please see https://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications.aspx Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted December 21, 2016 Author Share Posted December 21, 2016 Dinky Toys Royal Mail van and Post Office telephone van outside the post office on the Hornby Railway Collectors layout at Broadstone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted December 26, 2016 Author Share Posted December 26, 2016 301 Field Marshall tractor and 320 Halesowen Harvest Trailer on a compact Hornby 0 gauge layout with an agricultural theme. This was at the Hornby Railway Collectors Association meeting at Broadstone. Most of the agricultural models were to 1/38 scale which was slightly too large. Despite this they fitted in well with Hornby Railways because they were made in the same factory. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward66 Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 . All metal with rubber tyres. The body is made of Zamac and it is clipped to a black-painted steel baseplate. The accompanying magazine that I bought from W. H. Smith describes it in full. The price was £7.99 but Smiths charged me £4.99. I pointed out the error but they let me have it for £4.99. The Atlas model had a Dinky Toys advertisement on the side panel.. The alloy was always called MAZAC, I suppose it might have changed. Its chief problem is "tin plague" which is a crystalline change that causes the alloy to crumble especially notable on old Hornby O gauge wheels but sometimes seen on very old Dinkies. Edward Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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