Oxford Diecast vehicles

[mikeharvey22]

Oxford have displayed some unannounced models at the Hong Kong Toyfair. Amongst them were what appears to be a Leyland Tiger Cub/ Gloster Saro bus in Ribble colours, and a box van with an Albion cab previously used in a Tesco promotional model.

 

Announcement of the next release programme should be around the date of the London Toyfair about 10 days from now.

[PhilJ W]

Another feature here is licensing. I recall that the modern Transit was delayed forever waiting on Ford's approval. And a separate agreement is needed for each scale. Maybe small vehicles are not given priority at Ford, whereas agreements with Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, and the BMH brands seems much easier to achieve, and require a lot less management time from Oxford.

Not a car but the soon to be on sale JCB was six years waiting for licence approval.

[RANGERS]

Not a car but the soon to be on sale JCB was six years waiting for licence approval.

The agreement for the Plaxton Elite model took about 2 weeks!

[RANGERS]

Oxford have displayed some unannounced models at the Hong Kong Toyfair. Amongst them were what appears to be a Leyland Tiger Cub/ Gloster Saro bus in Ribble colours, and a box van with an Albion cab previously used in a Tesco promotional model.

Announcement of the next release programme should be around the date of the London Toyfair about 10 days from now.

Another slightly quirky prototype for Oxford to choose (they were Saro (Saunders-Roe) bodied, the merger with Gloster didn't come until much later). They were only operated by a handful of companies from new, although they did spread widely secondhand, and never made it to NBC days so the livery options are a bit limited.

[dinkyme]

Oxford have displayed some unannounced models at the Hong Kong Toyfair. Amongst them were what appears to be a Leyland Tiger Cub/ Gloster Saro bus in Ribble colours, and a box van with an Albion cab previously used in a Tesco promotional model.

 

Announcement of the next release programme should be around the date of the London Toyfair about 10 days from now.

The Albion is in Coca Cola livery and packaging with no sign of Oxford Diecast on front view. Also shown is a Scania 94D curtainside  in Coca Cola livery with same style of packaging. You can find pictures on Facebook site

[RailwaysInMyDNA]

Have Oxford ever released a Bedford HA van in BR yellow?  https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4091/5207378051_bd67ceb7af_b.jpg

 

I discovered recently that they have a BR liveried Sherpa in the near future which is great news, but the small Bedford van would fill a gap in the layout.

 

Regards,

 

Paul.

[PhilJ W]

Have Oxford ever released a Bedford HA van in BR yellow?  https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4091/5207378051_bd67ceb7af_b.jpg

 

I discovered recently that they have a BR liveried Sherpa in the near future which is great news, but the small Bedford van would fill a gap in the layout.

 

Regards,

 

Paul.

Corgi Trackside do a HA van.

[RailwaysInMyDNA]

Thanks for that Phil.

 

Not sure if they are still readily available but will have to investigate further!

[Mad McCann]

Might have to be patient then for the Iikes of the Mk2 Escorts, Datsun 120Ys, Avengers and Chevettes that I used to be everywhere in the late '70s. :-)

 

Dave.

[PhilJ W]

Might have to be patient then for the Iikes of the Mk2 Escorts, Datsun 120Ys, Avengers and Chevettes that I used to be everywhere in the late '70s. :-)

 

Dave.

I have models of the Datsun 120Y and the first two types of Nissan Micra. They came with a Japanese version of Kinder Egg. I found them on e-bay a few years ago, they were part of a series. Most except for those mentioned were underscale for 00 or never seen in the UK. They are 'snap together' kits. Kinder Egg have produced similar kits of the different versions of the Smart Car, these are close to 1/72 scale.

[it's-er]

Lyndon Davies, or Taff, has been on he Oxford Diecast Collectors Facebook site this evening, and in advance of announcement tomorrow at the London Toy Fair has posted lots of information about their 'release 1' of the year 2017. This means new, previously unannounced, models which will appear later in 2017. There is full information about all their ranges, including lists, drawings and photos of new tooling.

 

All diecast, so vehicles. Oxfordrail announcements no doubt come tomorrow. I don't seem to be able to provide a link to the Facebook page - someone else might be able to?

 

John Storey

[darrel]

It includes a transit van in the latest scotrail colours. I will be ordering that as soon as hattons put it on their website

[mikeharvey22]

All diecast, so vehicles. Oxfordrail announcements no doubt come tomorrow. I don't seem to be able to provide a link to the Facebook page - someone else might be able to?

 

John Storey

https://www.facebook.com/groups/282491821467/ is the link to the Facebook Group. This is a closed Group so membership needs to be approved. 170 Oxford Diecast photos were added last night to illustrate proposed new items, and illustrate CADs, tooling, pre-production models etc. Pleased to report that my use of Facebook has not brought any problems as I do not use it as a way of showcasing my life. In fact it seems that most people on "enthusiast" groups treat it like I do - as a valuable source for exchange of information and ideas, not unlike RMWeb, but tapping into more people from different cross-sections of my hobbies.

Edited January 24, 2017 by mikeharvey22

[acg5324]

Oh well nothing in 1/148 other than some reliveries.....shame as when I first loaded the page it showed a Mk1 Escort and Capri....however they are both 1/76.

Edited January 24, 2017 by acg5324

[it's-er]

On 1/148 - were the 1950s Austin Princess (large Provost's limousine) and Burlingam Seagull coach announced previously? Because if not, Taff put up a photo of the first shots of each!

 

John Storey

Edited January 24, 2017 by it's-er

[acg5324]

Both announced earlier and more 1950s vehicles ( not seen pictures only artists impressions on the website ) rather than 1970s onwards.

[mikeharvey22]

On 1/148 - were the 1950s Austin Princess (large Provost's limousine) and Burlingam Seagull coach announced previously? Because if not, Taff put up a photo of the first shots of each!

 

John Storey

The Austin Princess had been announced already but the Burlingham Seagull coach is entirely new, so new in fact that it does not have a catalogue number yet! The picture of the first shot shown has it marked with the code NBS which is already in use for the completely different Burlingham Sunsaloon.

 

Whenever Oxford announce new items for N there is disappointment that cars from the later eras have not been catered for. I put this down to licensing costs particularly for 1980s onwards, the relatively small size of the N market compared to Oxford's required production quanities, and 1/76 providing a much better return and over a shorter period. A couple of years back I recall Oxford's MD inviting people to commission their own designs from Oxford for the types of models that Oxford do not regard as commercially viable. Since then there have been no N commissions that I am aware of, and the crowdfunding initiative from DJModels failed miserably not even attracting enough interest for the absolute minimum quantity.

Edited January 24, 2017 by mikeharvey22

[mikeharvey22]

The new catalogue can be viewed and downloaded here:-

 

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1017/3257/files/FEB-MAY_17_low_res.pdf?11682100474110524242

[BernardTPM]

Oh well nothing in 1/148 other than some reliveries.....shame as when I first loaded the page it showed a Mk1 Escort and Capri....however they are both 1/76.

Can't see either Mk.i Escort or Mk.I Capri in 1:76 in the catalogue.

[mikeharvey22]

Can't see either Mk.i Escort or Mk.I Capri in 1:76 in the catalogue.

Bernard. Yes the Mk1 Escort and Mk1 Capri are only in the 1/43 Cararama range which Oxford imports. But there was an Escort lookalike at about 1/72 in the Corgi Trackside range, and a 1/72 Capri in the Cararama range, as I am sure you know. Both would be welcome in 1/76 and 1/148 for all those Ford delivery trains.

[BernardTPM]

Mike, the Corgi Trackside Escort (unlike some of the earlier Trackside cars) is 4mm scale, not 1:72. I bought three packs of the unpainted models cheap when Hornby were remaindering them. Not only is there a bonus paintbrush and paints, but the models themselves are screwed together rather than riveted. Likewise before now I've upgraded the Lima 4mm Capri.

A 1:148 Mk.I Escort to go with the forthcoming Mk.III Cortina would be brilliant for Ford Cartic trains (I don't think it will happen, though).

Edited January 26, 2017 by BernardTPM

[grahame]

A 1:148 Mk.I Escort to go with the forthcoming Mk.III Cortina would be brilliant for Ford Cartic trains (I don't think it will happen, though).

 

Yep, that would be nice. Having looked through the 1:148 scale section of the catalogue it is quite clear how few bog standard saloon cars are included and even less from the 1970-2000 period. They've even dilly-dallied over getting the Cortina produced having announced it a while back.

 

It is very obvious that they are concentrating on commercials, buses, agricultural and military subjects. You can hardly populate a layout with a selection limited to those choices and, although one or two may be of use, having a selection of bog standard saloon/hatchback cars would get multiple sales as more would be required and could be accommodated on a layout (on wagons and roads) rather than a large number of military scout cars, hearses and fire engines.   

 

G.

[acg5324]

Can't see either Mk.i Escort or Mk.I Capri in 1:76 in the catalogue.

Yes sorry they were Cararama ones....and I've just had my eyes tested! No change either!

 

Could a model car be made that for example looks exactly like a Ford Escort but is not described as such, is the licence just for the trademarks/ brand names or also for the likeness?

Edited January 26, 2017 by acg5324

[PhilJ W]

Yes sorry they were Cararama ones....and I've just had my eyes tested! No change either!

 

Could a model car be made that for example looks exactly like a Ford Escort but is not described as such, is the licence just for the trademarks/ brand names or also for the likeness?

Siku make a 1/76 scale model of a Mercedes Sprinter van, but it is not sold as such just as a van and it lacks the Mercedes star on the radiator grill. Apart from being a representation of the short wheelbase version its details, apart from that mentioned above are the same as the CMNL version.

[mikeharvey22]

They've even dilly-dallied over getting the Cortina produced having announced it a while back.

   

 

G.

Grahame. The delay had been touched on by Oxford last October, and Oxford explained last Sunday the tooling problem which had delayed about a dozen 1/148 items. Quote from the discussion in a topic on the Oxford Diecast Collectors Facebook Group. This was posted by Lyndon Davies, MD of Oxford Diecast:-"On my last visit, I advised that we were having some difficulty on the tooling for some of the new N scale items. The problem being that as they are being tooled as a group – they all must be correct. The MGB looked wrong so that cavity has been recut and thankfully now we have 1st shots of the moulds for these items - MGB. New Mini, Ford Transit SWB, Mercedes Ambulance, CMP Truck and the Weymann Fanfare, D TEC Trailer and Container, Farm Trailers, Daimler Dingo and Cortina MKIII." The post was accompanied by the photos of the first shots on display at the Olympia Toyfair, which also included the unannounced Burlingham Seagull coach. The process of tooling all the items together seems to be part of the process Oxford uses to achieve the right cost level for the N market. I understand that one large mould is used, but with the possibility of selective use of parts of the mould so for example the Cortina can be rerun without everything else. I have said elsewhere that in my opinion the way to persuade Oxford of the financial justification for N cars is to make the Cortina Mk3 an instant sell-out, which might just encourage them to take on the onerous licensing process for some more marques and models in N.

 

Reflecting on the abortive DJModels crowdfunding initiative for sets of cars, this did not seem to excite much interest, even from Dave Jones himself who never even specified which actual cars he was proposing to make.

 

Mike