Shelf Island

". . . I draw the line at windscreen wipers"

 

Understandable, although if a fine enough marker/lining pen was available in black/silver/grey, this could be the simplest way of adding windscreen wipers, after filing/sanding off the old ones!

 

Other cars that could be added to the list are:

 

Austin 1100 - short run model by Artapo

Austin Healey 3000 - Wiking (detailing kit by Automobilia)

Austin Mini Countryman and Van (including Police version) - Brekina

Austin Mini Mayfair - Herpa

Austin Healey Mk1 "Frogeye" - Saller Modelle (expensive short run model)

Ford Anglia - kit by V&V available from http://www.mfredrichmodelle.de

Ford Capri Mk1 V6/1300GT - Wiking

Ford Capri III - Herpa

Ford Capri RS2600 - Herpa

Ford Cortina Mk1 - kit by V&V available from http://www.mfredrichmodelle.de

Ford Escort Mk1 (2 and 4 door versions) - Wiking

Ford Galaxy - Herpa and Wiking

Ford Granada - Herpa and Wiking

Ford Sierra - Wiking

Jaguar E Type - Wiking (Transkit detailing kit is available from  Automobilia)

Jaguar MkII - Wiking (Transkit detailing kit available from Automobilia)

Jaguar Sport Cabriolet - Wiking

Jaguar XJ6 - Brekina

MGA Roadster - Wiking (Automobilia Transkit detailing kit is available)

MGB - AWM

Morris Mini Minor - Wiking

Morris Minor - Brekina 

Triumph TR4 - Wiking (Automobilia Transkit available)

A nice 1960s lorry that's H0 scale is the Matchbox Dodge as used for models 37 and 63. There's also a three axle version of the cattle truck. Husky did a Commer Walk-Thru van that's H0 too. Diesel version, so perfect for Rail Express Parcels!

There were also a number of 1950s/eary 60s British vehicles in the EKO range (including the Sava van which was a BMC LD built in Spain under licence).

I think it would be sensible for me to leave my original blog post alone for a few months, and then rework it as single list of models which we know have been available.

 

It is good to see ordinary cars like the BMC 1100 and the Cortina on the list ... the sports cars are nice in small doses but they would seem a bit out of place unless you modelled a dealership. There's a thought, for a model garage. I've spent hours at swapmeets, with a battered Matchbox MB1 truck in my pocket as a guide to scale, and I wonder how many Husky Commer walk-thru's I never noticed. I am also reminded, Dodge were built in Britain.

 

There are a few lists at http://www.british-ho.com, but the scope seems to include vehicles simply seen in Britain rather than built in Britain.

 

Fresh suggestions would be great, but it is worthwhile making a note if something was done in a limited edition or is simply hard to find.

 

- Richard.

Most Opels (Wiking, Herpa, etc.) from the late 1970s on can be used with minimal badging changes as Vauxhalls. With more determination the Kadett C, Ascona B and Rekord E could become Chevettes, Cavaliers and Carltons respectively.

Going back a few decades, my personal favourites are Lledo's AEC Renown LT5 bus and the Matchbox Models of Yesterday Preston tram. Neither is the last word in detail, but they're both chock-full of character and cheap to buy on eBay.

There are many more British 1:87 cars in this web-site, including Bedford lorries, Hillman Minxes and more Fords and Jaguars.  It's well worth a thorough look through all of the 1:87 manufacturers.  I wasn't aware of them all, as my first interest is Italian cars of the 60s and 70s (and the few British cars seen in Italy).  www.mfredrichmodelle.de

Useful link and what a nice Minx! The first (4mm) car kit I did way back in '85 was a Minx, though a series I/II.

I actually omitted the Lledo AEC Renown (and gave my model to a charity shop) because it seemed so old - and I would never use it on my layout. Which makes me think, we can be much more tolerant of 'period' for road vehicles than trains on a model railway layout. We can have a Morris Minor or an Austin Mini on a 2018 layout, and probably in pristine condition too.

 

The tram is really outside the scope of what of was thinking but if it turns out to be a one-off for 1:87 before we move on to modern trams, I'm sure it belongs here. My imaginary island has a railway preservation society (of course) and this might be the time for it to become more of a 'historic transport group'.

Brekina's Rover P6 can also be added to the list.

Dodge K1050 - Matchbox 37 (cattle truck body)

 

The cab measures 27.5 mm wide and 29 mm high, and extends 16.5 mm in front of the axle.

 

The model looks like a K1050 truck, reviewed by Commerical Motor (page 50, 15th December 1972) who gave the dimensions of their test vehicle as

width 7 ft 10 1/4 in 

height 8 ft 11 in (to top of body)

front axle to front of cab 4 ft 8 in 

 

All three dimensions equate to a precise 1:87 scale.

The wheelbase of the model is much shorter than the wheelbasde of the test vehicle, but the cab looks spot on.

The lorries were built at Dunstable.

Hi Richard,

A fascinating topic, thanks. I've been collecting British outline road vehicles for approx 30 years now! and have come across a couple of sites you may find interesting.

https://www.vvmodel.cz/en/foden-s21-platform-green-p945

A stunning looking Foden (a bit pricey but seriously interesting)

A selection here;

https://www.modelcarworld.de/de/BoS-Models/223416/Modellauto-Bedford-RLHZ-Green-Goddess-rot-RHD.htm

https://www.modelcarworld.de/de/BoS-Models/223667/Modellauto-Reliant-Regal-Supervan-III-hellblau-RHD.htm

Hope you enjoy a look through the BoS website but don't get carried away!

Cheers,

John.

Hello everybody,

 

I would like to add some other vehicles that go nicley with British HO and also a great supply for Dutch, Portugese, Danish, Spanish and Argentinian layouts.

 

Bedford S-Type by Havas from Hungaria

 

Bedford TK made by Matchbox.

- N° 3 tipper (even with twin rear wheels),

- N° 25 C tanker (unfourtunately very shortened as it is a rigid 6-wheller)

- Major Pack MP 2 tractor.

 

Bedford J 2 by Matchbox N° 14 C Lomas ambulance

 

Bedford A-Series by Lego

- N° 250 tanker

- N° 251

- N° 253 dropside

- N° 255 fire engine

- N° 256 breakdown vehicle

- N° 257 pantechnicon

- N° 258 tipper

 

Ford Thames 1953 by Anguplas/Eko/Toyeko

 

Ford Thames Trader MK I by matchbox

- N° 13 B breakdown vehicle

- N° 28 compressor truck (even with twin rear wheels)

- Major Pack MP 7 tractor

the flatbed made by Anguplas/Eko/Toyeko goes nicely with the Matchbox cabin; infact the Spanish model is 1:100 and therefore TT3 3 mm scale

 

The Wiking Ford FK 3500 lorry goes nicely as the Ford Thames Trader MK II.

 

Ford D-Type by Matchbox

- N° 7 C refuse truck

- N° 70 B Grit Spreading Truck

 

Austin FX 3 Taxi by Budgie

 

Scammell Scarab - mechanical horse by Matchbox N° 10 B

 

Karrier Bantam by Matchbox

- N° 37 B Coca Cola

- N° 38 A refuse truck

 

AEC Routemaster by Lonestar (far to big wheels and 3 mm to wide)

 

Morris Minor by Widea  (the Brekina one is better)

Austin Mini by Widea

Austin-Nash Metropolitan by Widea

Ford Escort MK II by Widea

Bedford CF by Wiking

 

Hope this is of some help.

 

Best regards

Matthias

 

 

 

 

There are lots of new suggestions here.

 

We should be wary of including models which may look out of place in a British scene ... the Lesney Major Pack MP 7 is a Hendricksen tractor, and the Lesney Lomas ambulance is very small for 1:87 scale - indeed Lesney themselves described it as 1:100 in their catalogue of the time.

 

Many thanks for the list.