fodenway

The Matchbox Series No.66 Citroen DS is also 1/76. I always had my reservations about the Husky Lancia and Mercedes, thinking that they were too small. Their Mk10 Jaguar always seemed closer, but since I don't have any of them, I can't check.

Delicas did indeed have good ground clearance, a consequence of the four-wheel drive system. They were quite capable off-roaders too - a friend of mine had one and said he was very impressed by it.

Wow, that was a lucky find. The Corvette should have a wheelbase of 34mm (102") and an overall length of 56mm (168") to be accurate 1/76 scale, likewise the Thunderbird should also have a 34mm wheelbase but with an overall length of just over 58mm (175.3"). The Ford woodies are, as you say, slightly underscale. The yellow Dodge Viper is another one I haven't seen before (assuming it's a Kinsmart), and looks like another possibility. Well done!

I hadn't seen the small-scale PT Cruiser, so I have no idea whether it is 1/76 or not. I looked for one on ebay, at present they're all from American sellers at prices from £2 to £4, which is fair enough, but with postage to UK anywhere between £16 and £52 I don't think I'll bother !.

That was my initial thought, but a check with the calipers reveals a wheelbase equating to the 114" of the prototype at 1/76 scale, with other dimensions being pretty accurate too. It's amazing how it seems to shrink when the wheels are changed. The more ambitious modeller could use the cab as the basis for the heavier truck models in the Chevy/GMC range at the time, even shortening the bonnet and front wings for a cabover-type heavy truck.

Another conversion from a cheap toy, The Kinsmart pull-back 1955 Chevy 3100 pickup. It measures up exactly to 1/76 scale, and needs only a change of wheels and a few painted details to make a realistic standard truck. I had already done one that way, so decided to convert this one to the 'Cameo Carrier' , the wide-bodied style soon copied by Ford and Dodge. Ironically, the load area was exactly the same width as the familiar stepside.

Here's my Delica and two versions of the VW van, along with the untouched original.

i also had several of these playsets at £1 each from Poundland back when. I have a Delica painted up and with the wheels moved inboard a little, a great improvement for a little effort. The VW van can also be turned into something quite acceptable with a bit more work, and there was also a 1990s American Ford pickup which portrays the bulky appearance well at 1/76, just a careful paint job does wonders for it.

Excellent work, very realistic control. If I may make a suggestion - they would look even better with drivers in the cab. Next step - sound?

B R bought a number of secondhand buses from various undertakings at the time, presumably for staff transport. I'm sure that Merfyn Jones could give a definitive answer to your question.

A steel lever about two feet long, with a hook attached on a swivel to the end of the handle, and another to a short over-centre fulcrum arm pivoted a few inches away. The hooks were inserted into the main securing chain, and the handle pulled down to tighten the chain, a job made easier using the aforementioned scaffolding pipe slid over the handle for a better pull, making sure to keep your body out of the way of potential flybacks. Never got me, but I've seen a couple of very serious injuries with them. Most companies outlawed them, but they were very effective when used "properly", and I know a good few drivers that always had a set stowed away on the lorry.

The dreaded 'Sylvesters', or "jawbreakers" as we called them. I always stood well clear of them, but still managed a couple of close shaves. I always used a 3-foot piece of scaffolding pipe as a lever, then wrapped the excess chain around the handle to prevent it springing back.

I always knew them as "Dollies", but there is a proper name for them. No doubt they had nautical origins, and had a mechanical advantage of 10:1 according to some of the old hands I worked with. Here's an example of one I did in 1/76 scale, fitted with corner boards to secure the load of bottle crates -

Your Airfix "Bedford" K6 is in fact an Austin !

Thanks to those who replied to my query, but panic over - Frizinghall Model Rail got back to me with the news that they can supply from stock, so deal done and now the build can continue!

Not long before the current situation arose, I decided to make a return to model railways after a lapse of over forty five years, and started construction of an 'N' gauge layout using Peco code 55 finescale trackwork. I'd already bought what I thought would be sufficient stock, but now find myself short of 5 yards of flexible track. With all model shops in my area (South and West Yorkshire) being closed, mail order was my next option. This morning, I've tried Rails of Sheffield (no stock), 2K Technologies at Hipperholme (no answer), Frizinghall at Bradford (no answer) and Hattons (no stock). So, now I'm desperate! Does anyone know where I might get hold of some, bearing in mind that some dealers will only send full packs of thirty lengths by post)?

Try John Day Models, they have a Fordson ET6 coal lorry kit, plus Fordson 7v, Morris Commercial and various other suitable lorries in the range as well as figure sets with coalmen in various poses.

Matchbox did a Mk4 Zodiac in the late 60s, but noticeably overscale for 1/76. Dinky also did one, around 1/42nd if I remember correctly. No good for 4mm, but nice to have on the shelf.

My understanding is that the Atlas/DeAgostini copies series has finished, and there will be no more castings. Another copy range, DanToys, may still be continuing, but only as re-colours of existing castings. Since all these ranges are produced in China, chances are they might show up again under different "unauthorised" brand names at some point in the future.

Lone Star did a Euclid TC-12 crawler in 1/76 scale back in the sixties in their Impy Roadmasters range. Not too difficult to find, and not usually too expensive either - especially in 'restorable' condition.

I was given one of these Regent Fodens for either my second birthday or Christmas (1955), and I still have it. It's one of my most treasured possessions, even though it's covered a massive amount of play miles over the years, and been restored ages ago. It was responsible for my love of lorries (particularly those with Foden badges) and my passion for collecting and modelling road vehicles. Thanks, Grandad !

RIP Peter. For a couple of years around the turn of the millennium, Peter was also a member of the Yorkshire Area of the National Association of Road Transport Modellers. Several of our members were privileged to have an evening viewing (and operating) the Mogok Ruby Mines Railway, and marvelling at the skill with which toy action figures had been transformed into replicas of people that Peter had photographed during his time in Burma. Although I had not seen him for a couple of years, he is often mentioned in conversation. A fine modeller and man departed.

Rod Parker does a whitemetal kit of the Fordson 7V Heavy Unit as used in WW2 by the NFS, and postwar by the AFS, County and Borough brigades and in industry. Contact Rod at 19 Oaklands, Malvern Link, Worcestershire, WR14 4JE, enclosing an SAE for reply. No website, phone number or email unfortunately, but very nice little kits.

Note also that the carrying handle could be mounted along the centreline or diagonally across the can top.

There's also the Spanish EKO mixer, which came on various chassis including Unic (pictured), Barrieros and Pegaso. Although the cab/chassis are to around HO scale, the mixer body needs a bit of simple trimming to bring it down to an acceptable width for 1/76. Also pictured is a Foden S21 mixer in the early stages of construction using a cab from RTI mounted on a modified Base Toy chassis and more suitable wheels.