I have quite a good collection of these K4 and K37 tipper trucks now. All are mint or near mint condition as I don't like collecting poor examples although I don't normally bother with boxes. I started collecting these as I wished to have the LE version in a box that I remember having as a kid and then sort of got carried away with the variations.

The only ones I am missing (apart from factory one-offs) are the K4 with dark orange cab and pea green body (regular wheels) ... and the K37 with silver cab and red body (speed wheels). 

Above is a pic of three of my collection showing three wheel variations and the later cab change at rear. 


Above pic shows the last regular wheeled variants. The pea green example is one of 500 specially commissioned models only available to Wates customers. Some of the later orange cabbed regular releases had the pea green tipping body from the commissioned model that were left over, most having the metallic green body that was carried over to the later speed wheel variants that had a lighter orange cab. 


Above pic shows the difference in cab colour between the wheel variants. Behind is my LE version in an early LE box (later boxes had Wates pictures). The casting was also modified on all the Wates models to accommodate the larger label. 


Lastly, here is my Big MX version. You don't see many of these in decent condition. Notice that the tipping ram is missing from the MX model as it would interfere with the propshaft drive from the drive slot carbuncle on the front of the cab.

A big problem with these models with regular wheels (and other King Size Matchbox) is the wheel shrinkage problem where the tyres become very loose. Some models show the symptoms whilst others don't. I'm not sure whether this is because they have been kept too warm over the years or too cold. 

One remedy is to sleeve the wheel with PTFE tape or a UHU type glue but this can be messy. If you have a mint model that shows this problem you could swap wheels with a cheap rough model that doesn't show the symptoms, but it means removing the axles and re-burring them over later taking care not to chip the model. One remedy I have had some success with is to remove the wheels from the axles and remove the tyres ... then boil the wheels in a saucepan, stirring all the time (you don't want to melt them) then whilst still hot, sandwich the wheel between soft leather and belt them with a hammer which makes the wheel slightly narrower but enlarges the diameter. It's trial and error as to how hard you swing the hammer though and you have to hit the wheel square. Sometimes the wheels will look slightly pinker than before. This method will also require re-burring the axle ends. 

A quirky take on the K4 Leyland model was released by a company called Tomte Lardl, a Scandinavian company that made pre-school rubber vehicles. The Matchbox model was copied (all details are the same but the body has 4 panels instead of 5) and it was released in lots of bright colours. The reverse moulding process resulted in them being slightly smaller with shrinkage. The pics below are not mine but to illustrate a comparison .... the bodies do not tip as they are cast as one piece.

There is also a Tomte forum post on these and I don't know if these Leyland are on there. So have a look and see if you can find the forum and also post these Tomte on there as well would be appreciated by those collectors on PD.

Your dedecation in collecting these Superking Leyland and information supplied is fantastic.

Thanks for showing.

Hello SGP


welcome to the site. Great collection you have there.


Regards:Theo - RoutemasterNL

A heads up for anyone wanting an all lime green example of K4. There is one on eBay currently being scrabbled for. It is very near mint except that it has faded badly on one side. Will still display well though but I fear this will still fetch silly money ... 

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390843528852?ssPageNa...id=p3984.m1426.l2649 

I think I may have mentioned this elsewhere, it's certainly not the flashiest King Size model produced, but this K-4/K-37 Leyland Tipper is my all-time favorite. I have several of them in my collection, but am still looking for the red/silver Wates as well as that rare all-pea-green version. Not surprisingly, the K-1 Hoveringham is also a favorite! Thanks for all the photos and information on the Leyland here.

I liked the Leyland Cab over too. I would have liked Matchbox to produce a rigid and a tanker.