Thank you , nice story .


Bedford looks the same indeed !

Dinky Toys no. 34a Royal Air Mail Service Car (1935-1941)

Dinky Toys no. 34b Royal Mail Van (1938-1952)

Both vehicles on a Morris chassis. The real special streamlined Air Mail Service Car was put into service in 1935. Apparently the regular square, old fashioned Morris Commercial was also still in service in those pioneering days of aviation, the 1930s. Kind regards, Jan 

I really wonder why these streamlined ones were introduced by airmail services. In my humble opinion they could not hold that much post bags, or am I missing the point?
The only thing I can think of, seeing Jan's photo, is that that car itself won't damage the aircraft wings. Both models are great and I am still having them on my wish list

Routemaster, The reason for the streamlined body shape was simply to project an image of modernity and speed - remember, this was in the early 1930's when streamlining was very fashionable on the roads and racetracks, railways and even buildings and domestic appliances. The link to the growing popularity of air travel was too good to miss from a publicity point of view. The fact that the carrying capacity was much reduced would not have been as important as the image. There was only one such van anyway, bodied by Duple Coachbuilders of Hendon, London, and the bulk of the service would have been provided by regular Mail vans.

Excellent Jan. Just love those black and white photos to match up to Dinky Toys designer artists impressionism of the real thing.

Very lovely models and love the originals. Nice with the planes in the background as it sets the mood.


If I remember right, when I was much younger and in school, you put an Air Mail sticker or wrote that on the letter and the postage was more. Usually for important mail or overseas mail. Otherwise it would go ground main and be driven or by boat or Train to the final destination. The amount of mail going by air back then was probably small and not cheap. I have some Air Mail Stamps in my stamp collection both from Canada and the USA.

I remember when we were younger it was the first phrase you would learn in french.

Nice to see your comments, gentlemen! It was many years ago already that I found that fantastic photo of the Air Mail Van in action. The fabulous model, however, is a very recent find, with which I am incredibly happy, as you can imagine! It has some fatigue, but what example hasn't? It is really 'excellent for its age'. And the regular Royal Mail Van has been one of my longtime favourites as well. Kind regards, Jan

Jan - All things Royal Mail!























I have put in both variations of the Dublo Dinky.


Hugh

The Vespa 400 (or 2cv = 2 chevaux = 2 horse power like the Citroen) was made in the French factory of Vespa / Piaggio , an Italian aircraft factory , which was not allowed to make planes after WW2 and turned to the famous (in Italy ) scooters.


It was not built in Italy because of the competition with the Fiat 500.


The real one is in the Vespa museum in Auzon (F)

Some lovely models & photos here , many thanks, great to see.

Always a pleasure to read and study those photographs shown on here like this Vespa car including the engine. Many cheers.

Another favourite, the 948 Tractor-trailer McLean. This model was out of my reach as a youngster, but I found this one in a model railway shop's second-hand department around 1974. It was quite expensive even then, but I just had to have it, and never regretted the decision. It reminded me of the GMC rigs in the old Canadian TV series "Cannonball" which I used to watch on a tiny black-and-white television set at my Grandmothers' house (we didn't have our own TV yet). I found the photo of the real McLeans truck on the web, and Dinky did a marvellous job of their model.

I can imagine your feelings towards this model, Kevin. This impressive model cost a fortune indeed in the 1960s, which I could not afford at all. Fortunately it was the last Dinky (Super)Toy ever of my (younger) brother, who managed to buy it from the money he earned with a lucrative holiday-job.


As we were 'too old' to play with Dinky Toys in the later 1960s, it has always been kept virtually unplayed-with in its virtually pristine box. Later on my brother - seeing my Dinky collection grow - transferred all his Dinkies to me, with the result that it has been is on display in my own cabinet for many years already! Kind regards, Jan

It is a great looking truck and I used to have one here but it was a wreck and sold it. Still looking for a decent replacement but they are not cheap and good ones are not that common at a proper price. Lots of inflated ones though.
Great collection Jan and always nice to get another peek at your wonderful displays. Was one of the nice points of our visit with you and your wife and during a small DTCA get together too.