Thanks Jan for your in-depth review of a very long-lived Dinky. I've had a few of them over the years, and always wondered why Dinky fitted it with a tow hook at the back - real fire engines of this era didn't tow trailers, and Dinky didn't really have anything useful in the range at the time, except perhaps the Land Rover trailer to add a bit more play value. 


 Also, I was never comfortable with the Nash Rambler as a partner to these English fire appliances, so I repainted a Humber Hawk police car in red - much more suitable for a British chief fire officer!

Jan:


I am trying to figure out the Stringing of the Fire Engine ladder. It is similar to the large turntable engine in this set. For the French Dinky 32d , the Delahaye. Do you have instructions for stringing that ladder of yours? Can someone take a couple of pictures of how it is wound at the S connection on the ladder and the wrap on the cog gear at the winder handle. I am having no luck with mine.

Hi Fodenway, I share your thoughts about the Rambler. It is a kind of misfit, but the set is superb of course, especially in the condition I could photograph it at an exhibition.

About 10 years ago I even sold my Fire Chief's Car because it did not fit in my collecting profile anymore. The only memory I have of this collection piece is an old analogue photo:



Nobleco, regarding the stringing for the ladder I can show you both the British and the French (Delahaye) instructions, I hope they will do:






And some details:





And some overall views of these wonderful models:





I hope this is of help to you!

Kind regards, Jan

Thanks for the photos Jan,

My next resto is the fire chief, so I can make a good comparison from the details.

Jim I faced the same problem with the stringing on the 956, but TC helped me out.

Now that was some time ago but still a BIG thanks to you all out there.

TC makes resto life much easier

Very nice photos Jan, and another very interesting story by you on that wonderful set. I love those extending ladder engines, and the French Delahaye is a superb model with lots of detail plus that neat extending and pivoting ladder. That one would cost a few dollars to make today for sure!

Nice pictures of some really nice models. The drawings and description is going to work well for me, Jan, Thanks a lot.

Brünofix is still in business!  See 

http://www.dewe-bruenofix.de/en/company/ .

Nürnberg?  Wonder if they worked with the German toy companies?

Thank you Karls, that's most interesting, the first valuable indication to the source of this mysterious finishing process and it's background!

No doubt Jacques will be happy too, because we have been painstakingly looking for more information. It may have been the Umlaut on the 'u'  that has kept us away from this firm. 

I don't know if there was some kind of relation between the British and German firms regarding this. Apparently the process was used postwar on Dinky Toys only, or do others know of the same finish on prewar models?

Kind regards, Jan

I have known the process for years although I am not a specialist in surface treatment. I suppose that any surface treatment company can do it. There is one about 10 miles from here, I can go there and talk with the manager which I know already but this is not before the end of this month. My agenda is full until then.

Steel base plates were introduced in 1936 on the 23 series racing cars and in 1937 on the military models on all these models the base plate was painted the same colour as the body. The racing cars were painted after the base plate was crimped to the body.

Then in 1940 came the 38 series with varnished base plates. These were the last mdels introduced before the ban on metal models. The 38 series was re-issued post war with base pates painted black.

There were no base plates with the black mat finish before the war, what ever the name of that finish is in English. To date the 555 engine with mat base plate, one would need to find other models with that finish and with a short life span. Unfortunately I do not have the time to do this search now but if you know some of these models, please let me know.

Hi Jacques, I don't think we're talking about the matt black finish, but the remarkable blackish 'mottled' finish which seems to be referred to when talking about 'brunofix'.

Well, some time you may get your neighbouring company's information on this. I wonder ...

Kind regards, Jan

Another nice Dinky Fire Engine acquisition recently: the late version but with a very shiny mirror-like plate finish of the ladder, which I did not know of. My twelfth box/model variant!

Here it is in the center of the trio:



Their specifications are:

LEFT: Years: 1964-65
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: yes
Reels: light grey (repaired, distorted on the left)
Rear control panel: all silver
Hubs: plastic
Tyres: black block tread
Base plate: matt, Dinky Supertoys 955
Box type 4 (yellow illustrated lid box DINKY
SUPERTOYS)

CENTRE: Years: 1966?
Ladder: shiny plate (very smooth, like a mirror)
Plastic windows: yes
Reels: light grey (repaired, distorted on the left)
Rear control panel: all silver
Hubs: plastic
Tyres: black block tread
Base plate: matt, Dinky Supertoys 955
Box type 5 (lavishly illustrated sturdy end flaps box
DINKY TOYS)

RIGHT: Years: 1966-70
Ladder: silver
Plastic windows: yes
Reels: light grey (repaired, distorted on the left)
Rear control panel: all silver
Hubs: plastic
Tyres: grey block tread
Base plate: gloss, Dinky Supertoys 955
Box type 5 (lavishly illustrated sturdy end flaps box
DINKY TOYS)

It is very hard to make the difference visible. An attempt here, showing the plate finished ladder:




I have never seen any reference or documentation for this variant.

I hope someone can help!

Kind regards, Jan

Jan--


    Very interesting with that very shiny, mirror like finish on the ladder.  I certainly have never seen that before.......hopefully someone can come forward with some more information on it.  Nice pictures.....thanks for posting!!


 


                 Terry

I think it looks similar to the ladder on my #285 Merryweather Marquis, at least as far as I can determine from the photos.

Is it possible that the mould for the casting is in that good condition and the metal in right consistency and mix that it produced this kind of shine on the surface? I don't think they would be plating the ladders, too expensive.

Hi folks, thanks for your comments this far. Indeed those later models seem to have very shiny finished parts. Is that plate over plastic? (I am a nitwit as later Dinky Toys are concerned).

Also metallurgy is not my strongest talent. Even if there would have been 'ideal' conditions during casting, the procedure of finishing would still include silver painting in the end, I presume, so that no bare metal would be visible, shiny or not. Still, I can imagine that plating as an exception would be an expensive and inefficient experiment! It remains a puzzling matter, and I still hope for a solution to be suggested by someone!

Kind regards, Jan