Lesney Matchbox time is here again. Today we examine Lesney Matchbox 3b, the Bedford 7 1/2 Ton Tipper Truck. This model entered the range in 1961, remaining until 1967, and is another good example of the evolution of the brand:
Yes, we have another commercial vehicle - passenger cars will eventually arrive in this batch of Matchbox, but will be some weeks until we see one. This model is another that shows how the brand was progressing by the the early 60s - fine line casting detail is accurate and ample, these really became little scale models as well as toys, compared to 50s era castings with softer details and hues. This model has fine line casting detail and accurate proportion on par with 60s Lesney quality. Scale is not the easiest to determine, I guess maybe in the 1:60s. From all angles, one can imagine this workhorse moving a load of material, dumping it, and repeating all day almost every day:
Front and rear have plentiful detail to match the rest of the model, the finely cast grille area being a nice touch:
The dumper bed has a wide angle of travel and the bonus of a hinged tailgate, making for endless play value:
The base identifies the vehicle and maker, and shows of the fine tread grey plastic wheels. This wheel variant is relatively rare for this casting, most examples having black plastic wheels. For models with them, fine tread grey wheels are usually an uncommon or even rare variant:
This model is lucky enough to live in a nice Type D box, likely dating it to around 1962-64:
I'm quite pleased to have this in my collection, as I like the look of the fine tread grey wheels, and I was lucky to find this example at an estate sale for little money - one of those fun cases where I matched a near mint loose model to a correct box. Pictured with an old dime for scale:
Image of a similar 1:1 truck from wikipedia:
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