Atlas U.K. trucks collection 'When will they stop ?'

There certainly could be a good amount of code3 out there. To get a tanker back kit as spares cost about 25 from steve flowers but you can pick up a whole atlas esso tanker with tyres and hubs and everything else for a lot less than that right now. The guy flat trucks are probably real because those are shown in the atlas advertising and I've seen several being offered. And at the same time, dan toys have issued a whole galaxy of guy trucks in flavours of every kind. I didn't get a Versailles either, nor a dodge royal or a porsche coupe. I heard there was a problem with the licensing on those models - but most information is suspect because I don't think even atlas knows what's going on most of the time. Another curious development is the appearance of variant colours offered by far east sellers. Three colours of citroen DS, four colours of panhard, three of 23a, three isobloc, etc, etc. I suppose these represent special editions in various territories but foresee that some kind of list is going to be needed.

The DS seem to be a set which could be purchased by subscribers, but there seem to be some run outs from HK such as the yellow DS with threaded tyres not smooth. The Panhard was violet, but then then brought out one in yellow with no interiors in a 'prototype' set subscribers could buy. An amended Panhard casting without suicide doors has come out just as Dinky did, as a Dinky Junior and in red I think. The Isobloc was in green, as an Air France 'prototype' and later in red with the striated roof rack, now issued in blue for the UK. I got a Thunderbird in a slightly lighter red, with a brown interior from the French metallic green issue, a DeAgostini marked base and in a Atlas box - does that constitute a run out bitsa or just a Friday afternoon car.........today received the Berliet GAK drinks truck which carries according to the Chinese BLERES.

Deagonstini has offered several variations to the Italian market - a red/brown Renault 4L, cream Fiat 600, brown Grande Vue, red Studebaker commander, red/brown interior thunderbird, blue VW beetle with dark blue not spun hubs, red 2cv (24T) with white hubs. So it seems they are offering different variations in different locations. I have a gold Packard with solid black wheels which was a German issue.

Atlas Editions Dinky Trucks Collection concluded in December with a rendition of the 934 Leyland Octopus Wagon in blue and yellow. One of the quirks of this company is that you don't know it's over until it's over. So it turns out there were 25 models in total. UK cab castings were used at least twice - the ford TK revisited three times - and the Guy van back four times. A sprinkling of previously released French studies fleshed out the ranks. We hear a further six models had been planned to run the collection into 2018, but this continuation has been scrapped. What happens now is not clear. The initial cars collection has been succeeded by Dinky Toys II - a rehearsal of the Saga des Ouvrants collection already available in France. There has been no intimation of plans for a second truck series. My guess is that Atlas Editions is going to hold back while the parent company DeAgostini runs out its Dinky Collection partwork over the next couple of years. The trucks collection included: LEYLAND Octopus wagon FORD Benne a Ordures BEDFORD TK Coal truck CITRON HY 'Philips' GUY Vixen van 'Slumberland' FORD Poissy 'Calberson' FODEN Tanker 'Regent' PANHARD semi remorque bache STUDEBAKER Milk truck GUY Vixen Flat truck GUY Vixen van 'Robertson's' 'Spratts' FODEN with chains AUSTIN Open Wagon BERLIET GAK Beverage truck ISOBLOC Type 3 GUY Warrior flat truck FODEN High sides Wagon BEDFORD TK Wreck Truck GUY Vixen 'Lyons' LEYLAND Octopus Flat + chains BERLIET GLB Pompiers AUSTIN Covered wagon BEDFORD TK Tipper truck GUY Warrior van HEINZ LEYLAND ESSO tanker

Almost nobody has noticed that the Atlas Leyland Octopus has different hubs on the front axle from the other three axles. This could have been correct if Atlas had not inverted the wheel types.Quite a few Dinky Supertoys Octopus wagon have been made with plastic hubs on the front axle and Supertoys hubs on the other axles. This was done when the change to plastic hubs was done in June 1962 cf. drawing 7873.The sub assembly ref. 7875 Front bogie was made separately from the truck and included the base plate, the front axle and hubs. Perhaps also the tyres but there is no evidence so far. Aparently, the trucks were made first and when the front bogie had to be made there were no Supertoys hubs left and the new plastic hubs were fitted. Atlas wanted to replicate this feature but they got it wrong and made this wagon with Supertoys hubs at the front and plastic hubs at the rear. See alkeeling's picture above. Two other mistakes found by Ragnar are on the box. The boxe's side is printed in six languages and includes two main mistakes : In German the truck 888 is not a pipe line transporter In Sewdish the word tankbil means tanker is is misprinted tonkbil.Once more, bravo Atlas

Hi all, although in new, different typesetting, the Atlas box text exactly replicates the original text of the French box (see ill. below), these mistakes included. Besides, the designation 'tankauto' (tanker) in the Dutch line isn't correct either. Kind regards, Jan

So after about 60 or 70 years of advances in manufacturing and assembly methods, it's interesting to see how basic mistakes are still possible. Well spotted, Jacques and, no, I hadn't noticed the wrong hubs. Now that the UK Dinky Trucks Collection is over, there is no indication as to whether models like Berliets and Willemes will be made available this side of the channel. And while French customers can buy fills for their collections direct from the Editions Atlas website, there is no such consideration for buyers in other countries where they operate. But perhaps this corporation just wants to give us the authentic flavour of a disorganised disfunctional twentieth century toy maker ?

Dear Al, If you or anybody else are interested, I have the following spare Atlas models for sale : 25 M - Ford end tipper 569 - Berliet Stradair side tipper in blue and orange at 27.55 each plus 7.00 for P & P All the best.Jacques

Thanks, Jacques, the stradair that I've got at the moment is blue and orange, so I'll be looking for the mint green version. Unfortunately I just bought a 25m, so that's a bit frustrating.Maybe we need to open a swap/sell topic for members to circulate their spares/surplus Atlas/Dan/Deagostini stock. I have a handful of doubles myself.

Benne bent out of shape? So, towards the end of its run, the Atlas Dinky Trucks collection offered up a copy of a 25V Ford Refuse Wagon - benne a ordures which has been sitting here niggling away at me that something doesn't look right with it. I checked a lot of images of this model on google and they all look the same way - surely this is bent between the cab and chassis? It doesn't look bent that way on the box or on the leaflet that comes with it. I mean, it looks like it's actually cast bent because there's no stress marks or paint cracking. The originals don't look like this, do they?

Hi Al. Here under two models from my collection then you can compare ! You can send it back and get your money back. Good luck. Richard

[img]/images/sites/default/files/forum-images/FordBenneàordures(8)a.jpg[/img]

Hi Richard, You originals look like what I'd expect to see - nice parallel horizontals and right angle verticles. If you scope around the internet for pictures of the Atlas version, I think you will see that they all show this significant chassis bend. there's no hope of just bending the casting flat because the cab/chassis connection is very solid metal - the bend is inherent in the production.So I wouldn't get a replacement if I sent it back, although I might be able to get a refund. Or it might be possible to dremmel half-cuts in the chassis members on the underside and that could allow the cab to flex upwards. It might come to that because I checked all the way around and there isn't really an angle you can look at the model without seeing the problem.