22a Open Sports Car (1933-35)

Wolseley Hornet Special Swallow 1931 real one of Dinky Toys 22a Sports Car. Dinky Toys 22a Sports Car. Wolseley emblem. Wolseley 1931 Hornet Swallow. Dinky Toys 22a Sports Car. Wolseley 1931-32 Hornet Swallow complete for GBP 225. Wolseley Swallow Hornet coachwork. Complete GBP 225. Note:An individual Dinky Toys 22a on Vectis auction was sold for GBP 750 on 18-5-2011.A model car nowadays 3 times more expensive than the original car at that time!! 1933 Hornby Series Modelled Miniatures 22a Sports Car 1934 Dinky Toys 22a Sports Car The 22a Sports Car was the first made Dinky Toys car and the Genesis of the famous Dinky Toys range of Meccano Liverpool. In fact, it was not yet a Dinky Toys, but Modelled Miniatures and belonged to the Hornby Series Modelled Miniatures No. 22 Set of 6 motor vehicles. It was announced in Meccano Magazine of December 1933. The set consisted of: Sports Car, Sports Coup, Motor Truck, Delivery Van, Farm Tractor and Army Tank. The motor vehicles did not yet have an individual model number and were apparently only available as a set of six for 4 / -. Meccano Magazine UK December 1933 part 1. Meccano Magazine UK December 1933 part 2. MM December 1933 No. 22 only for sale as set.No individual numbering yet. Like the later 28 Series Delivery Vans, the 22a Sports Car is made of lead alloy that was not as prone to fatique as it did in other prewar models of that time. It measures 82 mm and weighs 92 grams. This is compared to a similar model, such as, for example, 38f Jaguar Sports Car of 53 grams, almost 2x so heavy. Dinky Toys 22a Sports Car weighs 92 grams. Dinky Toys 38f Jaguar Sports Car weighs 53 grams. He has Hornby Series and Mecano Ltd Liverpool stamped inside cast instead of Dinky Toys and was intended as a toy accessory at the Hornby Railway Trains. 22a: Hornby Series and Meccano Ltd Liverpool inside cast. He was performed in different colours, had a (vulnerable) open windshield, a shiny tinplate surround grille, metal disc wheels and was delivered in a beautiful box as a series of 6 different Motor Vehicles. For such a complete set in box on a Vectis Auction on 22-11-2011 was paid GBP 19,000. Vectis auction No. 22 set with 22a sold on 22-11-2011 for GBP 19,000. The content of a No. 22 set with box as example. Vectis auction 22a individual sold on 18-5-2011 for GBP 750. Metal disc wheels were mounted on Dinky Toys in the beginning. Mounted on thin crimped axles they quickly lost their stability and the shrunk end of the crimped axles were (too) sharp for children. 22a with metal disc wheels (1934). Mine are blue colour washed. Tootsietoys Graham Roadster 511 with cast wheels and rubber tires (1933). The American Tootsietoys had already changed the disc wheels for better cast wheels with rubber tires. In MM of April 1934, the name Dinky Toys is first mentioned in advertisements and set no. 22 is first referred to as Meccano Dinky Toys No. 22 Motor Vehicles. They then also received an individual model number: 22a Sports Car, 22b Sports Coup, 22c Motor Truck, 22d Delivery Van, 22e Farm Tractor and 22f Army Tank and could be sold individually. A loose 22a Sports Car costed 6d and the price for a complete set was 4 / -. MM april 1934 with for the first time the name Dinky Toys 22a. Sold as set or individual. Despite introduction of the name Dinky Toys they all stay marked 'Hornby Series' instead of 'Dinky Toys'. Hornby book of trains 1934-5 in colour with 22a as set or individual. Meccano catalogue Dutch 1934-35 with 22a as set or individual. This time with a picture of 22a. Meccano catalog UK 1934-35 very remarkable without 22a. The 22a Sports Car was by Hornby not named to an existing automotive brand, but in the 3rd edition of John Ramsay's catalogue of British Diecast Model Toys (of which I have a by John Ramsay himself signed example from 1988) he is also in parentheses for the first time referred to as Wolseley Hornet and he is a vivid example of that car (see photo at the top). In the 3rd edition of John Ramsay's catalogue of British Diecast Model Toys 22a is also in parentheses for the first time referred to as Wolseley Hornet. 3rd edition of John Ramsay's catalogue of British Diecast Model Toys signed by John Ramsay himself in 1988. I always try to get a 1st edition of a model and I'm glad and proud to have this 1st model of Dinky Toys. He is very damaged, misses the windscreen, but is in its original condition and the colours are still bright and shiny. It is the beginning of the Dinky Toys history which means very much to me and I am happy that I can show now the beginning of the Dinky Toys history in this model. Hoogvliet-Rotterdam 28-4-2017 Best wishes to all, Jan Oldenhuis

Jan, what an interesting post. The Modelled Miniatures are in an unexplored area for me and this opened my eyes considerably. The Swallow company history is an interesting one, as I'm sure many are aware, and the Dinky 38f is based on a vehicle whose heritage can be traced to other Swallow-bodied cars, including the Wolseley. I have a photo of my father in an SS1 that he raced at Brooklands before the war.

Hello Jan, Thanks very much for this interesting post. I did not know that the 22a Sports Car was modelled after the Wolseley Hornet Swallow. It is a good model for those days. It follows the lines of the original quite accurately. Being the first model in the 22 Series, it really is the start of Dinky Toys and deserves this post. The Sports Car is the centre piece in the photo of my 22 Series Modelled Miniatures. I posted this photo before as 'The start of a legend'. Kind regards, Rob

John and Rob-Thanks for the comments.I did not know where the abbreviation SS (Swallow Sidecars) came from in the name of the pre-war 38f SS Jaguar 100s until I read the comment from Jan Werner in TMT over the 38f. Understandably, this abbreviation in the post-war name of this beautiful car did not came back.By chance, I made a comparison with the 38f Jaguar Sports Car in my comment about the 22a. Now it is clear to me that these two cars originated from the Swallow coachbuilding. Beautiful to discover such comparisons.John it would be very nice to add a picture of your dad in the SS1. Rob you have a very nice collection of the 22 serie.Kind regards,Jan Oldenhuis

Jan, here is the photo of my father. The inscription on the back of the photo states that this was a 1 litre SS1 and it's dated 1937. It also states 'Campbell Circuit', which was the road racing circuit constructed in the infield at Brooklands in that year so this would most probably have been taken at one of the short, handicap races that were held that year. The SS would have been given a 6 second start over the large-capacity cars. I have another photo, taken at the same meeting, of my father in a supercharged M-type MG Midget.

What a beautiful car ! Richard

John-Thanks for the picture. What is noticeable is, that the car has an open split radiator grille and does not have the long side mudguards, which model 38f normally does. Perhaps a special coach building for the racing matches. I add a picture of a Jaguar SS100 of 1936. You see the initials SS and 100 on the badges of the Radiator grille. Best Regards, Jan Oldenhuis

Having had a closer look at the SS models on the internet I have to say that maybe my father was slightly mistaken about which SS he was driving. To me the racer looks more like an SS2 than an SS1 and the fact that father describes the car as having a smaller engine than the SS1, which had 2-litre and 2-litre six-cylinder engines, makes me think it was an SS2. That model used a chassis from the Standard 9hp and had a shorter bonnet due to its 4-cylinder engine.

Hello friends, As Jan O. already mentioned there are two different inscriptions on the model 22a, Hornby series and Dinky toys. However there are other differences on this model. As I have both models in my collection, I can show these. First picture shows the Dinky toys name. Also two injection points were Hornby has just one. Second picture, note that the name is now under the boot and the other way round compared with the Hornby series. Under the bonnet you see a cross flow bar at the injection point. Third picture. Hornby series, my model is smooth under the bonnet were Jan's model has a cross flow for better flow of the material. Last picture the two models. Dinky toys is at the rear. John.

Three missing pictures from my previous post. John.

John-this is very special. I had never seen this model, marked with Dinky Toys.Mike Richardson also writes on page 26 in his book Dinky Toys & Modeled Miniatures the following remark: 'Despite production of the Sports Car continuing into the year after the introduction of the name ' Dinky Toys ', all are marked ' Hornby Series ' up underneath the bonnet.'So, I'm very happy with your contribution with pictures of 22a with 'Dinky Toys' marked. In this case not under the bonnet, but under the rear. I did not expect this.Congratulations with this acquisition. You have a very special model.Best Regards, Jan Oldenhuis.

Hello Jan, Thanks for your reply. All the models of serie 22 are not common. I have more in my collection with both Hornby Serie and Dinky Toys. 22a Sports car: Hornby Serie and Dinky Toys. 22d Delivery Van (no advertising) Hornby serie and Dinky toys, 22e Tractor Hornby series and Dinky Toys, 22f Tank Hornby serie and Dinky Toys. 22b Sports coupe and 22c Motor truck, I just have models with Hornby Serie, but I presume these models also exist with Dinky Toys name. From the Tank and Tractor you find most with Dinky Toys name as these were produced until 1940. The other four models were only made late 1933-1935 and thus much rarer. The label on the Set 22 Modelled Miniatures is well known. I have a box lid with label for No 24 Motor cars with Modelled Miniatures. Must be extreme rare and I have never found serie No 24 cars with inscription Hornby. See picture. All 22 models can be seen on the label. On the Train items you also find both names as they were already for sale before the set No 22 came on the market. subsequently the inscription on these models also changed from Hornby series to Dinky Toys. John.