571 and 971 Coles Mobile Crane (1949-66)

Dear friends, thank you for your comments. Dinky Toys appear never to be short of surprises, even after so many years! And, Kas, welcome to the forum. Enjoy! Kind regards, Jan

There is a subject which has never been discussed and for which a new thread could be opened. Why did the trade mark DINKY SUPERTOYS disapear both in England and France ? Did Meccano forgot to renew the registration and some japanese company noticed that ? Several tin plate clockwork models are known with the DiNKY SUPERTOYS name.

The early Dinky Toys box and the appearance of two types of internal packaging compared:

I bought this dual numbered 971/571 Coles Mobile Crane. I noticed that the model has a Dinky Toys box 971/571, while it has a Dinky Supertoys base. The 571 model was introduced in MM from December 1949 as Dinky Supertoys and appeared in the already shown sturdy blue Dinky Supertoys box with white / orange label until renumbering, showing the model on the box in black and white and having a Dinky Supertoys base. In the period of renumbering this model appeared in a dual numbered blue / white striped 971/571 Dinky Toys box with a colour image of the model on the box and with a Dinky Supertoys base. The box has the upright lettering. In March 1955 MM announced the reclassification of 17 Dinky Toys models to Dinky Supertoys, including the 971, but which already had a Supertoys base from the beginning. The model retained the definitive Supertoys number 971 and appeared in 1955 after all in a blue / white striped single numbered 971 Dinky Supertoys box with a Dinky Supertoys base. A very strange and cumbersome reclassification operation in the renumbering period. What also struck me about my 971/571 model is the 3-piece inner packaging. It has the stapled sturdy cardboard packaging inside as shown above, but also a cardboard cover as protection and closing on the top of the model. I haven't seen this cardboard cover before. It appears as complete factory original and can be viewed as an addition to the packaging shown above. It came complete with a 571 instruction leaflet in various languages, including Dutch, reference number 17/151/100. I'm adding a scan of it. It also has the white label TESTED BY as proof that the turning and hoisting mechanism has been checked for proper operation. There is also a stamp N10 4 in the lid of the box. The early issues have number 571 on the base of the crane cabin, but mine has no sales number. According to GBofDT sales number 971 was added on 5.1.55 but I haven't seen a picture of it yet and doubt whether it exists. Can someone provide a picture of it? Mine has Supertoys hubs and no Coles label or black and white chevron detail to rear. It has bronze coloured cuffs on the twist levers. The prototype of the 571 Coles Mobile Crane was model Ulysses as to be found on internet: sites.google.com/site/colescranedatabase...e-cranes-1946---1960 Amazing how accurately Meccano Liverpool this lovely model has reproduced with all its small details in the coachwork. It must have been a very popular model because it had a production time of 17 years. Its very hard to find such a complete model with all its additions in this nice condition and I am very happy with it. Jan Oldenhuis, 9 November 2020.











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A real beauty, your new addition, Jan! And a nice report about this model. Congratulations. I have never seen that additional cover either, a nice find. I have a little 'Mobile Crane department' in one of my displays, focusing on box types, of which I took a photo quite recently. I have no striped boxes, and I sometimes wonder how far I should go in completing the whole range of box types .... Kind regards, Jan W

This is my 971 with Coles label on the back of the crane cabin that I just received as a Christmas present. It has number 571 in the base of the cabin and was delivered in a 971 blue and white striped Dinky Supertoys box with Italic lettering. The box has a stamp MR 07 956 11, meaning September 1956. This model has a deeper (egg) yellow colour compared to my earlier dual numbered 971 571 above, which has no number in the base and a Dinky Toys box. This model has the silver coloured sleeve around the winding handle.It now turns out to me that my comment in Post # 28 above that only the early models have a number in the base I think is incorrect. My latest model has the number 571 in the base of the cabin while my earlier model doesn't have.To clarify this, I ask Jan W if his three 571 models above with early boxes do not have a number in the base of the cabin. If so, we know for sure that the early models don't have a number in the base yet.Kind regards and I wish all a very nice Christmas, Jan Oldenhuis

Hi Jan, nice Christmas present you got! My Christmas too is a success now already, because I received a beautiful no. 979 Newmarket Racehorse Transport, the final Horse Box version in bright grey and yellow, horses still sealed. My main computer broke down the day before yesterday, that's why I cannot show a decent picture yet. Back to your request: the Mobile Cranes shown in that display corner (four!) are all packed in pre- blue striped boxes. On all of them the numbers underneath are wanting indeed (and so are the Coles logos at the rears). Sorry not to be able to show the visual evidence. Kind regards, Jan

DEAR IA Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 202

Hello Jan s I do not know where I got the information from but the Encyclopaedia states that the ref. number was added around 1951 - 52. I do not have a picture of a crane without the ref. number but I put this on my wants list for pictures. Kind regards.Jacques

Here are some photos of the 1st version of the 571 with ridged hubs, showing that the 1st versions did not yet have a number in the base of the crane cabin. Kind regards, Jan O

Hello Jan I know this is a little late, but when you posted the above, I was recovering from my heart-valve operation, and then things sort of got out of control healthwise since then! However, your discovery of the different jib resulted in me checking my collection, firstly my photographs of all my models, and much to my delight, I found that my 571 Coles Mobile Crane is the same as the middle one from your collection. The only difference is that mine is an earlier version, 571. I will see about locating it in one of my numerous boxes awaiting disposal and check its Quality Inspection Stamp which I unfortunately did not photograph at the time of its acquisition in 19 April 1995. Bruce H. (150) 20210106/1219/2303

Jan O Thank you for the picture, I have modified it a little so that it looks like the picture of the crane with the reference number. Kind regards. Jacques