280 Delivery Van (1945-54)

Hi all, It has been some time since my last post. I have been very lucky to be able to buy some pre war Dinky Toys. The five 28-3 or 280 Delivery Vans showed below, I bought from the same seller. They all have been on a large train lay-out owned by the sellers grandfather. When he died back in the seventies, the Dinky Toys were moved to an attic, where they were recently recovered and put up for sale. Apart from these five I bought around fifteen more pre war Dinky's. All fatigue free. I assume they were all bought around the same time just before the war.Kind regards, Rob

Rob What can anyone say, but what an extra-ordinary find, and with a remarkable story as well. Congratulations! Now take good care of them! Bruce PS Let me know if you come across any more, and before you get to buy them!20160329/845/0329

Rob---A fabulous find and a great background story to go with it. Makes you wonder how many other old train sets and layouts are languishing in attics, or were dissembled by family and packed in boxes. Probably not a lot, but I bet a few more are hiding out there. Those look very nice and to have them fatigue free is huge!Best regards, Terry

Rob Well done we all have to keep looking. Treasures still abound. Dave

Ha Rob, blij je weer hier te zien! Hello Rob, glad to see you here again! Vriendelijke groet, Jan

Ook hier Rob, ik ben blij je te zien, hoewel je uit exquise dinky toys.met vriendelijke groetLikewise here Rob, I am delighted to see you back, even though you keep finding exquisite Dinky Toys Kind regards Bruce (150) 20160329/850/1648

Thank you all, It is good to be back. I also found a second type Swan Pens Van. For me the only second and third type Vans with the same livery in my collection. And worth a picture! Kind regards, Rob

Hi all, Last week I bought a boxed set of Military Vans, containing a 280 Delivery Van and a 34c Loudspeaker Van. The box is marked with a Dinky Toys label and some text labels in Afrikaans. On the cover of the box it mentions: - not for further use - replace in the shop cash register after use Inside the cover is a lable which translates: - do not remove from the shop On the cover there is also some pen writing which says : for sale 2 Vans 56 Sr Petre The two Vans are held by two neatly made inserts inside the box which mention Dinky 34c and Dinky 280. The back side of the inserts are stapled together. The box and the Vans look, feel and smell old. The seller is the same seller from whom I bought more than 20 pre war Dinky Toys which were displayed as part of a large train lay out owned by the seller's grandfather. I learned from him that his grandfather was a railway engineer who was stationed in Rhodesia and South Africa in the early fifties. It could well be that the grandfather picked up this set from a shopowner, who decided to sell the set after it had been held in the shop as a display or a sample for some time. The labels mention that it is not to be removed from the shop, yet the pencil writing mentions for sale and a price of 56 Sr for the two Vans. Sr is South African Rand. I have no doubt on the authenticity of this set. We all know military Dinky Toys were made for the SADF. But I have never seen a military version of the Loudspeaker Van. Could anyone shed some light on this curious set? Kind regards, Rob :

A very special set, Rob, congratulations with such a rare addition! I have seen the auction and the details described. A most peculiar item. I just cannot understand the combination of seemingly ca. 1952 produced models and the virtually irreplaceable treaded 15mm tyres which were introduced ca. 1957. But any other of the characteristics and circumstances of this set point at authenticity. It is striking that I have never seen/read a fundamental article exactly explaining - supported by archives, documentation or other references - the complete story behind these SADF training Dinky Toys. Is there? Keith Harvie showed the set - but no Loudspeaker Van or Streamlined Fire Engine (which I seem to remember) - with a short listing, no further explanation or references. At the end of this listing his writes: 'More on these in a future issue'. Unfortunately the issue of the Binns Road Gazette in which he writes this (Volume 1 number 6 of November/December 1999) was the last one to be published ever. Clive Unsworth, in his sublime, extensive article on South African Dinky Toys in Model Collector (May 2014), writes that he has no passion for military Dinky Toys and sold his SA examples, also suggesting writing about them in the future. Kind regards, Jan

Hello Jan, Indeed it is very difficult to find information on these SADF Dinky Toys. I did find a picture of the 280 Van in Mike and Sue Richardson's book and in a Vectis auction. Both show treaded tires on the Van, so the mystery remains. Does any member who reads this have a military 280 Van? I would love to hear from anyone! Kind regards, Rob

Hi Rob I was the underbidder on this item, congratulations on acquiring it. I am glad it has gone to a collector and not a dealer. Dave

Jan--A very nice writeup on this cute little van, with the odd numbering association of 280 sometimes assigned to it. I only have one of the delivery vans, and this is another that I purchased directly from H.Hudson Dobson back in the late 1950's, for the grand price of about 75 cents I think. I have shown this before, and some folks referred to this color as a 'tomato red', instead of the brighter, lighter shade normally seen. I kind of like it. Am also showing my Loudspeaker Van....just the normal variety, nothing special here! And Chris, thanks for the wonderful picture of the Loudspeaker version! Terry

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