944 Shell-BP Fuel Tanker (1963-69)

I commenced this thread under the title LEYLAND OCTOPUS WAGONS. I had no sooner posted it when further research meant it deserves a new thread. The following is a copy of my first post to keep things in perspective.Hello Chris and DaveAlthough this post should be in a new thread, as the later discussions have been on the 944 Leyland Octopus tankers, I thought I would throw this one in although it may have been discussed somewhere, sometime!As a result of your discussions, I pulled my 944 out when something struck me as being quite odd; the box does not refer to the model as being a Leyland Octopus, but simply 'Shell-B.P. Fuel Tanker'. On one side it has a little story about the model, and it states:'The prototype vehicle on which the model in this box is based, has a tank-capacity capable of holding 4,000 gallons of fuel oil and it is manufactured by Alfred Miles Limited of Brockworth in Gloucestershire, a subsidiary of the world-famous Gloucester Aircraft Company'Meccano was referring to the tank, not the vehicle, so one wonders why Leyland was not mentioned anywhere except on the base of the model.The Shell-B.P. tanker's predecessor was the Leyland Octopus Tanker 'Esso' and its full name is displayed on the box on three sides. So why was the 944 treated differently? regards BrucePS I should mention something about the wheels on my 944 as it carries two completely different types of plastic hubs, but will leave that one for the other thread!Since posting the above, I have uncovered some quite interesting details which perhaps explains the reason LEYLAND OCTOPUS is not included anywhere on the box apart from the base of the model. Stay tuned!

Continuing this fascinating subject.Check out the following two pictures,
although I do apologize for the quality of the black
and white one.[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / IMG_7535___Copy_640x236.jpg [/img]
And compare the above with the Dinky Supertoy model below.[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / IMG_7538___Copy_640x418.jpg [/img] Notice anything ? The similarity of the tank ! Then when one reads the description on the side of the box,
it all becomes quite clear.[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / IMG_7531_640x434.jpg [/img] I think we were all thinking ' Leyland Octopus ' on reading the mention of ' prototype ' on the side of the box,
when in fact we should have been thinking that the prototype mentioned is in fact the tank ! In 1962,
Alfred Miles Limited of Brockworth in Gloucestershire,
was experimenting with how to comply with load / weight restrictions using an eight - wheel vehicle.The company used an ERF 8 - wheel chassis.All this appears in The Commercial Motor magazine,
in their 2 February 1962 issue page 49.The following is the article,
although I am uncertain as to the quality of the image when it downloads ! [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 49.jpg [/img] Not the best.However,
Shell - BP was working in closely with Alfred Miles Limited with the production of this new type of fuel oil tank.Enter Meccano,
and it is possible that the company was allowed access to the plans of the tank in view of the time frame between the unveiling of the experimental tank
and the launch of the 944 in June 1963.
From
this point on one can only speculate.With there being no ERF trucks in the Dinky Supertoy range,
it was left to the Octopus.Perhaps there was also an agreement between Meccano,
Alfred Miles Limited
and Shell - BP that the model would focus on the tank
and not the truck .This is reflected in the description on the box,
and also the price lists issued during the life of the model as well as the catalogues.It is simply listed as 944 Shell - BP Fuel Tanker - which should be the model ' s title in modern price guides
and catalogues.

Hi Bruce,
So,
the prototype mentioned was an ERF ! Interesting.Wonder if they considered making an ERF tanker ? But then with Triang taking over in ' 64,
Spot On already had a perfectly good ERF chassis,
and a Shell BP tanker come to think of it ! Chris Warr.

Hi Chris I think you were writing while I was still editing my essay ! As I wrote,
we were all thinking the word ' prototype ' referred to the truck
and its tank,
when in fact,
it was just the tank.Bruce Hoy

[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 944.jpg [/img] July 1963 Meccano MagazineAs usual,
the toyman does not write very much about the pototype tank
except
that it ' s capacity is 4000 gallons.The picture probably shows the wooden mock - up
and not the plastic tank.

Milton Toys in India acquired the mould
or made a very close copy depending on what current information tells us for the Leyland Octopus
and used the Dinky Toys 944 for two separate issues,
a Shell - Burmah Fuel Tanker
and a Caltex Fuel Tanker.It is interesting to see that in both cases,
Milton Toys also refrained
from
calling their models a Leyland Octopus.Perhaps they were being cautious for infringing copyright.I bet someone will tell us why ! [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / MiltonLeyland330___Copy.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / MiltonLeyland331___Copy.jpg [/img]

Interesting that the holes in the tank top
and bottom to simulate the access ladder do not line up on the Milton version but they do on the Dinky tanker.Dave

[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / _944.png [/img] David,
The reason for the misalingment of the ladder holes is that this model has not been made in the Meccano die.Milton is known to have made several copies of Dinky
and Corgi Toys.Note that the chassis of the Octopus is made of two parts.As far as I know,
S.Kumar for Nicky Toys is the only manufacturer to have used second hand Meccano dies.All the others (at least fourty) are copies.

Never knew that ! Thanks Jacques.CW

I wish it was mine, I have just been asked by a friend to take some photographs of this: It is stunning!!! Dave

That is absolutely beautiful Dave, what a lovely example. Wish mine was half that good. Chris Warr.

Wish mine existed at all! I found a (rather horrible) picture of the complete assembly, job no. 61940. Kind regards, Jan