521, 921 and 409 Bedford Articulated Lorry (1948-63)

Hi Jan. As soon as I read your message, i compare the rotations of my different models. The results are : My red models have not the same rotation angles ! (photo below) The model on the right is the one with the rear axle open fixation on the trailer. Also, two yellow models with different rotation angles ! it is funny, is n't ? Kind regards Richard

Richard, many thanks for your pictures. Yes, it is very funny to discover the differences when you compare them. I am actually now sure that only the trailer with an open axle has this rotation restriction of the truck and that is exactly what makes this very first 521 version so special and is nice to discover that. You can only discover this by comparing them. Kind regards, Jan O

Another example of the real one below. It seems that - like many of the earlier Dinky examples - the semi-trailer wheels are fitted with larger tyres too! Kind regards, Jan

Jan, a very nice photo of the real Bedford Artic, now with a closed trailer. Your photo is very close to the Dinky Toys 521 early model. The fuel tank and the contour lines of the door and hood match well. The black mudguards and a different color for the cabin and trailer also stand out. For the fun, I made an amateur photo of this comparison with my mobile phone.When you compare the semi-trailer wheels between the early and later ones, the early ones indeed are fitted with larger tires (21 mm). For example my late 409 with windows have all wheels the same tires (18 mm). As a result, the trailer doesn't seem to have the same horizontal height as the earlier with large tires, but the 409 slopes slightly towards the rear side. To achieve an equal horizontal height of the trailer, large tires for the trailer wheels are also required. For whatever reason, Meccano Liverpool apparently didn't consistently mount larger tires on the trailer wheels of any model. I post some photos of an early and late Bedford Artic to compare the trailer tires. I take this opportunity to show Richard that my 409 with windows on the left side of the hood also has 2 bars in the ventilation grilles and 3 on the right.Kind regards, Jan O.

The Bedford Articulated Lorry and the complete 1948 Bedford family:

On the photos of Jan W you can see how ingenious Meccano Liverpool has designed one basic chassis for the Bedford Truck, on which 5 different Bedford models are based. On Ebay I found a stripped 521 Bedford Artic and a 1st version 25m Bedford End Tipper where this is clearly visible. In the left corner of the platform to the cabin of the 521 you can already see a casting variation (reinforcement) compared to the flat angle of the 25m. If you look closely you will also see the yellow and orange lugs on the side of the platform chassis near the rear axle to keep the hub and tire off the chassis to prevent chafing. I haven't tried it myself yet, but I think it's quite easy to remove the base plate with coupling from the truck.On the photo misses the 582 Pullmore Car Transporter, using the same basic chassis of the Bedford Truck. I found this stripped 582 Bedford Truck, also already with the reinforcement in the left corner of the platform to the cabin and the reinforcement of the fuel tank with a rectangular plate on the top. You clearly see the tabs of the baseplate fastened to the platform chassis of the truck. On Ebay I also found the coupling piece for the trailer that belongs to the 582 truck.25v Bedford Refuse Wagon was produced the longest, until 1965 (17 years!!). These Bedfords were very popular and I think Meccano Liverpool cashed much money with them.Meccano France produced in the same period and in the same way the 25 Series Studebaker (25o, 25k, 25l, 25m, 25p, 25q and 25r) and not to forget the very nice 25 Series Ford.Kind regards, Jan O

Dear Bruce I can not understand the following. Could you please explain what the differences are with the non artics and post comparative pictures ? Kind regardsJacques 11. Curving chassis on either side of rear axle from the cab to the rear. This is only applicable with the Articulated. 800 529

The Meccano drawings 12876 and 13630 give us a lot of information about changes and dates of changes. Now that we have been working on the details of the Bedford Artic for so long, I think I can explain these drawings. Job List 12876 of Jan Werner DTCA. The Job list of the Meccano Bedford Artic assembly drawing 12876 lists 12 activities. A number of tasks have been discussed, but most of them have not. I don't pretent to be a specialist in reading drawings, but try to explain the details with my knowledge and ask members to respond. By comparing the job numbers of the drawing with the detailed job list, I can draw a certain conclusion with regard to the explanation thereof, which I compare with existing issued models. Documentation of articles, magazines, catalogues and auctions can also be helpful here. *) Points 2 and 3: I have no explanation for these jobs. *) Point 4: Mask-spraying deleted from platform mudguards, dated 29-10-48 The platform is clearly indicated by arrows on the drawing. I think this Job has to do with the platform, which were painted completely red or yellow at the beginning of production for the very first all red or all yellow version. But the rear mudguards also still had to be painted black by mask spraying. After the completely red and yellow version were ended, mask spraying of the rear mudguards could be stopped and the platform with the rear mudguards could be sprayed completely black now. *) Point 5: Job 13630 was Job 6675 & Job 12946 was Job 12614, 13-3-50. This is a very interesting Meccano drawing of Job 13630 Wheel Hub for .098 Axles posted by Andrew Lance under #9. When you compare it with the 12876 Bedford Artic assembly drawing you will see an arrow drawn to the rear wheel of the trailer stating 'wheel Job No 13630. I think this Job is the change from Ridged Hubs to Grooved Supertoy hubs. The Supertoy hubs needed larger holes for the thicker axle. Under point 3 of Job 13630 it says 'Hole 110/106 dia was 106/104 dia, dated 7-10-52. In the top left corner of the 13630 drawing you see a table with the title 'used on'. In that table Job 12876 is mentioned, being the Bedford Artic. In that table 12 Job numbers are entered, so this Job is applied on 12 models. This means that the Supertoy hubs were mounted on the Bedford Artic trailer from 7-10-52 onwards. *) Point 6: Base was Job 12677, dated 14-1-53. In the assembly drawing 12876 you see an arrow on the front to the left wheel with the indication Base Job No 12845. Given the mention under point 6 'Base was Job 12677', dated 14-1-53, I explain that this new Job on 14-1-53 the Dinky Supertoys baseplate changed to Dinky Toys baseplate. I think this is also related to point 7 of the Job List, discussed below. You must keep in mind that the cab / chassis has its own Job No 12841, as shown in the drawing above the roof of the Bedford truck. *) Point 7: Mask spraying on rear mudguard deleted, dated 20-1-53. This Job refers to the rear mudguards of the trailer, which are no longer need painted black, but are now coloured yellow. This change is dated 20-1-53, almost simultaneously with the change from Dinky Supertoys to Dinky Toys base plate on 14-1-53. I think this was done to give this Bedford Artic its own Dinky Toys appearance to distinguish from a Dinky Supertoys. Points 6 and 7 were initialled by the same person. Below you can see the picture of 521 in the 1952 catalogue with black mudguards and ridged hubs on the trailer rear wheels compared to an existing issued model 521. In the 1953 catalogue below you can already see the 521 with yellow mudguards and grooved Supertoys hubs on the trailer rear wheels compared to an existing issued model 521-921.This is proof that the change from Dinky Supertoys to Dinky Toys baseplate and from ridged hubs to Supertoy hubs for the Bedford Artic took place as early as 1953, rather than 1954, as is commonly stated. 1952 UK catalogue - 521 trailer with black mudguards and ridged hubs. 521 trailer with black mudguards and ridged hubs. 1953 UK catalogue - 521 trailer with yellow mudguards and Supertoy hubs. My 921- 521 trailer with yellow mudguards en Supertoy hubs. *) Point 8: Washer was Job 7046, dated 8-3-55. Above the section on Body, Platform etc. you see an arrow to the platform link with the mention Washer Job No 12934. This Job refers to the washer inside the platform coupling, which is not visible. *) Point 9: Tyres on trailer were Job No 10253, dated 6-1-56. On the 12876 assembly drawing you see an arrow on all wheels with the mention 'Tyre Job No 20095'. This is a different number from Job No 10253 of point 9. What we now know from the practice of the issued 409 models is that on the Artic models from 1956 to 1958, when Dinky Toys 921 changed to 409, all wheels were fitted with smooth tyres with the same size. We also see this in the images in the catalogues. After this, the tyres once again changed in point 11, with the same size for all wheels. So we can conclude that from 1956 onwards, no more larger tyres were mounted on the rear wheels of the trailer. 1957 UK catalogue: 409 with smooth tyres of the same size on all wheels 409 with smooth tyres of the same size on all wheels 1956-1958. *) Point 10: Memo 15966 deleted, dated 3-7-57. I dont know this memo and have no explanation for this Job. *) Point 11: Job No 20095 was Job No 6676, dated 2-4-58. As point 9. On the assembly drawing, all wheels have the same Tyre Job No 20095, which means that all wheels have the same tyre with the same size. As you can see on the cut out drawing of the truck platform for the trailer, the spare wheel on the platform has also the same Tyre Job 20095. So no more larger tyres on the rear wheels of the trailer from 1956 onwards. 1960 catalogue: 409 Bedford Articulated Lorry with knobbly tyres of the same size. Even the spare wheel on the platform has this tyre. 1960: My 409 Bedford Articulated Lorry with knobbly tyres of the same size ( 18 mm) on all wheels. Even the spare wheel on the platform has this tyre. *) Point 12: Job No 12839 added, dated 14-1-60. On the assembly drawing you see an arrow to the windows of the Artic with the mention 'Windows Job No 12839', meaning that from 14-1-60 onwards the Bedford Artic got plastic windows. Note: To substantiate my statement about the changing of the baseplate from Dinky Supertoys to Dinky Toys on 14-1-53, I started examining whether the base plates of Bedford Artics with yellow trailer mudguards always have a Dinky Toys base plate. Till now I have not yet found a Bedford Artic with yellow trailer mudguards that has a Dinky Supertoys base plate. If this will be found, I would like to see a photo of it in this Topic. Likewise, if a Bedford Artic with black trailer mudguards is found with a Dinky Toys base plate, I would like to see a photo of it here in the forum. Jan Oldenhuis, 6 July 2020.

Dear Jan, Many thanks for this great revue of the drawing 12 876. I can add two little things : The memo 15 966 (your point 10) refers to the 20 mph. speed limit transfer.The models listed on the Supertoys wheel hub drawing are : 424 214Have you noticed that in your Encyclopaedia in the right hand menu of the home page is a list of about 1600 job numbers. This may be usefull for your research.

This job index list refers to some assy's which might have been unknown without, among them the Bedford examples.

Jacques and Jan W, thank you for your valuable addition. Jacques, I had not yet seen the Jobs list in your encyclopedia menu and have now started looking at it. Very valuable information. I'm going to take a closer look at that now.Kind regards, Jan O

Hello Richard. One thing continues to intrigue me when I see your overview photo of the Bedford Artics, but it can be optical illusion. That's why I'm asking you this. It seems as if the right Bedford Artic with yellow trailer mudguards does not have a reinforcement plate on top of the fuel tank, but this is not clearly visible on the photo. If it had no reinforcement on the fuel tank, I would find this very special, because the left Bedford Artic with black mudguards, which was previously issued, does have a reinforcement plate on the fuel tank. Has the right Bedford with yellow trailer mudguards a plate reinforcement on the fuel tank or not and does it have a Dinky Toys base plate? Kind regards, Jan.