934 Leyland Octopus 8 wheel Wagon (1956-64)

Among the range of Leyland Octopus Wagons the model 934 8 wheel Wagon deserves his own attention. So I made a new thread for it. Leyland Octopus 8 wheel wagon real one. The first picture of DT 934 was on the back cover of Meccano Magazine UK April 1956 in the colour dark green/deep yellow with grey tyres. Was this model ever issued with grey tyres? Meccano Magazine UK April 1956 with 934 Leyland Octopus 8 wheel wagon. MM UK May 1956 with DT 934 Leyland Octopus with black tyres. In the Dinky Toys catalogues UK 1956 -1961 he always appeared in the colour light yellow/light green with black tyres instead of grey tyres as on the back cover of the first MM announcement. In the Dinky Toys catalogue UK 1962 and 1963 he appeared in the colour blue/yellow with black tyres even as in the USA catalogue 1962 and 1963.This is the same colour scheme as the green/yellow one hereunder. This is the same colour scheme as the blue/yellow one above. I could not find much details about the production of the Leyland Octopus. I found this book about the Leyland Octopus written by Graham Edge in 2004, paperback, 72 pages, isbn 1902356128. Leyland Octopus written by Graham Edge in 2004, paperback, 72 pages, isbn 1902356128. Leyland Octopus in industrial activity. A nostalgic print of the Leyland Octopus: - 'Sorry, no passengers. The bus is coming' -. Brochure Leyland Octopus chassis with Homalloy Bodies. Delivery within a few days or can be made ready for fitting to chassis on its arrival allowing driver to return same day. Dinky Toys 934 Leyland Octopus brings his little brother 420 Leyland Forward Control Lorry back to scool. I show pictures in full size of 2 examples of my DT 934. 1 with the full green flash band round the radiator and 1 with the yellow flash band round the radiator. Both are the later riveted version and have different boxes. At the end I show some pictures of the real one Leyland Octopus. Kind regards to all members and readers of the DTCA forum. Join us. Jan Oldenhuis 23-6-2017.

Thanks for activating this thread, Jan, starting with all this documentary information regarding the Leyland Octopus Wagon! Your beautiful examples are both post-1957, with holes for the lugs of the 1958 introduced Esso Tanker, no. 943, and with the fixed connection of chassis, body and spare tyre wheel. As an addition I can show a pre-1958 example without the holes for the tank and with the earlier regular bolt and nut connecting chassis, body and spare wheel. The quality control stamp inside the box lid reads: NI 3 56, so this one must belong to the very first batch. Kind regards, Jan

My upright lettering 934 box with the 934 with the green band around the radiator has the stamp ??G257 (February 1957) shown below. My Italic lettering 934 box with the 934 with the yellow band around the radiator has no stamp, but I thought it was later published than February 1957. In other words the Italic lettering box were issued after the upright lettering box. According to me is the 934 in blue / yellow issued after the green / yellow version. My question is whether the 934 with the color blue / yellow standard was issued with a box in Italic Dinky Toys lettering? I saw an auction on Ebay Canada with a 934 in blue/yellow with a 934 box with upright Dinky Toys lettering and not showing a picture of the rivet (eBay-objectnummer: 382130522277 - pictures hereunder). Not that I want to buy this model, but my attention was falling on the upright Dinky Toys lettering box and than I am so that I want to know of this is correct or not. Is this upright lettering box the correct box for this blue/yellow model or should it be the box with Italic Dinky Toys lettering? Who can help me to answer this question? When there are readers who knows the answer at this question: Please, come in, become a member and participate in this discussion. Kind Regards, Jan Oldenhuis 24-6-2017

Hi Jan, thanks for these additional details. The change-over from upright to italic brand name lettering on the boxes took place in the course of 1957, so your example with February 1957 must be one of the latest in use. It also shows that the holes for the tank attachment existed that early already. This complies with the fact that in that period de drawings for the tanker were completed already. So the 'theoretical' introduction date of the holes of 1958 may obviously differ from the actual date, in this case early 1957 already. The box with upright brand name lettering and the blue/yellow wagon cannot be a natural match. As we know now this kind of box may only have been used in 1956 and some time in 1957, whereas this new finish was advertised as late as 1962. Some more pictures relating to this model below. Kind regards, Jan W.

Jan, thank you for your explanation about the upright and italic lettering box and the clear pictures of the 934 drawing without tank holes.Very special that you also have a 934 without the tank holes in the loading platform. I think this must be issued for a very short time? Occasionally, I look at Ebay, but I do not find one.When I saw your photo of the 162 Ford Zephyr, I was reminded to the 1950s that we had a Ford Zephyr Six at home. My father also rented cars with or without a driver. Once upon a time the Ford Zephyr were brought back and the driver forgot to put the car on the handbrake with the result that he rolled into the ditch. Fortunately no damage. I will never forget this.Kind regards,Jan Oldenhuis 27-6-2017

The model on the right is prety rare with only 6% of the production; the blue version has 16 % of the production which leaves 78 % for the green front version.

I have several of the 'common' type of yellow/green Octopus, but none of them have a number cast under the rear of the body (just above the towing hook), yet I have a red/fawn 901 Foden which has 934 cast in this position. I know the Foden to be original, but don't recall ever seeing this number on a Leyland. Does anyone have an example?

Hello Kevin, I do not quite understand your post, could you please explain with a large photo of your Foden showing this marking. Kind regards Jacques I have written previously that 16 % of the Leyland Octopuses are blue but how many of these have the two holes for the screws of the Shell B.P. tanker ?Photo by courtesy of Q.D.T.

The number is cast under the rear end of the body. I've seen some Fodens with '901', but the vast majority of both Fodens and Leylands I've seen have no number at all.

Thank you Kevin, it does not make sens that you can not find a yellow green Octopus with this marking. Your Foden Wagon above must be a very late one and have been made early in 1957 before they switched to the Leyland. Did they break the mould and make a new one without the marking. If the marking had been deleted, there would be a raised cartouche to hide the 934. An other Dinky mystery.

Hi Jan, a mystery indeed. I got this Foden from a friend who had it from new. It still has its original dual-numbered box, with a date stamp of M1 55 (?) as shown. I have noticed that some bodies have different sized mounting holes at the rear - would this have happened when the screw, nut and washer fixing was changed to the rivet?

Ramsay says the 934 green-yellow model had green diecast hubs and body held by rivet in 1958-59. I have not encountered this anywhere yet. I have not been able to find these at either Vectis or QDT. I assume this is an incorrect entry? Jan Oldenhuis, 15 May 2021