555 and 955 Fire Engine with Extending Ladder (1952-70)

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8 years 2 weeks ago #20203 by dinkyfan
A very wonderful find and write up on this Fire Engine. It is amazing what you can deduce and find out by referring to the boxes, date stamps, price lists, and catalogs. Our friend Bruce has put a lot of effort into accumulating and identifying these critical pieces of information. With many of the original drawings wanting, this is great detective work.....congrats on obtaining two very early and special pieces!Best regards, Terry

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8 years 2 weeks ago #20204 by john45
Hello Jan, Again a very detailed article and research on these two Fire engines. It proves how important it is to study catalogues and other written information from Meccano Ltd. It would be even better if we had all the original drawings, dieline and assembly, available. Still many questions have to be solved but piece by piece information comes to light. Please continue as we need this kind of research. I try to do the same with my articles on pre-war Dinky Toys for The Journal and know how much fun it is. Thanks John.

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8 years 2 weeks ago #20205 by binnsboy650
Hello Jan O. and Jan W. This aspect of collecting fascinates me. To see the evidence from experienced collectors being gathered and collated and to have a conclusion that adds to the total knowledge of their subject is very enjoyable. A question that the discussion raised in my mind was whether the change of ladder colour reflected an actual change in the real fire engines. Did Fire Brigades change over from wooden to aluminium ladders at the same time? I'll see whether I can discover anything but perhaps another member will know. Regards to all John P.

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8 years 2 weeks ago #20206 by Jan Oldenhuis
Dear Dinky friends thank you for your stimulating response. Sometimes a subject seems to be completely out of discussion. But, although a subject may be still so old, fortunately, new additional information always can be added. it's also fun to make seemingly sleeping subjects alive again. Every member is free to contribute to it. I take the opportunity to add some photos: A close up picture of the difference between the internal rivet attachment of the turn ladder of 555 version 1 and 2, a close up picture of the rear of 555 version 2 and a picture of the rear of a real Commer fire engine. I am very impressed about the beautifully detailed back of this model. I think that few DT models are as natural detailed as this model: the beautiful rounding line to the back, the frames and handles of the cabinets and doors, the beautiful silver bells and silver grille on the round front, the ladder and the hose reels on either side and not to forget the shiny detailed rear with the pumps and so on. I think that the Commer fire engine was already very modern for that time. Best wishes to all Dinky friends, Jan Oldenhuis 27 september 2017.




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8 years 2 weeks ago #20207 by janwerner
Thanks Jan, for your enthusiasm for this model, which I certainly share with you. If you like I add some photos below of a sequence of base plate finishes and turning ladder attachments, followed by some other 'look for the differences' pictures. Kind regards, Jan W









[img]/images/sites/default/files/forum-images/4.Thetraditionalandfinalappearances,

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8 years 2 weeks ago #20208 by Jan Oldenhuis
Jan thanks for the pictures of differences. Its always handy to know the differences when you are looking for a special model. Kind regards, Jan O

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8 years 1 week ago #20231 by Jan Oldenhuis
I have been able to acquire Auto in miniature number 3 - 2003 and readed your excellent article about model 555 with brown ladder. Its content is still very enlightening and you could now, in view of all the DTCA contributions, easely write a part 2. Recently, I experienced a disappointment. I recently bought model 955 latest version with plastic hubs via Ebay in the USA. The model and the box were in excellent condition, but when I unpacked, I was shocked, because the upper ladder was missing. I thought it was complete, but I did not notice that on the photo of the advertisement and the missing ladder was not stated in the advertisement, so I sent it back. I did not dare to search for a replacement ladder if that would be possible. This way you see that you have to look carefully at the pictures to avoid disappointment. Kind regards, Jan Oldenhuis 3-10-2017




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8 years 3 days ago #20279 by Jan Oldenhuis
After the disappointment of an incomplete 955 without upper ladder, which I sent back, I found another 955, which is complete. it's a late issue with plastic hubs and with the latest box. I add some pictures of the most important features. I have found a special example because the plastic hubs from the rear axle are different from those of the front axle. The front hubs are the more common smooth ones and the rear hubs are the more special with notches along the edge of the hubs. Jan W calls them the more intricate hubs. The box shows the smooth hubs. Were these so called intricate hubs before the smooth ones or after? Does anyone have such a version? Does someone know which Dinky Toys does also have these intricate hubs? The baseplate is the most late version, matt with the tow hook between the baseplate and chassis. Jan Oldenhuis 12-10-2017







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8 years 2 days ago #20284 by janwerner
Good catch Jan! My example with matt base plate came in the last but one box, so it's not a definite fact that it's the absolute final finish, the others of mine in the last box both have glossy base plates. It may have been an intermediary stage or they were just mixed up batches in the course of production. Remarkable, those mixed plastic wheels on your splendid Fire Engine (which also underlines that it's hard to determine any chronology). Anyway, my McLean truck, for example, is an early one and it has the more complicated hubs. Please, note the double hubs variaton on the rear wheels too. Kind regards, Jan


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7 years 5 months ago #20807 by micromodels
Hi all
from
Upper Hutt,
Just to ' wake up ' this topic,
I have recently noticed that the very late issue 955 fire engines had a modification to the front bracket for the ladder.The centre section has been raised with the ladder now sitting in two notches instead of a flat bar.Hope the photo is clear enough as I don ' t have a good camera.Rather spend money of more Dinky ! ! [img] / images / sites / all / libraries / ckeditor / plugins / smiley / images / regular_smile.gif [/img] Ron F [img] / images / sites / default / files / forum - images / IMG_0201d.jpg [/img]

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7 years 5 months ago #20809 by janwerner
Ron,
your photo is perfectly clear
and it confirms what I did not notice before: the bracket with recesses occurs on both my examples in the final end flaps boxes,
and does not show on examples in previous boxes.So these appear to date
from
the second half of the 1960s.The mystery remains why this change was executed.I have no photos available on short notice showing this very feature,
only of the two examples I am referring to.Thanks for bringing this to our attention ! Kind regards,
Jan [img] / images / sites / default / files / forum - images / IMG_8984.JPG [/img]

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3 years 6 months ago #23642 by dinkycollect
Replied by dinkycollect on topic 8?? Angels Interceptor
Like Jan W who changes his models for better ones, in 1966 Herg did improve his 1943 hand pump by a moderBedford fire engine with extending ladder but the lock to the engine's garage had not been modernised.

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