25k Streamline Fire Engine with firemen (1937-39)

Just today received a new Dinky model for my collection, and a special one at that. That would be the #25k Streamline Fire Engine with Firemen, made from 1938-1940 I believe. This one is in excellent condition and suffers from some fatigue only in a couple of the wheels....the main body and ladder are in wonderful condition, with the paint only wearing thin on the raised edges, but otherwise it is bright, shiny, and free of scratches. All of the white tires are original, with one of them cracked. To me, this has always been somewhat of a special model, with those 6 firemen staring out of the windows. Looking closely, the detail on their faces is quite remarkable, and their golden helmets still have some color. I am also posting my other versions of this long term Dinky model: the immediate post war one with black wheels, #25h, the next version, with red wheels, and finally the last version, #250, introduced around 1954, with domed axle ends, silver colored ladder, and a plain baseplate (the earlier ones all had the simulated driveline detail).Best regards, Terry

Terry I am really envious, that is truly special. Well done on this fabulous acquisition. Dave

Hi Terry, as I said on Planet Diecast already: you accomplished in one week the result that took me some decades! Congratulations with this victorious week! Even if it took me some decades, I did not even succeed in finding a 25k yet, as you can see below: Kind regards, Jan

My guess is that the painting differences were down to improved spraying equipment, or technique, after the war. The difference on the bells is quite noticeable. I am really jealous of your group of four engines. Dave

That's a beauty! It looks so much more interesting with the firemen - it's a shame they didn't all come that way! How much higher was the original retail price for the 25K compared to 25H? I haven't had the chance to examine lots of prewar Dinkies, but I have noticed before that they tend to not be painted on the underside.

That is a lovely Pre War Fire Engine, I've wanted one with the Firemen for ages, but never found one I could afford. The lack of fatigue is remarkable, more than I can say for mine where the amount of fatigue is remarkable.......... :laugh: Chris Warr.

That is delightful food for archaeologists, Chris! Terry, here is the assembly drawing for the Streamlined Fire Engine. I presume that the 'straight' bell was changed for the more curved one at the same time as the washer change, which you can see registered here under job nos. 10152 and 10153 and took place mid-1952. That should approximately coincide with the change-over from crimped to rounded axle ends and towards the change from the moulded to the flat base plate in 1953. The brass of the bell changed into silver as far as I can argue at the end of the 1950's, not very long after the change to treaded tyres (1958) and the box showing both 'Dinky Toys' in italics and the treaded tyres on the illustration. The red colour changed a little bit too then. Here is the drawing no. 10149: Kind regards, Jan

Jan--Thanks....I think you are right, and the timing seems to make sense. My 2 newest 25h's have the latter bell, and one of them has the red wheels and flattened axles, which is probably a year or two prior to them going to the domed axles. I am assuming that Meccano outsourced those bells as they are not diecast, but I guess they could have made them. Terry

Dave and Jan-- Thanks so much for the nice comments. It is always a wonderful time to add something significant to one's Dinky collection, and this was one of those moments for me. Jan, not sure if you noticed, but in looking at mine it is clear that the bell on both my pre-war version as well as the early post war on is somewhat different than the latter two versions. The early ones seem to have less flare on the lower part of the bell...almost straight sided in a way, whereas the later ones have a distinct flair or bell shape to that lower area. I am showing both below, but would appreciate any comments. I am assuming that Meccano outsourced these little bells as they are not diecast product. Below is also a discussion on painting the underside of the models. TerryThis is the early bell from the pre-war #25k This is the later version, from the 25h produced in the later post war period. Notice the more curved 'bell shape' on the lower area. I also noticed that the early pre-war version was not fully painted on the underneath side; areas such as the fenderwells and lower chassis areas are left as bare metal, whereas on the the post war versions these are all fully painted.The earlier pre-war 25k The later postwar 25h

[img]/images/sites/default/files/forum-images/Dinky Toys Streamline Fire Engine #25k bell.JPG[/img]
[img]/images/sites/default/files/forum-images/Dinky Toys Streamline Fire Engine #250 bell.JPG[/img]
[img]/images/sites/default/files/forum-images/Dinky Toys Streamline Fire Engine #25k base.JPG[/img]
[img]/images/sites/default/files/forum-images/Dinky Toys Streamline Fire #25h base.JPG[/img]

photo by courtesy of Al Keeling The box is for the 25 h. Perhaps there was no box made for the 25 K. Still an excellent find, congratulations.