695 7.2' Howitzer and Gun Tractor (196266)

Transfered from New arrivals and 699 Medium artillery tractor.I collected this yesterday: It has taken me 20 years to track one of these down, in the right condition and at a reasonable price.It came from C & T Auctioneers in Kent, it was the first time I have dealt with them and everything was absolutely right - they were very professional and friendly.Dave

The box is mervellous. Well done Dave Richard.

August 1962 Meccano Magazine. Well done David, this one is not seen very often. What about a Centurion in a Visi-Pac next ? Jacques. dinkycollect

I've been looking for one of those for about 10 years Jacques, Keith Harvie had one a couple of years ago but I just could not afford it. Dave

A beautiful addition to a beautiful collection! Congrats, Dave. Kind regards, Jan

Well done Dave, I just saw a set on eBay for 200 Pounds ! Now you have that one, maybe you could look for another with the variation as shown below. The gap between the end of the front bumper and body is filled in and by studying the sets that have turned up on eBay, this seems the usual variation not the open ended bumpers. Then there is the last version of the 689 with plastic hubs and driver:

Ron I like the photograph of the 689 with plastic hubs. I note that by this stage, Meccano was starting to experience difficulties in ejecting the casting from the mould as evidenced by the cross-hatching on the inside roof of this model! Your photograph deserves a place in the Interior Cross-Hatching thread!! This can be found on about Page 7 of this forum. Kind regards Bruce

don't forget it was also available in the 695 Gift Set There is no date code, or any other stamp marks, anywhere on the box. Dave

David, There was probably only one run of the 695 set in 1962 and the stock lasted for the three years when this set was part of the Dinky range. Then a date stamp was not necessary. If there had been a second run, the Martian would have had plastic hubs. Out of twenty sets sold by Vectis, only one has a tractor with plastic hubs. Has this tractor been swaped ? By the way, is the driver in your set metal or plastic ? Variation 2 or 3 ? You may be interested in this picture from the great Vectis data base to make the packing pieces. Jacques.

Mine shown above was already in this thread. Why on earth have you duplicated it. Do you not consider it courteous to ask the thread owner before messing about with it. Dave

David, It was not in this thread as I have just started this one for the 695 set. This post was in the thread for the 689 and some other in the new arrivals. As requested by several members including you, I have left all the posts as they were, and have duplicated them in this new thread so that one does not have to search in three different threads to find the information. Yes your picture appears twice but with two different messages which you had posted into two different threads. This picture must then appear four times in this forum. I am very sorry but I will not ask before duplicating a post which has been posted in the wrong thread, I do not have time for that and it is not a matter of courtesy. If you do not want me to be the moderator any more and to let this forum be a mess which it has been from the start ten years ago or so, please state this clearly.

I have just received this 695 set from a local seller. The tractor has the bumpers filled in and the driver is plastic but metal wheels. Note the price tag from a New Zealand retailer at 28/11 which is about twice the UK price. Tyranny of distance? Ron