688 Morris Quad Field Artillery Tractor (1957-70)

Hi everybody.Does somebody know if this tractor was issued without driver in the later version ?I got one from england, with plastic wheel hubs, perfect windows and the baseplate was not removed !Does somebody know how was fixed the driver in the van ?Thank you for your answer.Cheers

Hi Richard As far as I am aware the 688 Field Artillery Tractor was always supplied with a driver, the only change was from a metal driver to the plastic driver late in the production run. If you look at the photograph above you will see that there are two bent over lugs coming through the baseplate, this is the attachment for the driver. Alongside the tractor is an example of a military driver sat on his support/seat. These supports vary in height according to which vehicle the driver will occupy. I hope this helps Dave B DTCA Editor

Richard Is it possible for you to add a photo of your 688 baseplate/ Thanks Dave

Here it is ...... if I succeed

No, I did not ! I try again

and here are the windows ; durty but not broken !

Soory .... dirty !

Hi Richard Looking at the baseplate on your tractor the driver support/seat is definitely there so it must be assumed that a support without a driver was fitted and this is an assembly error which occurred at Meccano. I have seen one of these with the driver fitted backwards!!! Sadly, unlike stamps, errors like this do not make the Dinky valuable. Dave

Thank you Dave. I have one with the driver fitted backwards and I think that I sent photos to the post of 'Manufacture errors'. I am going to verify.

it's in the post 'factory errors' , page 7

Another 688 oddity here. Of the two 697 sets I have the tractors are equipped with different towing hooks. The later windows example does not have the usual rebent hook but a regular upright one. I'm not 100% sure if this is original because the straight hook is not fully straight and might have been rebent, but in that case it would have to show a much longer piece of tin. Do others recognise this oddity in their later 688 models? Some pictures below: Kind regards, Jan