688 Morris Quad Field Artillery Tractor (1957-70)

I am convinced the tractor you show has been dismantled an put back together again. The rivet and the axles are just not right. Regarding the trailer on the right someone brought an example like this to the DTCA AGM at Gaydon in April, yours is only the second one I have ever seen. It looks like tractors with red/yellow signs are only ever seen with plastic hubs, in other words more modern issues. Dave

I am agree Dave. I buyed it especially for the green base trailer which was sold with it ! and I wanted to see it closer ! The second item with the red/yellow sign, that I received from england in the lot of 4 tractors, is a repainted one ! It was the bad surprise !!! Even the sign is painted ! The seller did not advise the bidders ! It has convex metallic hubs. You can see it on the right side !

Dave K I think this Post rightly belongs in the 687 Trailer for 25-Pounder Field Gun Thread. Buzz999 (Dave has made a comment later on in this Thread and perhaps a copy of his Post should also go to the Trailer Thread as the first paragraph replies to the question raised by Richard. Also, the title for this Thread should be as Meccano described the model, 688 Field Artillery Tractor.1957-1970. Kind regards Bruce (150) 23 December 2015

i recently obtained this from UK E-Bay, I was surprised to find that the quad has the very last issued military type tyres ( plastic ) which I am not sure that they were available just before the quad was discontinued as a single item. As the set of quad , ammo trailer & 25pdr howitzer were the last available certainly in my town in the early 1970's well after discontinued, I cannot remember the quad with these plastic tyres. The quad also has the late plastic hubs and windows, the hubs are counter reacting with the plastic tyres and are in the early stages of 'melting'. ( similar to the Solido problem). Can anybody confirm that these tyres were issued to the quad before it was deleted.

Hi ThereI am a Dinky historian with a particular interest in the Dinky Military range from 1954 to the early 1960s and I have written numerous articles for the DTCA Journal on these vehicles over the last few years. I have owned a number of the Quad vehicles and here is the youngest I ever owned and will date to around 1970. It is a 'factory error' item as it does not feature the Royal Artillery Red/Blue insignia but the Red/Yellow RASC insignia. It also has plastic wheel hubs and the plastic type tyres.You are correct that these do have a chemical interaction which causes the hubs to deform exactly as the Solido ones do, although this is not usually as severe as the Solido wheels.Hope this helps Dave

David, Could you please have a look at the quad which you posted immediately above and tell us about it's driver. Is he driving or just looking out with his arms crossed ? It seems that some late issues have been fitted with passengers 603 rather than with drivers with extended arms. Jacques.

Hi Dave, Isn't the red over yellow insignia and vehicle marking the post-war Royal Armoured Corps (RAC)? I thought that the RASC vehicle marking is a blue over yellow square as seen on the 626 Military Ambulance. Chris.

You are quite right Chris, I should have looked at my reference list. Dave

Two examples of mine, the early one and a very late one, showing that as soon as plastic windows were applied the casting apparently had to be adjusted in such a way that a small round 'scar' appeared on the roof just above the driver. The late example also shows that the red/yellow insignia (a sticker now instead of the familiar red/blue transfer) cannot be a factory error but a structural feature, apparently saving cost by giving all surviving military models the same sticker. I presume, David, that's why you put 'factory error' between apostrophes. There is also an intermediary one in my collection - plastic hubs, plastic windows - that still shows the previous red/blue transfer - and also the round casting scar on the roof. Both later ones with satin/mattish base plates. Kind regards, Jan

My Field Artillery Tractor as part of the 697 set in a pictorial end flap box has the Royal Artillery insignia, as well as the little circle thing, although I am uncertain if the fitting of glazing has much to do with it, but I stand corrected, as the spigot holding the glazing is towards the centre of the roof-line. My other late 688 example in its own box has the Royal Armoured Corp insignia, and has no driver and it too has the circle thingy. Bruce(150)20160313/833/0113

Thanks for your comment, Bruce. Indeed, one would expect a more central position of that die adjustment, but perhaps the rectangular hatch on the left side prevented the toolmakers from doing so and they shifted the new adjustment for the zamak flow a bit to the right? I found an other, different photo, with all three of them, another view of the remarkable coincidence of the roundel with the presence of plastic windows (the wrong white balance made the colour tone differ from the photo above). By the way, Jacques, all drivers have the regular forward stretched arms! Kind regards, Jan