623 Bedford QL Army Covered Wagon (195463)

I have noticed that the tin plate bases for the QL, if no driver is installed, the base is unmarked, but on all the examples of mine that have a driver, there is a hole in the base plate. Can anybody confirm if a driver is present that this is a sure way of telling whether it is fitted or not.

I don't know if this can be used as a proof, but mine show the same: By the way, have any of you seen the medium sized herringbone tyres like the ones on the left? I haven't! Kind regards, Jan

I don't know what it's made for, but mine has also the driver and the hole.

But it has not the same tyres.

I will try and provide a little more background on this nice military truck model that Dinky produced. It was first introduced in the 1954/1955 catalog, and is modeled after the Bedford QL Army Wagon, which was a 3-ton 4x4 vehicle. It was produced from 1941 through 1945, and several different versions were ultimately made. The first Dinky models did not include a driver, but later ones did. The treaded tires first appear in the 1958 catalog. A very nice and accurate model, as shown by observing the attached photo of a real Bedford.Best regards, Terry

Thanks Terry! I made the photo below with a small automatic camera twelve years ago. Though not perfect, it demonstrates quite well the early driverless model and the later one with driver. Please, note as well the tyres on the one on the left (I still haven't been able to identify them) and the wanting reference number on the box on the right. Kind regards, Jan

The hole and driver are not related as as shown by Jan Werner's photo above, the hole was there before the driver.I have made a list and only five Dinky show one hole plus two with two holes. 51 models, probably more show bumps or depressions. The same base plate can be found with or without a depression as for example the VW 1200 ref. 181. Was the bump added or deleted ? The .pdf of the list is avaible on request.Some of the holes are to attach the old 30 G caravan. They are not in the list.I have not found any baseplates with suspension + hole or bump but the spring rivet hole may have had the same purpose as the hole on the Bedford QL. My opinion is that these holes or bumps were used to position the base plate in the stamping press as the operator must press two butons simulteously, one with each hand to start the press, the plate must be positioned accurately into the press tool. I know that the bae plates were subcontracted by Meccano s.a. was it the same in England. Then the baseplates with holes may have been made by a different manufacturer than the those with a bump. I will apreciate similar larger pictures without the hole and with the driver.Any other info on this subject will be most welcomed. Jacques.