New classic diecast and plastic models

Mike Neale takes his monthly look at recently released diecast and plastic models of trucks, buses, Land Rovers and camper vans.

IXO
The much-loved 56-seater AEC Regent III double-decker bus was in service in London for 40 years, from 1939 to 1979. Ixo have issued a new version of their 1/43 scale diecast AEC RT casting in red London Transport livery, commemorating the last day of service in 1979, selling for £58.99. The majority of London RTs were on the AEC chassis, usually fitted with a 9.6-Litre AEC engine, with 4,674 built, although 1,631 were Leyland-powered, the RTL, as was the RTW (a wider bodied version). Bodies were built by Park Royal and Weymann, with a few by Saunders, Cravens and Metro-Cammell.

Ixo produced a range of 1/43 diecast camper vans for Hachette, issued in France as magazine part-works. The latest to be made available over here is a quirky Citroen HY bodied by French coachbuilders, Le Bastard. The firm had been founded in 1880 in Rouen by Gabriel Le Bastard, being taken over by his son Gaston in the 1930s, followed by Edmond after the war. Citroen commercial vehicles were a common choice for their creations. The firm closed in 1979. The model is priced at £29.99.

Another 1/43 scale former part-work series is the Collection Berliet, again made by Ixo for Hachette and now available in the UK. The first issue released is a 1953 Berliet GLM10 Marrel Tipper truck, at £29.99. The GLM10 had a six-cylinder 9.5-Litre engine under its distinctive long bonnet. Berliet was founded in 1899 near Lyon in France, becoming part of Citroen in 1967, before being sold to Renault in 1974, then merging with Saviem in 1978 before the Berliet name was phased out shortly afterwards.

OXFORD DIECAST
New in 1/76 scale is this AEC Matador Artillery Tractor of the RAF Desert Rescue Team. RRP is £13.95. The Matador was a 4×4 vehicle with an AEC 7.6-litre engine powering it to giddy speeds of around 30mph, used by the British military both during and after the Second World War. This version is in a black and white chequered colour scheme, based at RAF Idris, an RAF base from 1943 to 1966. The station was used during the war as a base for squadrons involved in the desert war, then for military manoeuvres in the neighbouring desert. The British Forces left in 1966 when Libya became a republic, and it became Idris Airport, now renamed Tripoli International Airport.

Oxford have also produced a 1/76 scale version of Fred Dibnah’s dark green, brown and red Land Rover lightweight, following on from their 1/43 model of about three years ago. Fred apparently chose the colours as they are those of his favourite Lancashire pie firm, Hollands Pies. Despite the W registration, it is a 1972 vehicle, presumably having a military registration until 1980. It survives in preservation  I cannot look at this without hearing Fred’s voice in my head saying “it’s goin’!” Price of the model is £6.95.

BREKINA
In the slightly smaller 1/87 scale (to suit HO gauge railways) Brekina have launched a plastic model of a 1971 Bedford TK lorry in red (shown) or grey [12], for £23.99. Other colours and liveries are due to follow. Bedford introduced the TK in 1960, building it up to 1986, with the appearance remaining largely unchanged throughout.

The models illustrated can be found online and at various model shops, such as Hattons (hattons.co.uk), Sheffield Transport Models (pufferwillies-stm.co.uk), Scale Farm (scalefarm.com), Farm Models (farm-models.co.uk) or Diecast Legends (diecastlegends.com). See also Oxford Diecast (oxforddiecast.co.uk).

This feature comes from a recent issue of Old Glory, and you can get a money-saving subscription to this magazine simply by clicking HERE