Step it Up

There is a fairly long history of craftsmen building detailed miniature models of transport vehicles and machinery, but it was not until nineteen thirty four that diecast model cars and trucks arrived on the market in any great numbers.

At that time model cars and trucks weren’t looked on as collectable items in their own right – they were produced to lend extra realism to model trainsets.

Ever since the early nineteen twenties Hornby had been making increasingly complicated train sets. One of these sets, Meccano Set No 21, came complete with six diecast models, consisting of a sports coupe, a motor truck, a sports car, a delivery van, an army tank and a farm tractor. These were the first Dinky models, issued under the “Meccano Modelled Miniatures” label, as Set No. 22.

These early die cast cars were pretty simplistic by modern standards, being cast from an alloy containing high lead content which didn’t lend itself to a high level of detail. What is more they did not attempt to depict real vehicles, although the sports car looked somewhat similar to the SS1, a popular make at the time and a fore-runner of the Jaguar.

In terms of scale, they were not well suited to the railway sets which they were intended to adorn.

It soon became clear, however, that there was a healthy market for models like this, and it was not long before individual die-cast models based on real cars and lorries were produced and sold separately. Dinky Set 30 was based on the famous Rolls-Royce, Set 36A on the Armstrong Siddely, 36B a Bentley, and 36F was a Salmon sports car.

With the passing of time the quality of reproduction and detail greatly improved. The Dinky sets came with die cast alloy bodies and tinplate radiators and rubber tires. The later replicas also came with drivers and passengers. The Armstrong Siddely had a footman and chauffeur. Just prior to World War II some superb military models were produced, including tanks with catterpillar tracks and rotating turrets.

Few replicas from that period have survived in acceptable condition, and examples in good condition are extremely collectable – pre war Dinkies can fetch prices up to one thousand dollars in auction.

In the 1950s, new production methods introduced a new era in the history of diecast model cars. Lesney, famous for their splendid Coronation Coach, and Corgi, (”the ones with the windows”), came into the market to compete with Dinky.

This new generation of die-cast vehicles, with better detail, better running gear, and better colour finish, brings us to the present day, where millions of precision die-cast replica models are produced, at very reasonable prices for collectors. For example, just take a look at these diecast aircraft models. The die-cast model car industry has come a long way since the nineteen thirties.

And, let’s not forget, eBay can be a good source for those hard to find, rare die cast replicas: classic diecast auctions.

For detailed, precision-built die cast motor car replicas, visit classic diecast.