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With the creation of the Mighty Midget collection, Benbros introduced two American car models, No.16b Station Wagon and No.18 Hudson Tourer. 

 

Why the Station Wagon was given number 16 is not known but it seems Benbros decided that No.16a Express Locomotive would not upgrade into the Mighty Midget range so the Station Wagon joined as a new number 16 (now known as 16b). It was 61mm long, only just able to fit into a Mighty Midget box.

 

Modelled on the Chevrolet Nomad, the Station Wagon was not a brilliant representation of the real car and the size of wheels was sometimes too small, but it proved a popular toy. The body was a one-piece casting fitted onto an unpainted base. Initially, Benbros used a clip-fit assembly but it was not long before the method of rivetting body and base together was started and this became the norm for other models.

 

To give it play value, Benbros painted the Station Wagon in a range of different combinations of colours and wheel types, totalling 15 at the latest count. The first batch were metallic blue, pale-blue, pale-green and red. Silver trim was added to the front grille, headlights, rear lights and side flashes. The push-fit bases incorporated open-ended bumpers at front and rear. Small unpainted metal wheels were used, slightly treaded, on nail-head and crimped axles.

 

The bumpers on the type 1 base were prone to breaking so when the type 2 rivetted bases were introduced, these were strengthened.

 

Red models continued with the type 2 base but new colours followed, blue, orange-red and mid-green, all with silver flash trim. These had larger unpainted metal wheels more in scale with the model and some would say the best diecast wheels which Benbros used. Also, flat-head & crimped axles started to replace the nail-head type.

 

The next version had silver plastic wheels, the first time Benbros used them. The model was coloured dark-red and had no silver flash. Later the wheels were replaced by black plastic.

 

For the last run, Benbros turned to a completely new colour scheme, a chrome-plated finish with red or blue roof, red or blue trim (side flashes and front & rear lights), and a coloured base which could be either red, blue, green or orange. Most of these coloured bases had matching painted metal wheels but some also had black plastic wheels and the green base seems to have only had black plastic.

 

With such a range of choices, the Station Wagon is interesting to collect and there is always the chance of discovering a colour combination not previously known! It was a popular toy so it is not hard to find although some colours are scarce or rare.

Benbros No.16b Station Wagon

Variations

 

All models had Mighty Midget boxes

  • (1) METALLIC BLUE    SILVER flash             unpainted type 1 base     small umw

  • (2) PALE BLUE              SILVER flash            unpainted type 1 base      small umw

  • (3) PALE GREEN           SILVER flash            unpainted type 1 base      small umw

  • (4) RED                           SILVER flash            unpainted type 1 base      small umw

  • (5) RED                           SILVER flash            unpainted type 2 base      large umw

  • (6) BLUE                        SILVER flash             unpainted type 2 base      umw

  • (7) ORANGE-RED        SILVER flash             unpainted type 2 base      umw

  • (8) MID-GREEN           SILVER flash              unpainted type 2 base     umw

  • (9) DARK RED               NO flash                    unpainted type 2 base      spw

  • (10) DARK RED            NO flash                     unpainted type 2 base     bpw

  • (11) CHROME              BLUE flash & roof    RED type 2 base                 BLUE pmw

  • (12) CHROME              RED flash & roof       RED type 2 base                RED pmw

  • (13) CHROME              RED flash & roof       ORANGE type 2 base       ORANGE pmw 

  • (14) CHROME              RED flash & roof       BLUE type 2 base              BLUE pmw

  • (15) CHROME              RED flash & roof       GREEN type 2 base          bpw

  • (16) CHROME              RED flash & roof       unpainted type 2 base     bpw

Estimated Price Guide

(MINT models in MINT boxes)

 

All variations £25-50

Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon

Variation 1 : Metallic blue

Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon

Variation 8 : mid-green

Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon
Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon
Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon

Variation 9 : dark-red with spw

Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon

Variation 6 : blue

Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon

Variation 4 : red with type 1 base & small umw

Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon

Variation 3 : plale green

Benbros Mighty Midget No.16b Station Wagon

Variation 10 : dark-red with bpw

Benbros Mighty Midget No.16b Station Wagon

Variation 15 : chrome, red roof, green base, bpw

Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon

Variation 14 : chrome, red roof, blue base, pmw

Variation 7 : orange-red

Benbros No.16b Station Wagon

Type 1 base & small umw (front), type 2 base & large umw (rear)

Benbros No.16b Station Wagon

Variations of body colours

Benbros No.16b Station Wagon

Variations of rear trim and bases

Benbros No.16b Station Wagon

Base and wheel variations

Benbros No.16b Station Wagon

Coloured bases : Dark-green & bpw,

Blue & pmw

Benbros No.16b Station Wagon box
INDEX
No.17 Tractor & Harrow
No.16a Locomotive
Benbros No.16b Station Wagon - chrome, orange base
Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon - chrome, red roof, orange base

 Variation 13 : chrome, red roof, orange base, orange pmw

Benbros TV Series & Mighty Midgets

No.16b Station Wagon

Benbros Mighty Midget No.16 Station Wagon
Benbros Mighty Midget No.16b Station Wagon

Variation 16 : chrome, red roof, unpainted base, bpw

Nicholas Martin Diecast

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