Benbros TV Series & Mighty Midgets
No.2 Log Cart
Variation 4: red cart, black wheels, met.grey horse, blue man, Mighty Midget box
The second model in the Benbros TV Series issued in 1954 was No.2 Log Cart, another horse-drawn vehicle, this time a four-wheeled cart complete with man and wooden log. It was brightly coloured in green with red wheels and yellow shafts and a glossy brown horse with cream trim on its feet. There was also a brown man with cream trim on his face and arms (presumably to emphasise that his sleeves were rolled up!)
The Log Cart was a fairly simple design with the shafts being attached to the cart through the front axle. The horse was held in place by two lugs on the insides of the shafts similar to those used on the Hay Cart but unlike the previous model, the shafts of the Log Cart were rounded and did not lend themselves to having any identification added. The result was that throughout its production, the Log Cart carried no id.
The horse however did. Although similar in appearance to the horse on the Hay Cart, this one was a new casting and carried 'Made in England' underneath. It was usually a glossy brown colour but for one short run it was a paler brown with a matt or flat finish. The man was also a different casting from the earlier Hay Cart figure, this time with a raised arm and nice detail to his clothing. The log was a length of wooden dowel.
There were two types of axle used on the Log Cart, the first being nail-head and crimped used widely by Benbros on the TV and Mighty midget models, the second flat-head and crimped.
The only major change to the Log Cart during its life was the colour. When it was decided to discontinue the TV boxes and switch to Mighty Midgets, the Log Cart was repainted in orange or red with black wheels and a metallic brown or greyish-brown horse. The shafts remained yellow but the man was now pale or dark blue.
Because of its length at about 85mm, the Log Cart had to be folded to fit into the boxes with the horse upside-down underneath the cart. All three types of TV box were used as well as the later red & yellow Mighty Midget box.
The Log Cart must have been a popular toy as there are still many examples to be found, often in good condition although the orange and black version is more scarce and the blue man is frequently absent. The dark blue man is particularly hard to find.
Variation 1 : green cart, red wheels, yellow shafts, glossy brown horse and brown man both with trim, TV1 box
Variation 2 : Matt brown horse, brown man without trim, TV3 box
Brown man without trim, small number (TV2) box
Underside showing id. on horse
Benbros No.2 Log Cart
Variations
All models had yellow shafts and a wooden log dowel
(1) GREEN cart, RED pmw, glossy BROWN horse with trim, BROWN man with trim, TV1 box
(2) GREEN cart, RED pmw, glossy/matt BROWN horse (no trim), BROWN man (no trim), TV2/TV3 box
(3) ORANGE cart, BLACK pmw, MET.BROWN or MET.GREY horse, pale or dark BLUE man, MM box
(4) RED cart, BLACK pmw, MET. BROWN or MET.GREY horse, pale or dark BLUE man, MM box
Variation 3 : Orange Cart, black wheels, metallic brown horse, dark blue man, MM box
Variation 4 : Red Cart, black wheels, metallic grey horse, pale blue man, MM box
Colour variations
red, orange, and green carts
metallic grey, metallic brown and glossy brown horses
Four variations of men
brown with & without trim, pale blue & dark blue
Five horse variations (left to right)
brown with trim, brown without trim, matt brown, metallic grey, metallic brown
