Budgie Toys No.232

Low Loader with Cable Drums

Issued 1959-66   Length 167mm

The third appearance of the Seddon cab was as part of the Heavy Duty Articulated Low Loader with Cable Drums, to give it its full title. This time the cab was red with painted metal wheels. At first it carried the British Road Services (BRS) decals on each side and had the little-used heavy-treaded tyres on the larger diameter painted metal wheels. Later the BRS decals were changed to a blue and white Shield logo and the wheels were altered to the smaller diameter type to which were fitted knobbly tyres. 

The Low Loader was an all new casting with a winch at the front near the coupling and spare type. The winch however did not work; it was just a replica. The floor of the trailer had a detailed criss-cross pattern representing the tough metal of the real vehicle. It was always a bright orange or orange-yellow colour. On the flat bed sat three wooden Drums with 'Standard' paper labels attached to each side. The wheels were a similar diameter to those on the cab and were painted orange-yellow with the trailer with heavy-treaded tyres. Later these were changed to smaller diameter wheels when knobbly tyres were introduced.

Budgie must have received feedback from customers about the difficulties of balancing the Drums on the Low Loader in an upright position because after a couple of years a new casting was developed with longitudinal ribs to hold the Cable Drums vertically. This second type trailer also brought a change in the Drum labels from the black 'Standard' ones to new yellow 'Aluminim Wire & Cable Company Ltd' labels, though the black ones continued for a while. The wooden part of the Drums remained unchanged. The wheels were smooth push-fit silver plastic wheels for both cab and trailer. 

The next improvement was the fitting of windows to the cab and the ending of decals on the doors (although some of the cabs without windows had already appeared without decals by this time). Unlike the Timber Transporter which also had windows added, the Cable Drum Low Loader kept its red cab. Finally, the push-fit silver wheels were replaced by more secure silver plastic ridged wheels on rounded (riveted) axles.

The Low Loader with Cable Drums had four box types. First was the early box without numbers (A1) which after a while was upgraded to the second type with small numbers on the picture faces (A2). The third box had large end-flap numbers added and included the Guiterman name (A8). The final appearance of the Low Loader was in the new style blue & white shrink-wrapped window pack (C2).

The Low Loader had several variations and can be difficult to find in good condition but it was produced for six years so there are quite a few around.

Variation 1: 'BRS' cab, type 1 trailer, large pmw, A1 box

Budgie No.232 Low Loader with Cable Drums

Variations

All variations had red cabs and yellow trailers

1)  'BRS' decals      no windows    type 1 trailer    'Standard' drums     large pmw/treaded tyres      A1 box

2)  Shield decals    no windows    type 1 trailer    'Standard' drums      small pmw/knobbly tyres      A1 or A2 box

3)  Shield decals    no windows    type 1 trailer    'Standard' drums       spw/knobbly tyres               A2 box

4)  No decals          no windows   type 1 trailer    'Standard' drums       spw/knobbly tyres               A2 box

5)  No decals           windows        type 2 trailer    'Standard' drums       spw/knobbly tyres               A2 or A8 box

6)  No decals           windows        type 2 trailer    'Aluminium' drums     spw/knobbly tyres                A8 box

7)  No decals           windows        type 2 trailer    'Aluminium' drums     ridged spw/knobbly tyres    A8 or C2 box 

Variation 2: Shield decals, type 1 trailer, small pmw

Variation 3: Shield decals, type 1 trailer, spw

Variation 5: no decals, cab windows, type 2 trailer, spw, A8 box

Variation 7: 'Aluminium' drums, ridged spw

Variation 7: 'Aluminium' drums, ridged spw, C2 pack

Budgie No.232 trailers: type 1 (front), type 2 (rear)

Budgie No.232: two types of trailer pmw

Budgie No.232: cab base & trailer underside