Issued 1984-85      Length 150mm

 

The largest series of models which Starcourt produced from the Modern Products dies and from the stock of castings, decals and boxes which they took over with the Modern Products foundry was a re-working of Budgie No.238 British Railways Delivery Van. This articulated model was based on the Scammell Scarab electric-powered vehicle.

 

The original Budgie model dated from 1960 and Starcourt made no changes to the casting and kept the old British Railways number on the cab doors. The first new issue was a yellow Rail Freight Delivery Van similar to the last Budgie yellow version but with a yellow cab base (and often a yellow front wheel and tyre), yellow chassis and yellow painted metal wheels. 

 

'Cadbury's Chocolate' decals from the earlier model (vertical chocolate bars) were attached to the front or the rear of the sides and 'Rail Freight' decals with the BR logo added alongside. There were two variations of the 'Rail Freight' decals, one with writing on the left, one with it on the right to ensure that the logo was always at the front. However, these were sometimes applied incorrectly and reversed so models can be found with arrows and writing pointing forwards or backwards. 

 

The model was boxed in old stock of No.238 end-flap boxes which incorrectly listed Guiterman as the maker. 

 

The second Scarab re-issue was given the new number 702. This was a dark-blue (or Navy-blue) version with large 'Royal Navy' and 'RN' decals on the sides. The model was entirely blue including the base under the cab (but not the front wheel on this one). It was boxed in a freshly designed yellow Budgie end-flap numbered box with an illustration of the model and 'Made in England by Starcourt Ltd' underneath it with the London phone number '01-800-1185'.  Like No.701 Aveling-Barford Road Roller, the Royal Navy Scammell was produced for collectors in a numbered Limited Edition of up to 10,000 models and each box carried an individual Budgie sticker with the model's issue number.

 

The next issue of the Scammell Scarab was a British Railways Delivery Van in maroon and cream. The cab was painted maroon all over including the front wheel and tyre. Original 'British Railways' decals were attached to the trailer sides and the usual 'Cadbury's Chocolate' adverts added in the centre. This model was the first to appear in the Starcourt Budgie Models blue & white window box and carried no printed number although boxes are known with a '702' sticker on one end.

 

Whether the full 10,000 Royal Navy Limited Issue was completed or not is unknown but there was a second dark-blue variation issued in 1985 which may indicate that some unsold stocks of the Navy Scammell were left. This version was identical in colour but had 'Halls Mentho-Lyptus Tablets' decals or labels on the sides of the trailer and none on the cab.  

 

Four further variations of the Scarab were issued in 1985, the first in metallic purple and lilac with 'Spratt's Bonio' decals advertising dog biscuits, and then three maroon variations, one with another version of the 'Spratt's Bonio' decal, a second with 'LMS Liverpool' (a railway network) on each side, and the last having 'Rea Express' decals from the miniature No.57 Delivery Van promoting a parcels delivery service.

 

The final issue of No.702 was a commemmorative one celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the founding of the Great Western Railway. GWR colours had always been cholcolate & cream so the Scammell was painted in a similar livery with 'GWR 1835-1985' decals on each side of the trailer.

 

All the later issues appeared in standardised blue & white window boxes with a pale-blue inner packing piece containing wheel slots. The boxes had no model details or numbers on them. 'Budgie Models' was printed beside the front window with the Budgie logo, and 'Made in England by Starcourt Ltd' (or 'Made in England by Merracroft Ltd.' who bought the stock when Starcourt Ltd. was sold), with the phone number 01-800-1185 printed on the bottom of the pack.

 

Most variations of No.702 Scammell Scarab are not hard to collect but some, such as the Spratts Bonio and Halls Mentho-Lyptus models, are rare.