Issued 1965-66    Length 146mm

One of the strongest associations which Budgie had with truck manufacturers was with Scammell so it was fitting that the last model produced before Budgie Toys ceased trading had a Scammell Highwayman cab. This was a new casting and if Budgie had continued trading, it is possible the cab may have appeared with other articulated models.

The casting of the Highwayman cab used an interesting design which had the chassis and engine as one casting and the mudguards and base another. One advantage of this was the opportunity for two-tone colours, in this case contrasting greens. Inside the cab, clear plastic windows were fitted and on the headlights silver trim was applied.

On the base the lettering 'Highwayman Transporter' was cast and provision was made for the front axle. The rear axle was fitted to the chassis casting. Both axles were slightly loose so Budgie may have planned some suspension eventually. The wheels were ridged silver plastic with knobbly tyres. An upgraded 'T' coupling not dissimilar to the early Scammell articulated cabs secured the specialist trailer.

The trailer of the Highwayman Transporter was rather a minimalist design but on each side strong hooks were provided so any kind of solid load could be tied on. The actual cargo Budgie provided was six long white plastic 'gas' containers with red sealed ends. The trailer also carried two detachable frames, one at the front, one at the back, to hold the load in place.

On the underside of the trailer were twin struts or legs on which it could stand when un-coupled giving it added play value. The wording underneath stated 'A Budgie Model' and 'No.326' as well as the usual 'Made in England'. At the rear of the trailer the axles were housed inside a well and were fitted with ridged silver plastic wheels and knobbly tyres.

The Highwayman Transporter appeared in yellow Budgie boxes (B4) and blue & white open-sided window packs (C2).

Although an excellent model ranking among the best quality that Budgie created, No.326 Highwayman Transporter only had a very short production run and so is a scarce item. Finding one in a box or pack is rare.