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Budgie No.454
RAC Motorcycle Patrol (Series 1)
Budgie No.454 RAC Motorcycle Patrol Series 1
Budgie No.454 RAC Motorcycle Patrol Series 1
Variation 1: Metal rider, Morestone '454' box
Budgie No.454 RAC Motorcycle Patrol Series 1
Variation 5: Budgie '454' box
Budgie No.454 RAC Motorcycle Patrol Series 1
1/6
Issued 1958-63 Length 82-84mm
As outlined under No.452, the confusion between the AA (Automobile Association) and RAC (Royal Automobile Club) Motorcycle Patrol models, numbers and boxes dated back to the Morestone Series era and was only partly resolved when Budgie began producing new models under their own name. Even then, perhaps because of a printing error, the two models suffered from inter-changing numbers.
The Budgie RAC Motocycle Patrol Series 1 model appeared at first to be like the Morestone version which it replaced but it was in fact a fresh casting. The bike, always painted black, had steering forks and generous silver trim on the fuel tank, number plates and headlight. On the left side 'Made in England' was cast near the seat (it was on the right side on Morestone models).
The Morestone and Budgie models all had plain number-plates unlike the similar Benbros models which had 'TTC147'. A metal 'screen' painted white with RAC cast in the centre and picked out in blue fitted over the headlight. The rider, to begin with, was the old Morestone metal rider with round white helmet but this was soon replaced by a bright blue plastic figure with black gloves and boots but still with the RAC 'trade-mark' white helmet.
The Series 1 sidecar continued the long shape of the old Morestone version but with a new opening lid with integral rail-bars. The 'RAC' logo was cast on the front and a metal aerial was included which fitted into a hole in the sidecar lid. The sidecar, which had no ID on the underside, was fixed onto the bike via the rear axle and a pin at the front. The wheel was similar to those on the bike, unpainted spoked metal with black tyres.
The first box issued was the old Morestone one with the number '454' printed in small type on the end-flaps. Before long, a new yellow Budgie box was introduced (B1) with a colour illustration of the model but numbered either '452' or '454'. Some of the '452' boxes had labels with the correct number added to the end-flaps.
The numbered Morestone box is rare but the Budgie boxes can still be found though the ones with labels are scarce for this model.
Variation 1: Metal rider, Morestone '454' box
Budgie No.454 RAC Motorcycle Patrol (Series 1)
BLACK bike with steering, 'Made in England' on left side
WHITE metal screen with blue RAC logo
BLUE sidecar with integral rails on lid
Unpainted metal aerial
Unpainted spoked metal wheels with black tyres
Variations
1) DARK-BLUE metal rider w. white helmet Morestone '454' box
2) BLUE plastic rider w.white helmet Morestone '454' box
3) BLUE plastic rider w.white helmet Budgie '452' box
4) BLUE plastic rider w.white helmet Budgie '452' box with '454' labels
5) BLUE plastic rider w.white helmet Budgie '454' box
Variation 3: Plastic rider, Budgie '452' box
Variation 5: Plastic rider, Budgie '454' box
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