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Budgie Miniatures

No.15 Austin Countryman Station Wagon

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman

No.15 Austin Countryman was probably the most popular model in the Esso Petrol Pump and Budgie Miniatures collection. First issued as Esso Series No.15 Austin Countryman in 1957, it was made from the start by Modern Products Ltd. and remained on sale until 1970. It was also adapted to create two further models, No.20b Emergency Vehicle and No.61 Q Car

 

The casting, a conventional body & base model, was a good representation of the Austin A95 Westminster Countryman on which it was based. The model measured 66mm long.

 

Unusually in the Esso Series, No.15 was issued in two different colours. The first was blue and the second orange, both with silver side flashes and trim on the grille, headlights, front logo and rear number-plate. The blue version also had red tail-lights.

 

The silver-painted type 1 base included front & rear bumpers and had 'No.15', 'Austin A95 Westminster Countryman' and 'Made in England' cast on it. Unpainted metal wheels were fitted on flat-head & crimped axles.

 

Orange became the standard colour when Budgie re-issued the Austin Countryman in 1960 but the silver side flashes were discontinued. Metal wheels continued but after a time these were switched to grey plastic which were either pale or dark grey.

 

When the wheels changed to black plastic, there was a modification to the base (type 2 base) with the number '15' on a raised square. Why this was done is not clear.

 

The last version of No.15 was metallic mauve with silver trim on the headlights and a touch of trim on the grille. It had black plastic wheels and a silver-painted type 3 base with a changed model title which now said 'Austin A95 Westminster Station Wagon'. 

 

No.15 Austin Countryman appeared in a variety of packs and boxes. After the Esso Petrol Pump Series, it was sold in 'Mobile' and 'Modern' (type 1) Vehicle Series boxes and was included in Budgie Gift Sets No.8 and 12. 

 

In blister-packs, the version with grey plastic wheels was sold in yellow packs, and the orange and metallic mauve models with black plastic wheels in blue packs. 

 

In 1965 it was included as part of the first No.99 Traffic Set (99a) and later in 1967 in the second Traffic Set (99b), both models in orange with black plastic wheels.

 

No.15 Austin Countryman was withdawn in 1970. 

 

Morestone Esso Petrol Pump Series No.15 Austin Countryman - blue variation
Morestone Esso Petrol Pump Series No.15 Austin Countryman - blue variation

Variation 1 : blue with silver flash, red tail-lights and umw

Esso Petrol Pump box with Garage token

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - umw, Mobile box

Variation 3 : umw 

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - gpw, Mobile box

Variation 4 : gpw

MOBILE Vehicle Series boxes

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - bpw, Modern (type 1) box
Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - bpw, Modern (type 1) box

Variation 5 : orange, no flash, bpw

MODERN Vehicle Series (type 1) box

No.15 Austin Countryman

Model Variations

 

  • (1)   BLUE,  silver flash,  type 1 base,   unpainted metal wheels

 

  • (2)   ORANGE,  silver flash,  type 1 base,  unpainted metal wheels

 

  • (3)   ORANGE,  no silver flash,  type 1 base,  unpainted metal wheels

 

  • (4)   ORANGE,  no silver flash,  type 1 base,  grey plastic wheels

 

  • (5)   ORANGE,  no silver flash,  type 2 base,  black plastic wheels

 

  • (6)   METALLIC MAUVE,  no silver flash,  type 3 base,  black plastic wheels

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - variation 1 (Esso Series)
Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - variation 2

Variation 1

 

BLUE

Silver flash

Type 1 base

Metal wheels

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - type 1 base

TYPE 1 BASE

Variation 2

 

ORANGE

Silver flash

Type 1 base

Metal wheels

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - variation 3

Variation 3

 

ORANGE

No side flash

Type 1 base

Metal wheels

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - variation 4

Variation 4

 

ORANGE

No side flash

Type 1 base

Grey plastic wheels

Variation 5

 

ORANGE

No side flash

Type 2 base

Black plastic wheels

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - type 2 base

TYPE 2 BASE

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - variation 5

Variation 6

 

METALLIC MAUVE

No side flash

Type 3 base

Black plastic wheels

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - type 3 base

TYPE 3 BASE

No.15 Austin Countryman

Boxes & Packs

 

1957-59   Esso Petrol Pump Series boxes

 

1961-63   Yellow 'Budgie Toys' blister-packs (Guiterman)

 

1961-64   Budgie Gift Sets Nos.8 and 12

 

1962-64   MOBILE Vehicle Series boxes

 

1963-65   Blue blister-packs (Guiterman)

 

1964-66   MODERN Vehicle Series (type 1) boxes

 

1965-70   Blue blister-packs (Budgie Models)

 

1965-67   Budgie No.99a Traffic Set (triple blister-pack)

1967-70   Budgie No.99b Traffic Set (triple blister-pack)

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - dark gpw, yellow blister-pack

Variation 4 : dark grey plastic wheels

Yellow Budgie Toys blister-pack (Guiterman)

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - blue blister-pack
Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - metallic mauve, blue blister-pack

Blue blister-packs issued by Guiterman (l) and Budgie Models (r)

Budgie triple pack No.99a Traffic Set

Budgie triple pack No.99b Traffic Set

Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - colours and front trim
Budgie Miniatures No.15 Austin Countryman - rear trim variations

Colours and front & rear trim variations

The real Austin A95 Westminster Countryman

Nicholas Martin Diecast
Benbros, Morestone & Budgie Vintage Toys
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