Vintage Benbros Qualitoys No.227 AEC Sunderland Flat Truck diecast toy

Benbros Qualitoys

227 Sunderland Flat Truck

Making full use of the AEC cab & chassis die which they bought from Timpo Toys, Benbros added the Sunderland Flat-Bed Truck under the number 227.

The Sunderland models had the cab and chassis as one casting with a small unmarked base rivetted under the cab to help provide strength and to hold the front axle. Under the chassis the 'Benbros Qualitoy' name was cast along with 'Made in England'. There was no number or model name.

Benbros did not use the original Timpo body but created a new multi-model flat-bed casting for the AEC models. On the Sunderland Flat Truck, the various tabs and holes included for the Chain Lorry, the Dropside Wagon amd the Covered Truck are all easy to see. The body section fitted into the back of the cab with a tab and was rivetted onto the chassis at the rear.

Benbros issued the Flat Truck in several bright colours. On all variations the cab and chassis were red including the base under the cab. The wheels on most models were red 6-bolt painted metal or later red or blue plastic with black tyres, but black painted all-metal 8-bolt wheels were fitted to some models with pale green flat-beds. Silver trim was sometimes added to the front grille, headlights and number plate but on many models this was not done. The flat-bed body was painted in one of three colours, blue, pale green, or the more unusual beige.

No.227 Flat Truck shared a multi-model yellow box with other models numbered 220-228 with illustrations on all four sides. See Qualitoys 226 Petrol Tanker for pictures. The Benbros emblem was on both end-flaps and the model inside was identified by having number and/or name stamped or written on a panel at one end. The boxes provide the only evidence of numbers for the AEC models.

No.227 Sunderland Flat Truck is most often seen in the colours of red & blue. The other body colours are scarce or rare