Benbros Qualitoys

No.223 Royal Mail Land Rover

For the Royal Mail Land Rover Benbros used the same model as the Army version but with altered lettering on the sides.

 

The main body, whiich also formed the underside so there was no need for an additional base, was a complex casting in one piece comprising the front wings and bonnet, the floor of the model including the figures, and the lower halves of the sides and rear. The exception was the heads of the figures which were separate castings secured to the body by single pins. Another casting made up the roof, windscreen and upper sides on which 'Royal Mail' and 'EIIR' were cast around a central crown symbol.

 

There were extra castings for the two opening side doors, for the rear tailgate and the tail-lift, and for the front bumper. Underneath 'Benbros Qualitoy' and 'Made in England' were added but there was no number. On the front and at the rear the number-plate 'TML 448' was included in the casting. 

 

Although the roof had small holes for a screen at the front (see AA Land Rover) there is no evidence that the Royal Mail Land Rover had one and it was not included in the drawing on the box. Nor was an aerial fitted as these were not required on Royal Mail vans and it appears that Benbros removed the roof nodule before the roof was painted. 

 

The whole model was painted bright red including the figures and doors, after which the roof and the front bumper were over-painted gloss black. There was no silver trim added so to highlight the number-plate and side lettering the paint was rubbed off these.

 

The '6-bolt' metal wheels were coloured either red or black and fitted with chunky black treaded tyres. They were fixed to the model on the underside of the body after painting using round-head and crimped axles. A spare tyre was carried on the bonnet. 

 

No.223 Royal Mail Land Rover was included in a yellow multi-model box with other numbered models (see Petrol Tanker). It is not thought to have been issued in a separate box like the AA Land Rover. 

 

The Royal Mail Land Rover is one of the rarest Qualitoy models.

Benbros Qualitoys No.223 Royal Mail Land Rover

 

Variations

 

• RED body, doors & figures   BLACK roof   'Royal Mail EIIR' on sides   BLACK or RED pmw   Multi-model box