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Topic starter
21/04/2020 1:49 pm
Ray P. - further to your post #27832 re: Fordson vans.
Corgi made this one in 1989:
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
The Corgi Luton Motor Co. van looks a lot like the orange/blue Colchester Tractor van from Somerville. My guess is the Somerville came first. So I wonder if Corgi copied the Somerville, or if there's a real Luton Motor version out there. Furthermore, they both have the same registration - 218 VW. And the Somerville's rear decoration appears on the Corgi doors. Curious.
Also, I found this on the web, so it looks like the orange/blue scheme could be accurate, but wrong registration.
photo no longer available
21/04/2020 4:05 pm
Very cool.
John Merritt
South Lyon, Michigan - USA
21/04/2020 5:08 pm
Harvey....Fordson Van
My curiosity got the best of me, so I went to my files to find Somerville Models. I first made contact with Doug McHard in 1979, and asked to become a dealer for Somerville Models. I used John Roff, Max Kernick and A.G. Moorhouse as references. He promptly answered and I was in. The first cars I carried were the Ford Popular, Austin Allegro, Austin FX4 Taxi and the Mercedes 260D. I think these were their first models.
Seven different Fordson 5cwt Van came out in December of 1980, and I ordered them. So they were way ahead of the Corgi. I think the Blue and Orange combination is much more attractive. Colchester Tractor Service was #115. I sold many Somerville models over time and kept one of many for my collection. The construction and paint finish was the best in the industry. They had a real charm about them.
One shocking thing was found, along with all of the catalogs showing their line of models, was a letter from Roly McHard, telling of her husbands sudden death on August 29th, 2002. She, and their 2 long time employees finished up what was on the tables and they closed down the business. Rod Ward helped with the disposition of the business.
photo no longer available
Topic starter
22/04/2020 2:39 am
Thanks for the reply Ray. Yes, I remember reading about McHard's passing in MAR.
22/04/2020 7:32 am
Orange and Blue van
The orange and blue Fordson Tractors van also appeared as a model in the Corgi Vanguards range in 2001. It had registration LUC 673, one digit different from the one in the photo.
I don't have it myself, so no photos, but it should be easy to find by Googling "Vanguards VA06200".
Going back to Corgi Classics, by my count they issued this van casting in at least 18 different liveries between 1989 and 1997. When it was transferred to their Vanguards range it was issued twice - the one above and VA06201 with the His Master's Voice logos, as seen in the original thread on this topic.
The Vanguards Fordson Tractors version seemed to fetch good money on eBay some years, but not anymore. I have never seen the HMV one reach the same values, although its production numbers were half of those of the Fordson version!
22/04/2020 7:37 am
People must have been careful drivers then, no bumpers
John F. Quilter
Eugene, Oregon USA
23/04/2020 7:53 am
John, you don’t need any extra weight on these vans.
Autominologist residing in the Robin Hood County
Nottinghamshire England UK