LESNEY/MATCHBOX- EARLY Models of Yesteryear.

Those red busses always fascinate me when I was a child. Now that I’m older and I see similar busses today, I know for a fact that the upper deck must be uncomfortable af. I mean, it’s exposed to the sun and rain. No way I’d be optimistic to sit there… unless maybe there’s a tour guide showing the neighbourhood… wait, was that the design all along?

Y-9-A was a 1924 Fowler Big Lion Showman's Engine. This was issued in 1958. 1/80, discontinued in 1967.

Y-10-A was a 1908 Grand Prix Mercedes. This was issued in 1958. 1/54 scale, discontinued in 1962.

@david-green 

Considering when these models were made, the ones shown in your recent posts (Y-9-A and Y-10-A) are very nice replicas.

1950s Matchbox Catalogue page showing Y-11-A to Y-14-A

Y-11-A was a 1920 Averling and Porter Road Roller. This was issued in 1958. 1/80 scale, discontinued in 1963.

Y-12-A was a 1899 London Horse Drawn Bus. This was in 1/100 scale, issued in 1959, discontinued 1965, and was shown earlier.

See the heading: "LESNEY/MATCHBOX Models of Yesteryear Horse Drawn Vehicles."

I have these MOYs and many Moko Lesney Matchbox from the 1950-60s and love them as they are  very nostalgic for me.  Little works of art in my eyes...lol.

@jack-dodds 

I agree, little works of art.

Y-13-A was a 1862 American 4-4-0 Santa Fe Locomotive. This was issued in 1959. 1/112 scale, discontinued in 1965.

Y-14-A was a 1903 Duke of Connaught 4-2-2 Locomotive. This was issued in 1959. 1/130 scale, discontinued in 1963.

@david-green 

These two locomotives are really nice.  I had no idea Lesney/Matchbox made little train models until you showed them.

These next two really belong in Forum 43, but I will include them here as they were the last two in the early release numbers that stopped at 16.

Y-15-A was a 1907 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. This was issued in 1960. 1/55 scale, discontinued in 1967.

Y-16-A was a 1904 Spyker. This was issued in 1961. 1/45 scale, discontinued in 1971.

The original A-1 and A-2 Models of Yesteryear were replaced in 1963-4 by the very popular Ford Model T and a same year open Renault.

These also should belong in Forum 43.

1964 Catalogue page.

Y-1-B was a 1911 Model T Ford. This was issued in 1964. 1/42 scale, discontinued in 1972.

Y-2-B was a 1911 Renault Two Seater. This was issued in 1963. 1/40 scale, discontinued in 1967.

I had all of the toys listed, ruined them all and I'm pleased to say I now have them again....M or MB condition.

Y-3-B was a 1919 Benz Limousine. This was issued in 1965. 1/60 scale, discontinued in 1973.

Y-4-B was a Shand-Mason Horse Drawn Fire Engine covered earlier.

Y-5-B was a 1929 Bentley 4.5 Litre. This was issued in 1962. 1/52 scale, discontinued in 1968.

This was an update on the earlier smaller all metal 1929 Bentley. The first version of this came out in metallic green with green plastic seats and tonneau cover.

The second and more common version was in darker non-metallic green with red seats and tonneau cover.

Many early Models of Yesteryear were sold as Giftware on ash trays, pen sets, wooden boxes etc. All of these were chrome plated. Here is the 1928 Bentley with this treatment.

@david-green 

Both the green and chrome plated Bentley's are very nice.  Do you remember the approximate price of these when new?

@ed-davis 

Hi Ed,

Looking at my original boxes, the green 1929 red seat Bentley was 69 cents. I don't have a box for a chrome Bentley but I do for the chrome 1906 Rolls Royce. It has a $13.95 label on it. That was the giftware model in chrome on a wooden box.

These were Canadian prices back then, likely very similar to USA ones.