The small van problem

Brian Salter continues his series examining the origins of scales used.

This little excursion is in slight variance to a regular Size Matters, in that although scale is particularly important, as ever, it is to highlight a very popular scale’s use on a none too common subject in any scale. The subject, much more common on the roads a few decades back, the CDV, or Car Derived Van.

Once upon a time, just about every make of family car would also have a small (they called it a 5 cwt) van on offer. It would instantly be recognisable from the front as to its parentage. Trim would almost certainly be more austere and a passenger seat usually an optional extra, ditto a heater. The thing that brought this subject to the fore was the recent observation that many diecast series of ‘standard’ scale military models used a larger scale for the smallest vehicle, such as the Jeep. Dinky had great variety in this department.

So, what about the smallest civilian commercial vehicles - the small vans. Have they made them a smaller scale than the cars that most were derived from, to fit in with the larger commercials? The writer thought, certainly, yes – wasn’t the Dinky Minivan of 1964 so very tiny, also the super little Morris GPO telephones van?

Firstly, the little Morris, a simple and very pleasant piece of work, one of my favourites. No measurements were taken but the photographic evidence here makes it look plainly smaller than 1/43. This is just as well, as it’s on the official

Meccano works list of scales in the ¼ inch to the foot column (1/48). Now that’s handy, because that`s the scale for most Dinky Supertoys.

Now, as a long term friend and confessed scale ‘nut’, Don D., pointed out, any BBC outside broadcast would always have a landline set up for the occasion. He should know, ‘twas his job. Result in miniature herewith, near perfect, learn something new every day - isn’t collecting fun? What about the Dinky Minivan then? DD then started to line up six Minivans, all different, all British, all as makes no difference the same scale. Might have been right about the little Morris, but not the Dinky Mini.

Surprise, it’s in perfect harmony with a line of circa 1/43 scale Minis. It came onto the scene a year after Meccano had announced that its cars were henceforth being designed to the “larger scale of 1/42” so why did I assume that the Mini was smaller. Pass. Thank you Don! Both these small commercials were car derived - one, the Mini, modelled to a common car scale, the other, the Morris, to a smaller scale to fit in with larger commercials. The Mini apart, car derived vans in contemporary traditional diecast were few and far between.

The only other well-known one is the Dinky Austin of 1954 in 1/45 scale. Of course, in modern times, there has been a veritable line-up of other heritage van marques in 1/43, including the Austin, but what happened inbetween? On the diecast front, very little. Plenty of model vans in the next size up - the likes of Transits et-al, but the CDV fl ag was kept flying, model wise, by Corgi`s ‘giant’ 1/36 scale Ford Escort, in 1983.

However, luckily for some, Roxley Models was embarking on a range of 1/48 scale mainly 1980s CDVs, presumably because no such thing otherwise existed. The interest was to be able to add them to its growing fleet of miniature postal and telephone vehicles, all in the same scale. If you can find them, they included a Ford Escort III, Maestrovan, Mini Metro, Astramax, Marina and Ital. For good measure, it added a very comprehensive range of Sherpas, a slightly larger true van - also a rarity in diecast at any scale.

Perhaps the 1/48s from Roxley were the main excuse for this article - rare breeds in themselves in a rare van scale, and with some otherwise unseen liveries in a very popular subject. Maybe back to more serious stuff next time, but thank you Don.

▼ Just to prove the scale difference. Modern but classic 1/43 Fordson alongside 1960s Dinky Morris. Both fronts would be just as familiar on small passenger cars. All to virtually one scale, certainly nothing at 1/48. From the left - Dinky 1960s RAC, Corgi 1960s Police, Spot-on early 1960s Mail, Spot-on later 1960s yellow, Oxford BEA, and Corgi Classics Guinness.

▼ Every group of BBC Dinky vehicles should now include this little Morris GPO van. Perfect in scale, period and purpose.

▼ Size Matters, in this case very much. Everything to 1/48 scale by Roxley Models, all to special manufacture by A.Smith Auto Models. The Sherpa 300 sits perfectly between the others, the Maestrovan carrying additional National Networks sub-branding. 1 Three of the five car derived vans from Roxley Models in 1/48 commercial scale. From the left - a yellow Ital with Payphones titles, a white Escort III Telecom Security, and Business Systems on a dark blue Maestrovan. The latter two liveries were only usually seen in larger towns and cities. 2 Two rare 1/48 scale marques, two even rarer liveries. There was also a Leyland box van in Nightrider livery and three larger vehicles in the miniature Concept fleet. The Sherpa has become a Leyland Daf. 4 The Morris 1000 car derived van must be the most modelled of any - it also boasts a number of quite tasty coach built styles as well. The Anglia, also a modern 1/43 rendition, is almost the opposite. Can't leave the CDV story without Corgi's 1/36 scale Escort. Dozens of liveries, but what is that behind? Are we looking at the world's only van derived car, or VDC? It's a Matra Rancho, very fashionable indeed for at least eight years from 1977, a wonderful piece of make-believe on wheels if ever there was. A spacious and stylish load space is a great start, add heavy duty wheel arches and protective side trim, roof stowage rails, front bull-bar with mesh over the lights, and Range Rover-style split tailgate - what's not to like? What it's built on is what - the chassis/cab from a Simca 1100 pick-up, a tedious rustbucket from the mid-1970s, the Rancho's a pure VDC.

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▼ Just to prove how good the early Dinky was, scale wise. That's a Spot-on Land Rover behind, and a 1/46 scale oddman-out early Corgi to the right.