Ramsay’s British Diecast Catalogue
Shackleton Models
The company was formed by Maurice Shackleton and traded as James Shackleton & Sons Ltd. from 1939 to 1952. It had premises in Cheshire and originally produced wooden toys such as lorries and dolls houses. The toy lorries were only made prewar and had four wheels, a simple wooden chassis and body with a green name badge on the rear of the cab, and were fitted with a highly detailed aluminium radiator grille. Known models are a Chain Lorry, Breakdown Lorry and a Sided Wagon. Their price today is around £250 each.
In 1948 having expanded its staff to nearly 40 people, the company started to produce diecast constructional models based on the Foden FG six-wheel platform lorry. The models consisted of separate parts all of which were, incredibly, made ‘in house,’ including the clockwork motor, its key, and the wheels and tyres. The models were advertised in the Meccano Magazine with the slogan ‘You can dismantle it Just like the real thing,’ and they were originally priced at £2/19/6. Eventually the range was extended to include a Dyson Drawbar Trailer and a Foden Tipper. Each model was packed in its own distinctive box which displayed a black and white picture of the model inside.
In 1952, whilst in the midst of producing the David Brown Trackmaster 30 Tractor, a shortage of materials coupled with difficult trading conditions brought about the end of the company. Some remaining models from this period were acquired and distributed by Chad Valley. The unique models produced by the Shackleton Company are now highly collectable and difficult to find.
Note: It is known that some prototype models of Ploughs and Harrows were made, though it is not known if any were produced for sale.