august 2019 | http://www.modelcollector.com 55
Hotpoint van registration
number FOO 836B.
Post Office
Telephone Van
comparisons, resin
prototype (left)
Issued production
model (right).
Hotpoint van registration number FOO 836B featured as the box ‘artwork’ for
the production models.
‘artwork’ on the front. It is
definitely a resin prototype, as
you can see the black baseplate
and no join in the casting where
the chrome plastic grille and
bumper insert would be fitted.
Lledo Vanguards resin
prototype for VA4003,
Post Office Telephones
The Post Office Telephones
van was another model that
would appear in a two-piece
set; this time the ‘Post Office
Telephones Service Vans of the
50s and 60s’ that also featured
a Morris Minor Van. The
prototype is painted green,
although, as you may be able
to see from the photographs, it
is a slightly lighter shade than
that which appeared on the
final production models, and
sports two brown plastic
ladders on the roof. The van
has the number 24 above each
wheel, a small crown sticker
midway along its sides and a
‘Post Office Telephones’ sticker
on the passenger side rear
door. These features were
all replicated on the final
production models.
The stickers on the front
doors are a little different,
however. The prototype
features the words ‘Post
Office Telephones’, ‘Telephone
Manager’ and a fleet number
of ‘18722’. The production
models differed slightly,
carrying the words ‘Post
Office Telephones’, ‘Telephone
Manager, City Area, London’ in
three lines and a fleet number
of ‘FU95124’. The prototype
has black wheels with chrome
hubcaps, a black interior and
carries the registration num-
ber 602 EXU. Funnily enough,
I have a couple of photographs
of the real 602 EXU and it
features the wording shown
on the resin prototype and not
that shown on the final pro-
duction models. It makes you
wonder why it was changed.
Lledo Vanguards resin
prototype for VA4006,
British European Airways
The prototype for the BEA van
is painted a light grey colour
and features a black and
white chequered roof. The
pattern goes right to the gutter
on the van, whereas on the
final production version the
black squares are smaller and
contained
away
from the roof’s edges. There
are large red BEA stickers on
the front doors and British
European Airways stickers
on the van sides. There is a
‘Follow Me’ sign across the
back doors, as per the final
production models. As part
of my ‘Reality Check’ series
of articles in MC, I've been
trying to research this livery
but have come up short. I have
photos of the Anglia Van with
headboards on the roof read-
ing ‘Follow Me’, and I have a
photo from British Airways of a
BEA van in grey with large red
BEA signs, but have not seen
any photos of vans featuring
both. Maybe someone reading
knows differently?
The Vanguards resin prototype Post Office Telephones
Ford Anglia Van.