powerrabbit

I know this topic has been discussed previously but I can't find the topic, perhaps it dissapeared with the old style Forum. Anyway, let's carry on. Just added 14 more to my collection, from eBay. The one in particular I was after in this group was the Weeks Trailers Hull badge. I saw one on a stall at Toytrac five years ago when it was at Farmer Giles' and the guy was asking £65 for it. The one in this picture is in far better condition so at £24 for all 14 it was a really good buy. These badges are all as new and I would guess just collected and put away.

Noel. If you can't get anywhere with PayPal, and this goes for any credit card payment, if you payed through a buisness account credit or debit card then take it up with the card issuing bank but make sure that you have printed paperwork concerning your purchase and the payment details.

My next purchase will be something very special. I can't really divulge it's identity at the moment but the prototype has been built and I have just received a set of pictures of it. I will be announcing this model in a seperate posting topic, with pictures when I have the 'official' say-so. Keep your eyes peeled, all will become clear I promise.

I was told that Geoff had ceased trading quite some time ago now from other traders and suppliers, perhaps it's an unfortunate inevitability of the current economic climate and the vast amount of competition in the model market coupled with the recent increases in price from the manufacturers, importers and suppliers to the trade as they now want payment 'upfront' or on delivery for consignments which for a lot of traders is getting harder to do. Most are now cutting back on their stock orders and only holding what they are reasonably confident in selling according to their regular customer base. I have purchased from Geoff both privately and through eBay and been in direct contact with him frequently in the past and had always found him a really good person to deal with, totally honest and most accommodating. Geoff, if you are reading this, we will all miss your friendly business and whatever the future holds may you be truly happy and successful.

Are we talking any model or farm models in particular? If it's fam models I would say that my oldest one would be the pre-war Britains 'farmers gig and horse', the one with the 'thin' horse with raised front leg and the farmer driver without the whip and the gig without the whip holder. Dates from around 1936. Another that could be earlier, no-one knows exactly because it's so rare, is the large scale hollow-cast heavy horse (twice the size of a Britains horse) probably made by J. Hill & Co and the large scale hay rake attributed to Kayron. AVH Farm Toys or Olsen that was originally supplied or sold together as a 'unit'. If it's tractors then I reckon it's the Maylow Products (later bought out by Meccano) 3 that I have.

I may stand to be corrected but was always led to believe that the print inside the box flap was the box batch production code number. If you want to find the date look on the boxes where all the small print is and it appears in the text that starts with 'Britains LTD' copyright, (small c in a circle) and the date is after that. Not all boxes through the 1990's were marked with the date. If you want a more definitive dating research tool buy the David Pullen books (covering tractors, balers and combines, three books, the latest being tractors rom 1998 to 2008) or look out for original shop catalogues.

It's the 'Farm Toy Show' 2008 model Case for the North American market. Not a lot around by all accounts so don't chop it too much.

UH Claas LD80 baler in 1:16 from eBay. 'Won' it last night and was found listed in an obscure title. This baler must be on the rarer side as I have seen very few either on the internet or on dealers sites or toy fairs. Picture when it arrives.

I would like to see such breeds as the older traditional types such as the South Devon, (Ruby Red) British dairy Shorthorn, British Friesian (before the Holstein rubbish) and the very pretty French dairy cow, the Normandy (Normandie).

When the disc mowers started to appear on farms around the mid 1960's it was a revalutionary machine as it reduced the time in cutting the grass crop and could handle a heavier crop with a lot better and closer finish and also handled a laid crop of grass. The first type I remember was the New Holland 'Wizzler' with the multiple 'saucers' that a relatively low hp tractor like an MF35 could operate with ease in a reasonbly high gear. Taarup made a very similar mower to the New Holland as well. When the twin drum mowers came in later in the 70's and 80's the best type were the Claas WM20 and WM22. It seems now that the modern mowers have gone back to the multiple saucer type but with a wider, or should that be longer cutting width taking up to 8 feet instead of the 5.5 or 6 foot cut of their predecessors.

My copy of the David Pullen Britains Tractors 1998-2000 arrived today. Thank you Andy.

That's what I was going to suggest, you need a matt material in order not to reflect any shine or flash.

New one on me Marky. The Standen harvester was the most common one around.

Yes, the 135 cab was only glazed in the windscreen but I believe the last issue was unglazed although the little 'trough' at the bottom and little 'lugs' each side at the top were still there so it is quite easy to fit a windscreen by cutting out to shape a thickish sheet of perspex/clear plastic, the sort you get on display window packaging, and fit a windscreen, I've made several and is easy if you have an original for a pattern. I don't think the muledozer or front linkage (Buckrake) attachment will fit with the cab as the 'handle' won't raise back with the cab on.

Spent most of today just lounging. Was up at 4.30am to take my Sister-in-laws freind to the coach station to catch the coach to Heathrow to go back to Russia after spending Christmas and new year here, in Russia they celebrate Christmas on 7th January.

Britains Herald early (1958) farm worker carrying sack.

That particular one is not mentioned in the 'secondary' list but to give you an example 'Kickstart' £695. 'Where there's muck theres money' £695. 'Starts first time' £495. 'Hauling out' £2,250. 'Early start' £750. And that's just the tractor ones listed. As I said, all listed on their site.

Received in the post this morning Gray's of Shenstone newsletter advertising their wares and see that there are a number of their various models being offered at half price, There's one in particular that for the price I wouldn't mind ordering and the p&p is free. There is also a page of 'secondary' models that they have bought back from people for whatever reason, so if you look at these it will give you an idea, if you have any of them, as to what they might be worth but I bet they were bought back for far less than what they are up for now. Have a look on their site www.graysofshenstone.co.uk and take a look.

We are not certain as to wheather it is going to be cancelled because of the weather as it is forecast to continue well into the next two weeks and there is a strong possibility of more significant falls of snow down here for the coming weekend. The roads around the Exeter area are very bad and the Council gritters have only been treating main trunk roads and the motorway and even then very sparingly as their grit/salt reserves are very low because they have not been able to be supplied from the main depots. I will be staying home if the conditions don't improve, there will be other toy fairs at Westpoint over the coming year so my advice is don't travel if you don't have to. Leave your wallet and your vehicle intact for a couple of months. If I hear anything as to wheather it has been cancelled or no I'll let you know.

There are several on eBay at the moment, buy it now format, wheather they are actually worth the asking prices is subjective.

The Britains farm roller, horse and farmhand is from 1959 in the 'Home Farm' series 'picture box'. The earlier one in the 'duck egg' box, the roller had two sections (later had mutiple sections or 'rings) and was from around 1952. The farmhand was available seperately also and also called the 'farmers son' The later multi-ring roller carried on well into the 1960's and came in a yellow and white with black writing box mounted on an inner plynth. Colour variants (the frame) were green, red and blue predomimately. This roller changed at this time to the tractor drawn ring-hitch.

Thinking off the top of my head, I would guess that the Land Rover is a possible contender for this title, introduced around 1967 and still being produced. Horses and riders is another, you can still get the 'gentleman farmer' and female rider on horse.

Arrived in the post today, Britains animal pens from 1980, unopened in the box complete.

Don't know about in NI but the Old 20 Parts Company do them, they are pricey, £38 each plus the VAT and they are the cast iron type. Not sure if Sparex do them as well.

Hi James and welcome to this madhouse of the Forum. Your best source for a replacement is to find a 'diamond' from costume jewelery. You very often see the old diamonte or paste costume jewelery at car boots and very cheap, ideal for jeweled headlights as it's the same, just make sure the size is right.