Britains Models. Love them or Loathe them.

[Farmer Giles]

Hi all, just thought I would write a few words about my feelings about Britains models from past until present.

I have been collecting Britains farm models since I was no age and still do. I know there are many fantastic model manufacturers now who can produce models with much more detail than Britains have ever done and I do collect these aswell but I always seem to be drawn back to models from the past that Britains produced. Lets face it Britains were the guys who most likely started many hobbies for us all and no one can say that they did not start out with some sort of model from Britains.

Yes in recent years Britains have lost there edge/way but have shown moments of improvement and I am sure they will see the mistakes they have made put these right. At the end of the day they do produce models/toys for children to carpet farm with and this is the reality we do have to account for. I my self do alot of conversions on the Britains models as I am sure alot of you have seen from my older posts and find with the modern components from other farm model manufactures I can make the Britains models look much more relistic and not at great expense. I tend to be more favourableto the models pre-1998 when things changed for the company moving to China. I really enjoy the Masseys, Fords, Renaults, MB Tracs, Volvos etc from this time and have many in my collection both original and converted.

I have total rspect for the members who are alot more skilled than me who can take the more expensive models and convert them into something wonderful ( I just wish I had half the skill and nerve of these guys ).

To some things up I feel that Britains models do get some bad press which yes they did not help themselves but to be honest if it had not been for Britains I would not have such a fantastic hobby which I have a great passion for so Thank You Britains for so many years of enjoyment.

[convo]

yes that is the same in my case, that if it was not for britains  i would not be collecting farm models now,i stoped collecting britains around 1985 ,and still have all of mine from when i was only 5 years old,i really like the older britains better ,i still pick bits up when i see them at toy fairs only if they cheep and a good investment for my littel lad ,

moved on to siku now i a big way both converting them and collecting ltd,

the only thing is i think the market has gone stale with both britains and siku produce in the terms of ltd

cheers peter

[tractorboy]

think we got to love them  :)with out them  many of us would not have got into farm models , yes they have  fallen  back compared to other makers but  there models do fill a big gap in the market for the younger toy farmer  ,  & as we all know they ll be come the next model farmer as they grow up  hopefully britains will grow with them

[AndyB]

I 'Love em'.  I had a spell buying UH but stopped for several reasons one of which is that I don't really 'feel' anything for them - it's a nostalgia thing.  I now only buy Britains/ERTL and am slowly slimming down the UH stuff.  I think part of the attraction to Britains is that they are a toy rather than collector items.  The more basic nature is a positive in my mind.  The more detail you try and cram in, the more critical you get over the model, when it is missing something minor.  Whereas with a toy any fine detail you do get is a bonus!  If you compare a modern Britains toy with one from only 10 years ago the improvements (aside from the hitch) are a quantum leap forward.  However I would guess that for most of us slighly older collectors it's the nostalgia that wins every time.  For example if you were to put a Britains 135 next to a UH 135 which one would most of us pick?  No brainer in my mind.  I no longer carpet farm but I think that Britains display as well as anything else, they are still good to look at (bar a couple of recent disasters) and with some of the ERTL based limited editions are nearly on par with anything else.

I do hope Britains/ERTL and Siku are here to stay and would not shed a tear if UH, for example, were a victim of their success or more likely victim of trying to bully everyone else out of the market!

[powerrabbit]

Couldn't agree with you more Andy, the older Britains stuff was and still is far better for its niaevity and character more than its accuracy to detail although most of that detail is there and what's more, you could actually use them for what they were intended for. Nowadays I think that modern tractors and machinery, especially the tractors, are basically all the same and lack the individuality of the old stuff which also depleats the character and a child of 5 to 11 years old will always look at a tractor as just a toy and not compare it in its accuracy of detail to a real one, if it's blue and has NH on it or red with Massey Ferguson then that's all that really matters. I will carry on with Britains, all the other stuff is really in a different bracket apart perhaps from Siku and Bruder. There are still some nice farm toys out there, the emphasis being on toys.

[Lady Ferguson]

I agree with all the above. At the end of the day 'Britains' will be in most of our hearts as the model-maker that started most of us collecting. I wonder if the younger generation on FTF will feel the same way about the newer manufacturers in years to come \

[roberthenning]

Brilliant model for what they are diesgned for, i never had a quality issue with them. The ones from the late 80s early 90s which i would have played with had pretty good detail but were quite brittle for young children, but theyre my favourite out of them all, although my main complaint is usually they have too small of wheels.

the new ones you buy today, still have pretty good detail, but imo are alot stronger, as they bend and do not break, my 5year ols nephew has a couple for about 2-3 years and apart from a bit of missing paint are in good condition, whereas his siku ones all the metal hitchs are broke off

the place i do find britains let themselves down is there implement end, do they even do a plough andy more?? especially their trailers,but hopefully thatll change with this new kane

thumbs up for britains for me

[roberthenning]

I wonder how many of the newer manufacturers will still be around in years to come? \

If UH go bust what are we supposed to steal the wheels off for our conversions  :D

[powerrabbit]

I've got a suitcase full of older Britains wheels tucked away.    Tractor and implement ones, all sizes, all colours.

[archbarch]

i used to love them for what they were years ago when i was a kid, i loath them for neglecting the customer/collector for too many years.

As for quality Britains toys dont last my kids but the Siku ones still do so before anyone says my kids are too rough why do Siku last longer??? Build quality thats all.

I look forward to seeing the Case IH but other manufacturers will produce the same, so i no longer get excited about Britains releases!! 

[Marmitemania]

I love Britains my collection, and thats all I have ever collected and will collect, the older models from my younger days will always be the most precious to me (A silver cabed 2680 is my favourite) but after loosing there way in the mid to late 90's I personally feel Britains are regaing their form, I just wish they would hurry up with our bloody County. 

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Up until the arrival on my carpet farm of a Siku Massey Ferguson 284S followed closely by an Ertl Case IH 2294 my operation thanks to my generous parents knew no other make of 1/32nd tractor, implement or self propelled machine than those made by Britains. As far as my childhood growing up during the eighties playing farm manager, tractor driver, mechanic and stockman was concerned there was only one tractor manufacturer worthy of being financed and run on my ever growing enterprise. It wasn't a Ford, Fiat, Fergie or even a Renault.

In my 5 year old eyes it was a Britains, delivered direct to my farmyard in a shiny red box.

Childhood favourites i've re-collected in recent years.

My least favourite era of Britains, they still form an important part of my collection though.

Modern favourites.

 

[Deere-est]

Same as everyone else really, I had them as presents and purchases from pocket money when I was younger, then grew out of them. In my late teens got back into them and then found the other brands just as Britains lost their way with the RC2 takeover. Hope now to start collecting Britains again but my collection is fairly strictly kept in tune with local machinery and more importantly what is relative to my working life past and present. So if I don't purchase many it will be due to the right models not being produced rather than inferior quality I hope!

Britains name still holds nostalgia for me and I do wish to re-collect my childhood collection money allowing.

[Leakeyvale]

As a child we all had a "Britains" farm set.  In later years I have discovered that most of my "Britains" toys were Timpo or John HIll but the name was (and is) synonymous with farm models.  I collect mostly old Britains (and all the other manufacturers) and I love them as much as I did as a child.  My tractor collection is a mix - old Britains (1950s and earlier) and modern models of old tractors; some by Britains but there are a few other manufacturers in the collection

So I must say I have to love them!

[BC]

I wonder how many of the newer manufacturers will still be around in years to come? \

Very valid point there Mark....I do wonder ;)

[Fendt Fahrer]

No need to thank them. They should be thanking you !!!  ;)

I did not start with britains but with Siku. I feel britains have respondet reasonably well to the pressure of companys like UH or wiking. The level of detail is so much better than lets say just 10 years ago. For that you have to thank companys like UH , Schuco or Wiking.

I still prefer high detail over playability, mainly because I like to display my models rather than play with them on the carpet. after all, at my age it is hard to bend over and crawl on the knees for longer than a couple of seconds. :(

Hi all, just thought I would write a few words about my feelings about Britains models from past until present.

I have been collecting Britains farm models since I was no age and still do. I know there are many fantastic model manufacturers now who can produce models with much more detail than Britains have ever done and I do collect these aswell but I always seem to be drawn back to models from the past that Britains produced. Lets face it Britains were the guys who most likely started many hobbies for us all and no one can say that they did not start out with some sort of model from Britains.

Yes in recent years Britains have lost there edge/way but have shown moments of improvement and I am sure they will see the mistakes they have made put these right. At the end of the day they do produce models/toys for children to carpet farm with and this is the reality we do have to account for. I my self do alot of conversions on the Britains models as I am sure alot of you have seen from my older posts and find with the modern components from other farm model manufactures I can make the Britains models look much more relistic and not at great expense. I tend to be more favourableto the models pre-1998 when things changed for the company moving to China. I really enjoy the Masseys, Fords, Renaults, MB Tracs, Volvos etc from this time and have many in my collection both original and converted.

I have total rspect for the members who are alot more skilled than me who can take the more expensive models and convert them into something wonderful ( I just wish I had half the skill and nerve of these guys ).

To some things up I feel that Britains models do get some bad press which yes they did not help themselves but to be honest if it had not been for Britains I would not have such a fantastic hobby which I have a great passion for so Thank You Britains for so many years of enjoyment.

[pj witch]

love em , still get a buzz from buying them ,siku tractors are spoilt by the front hitch and the U H models usally fall apart as you take them out of the box

[Fendthead]

A few I love...and most I hate   BUT they are toys in my opinion and when my kids were playing with tractors, britains was the only way to go...so I'm not saying they should change.

[bigbear]

I agree with the pro-Britains group: They are toys and that's what makes them enjoyable. I've got far better detailed models in my collection, but nothing else brings back memories of my childhood, or makes me want to lay on the carpet again, shifting bales - proper bales, mind, not these great big plastic covered things - and looking after the milkers. Incidentally, why does nobody make a milking bale, I wonder? I have a great model, totally out of scale, made by my Dad when I was about 4 and it's the only one I've ever seen! Surely even 1/32 cows need to be milked? The milking bale was a regular sight on farms at one time.

[tractorbob]

britains did do a milking stall .. a green one,  think  it was mid 80s-early 90s.. by the way still love them..well got to really with 500 + and a few hundred other makes

[powerrabbit]

The Britains milking parlour was a really good bit of kit but you don't seem to find them much now complete and boxed, one of those items that has to be complete and boxed to be appreciated. Same goes for the sheep dip set. Neither of these lasted very long in production I think.

[neilw]

I think they did go down hill a bit range wise, and detail wise (even toys have to have a certain degree of realism) but they have taken comments on board and i thnk things are picking up now. Im waitng with interest for the new Massey, and would like to see a re jigged Solo. i do hold fond memories of them, they were the only farm toy i had when I was young!!

[Marmitemania]

I have two unopened milking parlours, and one boxed but mint sheep dip, all brought when younger for 6 or 7 quid price they were new, I think they are worth a bit more than that now.

The Britains milking parlour was a really good bit of kit but you don't seem to find them much now complete and boxed, one of those items that has to be complete and boxed to be appreciated. Same goes for the sheep dip set. Neither of these lasted very long in production I think.

[FNHIR]

I have two unopened milking parlours, and one boxed but mint sheep dip, all brought when younger for 6 or 7 quid price they were new, I think they are worth a bit more than that now.

It's appropriate that someone with Marmite in their name should contribute to a thread about liking and loathing something! 

[BC]

The Britains milking parlour was a really good bit of kit but you don't seem to find them much now complete and boxed, one of those items that has to be complete and boxed to be appreciated. Same goes for the sheep dip set. Neither of these lasted very long in production I think.

I picked both up at Penrith from Brian norman...well when I say picked I meany bought ;)

Both sets were absolute minters ;D