A friction drive toy van from the 1950s.

Made In England - but by who?

I bought this plastic toy van quite recently, but sadly as with so many of these simple toys there is no sign of a maker anywhere. It does however say 'Made In England' in small lettering at the base of the passenger door. The overall silhouette of this blue van reminds me of the Bedford CA, although the length of the bonnet is more pronounced and the grille slightly different. Other clues though, such as the split windscreen and rear wheel covers suggest that the 1950s CA may have inspired the design of this friction-driven toy. The vehicle body is made from two halves, joined at the centre of the vehicle. There is no separate chassis underneath. There is some residue on the rear doors (sealed) that suggests that there were some stickers affixed to the rear when the toy was new. The front bumper, door handles and grille are picked out in silver paint. Overall it measures just over 5 inches in length.

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