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dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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-564 and 964 Barber-Greene Olding Elevator Loader (1952-68)

I recently acquired one of these, after neglecting this model since I began collecting. I am not quite sure why, but when I was younger, the Pullmore Transporter and the Coles 20 ton crane both had more appeal to me, and the Elevator Loader was expensive.......$5.00 when it was introduced.
After reading some of the write ups in Talk Model Toys, I decided that it was high time to find a nice one and have a close look at this unique model. I was able to find a near mint one on eBay for a very reasonable price, and I am very happy with what I received. Since these are not super desirable to most collectors, very nice ones are inexpensive.
This model first appears in the 1952 catalog, where it is a "forthcoming new model", and lasted a very long time, being discontinued in 1969. Over the years it underwent several color changes, including a reverse color scheme of the original yellow and blue.
Once you closely examine one of these, you begin to appreciate what Meccano was up against in producing it. There are lots of moving parts, including gears. And the diecast items are quite complicated and large, and there was also a lot of assembly involved. It is mounted on running wheels, it has an endless rubber belt, with raised ridges to catch the loose material, the chute mounter near the top swivels in both directions, and the hopper at the bottom raises and lowers, and also has a removable "door" or side piece. And there is a crank mechanism that operates the belt.
The casting itself is also quite detailed. On the lower section is a representation of a diesel engine, with one side showing a radiator, and the other showing various controls and levers. On the sides of the main casting pieces are representations of gears, pulleys, and belts, along with numerous rivets. On each side are black painted step plates, for workers to stand. Once you see the complexity, you begin to appreciate this model, and understand it being expensive to produce. Mine came in the striped Supertoys box, and has the original model number of 564 that was changed to 964 in 1954. Since there is no normal Dinky base plate, the pertinent information is cast into the bottom of the hopper.
I think this is a very under appreciated model, and would urge any of you not having one to take a close look........it is well worth adding to your collection!
Terry

this shows the hopper raised

closeup of the engine side

closeup of the other side

closeup of the swivel chute

The hopper, showing the information cast into it

The Supertoys box

The 1952 catalog view

The 1953 catalog view

The 1955 catalog view

And finally, the 1959 catalog view

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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Hi Terry, a beautiful acquisition this is, in superb condition.

An impression of your praised moving parts, still looking rather pitiful. I will clean them some time in order to have a real good idea of the complicated parts and their assembly.

But fortunately I have three good ones, remaining of the initial four I had:

Kind regards, Jan

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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DTCA MemberFrance

Comments from the hairsplitter :

The variations for the Barber-Green Olding elevator loader are :

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Dear hairsplitter, there is also a very unusual yellow version with dark blue hopper and chute, and yellow hubs, still marked 564, so apparently an early variant between 1952 and 1954.

Looking at the box it can be dated even narrower: about 1954.

I know this from photo only, so I cannot prove it with model in hands.

Kind regards, Jan

dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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Jan--
That is an interesting color combo, with the dark blue. I am curious...mine and the last one you showed, say Supertoys on the base of the hopper, but the box says Dinky Toys. Am assuming that this model was originally a Supertoy, then that changed when Mecanno dropped it for a while. What date do you think mine is then...am guessing 1953 or 1954. Do all the hoppers say Supertoys, or did they finally change those for a while to Dinky Toys, before switching back later.
Also, look at my catalog image for 1952. The color scheme looks different from any I have seen before, and I realize that those images were probably a "stylized" photo to use in the catalog. But it clearly shows black tires and also the side step plates are very light colored....do you think any were actually made that way?? Maybe that was the prototype?? Just curious!!
All in all, as you and I at least are concerned, a most interesting model. And Jacques, I also looked online for some images of the real thing, but could find nothing. You would think there would be a catalog out there showing their produces back in the day.......maybe Dave Busfield can locate that for us!!
Terry

buzzer999's picture
buzzer999
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Here is a page from "British Construction Equipment" published in 1947 and it is an advert for Jack Olding Ltd. They were the distributors in England for Barber-Greene.

The Barber-Greene company was founded in the USA in 1916 by Harry H Barber and William B Greene and made mechanical handling equipment and pavers for the asphalt business.

This is as near as I can find to the Dinky vehicle. Most of the loaders made by Barber-Greene were actually on caterpiller tracks and not wheels. I suspect that the wheeled versions were primarily used by farmers and hence Meccano including them in the 'Farm and Garden' section of their catalogues.

I will dig further and see if I can find an example nearer to the design of the Dinky Toy

Dave

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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DTCA MemberFrance

David,

I have an other picture of the same type 522 loader but I have not found one closser to the Dinky Toys model.

It seems that the hopper has been marked with the ref number 564 from the launch of the model and that this number has been deleted some time, probably when the reference changed to 964 or is it the opposite, was the elevator launched without the number and that number 564 remained until the model was deleted from the range ?

I did put my elevator loader to work, it looks prety good at the nearby sand pit.

buzzer999's picture
buzzer999
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DTCA MemberUK

A few additional thoughts, and observations, on the Elevator Loader.

Like Terry I never had one of these as a child but I acquired my first, the 564 version about 10 years ago. I received the 964 version this morning.

The newer version has plastic hubs with black tyres whereas the older 564 version has the Supertoy hubs and grey tyres.

The older loading hopper has no catalogue number whereas the newer version is marked 964, with both described as being Dinky Supertoys.

I cannot remember whether or not the old Talkmodel toys site mentioned a casting variaton on the Elevator Loader but there is a significant one.

Referring to the photograph above there is a supporting post between the left hand side casting and the right hand side casting, immediately above the engine. On the much newer 964 version this supporting post has not been included.

My 564 Loader came in the old Blue box with labels at each end. Like the one mentioned above it contains the reference 50564. It has a price of 22/4 on one end, this price was in effect only in 1952, the box lid has a smudged blue stamp on the inside and the last digit of this is a 2, presumably for 1952 which ties everything together. It did not come with any packing pieces.

My 964 which came today is in the more modern picture style box which does not have a date code and it includes both lower and upper packing pieces.

It is my gut feeling that I possess one of the earliest, and one of the latest versions of the Elevator Loader and the ones shown above fall between.

Dave

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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DTCA MemberFrance

A splendid loader with a very good box. Well done David.

I can not remember that the missing spacer on the late production models was ever mentioned on TMT. Thank you for mentioning it.

Jacques.

buzzer999's picture
buzzer999
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DTCA MemberUK

I don't think they are spacers Jacques, they are what is holding the two halves of the casting together, a look at the castings shows that no spacers are required.

Dave

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Hi Dave, a very nice acquisition! I like the all-blue box.
I had several but they changed meanwhile, three remaining.

An older photo shows the presence - or not - of the cast numbers. It is wanting on the earlier models only.
I also have a blue one with yellow plastic hubs (see previous page).

I have this support post difference recorded in my private catalogue, but I presume I never reported that on TMT. It is mentioned as one of the pinions in the job design related to this model:

(Job nr. 13700, Elevator Loader Assembly), existence unknown.
Job nr. 13705, Door for Hopper

buzzer999's picture
buzzer999
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DTCA MemberUK

It truly is a shame that so much documentation has either been scattered all over the world, or was destroyed by Meccano at some time.

Dave

binnsroad's picture
binnsroad
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Apologies for ressurecting an old thread but, having just read and enjoyed it, I wonder whether others would be interested in a few prototype pictures I have accumulated?  None are exactly like the Dinky model, but certainly similar.

Graeme

dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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DTCA MemberUSA

Graeme----That looks like another model.....who made that one? A very interesting prototype for sure. Looking forward to whatever else you can share.
Best regards, Terry

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

There's nothing wrong with resurrecting old threads, Graeme, on the contrary: highly appreciated!

We are very curious about your accumulated prototype pictures to come. Kind regards, Jan 

binnsroad's picture
binnsroad
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Thanks chaps.  That was my first post - I did not think it had appeared!  Another photo, with a little luck.  This is another tracked vehicle, but imagine it with wheels and a Dinky handle :-)

Finding prototype photos of vehicles which inspired our favourite models is always fun.

Graeme

 

binnsroad's picture
binnsroad
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DTCA Member

And a third

Graeme

 

binnsroad's picture
binnsroad
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DTCA Member

Terry, to answer your question above, I am not sure, but I think that model was by Doepke Models.

Graeme

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

A chronological mix of some older and some recent 564/964 box pictures below:

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

An 'exploded view' of all diecast parts of the Elevator Loader, as published in the 2002 volume of Auto in Miniatuur, issue 5, page 19.

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Four vital rollers and pinions for the conveyor belt transport, combined with the info in the GBofDT, page 202:

1. Geared roller (left) job no. 13710, and plain roller, job no. 13711 (both zamak parts - in 2 - designed 21st June 1950).

2. The plain roller in position on top.

3. The geared roller on position below, driven by the pinion on the crank and intermediate idler pinion. The brass pinion (job no. 13708 of 2nd June 1950) was supplied separately by Buckingham Eng. Co., whereas the smaller brass idler pinion (job no. 13717 of 3rd January 1952 [!]) was supplied by John Rigby & Sons Ltd. 

 

DavidT
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All the best for the new year, The tail gate seems to be missing from the picture of all the parts without paint. I find this piece missing from many boxed examples in good condition. Likely because it was lose and separate and usually got lost.

David