Category:Budgie Miniatures

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The Budgie Toys Miniature Series recycled old models from the Modern Vehicle Series and Mobile Vehicle Series, with the same (one- or two-digit) numbering. In 1961, these were being sold as carded "bubble-pack" items rather than in boxes.

1961: Miniature Series


The main Budgie range started at Number 200. The 1961 sheet catalogue refers to the miniatures as "the 250 series", which suggests that some point the company may have planned to renumber these pieces into the range 250-299.

By 1963, the miniatures range (anything with a model number below 200) had disappeared from the catalogue as individual products, and only existed in the eight-and twelve-vehicle gift packs.

Packaging

The Budgie Miniatures range was supplied in a "Bubblepak" where a punched card backing was folded around an open bubble.

The packs that we've seen are all Guiterman-era -- earlier examples proclaim "BUDGIE TOYS" with a black stripe (as in the 1961 catalogue sheet), while later packs are blue with a red stripe, and just say "by BUDGIE" on the stripe, with either "Budgie Models Ltd." or "Budgie Division of S. Guiterman & Co. Ltd." in very small text along the bottom.

Multipacks

The miniatures gift packs persisted after the individual miniatures has disappeared from the catalogues, and retained the by-then-discontinued "Budgie Toys" marque ... presumably because the company had old stock of the packaging and didn't consider it worthwhile to redo the cardboard. Catalogue listings and adverts only specified the number of vehicles in each pack, so we suspect that the multi-packs might have been used to use up old stock and get rid of less popular models.

1961 promotional description:

Miniature Toys have an attraction of their very own, and the 250 Series of Budgie Miniatures are ideal baby brothers of the main range.

Diecast and attractively finished in bright colours, each model is delivered in a bubble pack on a distinctive Budgie card and is fully visible to the prospective purchaser. Very modest prices make these models a popular out-of-pocket purchase and add considerably to the fascination of collection building.

1961 gallery

Miniatures range

just twelve items:

Partial listing

compiled from backs of packets (and yes, there are at least two different number twenties and twenty-ones)

  • No. 5 – Mobile Police Car
  • No. 7 – Mercedes Benz Racing Car
  • No. 8 – Volkswagen Saloon
  • No. 11 – Royal Mail Van
  • No. 12 – Volkswagen Micro Bus
  • No. 13 – Austin Taxi
  • No. 14 – Packard Convertible
  • No. 15 – Austin Countryman / Austin Station Wagon
  • No. 16 – Austin Healey
  • No. 18 – Foden Dump Truck
  • No. 19 – Rover 105
  • No. 20 – Plymouth Convertible
  • No. 20 – Emergency Vehicle
  • No. 21 – Tipper Truck
  • No. 21 – Oldsmobile Town Sedan
  • No. 22 – Mobile Crane / Crane Truck
  • No. 23 – Cement Mixer
  • No. 24 – Refuse Truck
  • No. 25 – Cattle Truck
  • No. 26 – Diesel Roller
  • No. 27 – Fire Chief Car
  • No. 51 – Shell Gasoline Truck
  • No. 54 – B.P. Gasoline Truck
  • No. 55 – Mobil Gasoline Truck
  • No. 56 – Hertz Truck
  • No. 57 – R.E.A. Express Delivery Truck
  • No. 58 – Modern Removal Truck
  • No. 59 – Fire Engine
  • No. 60 – Squad Car
  • No. 61 – 'Q' Car


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