Category:The Spot-On Collection (display): Difference between revisions

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22 - The Hatley Early Dinky Collection (display) Arch Two
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The Museum currently has a glorious collection of around two hundred Spot-On models in Arch Two. This has replaced the "Matchbox" collection that was there previously.

History

Spot On Models were first introduced in 1959 as an offshoot of Tri-Ang toys that was determined to compete successfully against Dinky Toys and the newly established Corgi Toys. As a result, the models contained many "features" and were extraordinarily detailed for toys.

They were built in a large modern factory in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to a slightly larger scale of 1/42. Each item in the range was "spot on" to scale with the other items and was issued to the correct specifications of their real life counterparts. In addition, all the early models also included in the box a coloured picture of the real model.

The commercial vehicles are particularly noted for their attractive real life liveries and detailed chassis. Probably the most sought after in this range is the Shell-BP tanker which was produced in the perfect livery of its period and is extremely hard to find today.

One of the rarest of all the post-war spot on commercial vehicles sought by collectors was introduced in 1963 - Model No. 145, the "Ovaltine" AEC Routemaster bus. Another rarity is the gift set No. 806 the "Royal Occasion". This featured HM the Queen and HRH Prince Phillip seated in the rear of the Royal Rolls Royce Phantom V Limousine. Again, the model detail is exceptional for a toy.

Spot-On models were issued for about eight years, during which more than one hundred designs were produced.