Matchbox 10d; Leyland Pipe Truck

The model has 'Ergomatic Cab' on the base. The Ergomatic Cab was used by AEC, Albion and Leyland between 1964 and 1979. The cab was known as the "tilt-cab" by AEC (rather than "Ergomatic") although it was in fact fixed on some lightweight Albions. Rather obscurely the cab also found its' way onto Vanaja trucks in Finland and onto a couple of Atkinson built fire appliances in Australia. It is usually shortened to 'Ergo'

The Leyland Pipe Truck (10d) was introduced in 1966 as a regular wheels model with black plastic wheels, in 1970 it was converted to Superfast wheels and continued in production until 1973. It should have a load of plastic sewer pipes on the back, 6 or 7 of them which push together to make a single long pipe. I owned one of these as a kid and really liked this feature.

They are always red or orange, the only variation being that the baseplate/grille moulding sometimes lacks the usual silver vacuum plating and is plain, unplated white. These are the ones to look out for. It is curious that the contemporary Matchbox AEC Horse Box was clearly the same casting for the cab and baseplate but with AEC rather than Leyland badging on the grille, reflecting the full size lorries on the road at the time where Leylands and AECs were basically the same products, just badged differently.