T is for Triang Minic Part 2 ; Civilian Vehicles

Three of the Civilian lorries with a military one for comparison, these were a 'mid-budget' range, more expensive than the Tudor Rose/Pyro end of the market and would have been competing with similar vehicles by Wells Brimtoy, Palitoy and Co. The cab is generic, but has shades of AEC/Guy. Note also; the two different wheel/tyre types.

Earlier versions of these trucks - especially the civilian ones - are subject to warping and were made with some form of phenolic plastic, later ones however; are a more stable styrene compound.

Civil version of the tracked tractor next to the military one, and two colour variants of the limousine, I think it's meant to be a Bentley or Rolls Royce?

The final incarnation of Triang Minic was these 'Minix' all plastic non-powered HO scale vehicles which were sold singly like Matchbox 1-75 series, or in sets of three and were also supplied to Triang Trains for the Motor-Rail coaches and flat-bed wagons.

There was also the Minic Motorway system in which vehicles similar to some of the above were fitted with electrically powered 'slot' motors, but that is a post for another day!

T is for Triang Minic Part 3; Rivet Counting Bit

Here we see the sparking mechanism, with the spark-channel - unused on the Battle-Space version. A simple gravity feed presses the flint onto a carborundum coated wheel revolving as part of the 'pull-back' motor.

A comparison shot, front to back; Roco-minitanks Conqueror, Minic 'Tank', Airfix Centurion and Roco Centurion. It seems that the Triang vehicle has the wheels of a Conqueror, and a hybrid deck that's more Centurion than Conqueror, with a turret that's more Conqueror than Centurion!

For 'Old School' war-gaming you could use it as a 1:87/HO Conqueror, or a 1:76/72 Centurion.

[The Airfix example was painted by me in about 1976, and if anybody can guess the colour (from a photo' - which is never easy!) I'd love to track down a tin, it's an old Humbrol Authenticolour in a yellowish-olive and along with the Azure Blue, was one of my favorite tins as a kid. I used the Azure for German Paratroop helmets!]

The three types of 'Pull-back' kinetic/stored-energy/flywheel motor used in the Minic plastic range. You can see how the carborundum was just adhered to the main flywheel.

Earlier versions of these trucks - especially the civilian ones - are subject to warping and were made with some form of phenolic plastic, later ones however; are a more stable styrene compound.

A comparison of the scales used, the Minic/Triang-Hornby/Battle-Space tank is big at around 1:72 and had a tendency to collide with track-side accessories, particularly if you placed them on an inside bend, as the low-loader that carried it would 'cut' the corner! The truck range and limousine are approximately 1:76 (a bit narrow in the case of the lorries), while the little tank and armoured car were 'silly size' say...1:100'ish. The Triang-Hornby/Minix cars are a reasonably true 1:87/Ho scale.