Issued 1963-66    Length 99mm
 
Most of the Budgie range of diecast toys, just as with Dinky, Corgi and others, was modelled on real vehicles. The Lewin Sweepmaster was a specialist truck built by J Brockhouse & Co. and was quite a complicated machine. The budgie model was a lot more simple but did have a working brush underneath.
 
The cab and body of the truck was one casting. Clear windows were fitted and silver trim applied to the grille and headlights. On the doors the 'Lewin Sweepmaster' name was displayed in yellow decals. Behind the cab there appeared to be a large control unit (if the picture on the box was anything to go by) but in fact none of this was modelled.
 
From the outside, the silver painted tipping section at the rear of the Lewin Sweepmaster looked good. It had a little hinged access door at the rear and 'Public Works Dep. No.300' decals in red on the sides. But inside there was no floor to the tipper so unlike the Refuse Truck (274) it was unuseable.
 
Underneath the Sweepmaster had a stiff brush on a twisted metal axle attached to the body. There was a black plastic disc at one end which helped ensure that the brushes turned as the model was pushed along.
 
The wheels of the Lewin Sweepmaster were large black plastic similar to those on the Alvis Salamander (298). The rear axle ran through the rear of the chassis but the cab had a large base for the front axle. There were two colours used for the base, glossy black or silver, and these appear to have been fitted concurrently.
 
Appearing first in a yellow 'Budgie Models Ltd.' box (B3), the Lewin Sweepmaster was one of the models which also appeared in blue & white open-sided window packs (C2).
 
Sweepmasters turn up quite regularly in nice condition, but examples still sealed in open-sided packs are scarce.