No.15 Austin Countryman was probably the most popular model in the Esso Petrol Pump and Budgie Miniatures collection. First issued as Esso Series No.15 Austin Countryman in 1957, it was made from the start by Modern Products Ltd. and remained on sale until 1970. It was also adapted to create two further models, No.20b Emergency Vehicle and No.61 Q Car

 

The casting, a conventional body & base model, was a good representation of the Austin A95 Westminster Countryman on which it was based. The model measured 66mm long.

 

Unusually in the Esso Series, No.15 was issued in two different colours. The first was blue and the second orange, both with silver side flashes and trim on the grille, headlights, front logo and rear number-plate. The blue version also had red tail-lights.

 

The silver-painted type 1 base included front & rear bumpers and had 'No.15', 'Austin A95 Westminster Countryman' and 'Made in England' cast on it. Unpainted metal wheels were fitted on flat-head & crimped axles.

 

Orange became the standard colour when Budgie re-issued the Austin Countryman in 1960 but the silver side flashes were discontinued. Metal wheels continued but after a time these were switched to grey plastic which were either pale or dark grey.

 

When the wheels changed to black plastic, there was initially no modification to the base but soon a revised base (type 2) with the number '15' on a raised square was introduced. Why this change was made is not clear. There are also examples of this variation without silver trim on the front grille or headlights.

 

The last version of No.15 was metallic mauve with silver trim on the headlights and a touch of trim on the grille. It had black plastic wheels and a silver-painted type 3 base with a changed model title which now said 'Austin A95 Westminster Station Wagon'. 

 

No.15 Austin Countryman appeared in a variety of packs and boxes. After the Esso Petrol Pump Series, it was sold in 'Mobile' and 'Modern' (type 1) Vehicle Series boxes and was included in Budgie Gift Sets No.8 and 12. 

 

In blister-packs, the version with grey plastic wheels was sold in yellow packs, and the orange and metallic mauve models with black plastic wheels in blue packs. 

 

In 1965 it was included as part of the first No.99 Traffic Set (99a) and later in 1967 in the second Traffic Set (99b). Both sets had orange models with black plastic wheels but a final batch of 99b used the metallic mauve model, variation 7.

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No.15 Austin Countryman was withdawn in 1970.