Benbros Qualitoys
Muir Hill Dumper Truck
Variation 1 : Yellow with red dump & blue pmw
Variation 1 (yellow with red dump)
Underside and detached driver
Variation 1 : Yellow with red dump & blue pmw
Several toy makers in the 1950's made models of the Muir Hill Dumper and the Benbros Qualitoy version was one of the more solid ones.
The main body was a one-piece hollow casting with good detail including front lights and bumper, and at the rear a tow-hook. Underneath 'Benbros Qualitoy' and 'Made in England' were cast providing id. which Benbros had tended to omit on many earlier models. The Dumper unit was connected to the body using an axle secured through raised lugs at the rear. This gave it good tipping ability.
The driver, steering wheel and seat were a separate single casting which slotted into a hole in the body and although a little wobbly seemed to stay there quite well! The whole unit could swivel round in the way that the real vehicle seat could when dumping.
Wheels for the Muir Hill Dumper were special to this model although they were also fitted to a late variation of the Ferguson Tractor. They were usually painted a bright blue inside and out with silver centres but black wheels with silver centres were used on some variations. Both sets of wheels were attached by axles secured directly to the body.
Benbros issued the Dumper Truck in a variety of colours including bright yellow with a red (or dark red) dump, and red with a yellow dump. There was silver trim on the front grille, bumper, lights and steering wheel, and there was a blue seated thin driver similar to that used on the Bulldozer. Later Benbros added two new colours, orange (or orange-red, some with gold trim) with a green dump, and finally metallic green with an orange dump.
The Muir Hill Dumper had a box of its own with two illustrations on alternate sides and the 'Benbros Qualitoy' logo on both red end-flaps. 'Dumper Truck' was printed on each side.
As one would expect for a toy with plenty of play value, examples of the Dumper Truck which have survived in good condition are quite scarce.
Variation 1 : Yellow with red dump & blue pmw
Benbros Qualitoys Muir Hill Dumper Truck
Variations
1) YELLOW RED dump BLUE driver BLUE pmw with silver trim
2) RED YELLOW dump BLUE driver BLACK pmw with silver trim
3) ORANGE GREEN dump BLUE driver BLUE pmw with silver trim
4) METALLIC-GREEN ORANGE dump BLUE driver BLUE pmw with silver trim
photo Gary Galvin
Variation 1 with dark red dump
photos Gary Galvin
Variation 2 : Red with yellow dump & black pmw
Variation 3 : Orange (silver trim) with green dump & blue pmw
photo Gary Galvin
Variation 3 : Orange-red (gold trim) with green dump & blue pmw
Variation 4 : Metallic-green with orange dump & blue pmw