Oxford Diecast 76LAN188008

Civil Defence Corps - 1:76 Scale

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI/AI images rather than photographs

Prototype Eras
Era 3 (1923 to 1947) The Big Four (LNER, LMS, GWR and SR)
Era 4 (1948 to 1956) British Railways Early Crest
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest
Era 6 (1967 to 1972) British Rail Blue (Pre-TOPS)
Era 7 (1972 to 1982) British Rail Blue (TOPS)

Manufacturer description

Rover chief engineer Maurice Wilks was inspired by his army-surplus Willys-Overland Jeep to create a workhorse vehicle for military and agricultural use - and for export abroad to kick-start both Rover's fortunes and the national economy after World War II. Prototypes were up and running by late 1947, and production of the Series I began at Solihull in summer 1948. It had permanent four-wheel-drive with low-ratio gearing and a locking freewheel mechanism, and a 50bhp, 1.6-litre engine from the Rover P3 saloon. It was fitted with lightweight body panels made from surplus aircraft-grade aluminium - steel was in short supply post-war - and came with army-surplus green paint. The Land Rover price started from just £450. Supply to the British forces started in 1949, the Land Rover replacing the Austin Champ and later, the rust-prone Austin Gipsy. Deliveries to organisations such as the Red Cross soon followed. The 100,000th Land Rover was made in autumn 1954 and by 1958, production ran to around 200,000. It was widely used by the Civil Defence as in this example, registration number SFX 582 was used by the West Suffolk Division

Catalogue listing

Model details

Oxford Diecast Civil Defence Corps – 1:76 Scale model. The die‑cast figure is supplied in pristine condition and bears the manufacturer part number 76LAN188008. It depicts a Land Rover as used by the Civil Defence Corps, bearing the registration SFX 582 and painted in the West Suffolk Division livery. The period represented by the model is the early British Railways crest era.

The vehicle represented is the first series Land Rover, developed by chief engineer Maurice Wilks after World War II. Prototypes were running by late 1947 and production of the Series I began at Solihull in the summer of 1948. It featured permanent four‑wheel drive, low‑ratio gearing, a locking freewheel, and a 50 bhp 1.6 litre engine derived from the Rover P3 saloon. Body panels were made from surplus aircraft‑grade aluminium and the vehicle was supplied in army‑surplus green paint. The initial price was £450. Supply to the British forces commenced in 1949, replacing the Austin Champ and later the Austin Gipsy. The 100,000th Land Rover left the factory in autumn 1954 and production had reached around 200,000 by 1958.