[REVIEW] Lesney Matchbox Scammell Mountaineer Snowplough

Lesney Matchbox time is here again. Today we look at a “newer” casting, newer for my collection, that is. This is Lesney Matchbox 16c, the Scammell Mountaineer Snowplough (snowplow to us on the other side of the pond). This casting entered the range in 1963, and was popular item, remaining until 1969. It is a good example of the highly detailed high production era for Lesney, when the 1-75 series was an enormous success:

Scale is hard to to estimate, but I would guess smaller than 1:70. It has some size, but the real vehicle is also quite large. There’s no glazing and no interior, typical for Matchbox heavy trucks of that era. As one can see, there’s a lot going on here, with fine casting detail everywhere. The plow blade has a little movement, but is not fully adjustable - it is a delicate piece, often missing on loose models. That along with the tilting dump bed add immense play value, and I have no doubt this casting was enjoyed by countless kids when it was new. From all angles, one can see it is a quality piece:

Front and rear have similar good detail, with the striped detail on the plow blade keeping this one memorable:

The base of the cab and bed has identifying detail, typical of the era, and also shows off the dual rear wheels:

Detail of the dump bed from a few angles, no doubt this casting was often sold on this feature alone:

This one is lucky enough to live in its original “E” type box. With this, it was likely made after 1964:

This casting was only made in this color combination, and there is a less common grey wheel variety that I guess I should find someday. Although not rare, I am definitely glad to have this, as I remember I got it for a good price, and I like the design of this piece:

I can’t find an image of one of these with a plow blade, but here’s a period pic of a 1:1 truck from pinterest, one can see it is massive: