Another filler post and another familiar Lesney Matchbox toy; the Inter-State Double Freighter.
Produced from 1962 until 1967, and scaled at 1:100.
It comprises of a blue Hendrickson V-12 tractor with two silver trailers and a dollie joining the two.
The yellow & blue decals on the trailers read ‘Cooper-Jarrett, Inc’ (There are rarer versions in orange & black lettering that read , ‘Cooper-Jarrett International’, with a globe logo in the middle)
I can’t say I know a lot about the Cooper-Jarrett Inc. There’s plenty of images on the web showing Cooper-Jarrett trucks but not much info. I’m assuming it must have got to have been fairly well known internationally. All I’ve found so far is it was a small New Jersey trucking company that after turning it’s last profit in 1977, saw market forces take a down turn which led to the company going bankrupt, and eventually closing in 1981.
For us fans of Gerry & Sylvia Anderson’s TV series, this is another toy that was used as set dressing in Thunderbirds, usually seen trundling across London Airport’s apron in front of Fireflash!
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
Nice model. I understand the trailer is 4.5 inches long which would make the cab and trailer seen with Fireflash just over 6 inches. In some scenes it's also seen with the double trailer at about 10.5 inches. Gives you an idea of the size of the models built for the TV series. Two of them are also seen in 'The Perils of Penelope' at the Sunprobe launch site, one with both trailers attached.
ReplyDelete