This model was first published in the 1954 No. 7/8. instruction manual  it is another in the series of models based on Dinky Toys.  The original Dinky Toy (shown on the left) was introduced towards the end of 1951 without any announcement in the Meccano Magazine, this was rather surprising as there were very few new products from Binns Road that year because of shortages of material due to the Korean war. New Dinky models were usually announced  on the Dinky Toy advertisement page.  The Dinky model at that time came in yellow or dark blue the actual Austin F1 taxi on which it was based were nearly always black perhaps the yellow was to appeal to the American market. I built the model using 1964 -1970 silver and yellow Meccano parts, the non matching plates are more recent plastic ones. The model was easy to build with no problemsI think its a rather neat model and well proportioned. The beautifully restored Austin F1 taxi but without the open luggage compartment is shown on the right and dates from 1955. I took this picture at Kidderminster Station at the Seven Valley Railway 1960s Gala on February 18 2006. The black and white scan below is from the 1954 Meccano 7/8 instruction book. At that time the parts  would have been in red and green and the model could have been built from the number 7 set. Last Revised May 04 2015

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