Road Signs Identification
Road Signs or Traffic Signs
This article described the types and styles of Road Signs that may be confused or sold as Dinky Toys. It is an aid to recognition for buyers and sellers of Road/Traffic Signs.
Introduction
The following image shows a selection of the road signs that may be found on sales at Internet Auction Sites, Swap Meets etc. The set is not necessarily exhaustive and the author has some signs which are not included in this image.
This article covers those metal signs manufactured by the UK Meccano Ltd Company, Dinky Toys and other manufacturer’s signs covering British Signs. Some later plastic signs were manufactured and included in sets such as the 237 and 240 Dinky Way sets.
Continental style signs were made both by Dinky Toys in Binns Road, Liverpool (set 771) and Bobigny France.
Image
The following image shows a selection of road signs from major manufactures.
As in all the accessory identification articles the Dinky Toys signs are on the left.
Identification
Firstly, all metal Dinky Toys signs are clearly marked under, “Meccano Dinky Toys, Made in England” (47 series, pre war and early post war) or just “Meccano Dinky Toys, England” (772 later post war).
If a road sign is not marked under as Meccano Dinky Toys, it is NOT a Dinky Toy.
Top row from left:
|
Make |
Notes |
|
Dinky Toys |
47 Series road sign. Note black base, under is white or black. This has a filled in triangle which places it as a post war example. Pre 1954. See article on Road signs in members section, or taster article under the sample article in What’s in the Members’ Section menu item. “Meccano Dinky Toys, Made in England” cast underneath. 1935 – 1941 and 1948 – 1954). |
|
Dinky Toys |
772 (or 766 to 769) Series Road sign. Note all white base and open triangle. Slightly larger than 47 series example. “Meccano Dinky Toys, England” cast underneath.1959 – 1963. |
|
BHL (British Home Life) |
Unmarked. Very heavy duty construction. Text and sign mask sprayed into the sign. Post war. |
|
Britains |
Unmarked, issued in 1925 before standardisation of Road Signs mid 1930s. Scarce. |
|
Britains |
Marked under Britains etc. Issued from c 1936, note grey base and paper label. Scarce. |
|
Cherilea |
Post war. Note smaller white base. Signs have faint Cherilea embossed behind the sign, hard to read. Quite hard to find. |
|
Crescent |
Unmarked. Pre-war. Square column, there are smaller similar signs that may be Charbens or similar. Often suffer from fatigue. |
|
Gilco (Giltoy Company) |
Post war. Note smaller white base. Most signs in series are marked Gilco behind the sign (the 30mph and bus stop are not marked). These signs are common and Gilco produced a large number of signs and boxed sets. Also listed and sold by Ward (Wardie Master Models). See below. |
|
Taylor and Barrett |
Pre-war School sign, unmarked |
|
John Hill & Co (Johillco) |
Pre-war presumably designed before standardisation of traffic signs, unmarked. Grass base typical (missing chuck at right). This is more properly a farm series item. |
Bottom Row from left
|
Make |
Notes |
|
Unidentified |
Possibly Timpo or Taylors or Barretts |
|
Tri-ang Spot-on |
Post war, note plastic base also designed to be inserted in Spot-on road way, unmarked |
Gilco Signs:
This image shows the extent of the signs made and marketed by the Giltoy Company (Gilco)
