Broad Acres Toy Collection

18/10/2026

17/10/2026

It’s the Quad Squad!

From our British Diecast cupboard ….
Here we are featuring the military tractor, known as The Quad.
In particular, the diecast version made by Kemlows.

We have photographed it next to a Dinky Quad for an idea of scale.

Kemlows ceased making diecast models in the early 1970’s but are still in business making industrial castings.

The range of military Kemlows models, included a more basic version of an artillery tractor, an am******on trailer and a field gun.
There was also a Bedford army truck ( almost a clone of the Dinky version).
We have the Bedford but in an RAF factory finish.

Also on post are other Quad models. The Airfix, Kemlow and Tamiya images are from the web, all other photos are from our collection.

Always something different from Broad Acres Toy Collection.

16/10/2026

This Atom smasher is a Smasher!
In the collection, we have a huge amount of toy guns and ri**es. Some are Wild West related, some are secret agent or police and some are Space Adventure related.

In this post we show one of the Ray Guns from our Space toy cupboard.

This Atom Smasher is basically a heavy quality plastic, with a drop down cast metal trigger and hammer/anvil section which also held a roll of paper caps.

Sadly, the trigger part is seized and will not open.
Not wishing to risk breaking the seventy odd year old plastic, we have left well alone.

The gun was made by Dudley toy maker Keith Low of Keelow.
The trade mark was the two towers of Dudley castle, in a circular cartouche.

Keith Low industries teamed up with Wellsotoys and formed Wells Keelo whose factory was at Holyhead on Anglesey.

We have other Keelow guns in our collection.

Always something different from Broad Acres Toy Collection.

15/10/2026

When diecast model supreme, Lyndon Davies landed at Hornby Hobbies, Paul had great hopes for future product development, from a man who left school in Swansea and was immediately employed by Mettoy.
Hi life in the diecast model industry has been long and varied and yet, here he was with several established British brands and the power to take them to greater things.
Then very sadly, his health failed and took away his ability to lead Hornby Hobbies into better times.
They have lost their finest asset and we have lost a true hero of our world of diecast models.

On post are original Corgi models and an Airfix kit, both of which may well have influenced the Oxford Diecast Bloodhound set.

There is no shame, in looking back to heritage models and representing them, alongside the new.

We can only guess at what may have been, if Lyndon or TAFF, as he is known, had not been struck down and disabled.

All we can do is send our best wishes to Taff and his family and wish him a steady recovery.

Paul and Hilary.

14/10/2026

We were asked, a day or two back about a lead ticket kiosk.

It turned out to be Taylor and Barrett. Since then, Hilary has dug out her kiosk along with a few animals. We like to show these shelf displays from time to time.
Please enjoy and remember, comments are always welcome!

Always something different from Broad Acres Toy Collection.

13/10/2026

Well, we do try and bring our followers, something different!

Paul recently bought this wonderful “bit of kit” at the Spalding Toy fair.

It was a tad soiled but looked complete and after a small haggle, he got it for ten English pounds.

It is of course, a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, made of mostly plastic, with a few metal bits.

It has a battery box, a speaker, an on/off and volume wheel and a tuning wheel.

Why? ….. because it is (or was) a radio!

Batteries were fitted by Paul, but not a dicky bird, came out.

Hopefully, our Rolls-Royce guru and font of toy knowledge, Kevin Bailey, may be able to enlighten us to manufacturer, scale and date.

Always something very different, from Broad Acres Toy Collection.

12/10/2026

From our Dinky Toys cupboard :
This impressive Dinky Supertoy Brockway bridge layer.
Made in the French Dinky factory at Bobigny Paris, it was available from 1962 to 1964 and carries the stock number 884.

It has two inflatable “boats” that carry an eight section interlinking bridge.

The bridge sections and inflatables sit on a carrier platform, that can be swung to the rear and lowered to the ground.

Also included is a paper diorama sheet, with pontoon bridge assembly instructions, overleaf.

Always something different from Broad Acres Toy Collection.

10/10/2026

Code three bus we made in 1987.

10/10/2026

Dear friends. Last night we suffered a BT line outage, here in Newton-in-the-Isle.
No one knows why. The engineers are digging tank traps. Not all of our village is down, but all on our side seem to be out.
We are using our mobile as a hot spot, just to get on line. It’s like swimming through concrete.
It’s taken an age, just to put this post up. We will be back! Paul & Hilary.

08/10/2026

Oh yes! 👍
We do like a bit of tin!

For those who like Volkswagens, tin toys, emergency vehicles and friction motors…..

From our tin toy cupboard, comes this delightful VW ambulance, made by CKO.

CKO is the trade mark of German toy maker George Kellerman. established in Nuremberg in 1910 and ceased trading in 1978.

Our toy ambulance is 1960s and has the code number 402.

Always something different from Broad Acres Toy Collection.