Spot-On models

This article is about the UK based toys manufacturer. For the TV series, see Spot On (TV Series).

Spot-On Models, was a brand name for a line of diecast toy cars from 1959 through about 1967, built in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

A Tri-Ang Product

Spot-On Models Ltd. was a new range from Tri-ang, a division of Lines Brothers, who, after World War II, claimed to be the largest toy maker in the world. In the 1950s, Dinky Toys from Liverpool, had a successful range of vehicles and then in 1956 Corgi Toys made by Mettoy were marketed. Not wishing to miss out on a commercial opportunity, Lines Brothers started its own range in 1959 made in its factory in Northern Ireland. Murray Lines was put in personal charge of model selection.

The factory had been built in the Castlereagh area of Belfast just after World War II when Lines Brothers were expanding (another factory in South Wales was opened at the same time)(Hammond 1993, p. 9; Hammond 1998, p. 477). At various times, this factory produced several ranges of toys for various companies within the Lines Brothers group, including Pedigree Soft Toys Ltd., Rovex Industries Ltd. and Lines Bros (Ireland) Ltd. (Buising website; Hammond, 1998, p. 17). In about 1960, a smaller factory was opened on the grounds of the Belfast factory - specifically for the Spot-On range (Buising website; Hammond 1993). There were three main product ranges: Spot-On cars, Spot-On doll house furniture, and Arkitex construction kits (Hammond 1998, p. 477).

Marketing Gimmicks

File:SpotOnMGPB.jpg

Spot-On Models by Tri-ang no. 279, MG PB Midget. On the black plastic base is labeled "Made in Northern Ireland".

The objective of Spot-On was similar to that of Dinky and Corgi - to make true-to-life models that also served as toys. The goal was that models be detailed but robust - and Spot-On models were well-made and heavy. As Dinky and Corgi were already established, Spot-On required a marketing gimmick. Spot-On tried first to establish itself in the British market, concentrating on a choice of cars that were familiar in the United Kingdom (the first was a UK Ford Zodiac). Even the name was one more easily understood in the UK. In the United States, where Dinky and Corgi sold a large number of models, Spot-On Models were practically nonexistent. This, together with their larger size and smaller production numbers, made Spot-On models more expensive than the competition. Consequently, they made a relatively small impact on the toy car market. However, backed by the Lines Brothers empire, the product range did not need to make an immediate profit to survive.

Dinky and Corgi were both a little loose with their scale - typically around 1:48 for cars, but Spot-On decided always to be exactly, "spot-on" in 1:42, because models were built to fit into "Cotswold" village style playsets (Rixon 2005, p. 38). The company then naturally adopted this same scale for buses and commercial vehicles which made these models much larger than most Dinky and Corgi toys. The 12 wheel A.E.C. Mammoth Major petrol truck, for example, lived up to its name in toy form and was massive compared to toy trucks from other manufacturers (Gibson 1970, pp. 20-21).

Although more conservative than Corgi Toys, Spot-On did introduce some innovations. The Volvo 122 "Amazon" had a working sunroof. On some models detailed interiors were featured with appropriately dressed drivers and passengers. For example, the "Tonibell" ice cream van had a moving worker inside the back serving area and some models were banks with coin slots in the roof (Gibson 1970, pp. 42-43). Also, enhancing the "Spot-On" name, several cars were redesigned to incorporate battery powered working headlights (these cars had no interiors).

Model Selections and Details

Both large and small cars were chosen for inclusion in the range to fully accentuate the fixed 1:42 scale. Rolls Royce's were represented initially by the Silver Wraith and, later, by the even larger Phantom V which featured working lights and members of the Royal Family as passengers. Smaller vehicles included the Isetta bubble car, the rare Meadows Frisky, the Fiat 500 and the Goggomobil. Also added were exotic sports cars such as the Aston Martin DB Mark III, Jensen 541, Daimler Dart SP250, and Bristol 406, along with more mundane models such as the Hillman Minx and Austin A40.

File:SpotOnRoverWheel.jpg

No. 157L Rover 3 litre wheel-well detail. Note typical wheel style and raised line between door and fender. Older tires have dried and show significant cracks.

Early Spot-On models stated "Made in the United Kingdom" on the base, but later models, like the MG PB Midget altered that to "Made in Northern Ireland". Most had solid color paint jobs, simple silver metal wheel hubs and rubber tires. Usually, lights were painted on the bodies in silver (except on the models with working lights). Similar to a few other earlier diecast makers it is interesting to note that joints between hoods and doors and other body panels were represented on Spot-On Models as raised ridges instead of indentations. Later Spot-On Models had a few more lively wheel styles and tires were sometimes a harder plastic. Whereas early models had metal bases, later ones were often black plastic.

Typical Spot-On packaging was a box in light blue with an drafting compass and "graph paper"-like grid overprinted with the typical yellow and black lettering. The feel of the graphics was that of not simply being toys, rather finely engineered pieces. Gift sets, usually of two vehicles in a diorama, featured the company's own character "Tommy Spot". He appeared with a variety of friends as family man, policeman, mechanic, sailor, fireman, and even member of the Royal family.

Acquisition of Dinky

In 1964, Lines Bros. acquired Meccano, the parent company of Dinky Toys and, rather than support two brands simultaneously, in 1967 the owners decided to discontinue Spot-On in favor of Dinky (Rixon 2005, p. 38). Some production continued in New Zealand and a range of American cars was planned for production in Hong Kong for export to the United States (Gibson 1970, p. 21), but these were eventually relabeled as the Dinky Toys "57" series. They did, however, retain the trademark Spot-On 1:42 scale.

From this point on, Dinkys were almost always made in 1:42 scale, though unlike Spot-On they did not always stick to it and continued to make both larger and smaller models to fit in with different market niches. Spot-On's doll house furniture line were made at 1:16 scale.

Doomed to Fail

Though models were unique and often brilliant (who else made a Bristol or the early Jensen?), Spot-On as a diecast brand was destined to fail precisely because of its endearing qualities. They were more expensive than the competition and more conservative. Each Spot-On model was painted in at least 8, and often 16 different colors. This was very attractive to the collector, but was an inefficient production practice (Buising website). A line of almost exclusively British vehicles limited appeal in an increasingly global export. While American children may have been enamored of certain MGs, Jaguars and Rolls Royces, they probably had never heard of Jensens, Bristols, Armstrong Siddeleys, and Meadows. Meanwhile, Matchbox, Corgi, and Dinky always had a few American and other European cars in their lineups. Perhaps it is fortunate Spot-On ceased production just as Mattel Hot Wheels were introduced as the innovation of the thin friction axle put many more successful toy manufacturers out of business.

Unfortunately, many Spot-On models had artificial chrome attachments that have tended to not last as well as Dinky Toys of the era. However, there is a market in replacement parts, and some commercial enterprises undertake full restoration of Spot-On models. Today, Spot-On models are as collectible as Dinky Toys and Corgi Toys and command high prices. The Morris Minor 1000, Jensen 541, Bristol 406, and Meadows Frisky are particular favorites of collectors because they were not produced in either Corgi or Dinky ranges.

References

Buising, Wiebe. No date. Spot-On: The First (Unofficial) Website. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. [1]

Gibson, Cecil. 1970. Commercial Vehicles. Troy Model Club Series. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons.

Hammond, Pat. 1993. Tri-ang Railways: The Story of Rovex, Volume 1 - 1950-1965. London: New Cavendish. ISBN 0 904568 57 1

Hammond, Pat. 1998. Tri-ang Hornby: The Story of Rovex, Volume 2 - 1965-1971. London: New Cavendish. ISBN 1 872727 58 1

Rixon, Peter. 2005. Miller's Collecting Diecast Vehicles. London: Miller's, A Division of Mitchell Beazley.

Photos

A collection of Spot-On models is viewable at Spot on Collector and on ToyPedia.