Lesney Caterpillar Bulldozer

The Lesney Bulldozer was introduced in 1947/48 and was an adaptation of the crawler with a three piece bulldozer blade added,
The early versions which were sold individually had a handle attached to the left side of the blade which when operated would raise and lower the blade, It had black rubber tracks and because the tracks had to be fitted after painting so the axles on this model were not painted. The casting was altered when "Lesney Moko Made in England" was cast in to the back of the dozer blade,
It was painted in one colour all over but many different colours were used.
The dozer that was sold as part of the prime mover set had either a yellow body and red dozer blade and arms or was painted green all over, The dozer blade lifting handle was removed and it usually had black rubber tracks and on the red painted dozer arms gold trim was applied to the hydraulics.
Unlike the crawler the bulldozer was not sold with a driver included.
It is one of the more common of the early large scale models but rare coloured models in good condition still fetch very high prices,
It was not packaged in individual boxes until it appeared as part of the prime mover set so until then individual models were packed and sold in boxes of 12, The model went out of production in 1950 when due to the Korean war an embargo was placed on the zinc stocks to reserve them for military use but the embargo ended in 1953 and soon after the model went back into production as part of the prime mover set. The model was reduced in size and released as the number 18a Caterpillar bulldozer in the Matchbox 1-75 series in 1955.
Like the crawler the Bulldozer was also copied by Benbros

above: the Benbros copy of the Bulldozer.
photo courtesy Gary Galvin.

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 111 Matchbox Magic 19 - October 9th, 2007 Moko Caterpillar Bulldozer - dark blue body, scraper and wheels, replacement black rubber tracks - Good to Good Plus. Estimate: £200-£250 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £480

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 671 Matchbox Toys - July 11th, 2006 Lesney large scale Bulldozer - yellow, red blade and hydraulic rams, gold trim, red metal rollers, original black rubber tracks - Good. Still a nice example. Estimate: £70-£90 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £90

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 823 Matchbox Magic 14 - April 5th, 2006 Matchbox Early Lesney Toys large scale Caterpillar Bulldozer - dark green including rollers and blade, original black rubber tracks - Good unboxed. Estimate: £80 -£110 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £520

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 822 Matchbox Magic 14 - April 5th, 2006 Matchbox Early Lesney Toys large scale Caterpillar Bulldozer - light green including rollers and blade, original black rubber tracks - Fair unboxed. Estimate: £50 -£70 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £130

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 821 Matchbox Magic 14 - April 5th, 2006 Matchbox Early Lesney Toys large scale Caterpillar Bulldozer - orange including blade and rollers, original black rubber tracks - Good Plus unboxed. Estimate: £120 -£160 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £360

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 698 Matchbox - January 17th, 2006 Lesney early large scale Bulldozer - yellow, red blade and metal rollers, gold trim, original but perished green rubber tracks - generally Good but blade a little bent out of shape. Estimate: £70 -£90 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £35

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 842 Matchbox - July 5th, 2005 Moko Lesney early large scale Caterpillar Bulldozer - all over green, original black rubber tracks - Fair to Good (top corner of blade missing). Estimate: £40 -£60 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £90

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 173 Miscellaneous - March 12th, 2003 Lesney Major Toy Bulldozer - dark green, black rubber tracks Good Plus - superb example. Estimate: £150 - 200 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £400

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 607 MOKO, MAJOR, KINGSZE ETC. - November 15th, 2000 Lesney Bulldozer Tractors - (1) dark green, shovel & black tracks. Excellent; (2) pale green including shovel & black tracks. Good Plus. (2) Estimate: £150 - £200 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £260

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 606 MOKO, MAJOR, KINGSZE ETC. - November 15th, 2000 Lesney Caterpillar Bulldozers - (1) yellow, yellow shovel, tracks missing. Good; (2) orange, orange shovel, black tracks. Good; (3) yellow, maroon shovel (has been repainted) black tracks. Good Plus. (3) Estimate: £150 - £200 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £220