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Lesney Matchbox Major pack M7
Thames trader & Jennings cattle trailer

Lesneys model of the M7 Ford thames trader & Jennings cattle trailer was introduced in mid 1960.
The thames trader tractor unit was painted dark red all over including the baseplate, It had silver trim to the grille & headlights, front bumper & to the grille set into the bonnet (hood) and it had one casting variation where the strengthener that runs up the rear wall on the inside of the cab was lengthened.
There were two distinct castings of the trailer and I believe the second one was a replacement for the first simply because of poor metal flow in the die of the first one which did not cast the drop down 'doors' on the sides properly (see below), The first type trailer has also been found with some of the openings above the drop down doors filled in. The trailer can be found in light or dark tan with a dark red base and either a red or a tan drop down rear door / ramp. The dark tan trailer usually had the rear lights painted red.
The trailer also had casting modifications where the baseplate tongue located into the rear body panel and the round braces on the inside of the body sides were changed from rounded to squared and also on the inside the trailer floor had four strengthening ridges added around the edges. I am not sure if these modifications were to both trailer castings or to just the later one.
The wheels were either knobbly light or dark grey plastic or black plastic in knobbly or fine tread and the axles were dome head with rounded ends.
One rarely seen and extremely rare colour trial has a blue tractor unit with silver trim and a metallic copper type 2 trailer with blue base and rear door with knobbly grey plastic wheels & rounded axles. Only a handful of these are known to exist which makes it the most desirable of all the major packs and being so rare it is most likely very a short run colour trial.
The Trader is a favourite among collectors, It was packaged in 'B', 'C' and 'D' type boxes and was deleted in 1966-67.

above: trailer casting 1 with unevenly spaced drain holes and
very badly cast 'doors'.

above: trailer casting 2 with evenly spaced drain holes and a
much better casting finish to the 'doors'.

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 1577 The California Matchbox Collection - March 10th, 2008 Matchbox Major Pack No.M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red cab, dark tan trailer with red rear ramp, fine tread black plastic wheels, rounded axles - Mint (apart from minor mark to rear door) in Good Plus to Excellent detail picture box - nice example. Estimate: £100-£130 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £90

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 1576 The California Matchbox Collection - March 10th, 2008 Matchbox Major Pack No.M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red cab, light tan trailer and ramp, knobbly grey plastic wheels, rounded axles - Mint in Excellent Plus Moko box. Estimate: £60-£70 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £45

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 3481 Matchbox - February 19th, 2008 Matchbox Major Pack No.M7 Ford Thames Trader Cattle Truck - red, brown back, grey plastic wheels - Excellent in Fair Lesney carded box (replacement end flaps). Estimate: £40-£50 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £20

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 646 The David Kenney Manhattan Collection - Part III - December 11th, 2007 Matchbox Major Pack No.M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red, light tan, knobbly grey plastic wheels - Near Mint in Excellent Moko blue and yellow carded box. Estimate: £70-£80 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £60

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Lot 2545 The Ron Slyder Collection - April 12th, 2007 Matchbox Major Pack - M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red tractor unit, trailer chassis and rear ramp, dark tan trailer body, smooth black plastic wheels - Excellent in Good tape repaired type C Lesney box. Estimate: £40-£60 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £180

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 2544 The Ron Slyder Collection - April 12th, 2007 Matchbox Major Pack - M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red tractor unit and trailer chassis, light tan trailer body and ramp, knobbly grey plastic wheels, rounded axles - Near Mint in Fair to Good type C Lesney box. Estimate: £30-£40 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £100

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Lot 3085 The David Evans Matchbox Collection - December 14th, 2006 Matchbox Major Pack M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red Tractor Unit, Trailer chassis and rear ramp, dark tan Trailer body, smooth black plastic wheels - Near Mint in Good Plus earlier issue type B Moko box with model details to end flaps. Estimate: £50-£70 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £50

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 1301 The Ron Slyder Collection - October 10th, 2006 Matchbox Major Pack M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red Tractor Unit and Trailer base, tan Trailer and rear ramp, knobbly grey plastic wheels - Near Mint although Trailer has factory casting faults around open windows in Fair to Good tape repaired Moko box. Estimate: £30-£40 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £35

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 3349 House On The Hill Collection - June 17th, 2006 Matchbox Major Pack - M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red tractor unit and trailer chassis, tan trailer body and rear ramp, knobbly grey plastic wheels - Excellent in Good Moko box with model details to end flaps. Estimate: £25-£35 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £45

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 953 Matchbox Magic 14 - April 5th, 2006 Matchbox Major Pack M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red cab, trailer chassis and rear ramp, dark tan trailer body, smooth black plastic wheels to tractor unit, small knobbly black plastic wheels to trailer - Near Mint in Good Plus detailed colour picture box. Scarce late issue model and box. Estimate: £100 -£120 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £120

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 952 Matchbox Magic 14 - April 5th, 2006 Matchbox Major Pack M7 Ford Thames Trailer Articulated Cattle Truck - red tractor unit, trailer chassis and rear ramp, dark tan trailer body, grey plastic wheels, rounded axles - Excellent in Good Plus Moko box with model details to end flaps. Estimate: £40 -£50 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £100

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 951 Matchbox Magic 14 - April 5th, 2006 Matchbox Major Pack M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red tractor unit and trailer chassis, light tan trailer body and ramp, knobbly grey plastic wheels, rounded axles - Excellent Plus in Fair tape repaired Moko box with model details to end flaps. Estimate: £20 -£30 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £40

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 96 The White Rose Collection Part 1 - September 6th, 2005 Matchbox Major Packs No.M7 Ford Thames Trader Articulated Cattle Truck - red cab, trailer chassis and rear door, dark tan back, smooth black plastic wheels to tractor unit, knobbly black plastic wheels to trailer - Good Plus to Excellent in Near Mint detailed colour picture box. Rare late issue box. Estimate: £60 -£80 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £80

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collectable toy specialists.

Lot 637 MOKO, MAJOR, KINGSZE ETC. - November 15th, 2000 No.M7 Thames Trader Cattle Truck - "Jennings", light blue cab with metallic copper back, light blue base & rear ramp, grey plastic wheels. Extremely rare. Excellent in Near Mint box. See page 152 "Matchbox Diecast Toys - the First 40 Years". Estimate: £2000 - £3000 Bidding is now closed on this item Price Realised: £3300