BRISTOL MODELS

This page doubles as the "Display Cabinet" for all of my models and I have also listed all of makers/suppliers I know about. I have all models except those marked with an * asterisk. I am looking to complete my collection and I have some duplicates to swap.

This is all I can find out up to May of 2008. If you know of anything I've missed please let me know. Undoubtedly there are probably other small makers/modellers who have made Bristol or Bristol engined models. Collecting these models can be a very expensive exercise, so the best of luck!

If anyone out there in the UK is a really good model maker, for building my kits I can pay with a spare complete model or two?

At the bottom of these lists I have given all the current details I have on the various makers and producers. If you have any more info. please let me know.

BRISTOL 400
MAKECOLOURADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Landsdowne ModelsRedFrequently appear on EBAY
Mikansue ModelsNone (Two Tone)Supplied as a White metal kit
Mikansue ModelsNone (Green)Supplied as a White metal kit
Mikansue ModelsNone (Blue)Supplied as a White metal kit
RAE Models *None (White)Supplied as a White metal kit
RAE ModelsNone (Light Blue)Supplied as a White metal kit
Merlyn Models *CreamNothing is known about Merlyn

BRISTOL 401
MAKECOLOURADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Pathfinder ModelsBlueFinished model 600 only made - now defunct
Pathfinder ModelsRedFinished model 600 only made - now defunct
Big River ModelsSilverWell made and from the Pathfinder Brass Master
Big River ModelsGoldWell made and from the Pathfinder Brass Master
Big River ModelsWhiteWell made and from the Pathfinder Brass Master
Big River ModelsDark GreenWell made and from the Pathfinder Brass Master

BRISTOL 402
MAKECOLOURADDITIONAL INFORMATION
TW CollectionsNoneWhite metal kit No. 159

BRISTOL 403
MAKECOLOURADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Cheshire ModelsBlackA small run was done from the Pathfinder Brass Master

BRISTOL 406
MAKECOLOURADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Unknown3 Colours to date - Blue/Cream/GreyWas apparently a Kellogs (ugly) giveaway
Spot-onVariousMade in a range of five colours
Spot-onBlue1/42 Appear on EBAY from time to time
Spot-onGreen1/42 Appear on EBAY from time to time
Spot-on *Red1/42 Appear on EBAY from time to time
Spot-on *Yellow1/42 Appear on EBAY from time to time
Spot-onGrey1/42 Appear on EBAY from time to time
ReplicarsSilverAppear to be a later copy of Spot-on
Replicars *RedAppear to be a later copy of Spot-on
Rialto Models - ZagatoRed1:43 Supplied as a resin kit or ready built
Rialto Models - ZagatoGrey (1 off)1:43 Supplied as a resin kit or ready built
Rialto Models - Zagato 2 + 2T.B.A.1:43 Supplied as a resin kit or ready built

BRISTOL 407
MAKECOLOURADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Rialto Models - 407 Zagato????????Nothing at present and only a possibility,
see Rialto Models website in the future

BRISTOL 450
MAKECOLOURADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Bizarre Models - No.37 1953BRGLe Mans 1953 drivers Lance Macklin - Graham Whitehead
Bizarre Models - No.38 1953BRGLe Mans 1953 drivers Tommy Wisdom - Jack Fairman
Bizarre Models - No.33 1954BRGLe Mans 1954 8th Tommy Wisdom - Jack Fairman
Bizarre Models - No.34 1954BRGLe Mans 1954 9th Michael Keen - Tommy Line
Bizarre Models - No.35 1954BRGLe Mans 1954 7th, 1st in Class Peter Wilson - Jim Mayers
Bizarre Models - No.32 1955BRGLe Mans 1955 7th Peter Wilson - Jim Mayers
Bizarre Models - No.33 1955BRGLe Mans 1955 8th Michael Keen - Tommy Line
Bizarre Models - No.34 1955BRGLe Mans 1955 9th Tommy Wisdom - Jack Fairman
MMK ModelsBRG1/32 scale Scalxtric type slot car - 250 made
AGM ModelsBRGCar No. 33 - Nothing is known about AGM Models
Sun ModelsBRGNothing is known about Sun Models
Dinky ToysBRGA 1950's Dinky model No. 163
V. de C. ReplicasNone1955 Le Mans White metal Kit
Provence MoulageNoneSupplied as a resin kit
MPH Models *GreenA 1988 MPH built modified Provence Moulage kit
Provence MoulageNoneSupplied as a resin kit
MPH Models *GreenA 1988 MPH built modified Provence Moulage kit

COOPER BRISTOL
MAKECOLOURADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Dinky ToysBRGA 1950's Dinky Model N0. 23g / 233g
Crescent ModelsLight BlueA 1950's model
CopyCat ModelsLight BlueSeems to be a later copy of the Crescent?
ReplicarsGreyAn apparent later copy of other Cooper Bristols
More & Stone ModelsBlueA 1950's Esso "Giveaway"
Budgie ToysLight BlueVery similar to the Matchbox 1-75 series
John Haynes Collection / Replicars ? *GreenNothing is known of John Haynes models
Circuit SeriesNoneWhite Metal kit - Nothing is known of Circuit Series
Modelos 3J *BRGNothing is known of this Portugese maker
K & R ReplicasBRGSupplied in kit or finished form
K & R ReplicasBRGBritish GP 1952 G. Wharton - kit or finished form
K & R ReplicasBRGBelgian GP 1952 M. Hawthorn - kit or finished form
K & R ReplicasBRGLavant Cup 1952 M. Hawthorn - kit or finished form
ASC RacingMaroonTony Crook Mk2 1954 - 20 only made
ASC RacingBRGType T20 Empire Trophy Race 1953 Alan Brown - 20 only made
RAE ModelsLight Greena 1/72 Scale model from RAE

ARNOLT BRISTOL
MAKECOLOURADDITIONAL INFORMATION
MikanSue ModelsWhite MetalSupplied as a White metal kit
TW CollectionsWhite MetalWhite metal Coupe kit No. 83
TW CollectionsWhite MetalWhite metal Roadster kit No. 81

AC BRISTOL
MAKECOLOURADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Mimodels ? (Resin - France)Light GreenAC ACE Le Mans 1957 10th Peter Bolton/Ken Rudd - Kit or complete
Mimodels ? (Resin - France)RedAC ACE Le Mans 1958 9th Hubert Pathey/George Berger- Kit or complete
Renaissance Models (France)SilverAC ACE Le Mans 1960 - supplied as a Kit or ready built
Renaissance Models (France)SilverAC ACE Le Mans 1962 - supplied as a Kit or ready built
Mikansue *NoneAC Ace Kit No. 11 - 1958 Le Mans no. 28 8th in race, 2nd in 2 litre class.
Provence MoulageGreenAC ACE 7th Le Mans 1959 - supplied as a resin Kit
MPH Models *GreenAC ACE 7th Le Mans 1959 - A Modified Provence Moulage built Kit
Premier Car Collection (Japan)BRGAC ACE Bristol 1957 1/64th Scale
Dinky Toys No. 167 *VariousAC ACECA COUPE was made in several colour variations
Conquest Models *RedAC Greyhound 1960 - Nothing is known of Conquest
Rialto Models (Holland)RedAC Bristol Zagato - supplied as a resin kit or ready built

THE MAKERS

ASC RACING
A Portuguese small quantity maker of handbuilt models, of whom I have lost the details - sorry!

BIG RIVER MODELS
Made in Australia, there are 10 different colour versions of the 401, Metallic Maroon, Metallic Charcoal, Metallic Dark Blue, Metallic Dark Green, Metallic Light Blue, Metallic Light Green, Silver, Gold, Cream, Cherry Red. They will also paint models to order so that Bristol owners can have the same colour as their own car. The Big River Bristol started out from the brass masters for the Pathfinder model. John Halcrow has made made a number of alterations including reshaping the bonnet and door/window sill. He also adapted it to accept photo etched window frames and radiator grille – relocated the dashboard to match the scuttle. At the time of writing a Bristol 404 is about to be released in the same colour variations. A 402 is also in the pipeline and will most likely be produced in resin. John is also intending to incorporate the rectangular rib along the bottom edge of the body, as with some early 401 cars. Their website is currently being upgraded but John Halcrow can be contacted at johnatbigriver@bigpond.com.

BIZARRE MODELS
Bizarre Models are made in Japan and they produce 8 different 450's. Some are just different racing number decals to represent cars driven at Le Mans by different pairs of drivers. The 450's are listed with pictures in the Le mans section of their website www.bizarremodel.com. The latest information indicates that in relation to Le Mans cars, the Provence Moulage kit tooling was taken over by Bizarre Models.

BUDGIE
The first Budgie models were introduced in the early 1960s. The manufacturer was based in London and made diecast models in 1/43rd scale and smaller. These models were rather simple, for instance they had no interior detail. Some of the models were made until the 1980s: a 1/43rd scale London taxi, a 1/55th scale Rolls Royce Silver Cloud and a 1/76th scale AEC Routemaster double decker which was also sold in large numbers at London souvenir shops. Until 1966, the Budgie range was owned by Morestone Models, later by a company called H. Seener Ltd. After 1985 Seener continued to produce the models in slightly altered form under the "Seerol" name until the late 1990s.

CHESHIRE MODELS
Nothing significant is known about Cheshire models at present. They were the first to acquire the 401 tools from Pathfinder and produced a "small number" of 403's based on these tools.

CONQUEST MODELS
These models Were distributed by a Firm called Fa. Daimler House of Holland. They are slightly lighter than the Brooklin 1957 but have better detail and are possibly amongst the best 1:43 1957 model ever produced

DINKY
Dinky Toys were diecast model cars in about 1/43rd scale made by the well-known Meccano toy company in Liverpool (England) and Bobigny (France) from 1934. In the course of the decades the level of detail of these models, which were originally intended as accessories for model railways, became better and better. Production in France ceased in 1973, but several French models were produced in Spain for some years more. The English branch had to close down in 1981. In the 1980s Matchbox bought the rights the use the name of "Dinky" and made a range of 1/43rd collectible scale models of classic cars from the 1940s to the 1960s under this name from 1988 to the mid-1990s, the "Dinky Collection".

K&R REPLICAS
K&R Replicas produce 4 different Cooper Bristols. Their website is www.kandrreplicas.co.uk

LANDSDOWNE MODELS
A series of 1/43rd scale white metal models of British cars from the 1930s to the 1970s has been released in the Lansdowne range, made by Brooklin Models, since 1993. Brooklin Models was founded in Canada in 1974, but is now based in Bath (England) and has become a leading manufacturer of 1/43rd scale handbuilt modelcars. The Brooklin main range, existing since the 1970s, consists of models of classic American cars, but in the course of time several other series have been introduced, besides Lansdowne e.g. Robeddie (Swedish cars) or U.S. Model Mint. The models are carefully hand-finished, and the average production run for a model over a five year period rarely exceeds 3000 units.

MIKANSUE
The interesting name came from the combination of the first names of Mike and Sue Richardson (MIKe ANd SUE). Mikansue kits appeared in 1973 with the Jowett Javelin. Modellers' World magazine was started by Mike & Sue Richardson.Vol. 1, No. 1, dated October 1971, coincidentally with the dawn of the emergence of the white metal kit. These models aren't apparently known for their exact proportions; in fact, the most often quoted complaint are the "off" proportions but this is not unusual for a boutique maker. Little is known currently about MIKANSUE and production appears to have ceased in the late 1980's.

MMK MODELS
MMK are a small French company specialising in a top class range of hand-built resin models of classic Le Mans cars, in ready-to-run and kit form. RTR cars are produced under the names MMK, SlotFrance, and Hors. All cars are limited to between 200 and 300 units only. All are hand made rare cars. The TKP range of kits are available as very well cast pre-painted bodykits or as Complete kits with all running gear needed to get them on track! I can't find a relevant website but World Classics had a stock in May 2008 - try www.worldclassics.co.uk

MORESTONE - COOPER BRISTOL
Budgie Toys have a bit of a tangled history, since these diecasts are firmly linked to the Morestone name; other allied references are Modern Products, Mobile Vehicle and ESSO. The background to Budgie is straightforward enough, though, with Messrs Morris and Stone forming an eponymous company and dealing in the distribution of toys. Time passed and the pair deemed it desirable to market their own line: for this they enlisted the help of Modern Products.

This production was duly added to under the (confusing) name of ESSO: the gimmick here, rather like Benbros with its little television set shaped boxes, was that of petrol pump packaging. Two scales were made, one in 1:72 to get into the Dublo, Lone*Star and Matchbox market whilst a bigger scale was also marketed to retail lorries and trucks.

Budgie Toys finally appeared in 1959 and the earliest models were cunningly enough simply re-issues of Morestone /Modern Products stock. A coupe of years later Morestone was bought out by Guiterman; this company itself went under in the mid-sixties but fortunately Modern Products soldiered on with the Budgie brand. Concurrently, souvenirs were manufactured for London outlets, which helped buoy sales. When Modern Products finally bit the dust in 1983, a company called Starcourt continued production of the tourist souvenirs and saw to it that the Budgie name did not quite die out.

Today’s notable Budgie models are not unsurprisingly connected with London and you’ll find taxi-cabs, buses and coaches. The range was not extensive, encompassing as it did the more workaday road vehicles, but there’s still enough for the collector. Cars are few and far between, though, but there is a racing Mercedes out there, not to mention the famous Supercar model.

MPH MODELS
Tim Dyke set up MPH Models after he decided to quit the rat race and become a full time modeller in 1987, having been made redundant three times more or less in succession between his 40th and 46th birthdays, fate was obviously telling him something. MPH specialises in the Le Mans 24 hour race between the years 1949 and 1965. Their aim is to seek out the best available kits of the cars that ran in those races. They then build a limited and numbered edition of 25 of each subject, incorporating such modifications and improvements as are both possible and necessary. They concentrate on kits made from polyurethane resin, which in their view give gives many advantages over white metal, particularly in crispness and delicacy of detail. However, on some occasions they we will build from scratch, if the subject we wish to model is not available elsewhere.

Prices vary according to time taken and cost of components, bearing in mind the degree of difficulty and number of modifications (frequently over 250) we make to a particular model. As a guide line, prices are currently in the £350 area (£12 per hour plus parts at cost) (May 2008), delivered UK mainland. Overseas postal costs are additional. When an edition is completed a letter is sent to all customers, inviting them to confirm their order by cheque, or authority to charge their credit card, in which case a charge of 2.5% is added to cover our extra costs. Most overseas customers use this facility, as they frequently find the cost of issuing a sterling draft is more expensive. Website www.mphmodels.com.

Whilst the above sounds current, another source states that MPH MODELS operated between 1987 and 2006. During this time they produced 1470 models, each one numbered and certificated.

MIMODELS
Mimodels is a company specialising in marketing racing models from a number of manufacturers. Whilst I have listed the AC models under the name of Mimodels, they have been made by someone else, as yet to be identified. www.mimodels.com

PATHFINDER
Pathfinder Models was a UK Company that made hand built, ready finished, white metal models for the collectors market. They also produce models for other companies such as G.W Engineering and Minicar 43. Production ceased in the last few years.

PREMIER CAR COLLECTION
Whilst this 1/64th Japanese model is listed under the name Premier Car Collection, it has been listed on EBAY under other names such as "YOU MODELLINI". It was apparently produced for sale in stores like 7 - 11.

PROVENCE MOULAGE
A French manufacturer of plastic kits. The Bristol models appear to be no longer produced. The website www.provence-moulage.com does not appear to be a relevant website? The latest information indicates that in relation to Le Mans cars, the Provence Moulage kit tooling was taken over by Bizarre Models.

RENAISSANCE MODELS - KITS & BUILT AC BRISTOL 1957 AND 1962
Renaissance models are made in France and come as either a kit or a complete built model. Website www.renaissance-models.co.

RIALTO MODELS
Rialto models are based in Holland and owned by model maker Jan Miedema. Jan is now adding a 406 Zagato 2 + 2 to his range and will be producing about 100 models in either kit or built form as you choose. It is possible at some time in the future that Jan will also produce a 407 Zagato. www.rialtomodels.nl.

SPOT-ON
Apearing in 1959 "Spot-on" were manufactured in Northern Ireland and produced by Tri-ang, a division of Lines Brothers. This range were kept to one scale, 1:42, and were comparatively more expensive, never managing to sell as many units as Corgi and Dinky. In 1964 Tri-ang took over the parent Meccano company (which included Hornby trains as well as Meccano itself) and since Dinky Toys were more popular than Spot-On, the latter were phased out in 1967, although a few cars originally designed for Spot-On were made in Hong Kong and marketed as Dinky Toys. However from this point Dinky used the 1:42 scale for many of the English made cars and trucks, although the French factory stuck to the more common 1:43 scale, which was already popular in Europe.

TW COLLECTIONS
Trevor Wright (TW), retired and cast these gems as a hobby. Although perhaps the kits are not up to today’s fine art models, TW produced some rare and unusual vehicles, which have not been made since these kits were new some 25 / 30 years ago in the 70's / 80's? There are no contact details on either the paperwork or the boxes.

UNKNOWN
AGM Models
Circuit Series
Merlyn Models
RAE Models
Sun Motor Company