Land Rover Series 1

Nystrup Gravel wouldn't be complete without a Series 1 Land Rover. On the 1/35 layout I had a Land Rover belonging to the local fire brigade. For my new 1/19 scale layout I have been looking for a Landy model, but have been put off by horrendously high prices for a Series 1 from the producer Minichamps. There are other manufacturers of Land Rover models in the scale, but with less detail than the Minichamps one. Now I have purchased a Minichamps Land Rover Series 1 1948 model for a relatively modest sum (approximately half of the usual price).

My newly aquired Land Rover Series 1. As every other car model in my collection it will be fitted with additional detail and weathering.

While I'm certainly not an expert on early Land Rover models and different production batches, it did occur to me at the time of buying, that the Minichamps labeling as a 1948 Model couldn't be right. The grill didn't cover the headlights as it did on the first 1948 model and when I checked some references the external doorhandles dates the model to be built after June 1951. As my modelling period is vaguely identified as 'the beginning of the 1950's' I'm not worried about those small differences and question about model year. It's a great little model and as the car can be posed open topped it will look good with a driver figure and some tools in the back.

Front view of the front with nicely etched metal grill including Land Rover logo.

 

The Land Rover Series 1 wasn't a large car with a wheelbase of only 80 inches.

'World dominance' type of advertisement for the classic British 'go anywhere' vehicle.

 

The first 1948 model Land Rover cost £450. Remarkably passenger seats, a spare tyre, a starting handle and even doors were optional extras at first to be bought separately. Despite the Land Rover's utilitarian status these elements were soon included as standard. Only six years after the delivery of the first Land Rover the factory in made its 100,000th Land Rover and by the time the Series I was replaced in 1958, nearly 200,000 had been produced. Actually the Series I was not named as such until the release of the next model - exactly as World War 1 wasn't known as such until the time of WW 2.

The Minichamps model includes detachable bonnet with a view to a detailed engine.

With a softtop plastic casting being easily removable, there is an excellent view into the Land Rover's interior. Windshield can be folded forwards over the bonnet and the doors' upper parts can be detached to enable til car to presented in a very basic form.

 

I haven't quite decided what role the Land Rover will have in my Nystrup Gravel universe. Perhaps a vehicle belonging to a farmer or a foresty official from the estate running the large woods near Nystrup. No matter what it feels good to have a Land Rover in my collection.

"It looks very sturdy and usefull" says workshop manager Thorleif Petersen (to the left). "Maybe, but slow and unglamourously" replies Kjeld Hansen. The two men didn't share taste regarding vehicles.