Nearly the scarcest Major

If you were to compile a list of the Corgi Majors with the smallest numbers sold (and excluding the Rocket Age items) then this model, the 1141 second issue of the Bedford Milk Tanker would be at the top. The records show that only 20,000 of these were sold, a very small number, less than the very hard to find 351S RAF Land Rover and only a few more than the equally elusive 500 US Army Land Rover.

2nd and 3rd places in that would, incidentally, go to 1135, the Military Equipment Machinery Carrier (28,000) and 1132, the Bedford Low Loader (44,000).

This one has just come in and the owner says that he had it from new but, understandably, no-one can really ever be sure about these things. You may not see many of these for sale but when they do appear the prices seldom match what one might expect by virtue of their scarcity. The problem is that the tanker part is identical to that which was attached to the Big Bedford cab in its first appearance back in May 1962 (and actually no different in design to the Mobilgas version in April 1959). It never gets suspension and, as far as I am aware the tanker element never gets free-spinning wheels.

The 1131 Machinery Carrier had a blue TK cab and there are two variations of this, one having a distinctly lighter shade of blue. I remember this as I had one myself with a yellow rear axle. I believe that this pale blue is the same as the Milk Tanker shade and so, if you happen to have one you can make up this 1141 model quite easily.

The same applies to the Mobilgas second issue too, although it is hardly worth the effort because the 1140 model sold nearly 100,000. Although still not huge, an original (or something looking like an original) should be easier to find and probably not worth the effort.