One of the more unusual products of the well known manufacturer  Chad Valley is this model of a three wheeled tractor unit with dropside trailer. The yellow tractor is cut from a single piece of wood without door or window details, which is recessed underneath to permit the installation of a simple clockwork motor which powers the rear wheels. The front wheel is steerable through an angle of about 45 degrees either way and is protected by a curved brass guard mounted at the front of the vehicle. The red trailer is made from three pieces of wood and is attached by a nut and bolt which permits articulation but means it is not detachable. The wheels are made from a single piece of black rubber with the front one being much smaller than the other four.

The rear of the trailer bed sports a decal bearing the manufacturer’s name and address along with the Royal Coat of Arms and the statement ‘By Appointment Toymakers to H.M. the Queen’. Chad Valley received the Royal Warrant in 1938, and for the next fourteen years all Chad Valley Toys carried this highly-prized accolade on their products and boxes. It was then amended to read ‘Toymakers to H. M. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’ when her daughter Elizabeth acceded to the throne.  From this we can date the model to the period 1938-1952.

It is not possible to give a scale for this model, but it measures 180mm long by 72mm wide and 67mm high.  It comes in its own individual coloured cardboard box labelled ‘Mechanical Horse with Trailer’, measuring 180mm x 76mm x 68mm.                                                           
Despite the history of Chad Valley being well documented,  details of this specific model are hard to find. It is believed that there was a farm tractor in the same range, but any further information would be appreciated.

Photos in this gallery were taken by Mr Chris Took © (Model Secretary)