Lledo
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Die-cast scale model manufacturing |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Jack Odell, Burt Russell |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy; brand and model rights acquired by Corgi Classics |
| Headquarters | Enfield , United Kingdom |
| Products | Die-cast scale model commercial vehicles and automobiles |
Lledo was a UK-based manufacturing firm established in 1982 by Matchbox co-founder Jack Odell alongside Burt Russell, operating out of Enfield. From 1983 until its insolvency in 1999, the company primarily crafted die-cast scale model commercial vehicles and automobiles. Subsequent production was relocated to China. The brand name "Lledo" originates from Odell’s surname spelled in reverse, inspired by his wartime wireless call sign mnemonic.
Days Gone
Lledo focused on reproducing early Matchbox designs, especially those from the Models of Yesteryear series. Odell and Russell reclaimed tooling previously owned by Universal, which had acquired the Matchbox factory and transferred it to Macau. This equipment was brought back to Enfield, England, enabling the launch of the "Days Gone" collection in April 1983, continuing Matchbox’s nostalgic vehicle theme.
Initial releases featured models such as a horse-drawn tram, milk float, delivery van, stagecoach-like omnibus, and fire engine. A highly favored later model was the Ford Model T van.
Lledo promotionals
The promotional sector became Lledo’s primary focus, producing numerous variations customized for a wide range of companies. Within six years, hundreds of versions were created based on roughly thirty core castings.
The Model T van was frequently adapted for limited-edition promotional runs, typically numbering between 500 and 1,000 units. This casting bore over 170 distinct liveries. After 1984, horse-drawn vehicle models diminished in popularity. The London Double Decker bus also gained traction as a promotional item with liveries such as "Vimto-Keeps you Fit," "Madame Tassaud's Wax Museum," and the charity-themed "Boys Brigade." Additionally, the VW Transporter van carried promotional branding for Pepsi, 7 Up, and Bosch spark plugs.
To distinguish promotional items from traditional "Days Gone" releases, baseplates were stamped either "Days Gone" or "Lledo Promotional Model." While most models were produced directly by Lledo, certain 'Code Two' editions were manufactured by external firms under agreements for label application.
Foreign marketers
In the United States, some Lledo products were marketed under the Hartoys brand based in Florida, focusing mainly on trucks designed for supermarket and drugstore promotions. The "Fantastic Set o' Wheels" series was short-lived despite high-quality production and notable brand partnerships, likely due to diecast manufacturing expenses. By the early 1990s, Hartoys transitioned to Chinese diecasters and rebranded their offerings as "American Highway Legends" (AHL), including models like the 1939 International A&P truck. In the Netherlands market, Lledos were sold under the Edocar label.
Land speed record
In 1993, Lledo collaborated with Kellogg's UK to release "Land Speed Legends," a collection of four land speed record car models: the 1935 Campbell-Railton Blue Bird, John Cobb’s Railton Mobil Special, Craig Breedlove’s second Spirit of America, and Richard Noble’s Thrust 2, which held the record from 1983 until 1997.
These new castings marked a departure from Lledo’s typical classic vehicle liveries and were not reproduced in other promotional campaigns. The models varied in scale between approximately 1:80 and 1:100. The promotion included all four vehicles accompanied by a foldout poster outlining technical details and record achievements. Although Lledo also created a replica of the Thrust SSC driven by Andy Green, such ventures outside their traditional lineup remained uncommon.
Vanguards
Introduced in 1996, the Vanguards series specialized in replicas of iconic British classic cars and eventually included other European models. The inaugural release was the fourth iteration of the Ford Anglia (1959–1968). With a diverse selection of brands such as Hillman, Jowett, Wolseley, Rover, Triumph, Vauxhall, Austin, Morris, and Jaguar, the collection grew to encompass more than 40 different vehicles.
The "Fifties and Sixties Classic Collection" earned recognition for its meticulous attention to detail. For example, the Sunbeam Alpine Mark II showcased finely crafted decals featuring authentic logos and lettering, a chrome fuel cap, door handles, trunk hinges, body-colored wheels with whitewall tires, a rearview mirror, and genuine windshield wipers. Similar to numerous Lledo products, the mirrors were separate components designed to be attached after purchase.
The British commercial vehicle lineup included models such as Ford Transit vans, Ford Thames Trader trucks, Commer dropsides, Morris commercial vans, Dennis F8 fire engines, Bedford S Type trucks, Land Rover LWB and Defender variants, and Karrier boxbacks. Subsequent additions featured Volkswagen Transporter vans in various liveries, including a vivid yellow version branded with Bosch Auto Electrical. Unlike earlier Lledo releases, all Vanguards were consistently manufactured at a 1:43 scale.
Company fate
Although Lledo produced large quantities of models, it faced challenges competing against lower-cost manufacturers from Hong Kong and China who entered the special promotions sector with comparable quality. As a result, Lledo filed for bankruptcy in 1999. The rights to the brand name and model lineup were purchased by Corgi Classics, which continued manufacturing Lledo models in China until 2005. At that point, the remaining product lines were absorbed into the Corgi Classics portfolio.
Jack Odell, one of Lledo’s founders, died on 8 July 2007 at the age of 87.
References
Footnotes