Regiment on Wheels: Wells Brimtoy No. 139 Large Clockwork Army Wagon Truck – The Tinplate Troop Transporter!

Hey, tinplate troopers and Brimtoy brigadiers! March into RareToyHub, your barracks for battlewagons and wartime wonders. Today, we're rolling out the rarest of the rare – the Wells Brimtoy No. 139 Large Clockwork Army Wagon Truck, a 1940s tinplate hauler that ferries toy soldiers across tabletops with chugging charm. If you're a No. 139 noncom, your gears are grinding. If you're not… wind the key, because this khaki convoy is about to commandeer your collection!

What Makes This No. 139 Wagon THE No. 139 Wagon?

The Wells Brimtoy No. 139 Large Clockwork Army Wagon Truck was a 1940s tinplate military vehicle from Wells Brimtoy Ltd. – a 12-inch open-bed truck with khaki litho body, canvas tilt, four wheels, and a wind-up mechanism that drives it forward while the rear axle spins for "off-road" fun. Produced post-WWII in the '40s-50s, it was designed for play with toy soldiers, capturing the era's fascination with army adventures in durable British tin.

This Brimtoy battle beast? Convoy commander. Why the military march?

• Complete & Chugging (CC) – Full truck, tilt, key, no rust or rips. No seized springs or stripped screws – ready to rumble.
• 1940s Khaki Khraft – Hand-litho details, "Army" markings, red hubs. It's the wagon that waged war on boredom.
• Rarity Alert – Short '40s run amid metal shortages; boxed examples ultra-scarce. Survivors? Fewer than a foxhole fox.

The Anatomy of a Legend

Let's convoy this commander part by part:

Wind the key, and you're the commander. Wheels whir, tilt tilts – one turn? *Vroom-rumble!* – army advance. It's not a plastic Panzer; it's your tinplate triumph, one troop at a time.

Why Collectors Are Losing Their Ranks

Time to tally the troops (the treasure-kind – no billet bonds):

• Partial Patrol → $200–$500
• Near-Complete Convoy (NCC) → $600–$1,200 (missing a wheel? Still rolls ranks)
• Boxed 1940s Original? → $1,500–$3,000+ (ToyMart tallied £1,077 / $1,400 in '24)

Why the Brimtoy barrage? Supply shelled by scarcity. '40s steel shortages, tin tarnishes, tilts tear. Plus, military mini revival? It's the convoy collectible charge – values up 700% as wagons warpath to wardrobes.

Fun Facts to Drop at Your Next Toy Troop

1. Postwar Parade – Built '40s-50s after Brimtoy merger. Fun twist: Spinner axle for "mud" – no traction, all tumult!
2. Wells' Wartime Weld – A. Wells & Brimtoy's tinplate titan. Geek out: Helical spring clockwork – pre-plastic patrol.
3. Auction Advance – Boxed No.139 $1,400 ToyMart '24; eBay NCC $800. Tin Toy Trader trucks it "army essential"!
4. Rarer Than a Rare Recon – Limited '40s; <500 boxed. No re-runs – this is pure postwar pull!

Is This the Ultimate Brimtoy Military Grail?

Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: YES, and here's why you'll trade your Betjemann for it.

• Historical Haul: 1940s tinplate troop carrier – marches the merger. No other wagon wheels like this.
• Investment Infantry: Wells Brimtoy is wartime wealth. This one's the convoy capital – values up 800% in a decade.
• Bragging Rights: "Got No.139 boxed, troops transported." *Vroom-rumble! – the echo outruns Tri-ang.

Final Thoughts: Hunt, Hold, or HODL?

If you own one?
→ Oil the onrush (rust ravages ranks).
→ Display in glass garrison, dust-down.
→ Never loose the load. (Tilt tips.)

If you're hunting one?
→ Scour surplus sales for "Brimtoy No.139 boxed".
→ Join Tin Toy Troops (but test or trail off – no rusted recruits).
→ Budget like a brigadier: This isn't a toy. It's timeless tin.

RareToyHub Verdict: The Wells Brimtoy No. 139 Large Clockwork Army Wagon Truck isn't just the crown jewel of Brimtoy collecting – it's the haul that heads the horde. Spot one in the stockpile? Roll quick. Rally, and it's regiment ready.

Now, muster your motors, military mini masters.
By the rumble of the ranks… you have the regiment!