Welcome to www.robertnewson.co.uk

I am a collector, researcher and writer on the subject of cast metal toy vehicles, with particular emphasis on minor British manufacturers.  As time permits, I intend to make my published articles and new material available online here.  Please follow the links below.  You can contact me by e-mail.

Farming in Miniature is a wonderful two-volume book about British-made toy tractors, implements and horse-drawn farm vehicles, written by Robert Newson, Peter Wade-Martins and Adrian Little. There is also a website Farming in Miniature - Further Discoveries, which provides an online update for new information that has come to light since the book was published. Click here for more details, for the Further Discoveries website, and to buy the books on Amazon.

A History of Pre-War Automotive Tootsietoys and Early Tootsietoy Aircraft The most authoritative and scholarly history (up to 1941) of the leading American brand of miniature toy cars. Clint Seeley's classic articles from the 1970s have been edited by Robert Newson and are re-published here with many editorial additions and hundreds of new photos. NEW!  Updated with details of the first version (from 1915) of the Tootsietoy Model T Ford, in plated finish and with headlights - see Part 1 of the history.

Information about minor toy car manufacturers (mostly British) Look for the manufacturers in which you are interested in the following list (approximately alphabetical).  More information will be added from time to time.

Agasee & Brooks, S.A.Agasee, Eebee, Aircast and L.Brooks A pictorial review of the products of these small diecasters from north-east London.

Arbur, LDCW, DHE Co. and Rollee Information on models by these small diecasters from south London.

Arro - toys from Yorkshire? Details of the two rather nice Arro models.

Updating the Benbros booklet New discoveries since I published my booklet on Benbros T.V.Series & Mighty Midgets.

Charbens - forty years of toy vehicles from North London Comprehensive details of the toy vehicles from this long-running maker.

Goody Toys The intriguing history of this small British range of toy cars from the 1930s.

Kembo Scammell Trucks A pdf version of my Kembo article from Classic Toys magazine.

Kemlows Sentry Box Series Details of these military miniatures with their novelty Sentry Box packaging.

Matchbox Toys from Down Under Details of the Tucker Box and Lincoln Matchbox series of miniature models from Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

Lone Star Impy, Flyers & Commercials The history of Lone Star's efforts to be in contention in the toy car wars of the 1960s and 1970s.

Lone Star Roadmasters The story of Lone Star's 1:50 scale series of mostly American cars.

An archive of the Lone Star website created by the late Geoffrey Ambridge

The first Matchbox catalogue Learn all about the 1955 Matchbox catalogue and how a high-quality reproduction was made available to collectors.

River Series A comprehensive history of these models from Jordan & Lewden Ltd.

Timpo Vehicles My old 1988-9 article (pdf file) - to be updated some time soon!