Pre-production Factory Samples: 24F/401 Set of 3 Mechanics Figures
From the collection of Doug McHard, former editor of Tri-ang Magazine and, later, editor of Meccano Magazine.
The Scalextric 124 Mechanics were part of the estate of Doug McHard former editor of Tri-ang Magazine and Meccano Magazine. I helped with the cataloguing and the sale of his estate when I worked at Vectis Auctions (in about 2001/2). I bought part of his vast archive in auction including factory photographs of the Scalextric production line and some Minic Motorways and Scalextric publicity photographs as well; these figures were in the same lot together with the few other Scalextric items that he owned.
There was a publication called Tri-ang Club Bulletin, and later Meccano Magazine (under Tri-ang ownership), which featured reviews of new models and some of these photographs, including photos of some pre-production samples from the factory, were illustrated; I think that is how he may have acquired the figures – i.e. for photography purposes – he was a fine photographer and did some of the magazine photography himself.
The figures themselves appear to be made in a very lightweight rigid plastic; there is no printing on the base, as is the case with the 1:32 scale figures. The detail on the figures is superb and the photographs don’t really do them justice.
Apart from Doug McHard I am the only other owner of these figures. I know them to be genuine and original.