Roadmaster Lorries / ROADMASTER MAJORS (1962-1976)

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The ‘Roadmaster Lorries’ range followed on from the ‘Roadmaster Cars’ but unfortunately they were nothing like the quality of the model cars, although they do have a primitive charm! The trade catalogue describes the ‘Roadmaster Lorries’ as; ‘a completely new range’ but in truth they were mainly the old ‘Modern Army Series’ castings now finished in civilian colour schemes.

The range first appeared in the 1962 trade catalogue as the 'Roadmasters Series' which showed 10 different carded sets, although with the final two models (RM20 & RM21) Lone Star looked to have run out of ideas! RM20 used the breakdown lorry which was RM12, but now towing a Jeep. Presuming they were all intended to be at the same price point why would anyone then buy RM12 without the Jeep? RM21 also featured the Jeep but now fitted with an unrealistic looking plough and packaged together with an assortment of old DCMT road repair tools and a completely out-of-scale cement mixer. This large cement mixer did randomly join the line-up (on its own) when the range was expanded 3 years later. I very much doubt RM20 and RM21 were ever issued for the above reasons, plus they did not feature in the following years catalogue where the range was reduced to 8 vehicles.

In 1965 the range doubled in size to 16 models. An attractive (but still very basic looking) Austin WE lorry was added to the range and could pull the same trailers as the American Dodge lorry. Other new models included a fire engine, tractor and most bizarrely of all, bearing in mind this was the ‘Roadmaster Lorries’ range, a Jaguar E-Type! This was a terrible model which looked like it had been stretched to fit the card packaging and highlights Lone Star’s quirkiness, at its worst!

The range continued for 4 more years until it was rebranded and revamped in 1969. The 1969 trade catalogue announces; ‘Brand new packaging and paintwork identify the 1969 range of Roadmaster Majors, each item is given added play value by the addition of colourful decals’. Hardly major innovations! The red and yellow packaging was replaced with a blue card featuring drawings of the models. The cement mixer and Jaguar sports car were dropped from the range however the Jag would re-appear in 1973 and somehow Lone Star had managed to make this model look even worse by fitting large plastic wheels!

This rebranding was probably partly done to aim the increasing primitive looking range at a lower age group. The ‘Roadmaster Majors’ last appeared in the 1976 trade catalogue by which time the models were looking very dated indeed. With most of the line-up first appearing as ‘Modern Army Series’ vehicles back in the late 1950s Lone Star had certainly got their money’s worth from these castings!