 | | Smart Corgi box. |  |  | | The Mercedes looks smart in JB Rawcliffe colours. |  | | Underside view. |  | | Underside of the low loader. |  | | Rear end. |  | | Good body detail. |  | | Opening engine hatch. |
| This model is from the Corgi Heavy Haulage series and is in the colours of JB Rawcliffe & Sons, which is a heavy haulage company based in Skelmersdale in Lancashire, UK. The company owns over twenty prime movers and a large variety of trailers, and also modular axle units. The tractor unit is a Mercedes Actros 6x4.
The model also includes a load, the Volvo EC210 tracked excavator, which has been sourced from Motorart.
Packaging
The model comes in very high quality packaging with the box having the feeling of presentation quality. Inside, the model is contained within expanded polystyrene trays with clear plastic formers holding the parts. The packaging protects the model well and there were no defects or missing parts on the review model.
Included with the model is an information leaflet which gives some background to the livery. There is also a printed card which can be used as a nameplate to describe the model in a display position. Collectability is further enhanced with the model being uniquely numbered within the production run.
The only assembly required is to attach the door mirrors to the Mercedes cab, and some tail lights to the rear of the low loader.
Detail
The Mercedes tractor unit is mostly metal. Underneath there is some simple detailing of the transmission system. The tyres are good, but are the same on each wheel rather than having different ones on the front axle. The hubs are well detailed and look good.
The cab has mirrors and windscreen wipers, and a dummy towing hitch at the front. The front has an STGO Cat 2 plate attached. On the roof there are some nice orange beacon arrays and air horns. Interior detail is basic. Behind the cab, there are metal mudguards and a nice set of air lines.
The Mercedes is based on a real truck with registration number MX55 EWT and comparison with the real truck on the Rawcliffe website shows the model is a good representation.
The low loader has simple structure underneath, and the bed has a good wood effect surface, with diamond plating over the wheels. The tyres and hubs look fine. At the back there are light clusters, a number plate and a couple of painted orange beacon lights. The gooseneck has both wood effect diamond plate surfaces which are nice, and there are a couple of spare wheels attached to the head board. The overall level of detail on the trailer is reasonable.
The Volvo excavator has plastic tracks. The cab detail is quite good with a somewhat flimsy grab rail, windscreen wiper, mirror, sun visor and a foot plate. The body casting is good, with plenty of detail, and there are some impressively small graphics. The boom and bucket are metal with just a simple level of detailing, and the hydraulic ram cylinders are plastic. The rivets used are generally small and dark coloured so look unobtrusive. The bucket is cast well.
Features
The low loader is detachable from the gooseneck, so loading and unloading can be posed. There are a couple of working hydraulic cylinders on the gooseneck, although on the review model these were very loose so the gooseneck could not support the low loader properly. This is easily rectified for posing purposes by placing a spacer under the low loader bed. The rear axles have a degree of float, so a primitive form of suspension is available.
The excavator's tracks roll smoothly and all of the basic excavator movements can be replicated. There is an opening hatch on top of the body and this reveals a detailed plastic engine underneath.
Quality
The model has relatively little plastic and the castings are good. However the strength of the model lies in the high quality of the decoration.
Price
The model is reasonable value for the overall package including the plant model.
Overall
As with other Corgi models it looks very good due to the very good paintwork. The level of detail is generally lower than provided by other manufacturers, and there are fewer features. The excavator model is also an older generation but does add to the overall model, which is recommended to collectors.
Footnotes
It was made in a run of 1510 models.
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|  | | The model inside the box. |  | | The parts out of the box. |  | | Air lines and metal mudguards. |  | | Connection to the trailer. |  | | Unloading the Volvo. |  | | Carrying an alternative load, a Thwaites Dumper. |  | | Tracks are plastic. |  | | The Volvo EC210 loading a Volvo A40D. |
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