Toy Milk Float thumbnail 1
Toy Milk Float thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Imagine Gallery, Adventure, Case 10

Toy Milk Float

late 1960's (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Dark blue milk float with white roof, black metal chassis and handle that controls the direction of the front wheel. There are three wheels in total, painted white with black rubber tyres. Inside the milk float is a silver metal grid that holds the milk bottles and food packets in place.

With the milk float is a set of five white plastic milk bottles, a set of four white plastic milk bottles with yellow tops, a set of five white plastic milk bottles with green tops, a set of four white plastic milk bottles with red tops, a set of four white plastic milk bottles with blue tops. There are also four cylindrical evaporated milk containers printed in red, white and blue with silver tin lids; four cardboard food packets for jelly, tea, icing sugar, and custard powder. Additionally, a cardboard cylinder with a white metal top and base, the outside printed to look like a drum with a red background and yellow border. Finally, two bronze-coloured plastic milk churns with removable lids and moulded Tri-ang mark on the side.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 10 parts.

  • Milk Float
  • Bottles
  • Bottles
  • Bottles
  • Bottles
  • Bottles
  • Cartons
  • Cartons
  • Containers
  • Churns
Materials and techniques
Painted and pressed steel, moulded rubber, colour printed paper and card, pressed tinplate, injection-moulded plastic,
Brief description
Tri-ang steel 'Express Dairies' toy milk float with rubber tyres, milk bottles and food packets, made in England by Lines Bros, late 1960s.
Physical description
Dark blue milk float with white roof, black metal chassis and handle that controls the direction of the front wheel. There are three wheels in total, painted white with black rubber tyres. Inside the milk float is a silver metal grid that holds the milk bottles and food packets in place.

With the milk float is a set of five white plastic milk bottles, a set of four white plastic milk bottles with yellow tops, a set of five white plastic milk bottles with green tops, a set of four white plastic milk bottles with red tops, a set of four white plastic milk bottles with blue tops. There are also four cylindrical evaporated milk containers printed in red, white and blue with silver tin lids; four cardboard food packets for jelly, tea, icing sugar, and custard powder. Additionally, a cardboard cylinder with a white metal top and base, the outside printed to look like a drum with a red background and yellow border. Finally, two bronze-coloured plastic milk churns with removable lids and moulded Tri-ang mark on the side.
Dimensions
  • Cart height: 550mm
  • Cart width: 315mm
  • Cart depth: 640mm (including handle)
  • Mik bottles height: 139mm
  • Milk bottles diameter: 56mm
  • Milk bottles circumference: 187mm
  • Yellow, green, red and blue topped milk bottles height: 73mm
  • Yellow, green, red and blue topped milk bottles diameter: 25mm
  • Yellow, green, red and blue topped milk bottles circumference: 82mm
  • Evaporated milk containers height: 39mm
  • Evaporated milk containers diameter: 30mm
  • Evaporated milk containers circumference: 98mm
  • Card packets height: 65mm
  • Card packets width: 44mm
  • Card packets depth: 23mm
  • Cylindrical container height: 64mm
  • Cylindrical container diameter: 52mm
  • Cylindrical container circumference: 160mm
  • Churns height: 104mm
  • Churns diameter: 73mm
  • Churns circumference: 216mm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'LBL 4242' (Registration number plate printed on black paper on the front and back of the float)
  • 'DRINKA PINTA MILKA DAY' (Printed in white, red and yellow letters on black paper and stuck along the roof edge on each side of the float)
  • Letter E inside a blue circle with EXPRESS written beneath against a cream background / 'for dairy freshness' (Printed label on both sides of the float)
  • Letter E inside a blue circle with EXPRESS written beneath against a cream background. (Printed label on the front of the float)
  • Blue and silver striped shield with Tri-ang printed over the top in red letters. (Tri-ang logo sticker on the front of the float)
  • 'TRI-ANG' (Printed on the top of each bottle)
  • 'NESTLÈ'S / Ideal / REGISTERED / FULL CREAM / EVAPORATED / MILK / VITAMIN D INCREASED' (Printed on two sides of each container)
  • 'PLAYTIME / DROPS' (Printed on the sides of the cylindrical container)
  • Tri-ang / Regd Trade Mark / Circle with a triangle and the letter L inside and the words 'LINES BROS GROUP / DAIRIES / GRADE A MILK / MADE IN ENGLAND' (Moulded into the side of the churns)
Credit line
Given by Markham Henry Bailey
Object history
Purchased from Bradley's in Fore Street, Edmonton in about 1969.
Historical context
This vehicle is based on the design of the 'Pedestrian-Controlled Electric Delivery Truck', known as a PEDT. It was given to Andrew Bailey (b. 14/03/1964) by his parents. The family would have had its milk delivered at the time by a very similar full size milk float. The milkman, Mr Warner, had started his business in the Hackney Road, just around the corner from the Museum. He painted his floats red and had them drawn by grey horses, so echoing the colours associated with London's Fire Brigade engines. The milk was delivered by train to Cambridge Heath station which is at a high level. Mr Warner suggested that he and the railway split the cost of a lift to enable the milk churns to be more easily taken to street level. This was accomplished and the fact marked by a metal plate fixed to the lift.
Production
This toy was also available in red.
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
B.1:1 to 10-2010

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Record createdFebruary 1, 2011
Record URL
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