Innehållsförteckning för May 2024 från Diecast Collector

MODEL Buses Creations (MBC) has just announced its latest release, the Kings Coronation Commemorative New Bus for London, from GoAhead London and MBC. The New Bus for London was designed by Heatherwick Studio and was manufactured by Wright Bus in Northern Ireland. The bus was inspired by the original AEC Routemaster which was launched in London in the 1950's. The "New Routemaster" first hit London’s streets in February 2012. LT511 (LTZ 1511) was first registered in August 2015 to Go Ahead London, as part of the batch of buses for the Route 88, operating from Stockwell Garage. Introduced on the Route 88 from September 2015 between Clapham Common to Camden Town via Stockwell, Vauxhall, Westminster, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Great Portland St and Mornington Crescent. In March 2019, the vehicle…

THIS event, the traditional opening one for the European season, attracted a record 130,000 visitors over its 5 days, 31 January – 4 February, and as before took over three massive adjoining halls of the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre in the south-west part of Paris. As always, the displays of full-size classic cars were astonishing, both in terms of quality and quantity, and we model car enthusiasts were again well catered-for as well, with thousands of models new and old with which to be tempted. Several volume-producer manufacturers had stands, with Ixo showcasing their expanding Collections range of larger-scale models sold in parts for subscribers to assemble over a period of time. One that caught my eye was a spectacular Bugatti Type 57 in ⅛ scale that comprised over…

Produced by USK Scalemodels this well-built model of McHale’s popularV6750 baler, available only from McHale and its dealer network, has many working features and good levels of detailing. On the drawbar there is a folding stand, fixed yellow PTO shaft and four flexible hydraulic pipes. The pickup runs on two-height wheels when working and lifts off the ground when transported. It’s provided with a floating rotating crop roller and freely rotating tines on the pickup. There’s an access ladder and guard rails around the front platform where two white rolls of net are detailed. Both side panels are hinged and once lifted reveal the drive detailing. Under the left-hand side panel there is also the white chain oiling tank and the silver central greasing block detailed. Behind both panels there…

In 1979, Matchbox added four new railway models to the popular 1-75 series. While these were not the first model trains that Matchbox had made - two of the earliest Models of Yesteryears were old-timer locomotives, one British and one American - there had never been any in the miniature range. There were four railway models released in 1979 - two locomotives and two wagons - followed by another loco the following year, and two additional carriages that were part of the Two-Pack range. The origins of theses train models dates back to 1977, when Matchbox released a series of three ‘Playsets’, consisting of a large printed playmat complete with some Matchbox models and several plastic accessories. There was a ‘Beach Head Assault’ that came with three military vehicles, landing…

Wonder Woman made her comic book debut in 1941, following in the Super Hero footsteps of Superman (1938), and Batman (1939). Princess Diana of the Amazons lived on Paradise Island, and aided the Allies during World War Two, using the name Diana Prince. Apart from her own super powers, she also had a number of devices that were the products of Amazon science. Among these was an Invisible Plane, which she later traded-in for an Invisible Jet. Wonder Woman has had a long career on television and in films, including a 1970s TV series starring Lynda Carter. The film Wonder Woman 1984, or WW84, was released in 2020, but set in the 1980s. In the film, Wonder Woman and side-kick Steve Trevor steal a plane to fly from the USA…

From the start Corgi and Dinky were not only competing for better diecast but also for enhancing the “play value” of its models. Corgi did so by adding figures of drivers and animals like those seen in its Chipperfield’s circus range. During the late 1950s and the ‘60s Corgi also added a variety of other accessories like planks and other loads for trucks and trailers, suitcases and golf trolley’s, lamp standards, trailers with boats and racing cars, self-adhesive packs with number plates and racing numbers, spare wheels and tires, bollards and hay bales and a number of do-it-yourself plastic kits. Corgi was not the first to start with figures and accessories. The history of figures goes further back than model cars of course, for example toy soldiers. Figures with car…

Over the years I have seen numerous fuel tankers on the road and at filling stations. But none of these vehicles, as far as I can remember, were Foden’s. I saw other Foden lorries as flat beds, tippers using the early cabs and then the later more modern models. In the toy world, toy manufacturers produced a variety of Foden tankers for the young collectors of the day. Of course, Dinky Toys were no exception and introduced a number of tankers, some of which were Foden’s. The first Dinky Toys Foden 14-Ton Tanker number 504 arrived in December 1948 as a Dinky Supertoys model and is shown in that months Meccano Magazine as a ‘NEW’ model. In the review it states ‘The whole model has a splendid effect. It is…

DIECAST DAZE Warwick and Warwick’s recent auction featured many diecast models, with Corgi and Dinky doing well. A Corgi Aviation lot achieved £1,240 but the older toys also performed. The Corgi Chipper fields Poodle Truck (No. 511) sold for its estimate of £110 while a Dinky 513 Guy Flat Truck with tailboard, the first cab type featuring a grey cab and flatbed with black chassis, wings and hubs, sold for £120. The Dinky Vega Major luxury coach with purple paint work and a blue interior raised £110, exceeding estimate. Shackleton Fodens are always popular and the FG 6-wheel Platform Lorry (with blue body and red wings, a grey chassis and fuel tanks) in a blue and yellow box, together with a Dyson 8-ton Drawbar Trailer (again in blue, red and…

■ Item: Dinky Supertoys 992 Avro Vulcan Delta Wing Bomber Condition: excellent in original outer box, one of only 500 produced Sold for: £1,020 (16 bids) ■ Item: Tri-ang Spot On 211 Austin Seven Condition: excellent with all original paintwork, outer box is good Sold for: £817 (4 bids) ■ Item: Tonka NZ Big Mike Dual Hydraulic Dump Truck Condition: well-loved but completely untouched and original, hydraulics work Sold for: £560 (35 bids) ■ Item: Britains Deutz-Fahr Gift Set No.9643 Condition: mint in box, slight wear on inner plastic casing Sold for: £552 (27 bids) ■ Item: Eaglemoss James Bond Goldfinger Aston Martin DB5 Condition: excellent, ⅛ scale with working lights, horn and radar screen Sold for: £1,010 (10 bids) ■ Item: Corgi Gift Set 41 Transporter Set with 6…

I have always looked forward to the annual Retromobile event in Paris, the huge classic car show also attended by many toy and models dealers, but this year it was really touch and go whether we would get there. It seemed that the only vehicles I would get to see were tractors, as at the end of January the UK and French media were full of apocalyptic reports of protesting farmers blockading the autoroutes and threatening to close down the market at Rungis which supplies Paris with food. But nothing puts off the intrepid traveller as far as toy shows are concerned so we decided we would risk it and travel anyway. In the event, there was not a tractor in sight on the road from the airport and in…

CAVALLINO INTRODUCES NEW 1/50 SCALE TRUCKS CAVALLINO, a well-known toy brand with a history dating back to 1959, has recently expanded its range with a new line of 1/50 diecast model trucks. Launched in 2023, this new addition to their product lineup offers enthusiasts of high-quality model trucks an affordable option with the trusted Cavallino quality. Originating as a leading toy brand in Italy and later becoming a respected name throughout Europe, the brand is renowned for its craftsmanship and dedication to quality. With the launch of these new 1/50 scale model trucks, Cavallino stays true to these core values. Developed in collaboration with partners from the logistics industry, the new model trucks feature detailed and realistic designs. Whether it’s collectors seeking unique pieces or businesses in search of corporate…

THE UK distributor of GFCC Models has told us of a new range introduced by the New York based company, and due to delivery very soon. Following on from the standard range of 1/43 scale hand-assembled, metal diecast, the new range is a ‘deluxe’ version with presentation of the models now plinth-mounted within a Perspex case and cardboard window box. The new models are: 1954 Cadillac Coupe, 1955 Cadillac Coupe, and the 1949 Pontiac Bonneville coupe. More information can be had from British Heritage Models: T 01244 320761, bhm-uk@talktalk.net or via the website www.britishheritagemodels.co.uk.…

JUNE 2024 Issue 320 Post-war British clockwork diecast For a relatively short period after World War Two, several British toymakers combined diecast construction with clockwork mechanisms. We find out more about the toys and models made. PLUS… ■ Mini Clubman & 1275GT ■ 1/64 scale Range Rovers ■ Corgi through the years ■ A-Z of diecast collecting ■ Auction results ■ All the latest news ■ Extensive selection of new model releases ON SALE 1 MAY …or download the digital edition 7 days earlier! Please note: These planned editorial contents may be subject to change where necessary.…

When Ken Tyrrell unveiled his team’s new car for the 1976 season, both press and public were astonished – nothing had been seen like it before in Formula 1 Grand Prix racing. Designed by the team’s Chief Designer, Derek Gardner, the car had four smaller front wheels rather than the conventionally-sized pair. The idea was to lower the head-on height of the front tyres, reducing drag and improving aerodynamics, without losing grip. The drivers for 1976, Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler, complained that they could not see the front wheels from the cockpit, so a small window was later cut on each side. The car raced for two seasons and impressed early on, taking a single win in its maiden season as well as eight 2nd places, but ended when…

Nobody really believed a four-wheel drive rally car could be competitive, in the late 1970s. Extra weight and complexity seem to be unsurpassable issues for the majority of the teams and engineers that gravitated around the World Rally Championship at the time. A good front-engine, rear-wheel drive car was still the layout of choice for most teams. It is true that Lancia, with the mid-engine Stratos HF had shown a different path into the future. Lancia’s concept had better weight distribution and more agility in narrow roads, especially on tarmac. The problem with the Stratos HF was that it did not resemble any road car the brand had to offer at the time, so the marketing people found it difficult to establish a direct link between the winning rally car…

PART ONE Guy used a menagerie of model names with Wolf, Vixen and Otter badging adorning its early post-war commercial vehicles. Its buses, both single and double deck, were mainly branded as Arabs, so it boasted an interesting and diverse range of model names although none of these were directly associated with the famous Indian Head emblem and “Feathers in Our Cap” motto. The number of toys and models based on Guy vehicles is surprisingly large so Part 1 focuses on the early post-war types with the later and mightier sounding Goliaths, Invincibles and Warriors all lined-up for Part 2. Accordingly most of the toys and models featured in this first section proudly carry the Guy Motors-built square cab and exposed radiator with just the very last versions from the…

When we talk of the motoring might of the United Kingdom, we think of Coventry, the wider Midlands, Solihull, Sunderland and Abingdon, but do we consider Slough in that list? No doubt some readers will be well aware that Slough was the British home to the Citroen Car Company. Here, on the Slough Trading Estate in a huge factory, more than 57,000 Citroens from the 2CV to the DS21 were created in right hand drive for UK customers. Following the Armistice of 1918, many trucks that had seen active service on the Western Front were returned to a vehicle storage depot in Slough, to be sold off as government surplus. Many of these lorries were American, originating from the Peerless Lorry Company in Cleveland, Ohio. Sales continued into the 1920s,…

As it’s an E month this time around, I’ll start with Ebbro. The trademark of Miniature Model Planning, which is based in Shizuoka, Japan, Ebbro’s main focus seems to be on the 1/43 scale market although other scales are also entertained. The 1/20 and 1/24 plastic models (why generate two scales so closely allied, one wonders?), for example, are essentially beautiful, upmarket kits, which sadly will alienate collectors lacking modelling skills, and so perhaps will have less appeal to the average collector. The models that I’ve seen falling into these scales tend to be Formula 1 race cars and Citroen road vehicles (an odd mix, I grant you) and they are typically limited in production numbers. Now three decades old, Ebbro has become popular for its diecast output. Japanese vehicles…

We’ve got some great news for diecast collectors and dealers because the 18th edition of Ramsay’s British Diecast Model Toys Catalogue is still available to buy in stores or direct from Warners Group Publications. To ensure you don’t miss out on your copy of this indispensable reference guide, you can buy your copy today. The 18th edition is the best Ramsay’s ever, fully updated with 356 pages crammed with more than 19,000 listings. In fact, more new models, pre-production pieces or unusual market variations have been added to this latest catalogue, ensuring it retains its reputation as the ‘bible’ for any serious diecast collectors and dealers. As in previous editions, each manufacturer has been allocated its own section with models listed by their model numbers. Every model is given a…

■ French Dinky Toys 24L 2CV Vespa 400, blue body, dark grey roof, silver trim and convex hubs. Near mint (small flat spot to one rear tyre) in a good plus yellow and red carded picture box. Sold for £60, Vectis Auctions, March. ■ French Dinky Toys 510 Peugeot 204 Saloon, cream body, red interior, silver trim and concave hubs. Excellent plus in a excellent yellow and red carded box with detailed picture. Sold for £70, Vectis Auctions, March. ■ French Dinky Toys 512 Leskokart, blue with red and grey driver, white helmet. Near mint in a excellent yellow and red carded picture box (small label attached). Sold for £90, Vectis Auctions, March. ■ French Dinky Toys 534 Citroen DS19, ark red body, cream roof, ivory interior, silver trim and…

SEARCH Impex have announced the release of "Strongest Scot” - a 1/50 scale Scania S450 High (6x2) tractor unit, complete with 3 axle, curtain trailer, customised in the “Delivering Winners” livery of well-known Scottish brand Pollock (Scotrans). The models have been produced exclusively for Search Impex by WSI Models as a certificated Limited Edition (170 pieces). Pollock (Scotrans) which is part of Gregory Group, offer a comprehensive range of transport and warehousing services across the UK. Headquartered in Bathgate, Central Scotland, Pollock’s modern operation stands in impressive contrast to the Company’s early days. But whilst technology and process has changed the face of today’s transport industry, the immaculate Pollock livery retains the same famous turquoise, gold & red colour scheme that many collectors will be familiar with. Each truck also…

YOUR OWN BASE ON THE MOON WITH GERRY ANDERSON’S EAGLE TRANSPORTERS Collectors of a certain age will surely remember the TV show Space:1999. First airing in September 1975, and originally intended to be a second series of Gerry Anderson’s fabulous UFO series, the concept was adapted and rewritten as a completely new programme. Space: 1999 ran for two series, between 1975 and 1977, comprising a total of 47 episodes, and is set on Moonbase Alpha. Charged with the disposal of Earth’s nuclear waste on areas of the moon, one of the waste dumps becomes unstable and, on September 13th 1999, a massive explosion blasts the moon out of Earth’s orbit and sets the moonbase crew on a journey, filled with encounters of alien spacecraft and passing close to numerous planets,…

Last month we looked at the 1955 London to Singapore Overland Expedition and the models that exist of the two Land Rovers that took part. That, as you can imagine, was not the first or last time Land Rover products have been used for adventure or expedition. Land Rover have, over the years, created an image of themselves as makers of the ultimate go-anywhere vehicles. Fast forward to the early 1970s and Land Rover’s then new, upmarket, off roader took part in arguably one of the greatest car-based expeditions of the twentieth century; The British Trans-Americas Expedition of 1971-72 (often referred to as The Darién Gap expedition). Before we look at the models of the vehicles that took part, let us first look at the expedition in a bit more…

This month, we have our first trio of models and something a little more exotic than a Fiesta; the ‘gullwing’ Mercedes 300SL, produced between 1954 and 1957. The ‘gullwing’ Mercedes 300SL is an iconic car and one that will, these days, easily command over £1 million, if you can find one. Scale models are a little easier to come by; there are many different ones of these on the market in many different scales. For us to begin, I need to return to my childhood. I can still remember receiving a book on exotic classic cars one Christmas from a family friend. I spent hours looking through the pages but always seem to linger on the gullwing Mercedes. Like the models here it was finished in silver with a striking…

Continuing on from the releases for the first half of 1972, as detailed in the April issue, there was still plenty yet to come before the end of the year. Featuring more of the new 1/36 scale Formula 1 cars and another great group of new models, things were still going pretty well. Kicking off the second half, in July, was the outrageously-styled No.392 Bertone Shake Buggy. You could easily be forgiven for thinking that this was another fantasy design, but no! This amazing car was a real thing, albeit a one-off concept car, designed by Marcello Gandini. Bertone was supplying bodies to Chrysler Simca, in France, for its rear-engined 1200 S Coupé, so owner Nuccio Bertone and his Chief Designer, Gandini, developed a dune buggy based on the chassis…

Number 46 during the Lesney-era Superfast range comprises an updated old favourite, a new futuristic emergency vehicle and a realistic tractor… MERCEDES 300 SE Production: 1970-72 Catalogue: 1970-72 Box Styles: F, G When it made the jump to Superfast in 1970, this old regular wheels favourite also changed from blue to varying shades of an orangey-gold colour, as shown above, although this is at the darker end of the variance spectrum. Lasting in the range up to and including 1972, it was to be replaced by a rather fanciful emergency vehicle. STRETCHA FETCHA AMBULANCE Production: 1972-78 Catalogue: 1973-78 Box Styles: I This was the first of several new and futuristic commercial vehicles in the Matchbox series. Stretcha Fetcha was a boxy ambulance with a very small bonnet. The main body…

DIECAST MYSTERY ■ I was interested to read in the Dear Editor page last month (Diecast Collector April issue) that John Bath had visited Retromobile. I would suggest that the model that John spotted is the Charbens Horsebox, which according to the Ramsay’s British Diecast Model Toy Catalogue, was made between 1957 and 1962. Hazel Ralston, email A-Z OF DIECAST ■ I wanted to point out that the article in April 2024 is incorrect in saying that DeAgostoni acquired Dinky. The Dinky trade name remains owned by Mattel and all Atlas and DeAgostini branded Dinkys were produced under licence from Mattel. On the subject of the large scale models produced by DeAgostini, also covered in that article, I would question their value for money when compared to the models being…

FAIRS 4 APRIL Theydon Bois, Joe Lock, 07866 641215 or 07810 513576 7 APRIL Rayleigh, SRP Toy Fairs, 07739 998012 / 07498 912091 Polegate, Eastbourne Historical Vehicle Club, 01323 500001 Potters Bar, Joe Lock, 07866 641215 or 07810 513576 13 APRIL Maidstone, Mike Spencer, 01622 298159 or 01732 840787 Pudsey, Barry Rennison, 0113 2363695 16 APRIL Elsecar, Newcomen Fairs Ltd, O1226 744425 20 APRIL Brentwood, J & J Fairs, 01522 880383 21 APRIL Kempton Park, R M Toys Ltd, 02392 262446 / 07957 823507 Wickham, Steve Clements Fairs, 01380 725322 / 07732 330305 27 APRIL Ludlow, Tony Oakes, 01270 652773 / 07825 631323 Reading, British Model Soldier Society, 01895 832757 30 APRIL Garstang, Kevin Wright, 07908 494097 4 MAY Gateshead, Jim Corr Toy, Train & Sci-Fi Fair, 07504 035955 5…