Innehållsförteckning för November 2025 från Diecast Collector

TOPSPEED and its sister brand TrueScale Miniatures have just announced several new 1:18 and 1:43 motorsport subjects. The highlight for this selection is probably both 1:18 and 1:43 replicas of the Ford Mustang GT3s that were campaigned in the Laguna Seca round of the 2024 IMSA sportscar championship. Ford ran a colourful one-off livery at this race, commemorating 60 years of its Mustang in competition. The #65 machine driven by Joey Hand and Dirk Muller placed 8th in the GTD Pro category, while the #64 example of teammates Mike Rockenfeller and Harry Tincknell took the chequered flag one position behind it. TSM have also confirmed the release of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3 and the Lamborghini Countach 1983 Monaco Grand Prix Pace Car.…

ON 26th August at the NEC Birmingham, a classic BMW 3-Series build inspired by Group 2 race cars won the 2025 Hot Wheels Legends UK Tour at SlammedUK’s Gravity Show. The result of a passionate 14-year build, the 900kg trackready E21 was created by a father and son team, Paul and Ethan Foster fromWickford, Essex. Paul Foster’s 1982 BMW E21 3-Series combines aggressive Group 2 styling with bespoke engineering in a true life-size Hot Wheels car. The 345/35/15 rear tyres, fibreglass wide-arch kit, alloy diffuser and deep front splitter give it a muscular stance, while the race livery featuring violet, red and blue accents, is a nod to 80s and 90s BMW touring cars. An original Group 5 rear wing, now with a carbon blade, adds downforce and drama in…

THE Popular Trains auction held by SAS yielded no fewer than 681 lots and encompassed a huge range of scales, from petite to massive. There were bargains to be had, also… If £35 wasn’t a bargain price to buy some usefulTri-ang Battle Space items, to wit a R696 Satellite Launching Car, a R216 Rocket launching car with rocket and nosecone, a Well wagon with Minic crane load, an unboxedWell wagon with Minic tank load and a similar well wagon without load, together with a missile launch wagon and a radar wagon, then I don’t know what is. Fifteen Hornby Skaledale kits, all unmade, together with some accessories, achieved £130; and aTrix 00 gauge prewar LMS Princess Presentation Set, comprising a LMS maroon 6201 'Princess' locomotive and tender, LMS maroon coaches,…

Chris Hall from Buckie Model Centre has teamed up with Dutch manufacturer Holland Oto to produce a brand-new 1:76 scale of the Plaxton Panorama, a high-capacity interurban coach. Traditionally focused on 1:87, Holland Oto has taken a big step into 1:76 to satisfy the UK bus market, with Chris instrumental in bringing the project to life. The development was supported by Alexander Dennis, who providedd technical drawings, colour codes and specifications to ensure accuracy. From there, Holland Oto produced a prototype that captures the Panorama’s distinctive shape and details, making sure no features were overlooked. Working with several major fleet operators, the team was able to deliver an authentic right-hand drive version – the first Panorama in 1:76 scale. Livery choices already released include Megabus, Oxford Tube, Berrys of Taunton,…

Last month, we looked at 1:43 replicas of all the cars that entered the top class in the 2024 Le Mans 24H, the Hypercars. Those prototypes follow specific rules and are made exclusively to race in theWEC (World Endurance Championship). We had at least one scale model of each team, showing not only the different shapes of all the cars, but also a variety of liveries, entered by both the works and privateer teams. There was only one prototype missing: the Isotta Fraschini, which has not yet been released as a scale model. This time, we’re featuring the third class in the famous French race, the LMGT3. This is the slower class of cars, behind the second class, named the LMP2 and made entirely by privateer teams that all use…

MG 1100 Production: 1970-71 Catalogue: 1970-71 Box Styles: F, G A real favourite from the regular wheels days was MG 1100. The real car was a fabulous little thing with its pretty looks and zippy tuned lump, and the Matchbox was just as appealing. Painted in a beautiful shade of green, that’s the colour that was kept for its Superfast launch, although this quickly changed to a rather marvellous metallic blue. Thankfully, it kept its doggie on the rear seat feature too. Only ever being produced with narrow Superfast wheels (the wider versions would have looked ridiculous unless it was for a really souped up version), it lasted in the range long enough to get two box styles but was gone from the range by the time the 1972 catalogue…

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Meccano’s return to toy making after the SecondWorldWar. Mark Nolan re-assesses the impact, success and decline of the iconic ‘Dublo’ brand of model railways. Hornby-Dublo, launched in 1938 by Meccano Ltd, stands as one of the most influential developments in model railway history. It not only established standards that are still in use today but also reshaped expectations of detail, scale fidelity, and electrical operation in toy trains. Across its lifecycle (1938–1964), Dublo evolved from a robust three-rail system to finely detailed two-rail models, reflecting advances in manufacturing, materials, and electrical engineering, while also succumbing to economic and competitive pressures. ORIGINS AND STANDARDISATION Meccano’s launch of Hornby-Dublo drew on decades of expertise. The firm had dominated the interwar toy market with Meccano construction…

Hi folks. Now I’m retired there’s so much more time for me to potter about at home and really enjoy my toy collection. I’ve also revived my passion for building model kits from plastic and white metal, and there’s nothing I like more than creating unique Code 3 models from scrap bits I find lying about. There’s also more time to get out and about. I often pick a place and trundle slowly around the charity shops, antique centres and weekly market stalls where there are usually a few toy sellers. I can’t afford to shell out big bucks these days, but as long as I unearth a few interesting bits and bobs, that’s all I hope for. Like the other day, after a fairly blank outing, I spent twenty…

As I write this at the point August turns into September the leaves are, seemingly early for the time of year, already starting to fall. Those autumnal colours of them prompting thoughts of Halloween not being far away and a nagging subconscious awareness of being haunted.. A PROPHESY (DIE)CAST Haunted by my own words from mid 2022 in my former, tail-end, column Signing O ff.. where the imminent and potential Corgi Model Club releases were the topic of conversation. Until last month I had held out against tumbling down that slippery slide of temptation so well known to collectors. Perhaps foolishly although immersed in pangs of nostalgia and one of my own specialist subject interest areas I had mentored myself not to fall for the re-released East African Safari and…

If you are a regular visitor to swapmeets, then you’ll have come across the odd example of diecasts from Shackleton. They tend to stand out, these lorries, for they are often wearing colourful liveries, and are sometimes accompanied by a trailer. Clockwork-powered creations, they were the brainchild of one Maurice Shackleton, who traded under the moniker of James Shackleton; based in Cheshire, this enterprise actually started off with wooden toys before moving into the diecast scene. Partly because Foden lorries were a common sight in the years subsequent to WWII, this was the choice for the owner; added to that was the fact that he had actual experience of working at the Foden factory. The venerable Foden flatbed FG6 formed the basis of the range and production appears to have…

■ Hard-to-find excavators I have just bought August Collectors Gazette and see you have started selling models. Is this going to be a new thing? If so, would it be possible for you to sell excavators in 150 gauge, please, as I collect them? As to try and buy them out of collectors’ magazines is impossible, they only sell them to trade in bulk. Thanks. MJ Penin Hi MJ. Yes, we’re always updating the range and adding new items to the Model Shop. We’d love to help with the excavator, but we don’t have any 1:50 in stock yet. Keep an eye on the Model Shop section in the mag and on our website, as that’s where new arrivals appear. If there are other models you’d like to see, please…

300 lots of railway memorabilia was sold by Charterhouse Auctioneers in Sherborne, Dorset. The full collection came from one collector who had amassed the objects over nearly 50 years. Following the collector’s death, all items went to the auction house. The thousands of items had filled the collector’s bungalow! The sale includes items from postwar British Rail as well as the pre-nationalisation era when individual private rail companies operated steam trains. High selling items included Leicester Square underground sign sold for £780 alongside a lamp with the words ‘Portsmouth town’ went for £800. Also, a Great Western Railway inspector’s cap sold for £100. Online bidders came from all over for a piece of this collection, including people from as far as Australia. The total hammer price was about £24,000, with…

COLLECTING continues to thrive in the UK with the culture worth £15bn and there are over 20 million people dedicated to curating everything from rare stamps to vintage model trains, books, and diecast cars. The two iconic heritage brands Hornby Hobbies and Stanley Gibbons Baldwins are proud to announce National Collectors’ Day. An annual event on 20th of August to celebrate the enduring passion for collecting and the stories behind every collection. National Collectors’ Day will be a chance to celebrate this timeless hobby, inviting both seasoned collectors and those just starting their journeys to share their stories and treasures. It’s a day to reflect on the power of collecting to bring people together, across generations and interests. To support this initiative, Hornby Hobbies and Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s commissioned a major…

Model bus specialists MBC have announced their first Northcord Enviro 400 MMC release for 2025 – the Go Ahead London Superloop SL6. Working closely with Transport for London, MPC has ensured every detail is accurate, and the model will carry full TfL licensing. The finalised design has now been approved, with pre-production samples expected to arrive soon. This marks the very first Superloop model, with more vehicles in the series due in the coming months. MBC Vehicle: Enviro 400 MMC Scale: 1:76 Manufacturer: Northcord Units: 504  www.modelbus.uk TOPSPEED  Ford Mustang GT3 - 2024 Laguna Seca IMSA - #65 SCALE: 1:18 PRICE: £229.99 PRODUCT NO: TSM603 This is a detailed scale model of the Ford Mustang GT3 #65, made to replicate the race-spec version used in GT3 racing. The model features…

In the fast-moving, high-rolling world of motorsport, it’s always the racing cars that get the media attention. But what about the trusty works support trucks and vans that follow the teams, equipped to supply their every need? The books, films, DVDs, and videos of historic British thoroughbred and sports car club racing are full of wonderful images of the men and their machines, battling against the weather, the track, and, indeed, their own mechanical fallibility. Even the special coach-built transporters for the racing cars got a lot of publicity and press coverage. However, the vans and trailers of the smaller companies, which ensured the spares and parts all reached the trackside for the race, rarely got a mention. Yet just occasionally, they were captured on film. In the early halcyon…

The Silverstone Festival, one of the world’s largest historic motor sport gatherings, once again underlined its place at the top of the tree over the three-day August Bank Holiday. The main feature, of course, was the racing, with 20 races over the weekend, many featuring full grids, and all showcasing full-on action despite the rarity and value of the machinery. The full spectrum of historic racing was covered, from early post-war 500 cc cars and Formula Junior, through 1950s - 70s sports and GTs, touring and saloon cars, to more recent Formula One and Endurance prototypes. Celebrating 75 years ofWorld Championship racing, this year’s centrepiece display was of 34 cars representing each of the drivers who won the Championship over the years, right up to the present day. For model…

Whilst we tend to think of playthings as goods that equate with peaceful periods in the history of mankind, it’s a fact that some only made their entrance once hostilities broke out. Whether belligerent actions were seen as a jingoistic conduit for the launch of a new toy, or whether the manufacturers concerned saw war activity merely as an alternative string to their corporate bow, is a moot point. Certainly, materials shortages were felt by all, which inhibited toy production. Games, then, tended to be simple affairs - and there’s a whole subset that owes its creation to animosity between countries. LOOKING BACK The FirstWorldWar has been described as the conflict to end all wars, but that didn’t stop Germany from treading a similar path a couple of decades later.…

It seems to me there are two types of nostalgia: Popular and personal. Popular nostalgia is the kind that pops up on TV with minor celebrities waxing lyrical over Sindy dolls, Kerplunk and Hornby railways. It’s a collective nostalgia that everyone’s meant to know and share. I’m sure it steers the audience into believing they experienced things that they never actually did. As we know, real recollections tend to be more nuanced and sublime than this. So, what examples can I bring to bear? Well, when my brother was in the Sea Cadets, I would test him on his Morse code using my Action man Morse code manual. He passed too, just in case you doubted the authenticity of Palitoys finest! My brother remembers it well too although it was…

Item: EFE 38701 Midlands Scottish Alexander Y Type S/D Bus 1:76 4mm Scale Condition: Model and box are both in very good condition. Sold for: £180 (21 bids) Item: TEKNO 1/50 Scania S Series 770 BM Transport Frost Edition *Limited Edition Condition: New condition with the original box and packaging Sold for: £186.19 (8 bids) Item: Burago 1/43, No.4174, Mazda RX7 GR.2, #40 Blue Diecast Model Car With Box. Condition: excellent condition, no marks visible on the car, only small wear and tear on the box.  Sold for: £161 (23 bids) Item: 1/18 AutoArt Lancia Delta S4 Tour De Corse 1986 Toivonen/Cresto #4 88620  Condition: New condition with original box and certificate of authenticity.  Sold for: £290 (1 bid) Item: Sunstar 1:24 Diecast (2923) London Bus RT402 1947 HLX219 Ltd…

Aviation 72 1/72 Westland Gazelle XX450 Royal Marines Ref: AV7224014 Our Price: £45.00 Britains 1/32 Ford TW35 with dual rear wheels Ref: BF43394 Our Price: £37.00 Solido 1/18 Autobianchi A112 Mk.5 Abarth Green 1980 Ref: SOL1803806 Our Price: £55.00 Corgi Thunderbirds F.A.B. Collection - Thunderbird 2 & 4 Ref: CC00804 Our Price: £39.99 Aviation 72 1/72 Westland Gazelle HT.3 XZ936 Empire Test Pilots School Ref: AV7224017  Our Price: £45.00 Aviation 72 1/72 Saab J35J Draken Splinter Scheme  Ref: AV7241008  Our Price: £65.00 ALL MODELS COME WITH FREE POSTAGE AND PACKAGING!…

FAIRS 4 OCTOBER • Maidstone, Mike Spencer 01622 298159/01732 840787 • Crewe, Crewe Model Engineering Society 01270 505781 5 OCTOBER • Gateshead, Jim Corr 07504 035955 • Kempton Park, R M Toys 02392 262446/07957 823507 • Needham Market, Stowmarket Railway Club 01379 668657 9 OCTOBER • Theydon Bois, Joe Lock 07866 641215 11 OCTOBER • Oswestry, Jackson & Jackson Events 07967 681080 12 OCTOBER • Rayleigh, KRJ Vintage Toy Fairs 07977 646386/07889 901729 • Liphook, David Parsons 07742 609865 • Shepton Mallet, Bulldog Fairs 07379 578083 14 OCTOBER • Hook, Steve Clements Fairs 01380 725322/07732 330305 19 OCTOBER • Plymouth, Plymouth Diecast Club 01752 846250 • Windsor, Maidstone Static Model Club 07895 581631 • Wickham, Steve Clements Fairs 01380 725322/07732 330305 • Ashington, David Parsons 07742 609865 25 OCTOBER • Blackpool, Jim Corr 07504 035955…

Maisto: the early years of a diecast giant Beginning as a small plastics company in Hong Kong, Maisto has grown into one of the world’s biggest diecast manufacturers. PLUS… ■ Models `Now and Then` ■ Auction results ■ All the latest news ■ Extensive selection of new model releases ■ And much more Please note: These planned editorial contents may be subject to change where necessary. ON SALE 21 NOVEMBER …or download the digital edition 7 days earlier!…

LONDON’S Museum of Brands, in partnership with Anderson Entertainment, is to host ‘Thunderbirds and Space: 1999 – A Celebration of Sci-fi Toys and Collectables. The exhibition opens on the 13th of September and runs until February 2026. This is to celebrate the anniversaries of Gerry Anderson series ‘Thunderbirds’ (first broadcast in 1965) and ‘Space: 1999’ (first premiered in 1975). Online sneak peeks show a huge collection of items that will be on display from many Anderson shows. Some of the pieces are on loan from private collections and are rarely seen by the public. It has been co-curated by internationally known graphic designer Malcolm Garrett MBE; the exhibition features over 300 curated objects from the Robert Opie collection alongside private collectors’ items. As well as sci-fi enthusiasts, the exhibition offers appeal…

IMAGINED OVER 90 YEARS AGO, BROUGHT TO LIFE IN 2024 AND NOW AVAILABLE IN 1/18 It is rare that a forthcoming new model release hits so many interest groups and a highly topical subject all in one hit as AutoCult’s massive 1/18 Auto Union-Porsche Typ 52 “Schnellsportwagen” does. The challenge in reviewing it is knowing where to start. Should it be with the model or the fullsized car first conceived back in the 1930s but not actually constructed until nine decades later? Maybe, first, it is best to take a step back to 2017 when AutoCult’s “Set of the year” (#99117) combining its annual book with an exclusive model, brought us a 1/43 representation of the Auto Union-PorscheTyp 52. At that stage and in celebrated AutoCult style, it was yet…

MarGe Models’ all new Lexion 480 combine, a combine Claas launched in 1995, is a high-quality, detailed model. It’s largely metal with detachable C750 grain table and two-wheel table transport trailer. On the table the height and forward/aft position of the freely rotating reel is adjustable. There are red pickup tines on the knife, the main feed auger rotates freely and for connecting to the feed elevator the yellow drive shaft. Two stiff rams support the feed elevator. Cab access steps swing forward when transporting the combine. There’s patterned flooring and red fire extinguisher at the entrance to the cab. Like all MarGe Models agricultural models, the cab door does not open but the interior is beautifully laid out and detailed. The grain tank lids open and as they open…

This month’s‘Little and Large’ features the Jaguar E-type as raced by Briggs Cunningham and Roy Salvadori in the 1962 Le Mans 24-hour race, where it finished 1st in class and 4th overall. This was the first of two Le Mans races in which American entrepreneur Cunningham entered a team of E-types; he returned a year later with a trio of lightweight hardtops. The 1962 car was described as “semi-lightweight” and used the familiar-looking coupe body with what appeared to be very few modifications over the standard road car. However, Briggs Cunningham was a racer at heart and a competitive team owner, so there were many changes made under the skin of the E-type to make it competitive. Representing these cars is a trio of 1:43 scale and an unusual (at…

Once hailed as the sleek successor toVHS, the humble DVD first arrived in 1995 and quickly reshaped home entertainment. With crisper visuals, deeper storage, and a treasure trove of bonus content, including director commentaries and deleted scenes, DVDs didn’t just play films, they invited fans behind the curtain. By the early 2000s, they’d turned living rooms into mini cinemas and helped usher video rental stores toward extinction, especially with services like LoveFilm delivering titles straight to doorsteps. Blockbuster, once a Saturday night staple, closed its final UK store in 2013. In the age of streaming dominance, DVDs are making a surprising comeback, much like vinyl before them. But for savvy collectors, it’s not just about nostalgia. Hidden among charity shop shelves and car boot bargains lie rare titles that can…

Life living in a city meant that I did not often go out in the countryside. However, on occasions while out with my parents, we would pass tractors working in the fields. But I did not know what the makes were. I had, of course, my DinkyToys Massey-Harris and Field-Marshall tractors and assorted trailers for them, plus farm tractors by other toy manufacturers. The DinkyToys farm gained another tractor, the David BrownTractor No. 305, in October 1965. It is seen in the Meccano Magazine of that month in the colour advert on the back cover, which says that it is “With ‘hydraulic’ lifting gear that really works!”. In the review it states: “Turning to the Dinky Toys model, this sports so many fascinating features that I hardly know where to…

It’s been five years since Lansdowne collectors had a fresh release to get excited about — but the wait is finally over. An all-new Lansdowne model has appeared after that long hiatus, following the release of the previous Lansdowne model, the Ford Consul Mk.I, and the announcement that the Lansdowne Collection was to be discontinued. Fortunately for Lansdowne collectors, and those who collect models of British cars, that wasn’t to be the case. Early in 2025, the first all-new Lansdowne model became available, and what a success it has been — one colour selling out almost immediately, and the second colour down to the last two at the time of writing. That model is the 1984 Austin Montego 1.6L, available in two colours: Clove Brown and Moonraker Blue Metallic. Hot…

Christopher Moor, from New Zealand, shares his story. “I sold my collection in 1965 and thought that was the end of it. My mate Graeme had moved away, and I’d lost contact with the collectors I knew from school, so I sold the models to a family friend. Thirty years later, one Sunday morning in 1995, I detoured into a diecast swapmeet on the way to the supermarket and walked out a ‘born again’ collector. At first, I set myself a strict rule: my new collection would only contain 1/43 scale models of cars currently in production. I ordered a few modern Minichamps from sellers at the fair and thought that would be enough. I kept to that plan until eBay came into my life in 2000. While browsing the…

One of the ongoing themes of this column is to explore the traditional division between“toys for boys” and “toys for girls,” and quite often it emerges that the distinction isn’t quite as rigid as might be thought. It wasn’t quite as simple as “cars for boys and dolls for girls”! What about G.I.Joe - “America’s Moveable Fighting Man” - and his British equivalent, Action Man, for example? In spite of their macho image, they were essentially dolls for boys, though makers Hasbro in the USA and Palitoy in the UK strenuously avoided the suggestion, as this would certainly not have helped sales. If boys could play with action figures, then girls who liked Mattel’s hugely popular Barbie doll could get an archetypal boys’ toy to put her in – in…