That figures?

 I have recently acquired lots of figures, animals and assorted bits and pieces that often go missing from Corgi sets or the models which they may have accompanied in a box when first issued. Most of them I have been able to identify or were very familiar with and I shall be adding them to associated items that I have for sale where I didn't have them already.

There are a few, however, that I am not sure where they belong and maybe someone can help? 

The first one looks like a race official from the #1501 set of Racing Drivers and Pit Mechanics but the one I have in my set, and which has appeared in all the sets I've seen, is all white and the information on the board is different.

Next is another character, who looks like he belongs at Silverstone.

Again, he is quite differently painted to a couple of #1503 Race Officials that I have. Like the chap above, it looks like the same person but very differently finished and with a different flag.

There is one chap in #1503 with the chequered flag . . .

 . . . but he has a full length coat, not a jacket. Everyone has a tie blowing in the wind, I see. I had not noticed that before!

The next chap is someone I really feel I should know and no doubt readers are shouting at their screens and I shall soon be feeling embarrassed. 

It's the wrench I don't remember. I think we have the same individual in blue overalls carrying a bottle of oil in the #1501 Garage Attendants group or maybe the Thames Wrecker where someone very similar, if not the same, is included together with a chap squatting down to change a wheel. But they're both blue. The orange overalls and lack of shirt or vest colour I cannot place, although that wrench I am sure I have seen somewhere.

Next is what looks like a young farm worker. Just as in the Country Farm Gift Set 4, where Corgi managed to make even Gerald from Clarkson's Farm seem normal, this is an odd-looking young chap, carrying a bucket or maybe a milk churn. Perhaps he is from an Agricultural Gift Set? I have never been able to examine one of these - and have always wanted one of the early Gift Set 22s with the 'farm green' #406S Land Rover and a yellow 101 trailer.

Now identified - with many thanks to John Bowyer who advises that this is the stable lad accompanying four horses in #1104 Newmarket Racing Stables Horse Transporter, the green and yellow slightly dumbed down version of the earlier 1130 Chipperfields model.

Next is a pair of penguins. I have searched high and low but do not see any sign of a penguin in any of Corgi's sets or issues. They may be intruders.

Here we have what looks like Elvis on traffic duty. I have no idea about this.

He is mounted on a strange base which might have been some way of attaching him to a scene on a display tray. His legs honestly don't look strong enough to me so perhaps he needed that extra support! This is a larger character so from something in the larger 1:36 scale.

Now identified! Many thanks to Yann who writes to tell me that 'Elvis' is from the #416 Buick Police Car, which I actually have for sale and can now be paired with its companion.

Here we have a few sacks but in different sizes. Those shown above are significantly larger than those below. I think the smaller ones will be from one of the sets that included a conveyor. That could be Gift Set 64, the FC150 with Conveyor or Gift Set 47 Tractor and Conveyor. The larger ones may be from an Agricultural Set, although one would expect them to be the smaller size and I don't know a set that had bags in the later 1:36 scale.

I do know that this is from Gift Set 31, the Safari Land Rover set in 1:36 scale and not that easy to find now. It's often lost and no many sets were produced in the first place so this character could be quite scarce. I should have the set itself available in a while so do let me know if you would like this reserved.

Last of the mystery characters is this rather funny-looking sheep.

Once again, I am inclined to think this may have been included in an agricultural set. This sheep looks quite big but still not out of place with 1:43 scale models. I suppose, though, that if it was intended to be a lamb then it may belong in a 1:36 scale set. I can't think of one offhand, however.

It is possible that a couple of these items are from somewhere other than a Corgi model or set but my guess is that this is not the case and someone out there will recognise them all and explain the differences for the first few! No prizes - but handsome discounts may be negotiable if I have something in stock that you would like.

I have also added a few original boxes of tyres (and some loose ones) to the store and some other bits and pieces which you can see at this new section, called appropriately, Corgi bits and pieces.

New arrivals this month

 Here are some more arrivals, all in really nice condition and most have original boxes too. The images are links to my web site where you can find more details.

The Avengers Gift Set 40 has two original brollies! I would quite like to keep them so have offered to replace them and reduce the price. I also have another original set with a Lotus with cast wheels. Something else with which I am not really wanting to part company.

One of the last 1:43 (or thereabouts) scale Gift Sets which was not around for long. The tractor looks and feels very basic compared to the fine detail on their previous issues but the expressions on the faces of the two characters on the hay never fail to make me laugh! Rare to find one of these sets complete and it gets quite rapidly replaced by Gift Set 5 without the hay.

In the US 'Esso' is the 'Exxon' brand and this is a scarce export model #1158. It is, though, another example of the economies and short-cuts made by Corgi in their declining years. This model has no suspension and the cab, whilst lifting to show the engine and gear shift, is so much less detailed.

Even with an original box these Whizzwheels Taxis are cheap.

Almost the last 1:43 scale model issued by Corgi from the 1956-70s era, this weird-looking VW1300 is quite fun to play with. No suspension but lovely rich metallic blue paint and this is a nice example with all four wheels in gold. I have the original box but I am waiting to get the bollards which were included with it. This is #400, not be confused with #401 which is the same car and bollards in a different box.

One of the last Ford mustang Competition models made, here with the fat eight-spoke cast wheels. Previously it had been fitted with shaped wheels, spoked wheels and cast spoke effect wheels. Scarce now with good suspension as the chrome element that runs from front to back provides this with small plastic tabs that have become very brittle over the years.

More often found in the Transporter Gift Set in this finish, this comes in an early Whizzwheels window box

I was a big fan of the Monkees, being just 14 when they began to appear in an early evening TV show. It's strange to recall now that there'd be parties in those days which started at around 5 o'clock and we'd get tea, watch the show and then the parents would disappear and leave us free to play games like 'Spin The Bottle' and share 7" discs. When this model appeared, however, in late 1968, the Monkees' release of D W Washburn had scarcely troubled the charts and most of the early excitement had faded in the UK and their album Head left most early teenage fans wondering what that was all about.

The Corgi Monkeemobile didn't sell particularly well and is now quite hard to find in a nice box. Even more difficult to find is a box with an original header card.

In something of a contrast to the Monkeemobile, the revision of Corgi's so successful #261 Aston Martin so that the #270 model did look more like a DB5 and was in the 'right' silver birch colour, would sell vast quantities. Normally that might make them cheap and easy to find at low prices but, due to changes being made during production, some of the five main versions are now particularly sought after as they were not around for long.

This is the very first issue, with silver bumpers and grille, and only produced for a short time in 1968 before being replaced by the gold trim edition.

June 2026 is the Rambler's 60th anniversary of issue, as reported earlier, and here is a later version of that model with quite clean cast wheels - and suspension!

I remember being quite disappointed by the 'surprise' in the boot of the Chrysler Imperial when I had spent a hard-earnt 9/3d. This seemed very over-priced as you could have a Breakdown Truck for 5/11d, a Ford Mustang with opening doors and jewelled lights for 6/9d. I always thought it was an ugly, chunkily square model which didn't inspire me to want a Chrysler one day. The best thing about mine and this one is the shaped wheels, only fitted to the first issues in 1965.

Having said that, I would really like to find a kingfisher metallic blue version which Corgi produced in very small numbers as a proposed new Bermuda Taxi. When that idea got shelved they sold the blue ones they had produced at that stage, with the gold caddy in the boot and characters planted in the front seats, in a 246 box. These versions have spaces behind the rear seats where the plastic roof supports would have been fitted and always had the alternative chalky blue interior. I had one a long time ago and now dearly wish I had kept it.

Corgi Toys @ 60 : the Wickerwork Mini-Cooper and a Beast Carrier

 

November 1965 brought us the Beast Carrier in an individual box. Previously it had only been available in Gift set 33 with a Ford 5000 Tractor. It still has the four different calves inside on a card 'straw' base and a green plastic mesh above.

I am not aware of any variations to this model in its life from 1965 to a quite extraordinarily late 1972.

Also lasting quite a while in the catalogue will be the Mini-Cooper with deluxe wickerwork as it says on the box, with Morris Mini-Cooper on the base, this being essentially a way to give the #227 model a longer life.

It starts with the old type 1 casting and normal shaped wheels. Later the Type 2 mini casting is used and then cast wheels get added too. I seem to recall that I have had both transition models - type 1 with cast wheels and type 2 with shaped wheels - but I may need to check that before you go looking for a missing variation! It would seem unlikely that both exist but that did turn out to be the case with the #416 RAC Radio rescue Land Rover with the headboard and wheel types, so who knows what was possible?

The 'Wickerwork' comprises plastic panels which were quite easy to remove without damaging the black paintwork. So you may well encounter many black Mini-Coopers with red roofs! 

The later models are often used to make reproductions of the Pop Art Mini as they have the right casting, jewels, interior, wheels and base.

The film Shot In The Dark was released in the UK in 1965 and starred Peter Sellers and this gave much publicity to the stylish (for those times) Mini - something upon which Corgi were particularly good at cashing in.

Down on the farm with Massey Ferguson

In May 1959 we saw the first farming issues from Corgi. This was the Massey Ferguson 65 tractor in its 'Massey Ferguson' red finish. For the first edition, that included the seat too.

Later the seat gets painted in the cream or pinky-cream of the chassis and eventually they settle for not painting it at all.

The wheels start off as metal but get replaced by plastic at some stage.

The steering wheel also starts as black but is replaced by a silver metal one. I have no idea when all these changes are made. The vast majority of models have silver seat, steering wheel and plastic wheels as well as gold lettering in the transfers. I have seen silver / white lettering and also a brighter gold which looks more like yellow but I am unsure whether these are merely replacements as parts suppliers can provide these now and many are difficult to distinguish from the originals.

Corgi concentrated on just two brands - Massey Ferguson and Fordson. In this article I will show you the Massey Ferguson tractors. There was also a 'Massey Ferguson' trailer issued in May 1959 and in October a marvellous Massey Ferguson Combine Harvester which I will return to another day.

The #50  tractor was also issued in Gift Set 7 (with the #51 Trailer), Gift Set 8 (with the #51 trailer and #1111 Combine Harvester and Gift Set 29 (with the #51 Trailer with a driver added).

The next tractor was in April 1960 when a shovel gets attached to the tractor as #53.

This is a typical example of Corgi's detailed production of operational pieces. With the two levers you could raise and lower the arms and hold or let the bucket swing down to empty it. With a pile of sand or bits and pieces you really could pick stuff up and transport it to be dropped somewhere else - well, as long as you didn't need to turn any sharp corners as all the Massey Ferguson tractors had fixed axles.

The first shovel attachment model #53 has cream arms and the transfers are fitted along them with none on the tractor bonnet. It has metal wheels.

At some point the arms section is revised, with an additional bar between them and now there is no space for the transfer so it returns to the tractor bonnet. I believe this version will always have plastic wheels but there is no definitive evidence that the wheels were changed at exactly the same time as the lift mechanism so there may be a further two variations: arms type 1 with plastic wheels, arms type 2 with metal wheels.

Near the end of production comes a known third variety. This one has bare metal arms but is otherwise in the same style as the previous one, with transfers on the bonnet. I am sure all of these will have plastic wheels.

This also appears in Gift Set 32 with a #62 Trailer with raves and has a driver.

In May 1963 the Massey Ferguson 65 tractor gets a fork attachment (available to buy as #57 in a box). This always seems to be in bare metal, very much along the lines of the final Shovel attachment.

This is also included in Gift Set 22 where, in fact, it first appeared in September 1962. There are some errors in some publications which list Gift Set 22 as having #53 not #57. I had unwittingly taken my data from these supposedly reputable sources too and have only just changed my site in that respect! Because the Shovel version was the one available at the time of the Set's issue it seemed logical to conclude that they set had #53 not #57. Now, of course, we may find that could, indeed be the case but all the new-looking sets I have seen have had the Fork attachment.

In July 1966 there is a new Massey Ferguson - the 165.

This looks similar in its traditional red but now has a grey chassis which makes the white grille surround stand out. There is an exhaust too and a driver from the start.

On the front axle is a device which makes an approximation to a chugging sound - perhaps not one of Corgi's brightest of ideas. Steering would have been a better idea, or some jewels for the headlamps like they gave to the later Ford tractor.

On its own, the Massey Ferguson 165 tractor as #66 doesn't get into any Gift Sets.

In March 1967 the 165 gets a shovel attachment, very similar to the last fork attachment but with red arms and a bare metal, more angular bucket for #69 than was fitted to #53.

This edition does find its way into two Gift Sets: the big Agricultural Gift Set 5 in October 1967 and Gift Set 9 in December 1968 with the #62 trailer.

Then we get a bit of a surprise in March 1970 when a most impressive #73 165 Tractor is issued with a working rotating saw attachment.

This is remarkable bit of engineering that uses a tightly coiled wire (essentially a spring) to translate the rotation of rear wheel teeth to turn the spring and hence the saw at the other end. As well as detailed controls and 'hydraulic' piping the attachment and arm can be positioned in many ways and there is even a safety guard in a heavy metal mesh design too.

This is not quite the end of the Massey Ferguson story as in 1973 there is a new #50 in the shape of a Massey Ferguson MF50B Tractor which gets a shovel in May 1974. These are appalling models, very basic and with such limited detailing that I don't care for them much at all. There are some interesting sets in which they appear, however, so I will write about them on another occasion. Better to end on the high note that was #73.

The Farming Models Gift Set 22

 

One day I will try to gather all the items for the lovely Gift Set 22 Farming Models. The very first set was issued in September 1962, before the deep green 438 Land Rover was available individually. In those early sets was what I call a 'farm green' Series II Land Rover which would have been a 406S had it been issued in a box on its own. These are hard to find now and most that I have encountered appear to have had a pretty hard life on the farm too!

The Land Rover tows another item unique to this set - an all yellow 101 flat bed trailer. The first ones would have had fixed shaped wheels which will be about as scarce as the farm green Land Rover. Later they had free-spinning wheels fitted but I don't know whether this would have been before the deep green 438 started to be used or after. One would guess that, as the deep green 438 appears on the shelves in December 1962 it would also have been put in the Gift Sets once stock of the farm green edition had been used up.

Only 31000 of these sets were produced, according to the records, which isn't very many. By comparison the 351S RAF Land Rover is supposed to have had 25000 produced and you know how hard is to find those now!

The other components in the Gift Set 22 were initially:

• 1111 Combine Harvester
• 53 Massey Ferguson Tractor with shovel attachment
• 51 Massey Ferguson Trailer
• 55 Fordson Power Major Tractor
• 56 Four Furrow Plough
• 1487 Milk Churns
• 1490 Skip & 3 larger Churns to fit on the rear of the Massey Ferguson
• 3 Drivers, each different, for the tractors and Combine Harvester.

Despite its low sales, the set remained available until 1965 and, along the way, changes were made to what was in the box. 

• The normal 438 replaced the farm green 406S
• The 60 Fordson Power Major replaced the 55 version
• The 61 Plough replaced the 56 version
• The 57 Massey Ferguson Tractor with a Fork attachment may have replaced the 53 with a Shovel attachment but I'm not sure. I have only seen sets with the later item but it was not available when the set was first made available.
• The 62 Tipping trailer replaces the 51 Trailer but that will only be late in production as the trailer only gets issued in February 1965 and none of the sets I have seen illustrated seem to have the raves.

So most of the other components are fairly easy to find. It could be a bit of a struggle to find the different driver for the Combine Harvester but the other two gents will be with the later issues of the Massey Ferguson tractors in sets or in the box for the Fordson. You don't see many of the big milk churns or the skip but as a 1490 set they should appear from time to time and the 1487 block is common.

Now there's something that the Corgi Model Club could help us out with!! We haven't had anything agricultural from them yet.

I haven't looked to see whether anyone does a reproduction box but I am sure one will be available, if not both. That does mean you need to be careful, though, and make sure you get the right items for whatever box you find! (I will update later with more about this).

Lastly, you'll see that I have found a way to add some nice backgrounds to images! This is AI at work and most impressive it is too. One of my first efforts is below with the lovely 273 Rolls Royce with Golden Jacks. I have just packed up my silver over metallic blue edition which, interestingly went to an Andrew Windsor! So I had to use the slightly more common cream over muddy blue but it still looks good.