Corgi Toys @ 60: Milk and Mini-Coopers

 

May brought a pretty and pretty iconic addition to the Corgi line-up. The Morris Mini-Cooper was 227, a very popular model. Simply the 226 model in new colours and with jewels added to the headlamps, but it started a whole new series which was to last many years and these models are very much in demand still today.

The initial May 1962 issues were in blue or primrose. Each would have a white roof and a white bonnet with crossed flags on the bonnet and a RN1, 3 or 7 on the doors. The blue model would have either red or lemon interior, the primrose always red.

First issues had fixed shaped wheels. Later this model would have just the roof painted white and this change almost coincides with the fitting of free-spinning wheels. There are, however, transitional models which have a white bonnet and free-spinning wheels.

In future years this little model would be the base for a series of Monte Carlo and another rally models, changing to BMC Mini-Cooper S and there will also be some which appear with an Austin badge on the bonnet. There are also several changes to the base design over time which are detailed in a separate article.

This month also sees the Bedford cab attached to a Milk Tanker as model 1129. This is the 1110 Mobilgas Tanker, from over three years ago, with a different coat of paint and decals. With no suspension and its fixed wheels, it seems a quite dated addition but would prove not to be the last by any means! This particular issue would seem only to have fixed shaped wheels but it may have been that some early issues had smooth wheels but I have yet to see one.

Another model getting the colour and decal change was the even more ancient (and ancient-looking) Karrier which had been a Lucozade van back in 1958. Now it is a Dairy produce Van, model 435. Still with no suspension and fixed wheels. The vast majority you will see have shaped fixed wheels but the very first models issued had smooth fixed wheels.

Completing the scene for May 1962 is yet another model to get a temporary extension of life - the even more ancient-looking ERF truck. This time it's the March 1958 truck with a fresh coat of paint and a 101 trailer in matching pale blue and white added along with some milk containers, a block on each of the truck and trailer.

So the Milk Marketing Board got plenty of publicity from these three models and Corgi got a little extra income from some otherwise very dated models.

As with the Milk Tanker, I have only seen this combination with shaped fixed wheels.