Corgi Toys @ 70

Whilst I shall continue my Corgi Toys @ 60 series, I need to mark what is now the 70th anniversary of the launch of Corgi Toys. For those who do not wish to go way back to my post in July 2016, here is the list of models released in July 1956.

200	Ford Consul
200M	Ford Consul
201	Austin Cambridge
201M	Austin Cambridge
202	Morris Cowley
202M	Morris Cowley
203	Vauxhall Velox
203M	Vauxhall Velox
204	Rover 90
204M	Rover 90
205	Riley Pathfinder
205M	Riley Pathfinder
206	Hillman Husky
206M	Hillman Husky
300	Austin Healey 100/4
301	Triumph TR2
403	Bedford Van ‘Daily Express’
403M	Bedford Van ‘KLG Plugs’
404	Bedford Van Dormobile
404M	Bedford Van Dormobile
405	Bedford Van Utilecon Fire Tender
405M	Bedford Van Utilecon Fire Tender
452	Commer Dropside Lorry
453	Commer ‘Walls’ Refrigerator Van

The models with a suffix M to the catalogue number were fitted with a friction motor. When pushed along, a heavy flywheel would start to rotate at speed and continue to propel the model for a few seconds. In several ways this was quite unsatisfactory to us children, principally because the speed they reached was dreadfully slow and nothing like as fast as a good push would produce for the normal edition, even on a carpet of reasonable pile and nowhere close to the speed or distance you could achieve on lino or floorboards. The models also cost 3d or 4d more.

The M models were deleted from dealers' order sheets in 1959 and good examples, with working motors, are expensive now and well worth collecting after all!

The model with the greatest sales was the Austin Healey 100/4, around 533,000 due to it staying available until 1965. Apart from the M models, the Triumph TR2 had the shortest production period, discontinued in 1960 and replaced by a TR3.

Corgi Toys @ 60 : a new tractor, replacement ambulance and a mail-order Transporter Set

 

It's July 1966 and, at last, we get a new Massey Ferguson 165 tractor to replace the 65 that first appeared in 1959. This is a fine-looking model, no. 66, with a device mounted in the front axle housing which creates a noise when pushed along. This does mean that you won't win many races with this model but then, a tractor, I don't suppose you would have tried.

This tractor has a nice solid exhaust pipe, although the thinner top piece is still a bit vulnerable. I am not aware of any variations of this.

Also issued in July 1966 was the revised version of the Superior Ambulance on a Cadillac chassis. As with the Commer Police van, the method of making a light flash was not working well and Corgi made a new insert which carried a bulb that should flash on its own when switched on.

The colour scheme was completely changed but the model number remained the same at 437. The decals and window treatment also get changed.

Whilst there were two main variations in the colour and style of the plastic repeater lights in the first issue, I believe there are just the clear type with angled ends on this model.

Lastly July 1966 saw the introduction of a new Car Transporter with a load of six cars. Initially this was only available as something you could order by mail or abroad as it was the export edition and numbered Gift Set 41.

The contents were almost always as shown below:

There will have been changes, however, over the years although the line-up of three Minis, Ford Cortina, Hillman Imp and Rover 2000 seems consistent for this Gift Set 41.

The cab is the Ford H series and this is very detailed, first seen with the Express Service truck in September. The Transporter on its own was available as 1138 Corgi Major from April 1966.

Unless you have the box and packing for mail order and some other evidence, it is now not possible to tell what was originally issued from what may have been re-made as a set at some later date, with Gift Set 48 being the number allocated to the home release to come at the end of the year.

Unlike the Express Service model, I am not aware of any 1138 Car Transporters getting the large shaped wheels, all that I have seen having the detailed large cast variety. Of course, someone may swap the cab and I have seen some trailers being pulled by a dark metallic blue cab, although that also had detailed cast wheels.