Memories (now better illustrated!)

Someone asked me this afternoon why and when I started what has become this Corgi Toys business. I say what has become because what I'm doing now is not what I had originally planned. I took her back to the mid-1960s and my first Corgis. That meant I had to try and recall just what my first model had been. As my father worked for an agricultural machinery depot, the first items may have been the Massey Ferguson tractor and trailer Gift Set 7. I know now that it must have been the early one as there was no Farmer George on the seat. I also had Gift Set 2 but, as that had a deep green Series II Land Rover it would most likely have been Christmas 1962 so that wasn't the first.

I did have a 216 Austin A40 but I only bought that at a later stage because I wanted to paint it red as my father's was an A40 Countryman version, red all over. (There were no 216Ms available at that time or I'm sure I would have spent the extra 3d and just painted the roof!)

I am pretty certain that my first car will have been the Jaguar E Type. It was the plum red version which, coincidentally, I have been looking for for some time now. Back then everyone had the plum red version and I didn't even know the pretty metallic dark grey existed. That, as it happens, was also one of the very first models I acquired when I did start this business. Now all that is see for sale are the metallic dark grey versions. Odd, but probably just one of those things. Mine had the matching plastic removable roof and both survived intact and more or less unmarked for more than 50 years.

Second would have been a gold and white Triumph Herald with its little removable black air filter on the engine accessed by folding forward the whole of the upper front body section.

I know that the Bentley Continental was available but it was expensive at 7/7d. (That strange looking price construction means 7 shillings and 7 pence. In 1961 there were 20 shillings in a pound and 12 pence in a shilling. 7 and 7 pence as we would have said then is about 38p in today's decimal currency.) I did get a two tone green model but suspect that came as a present in 1962. What I did get next was the Mercedes 220SE. I had a black one and think I still have it too. The paintwork did suffer a bit but that wonderful steering meant that it was played with a great deal.

Apart from the Austin A40, which I don't really count as I didn't play with that, the only model I had with fixed wheels was the Austin Seven. I remember how much better it was to play with the Morris Mini Minor which I bought later. I also didn't have any models without suspension and was completely unaware of the early models and certainly knew little of their Mechanical cousins.

By 1963 I was in the first form at school and getting enough pocket money from odd jobs and saving dinner money to buy almost every new car that came out. I say car because I had little interest then in the commercial vehicles. My father bought me a Bedford Machinery Carrier, to which I applied an Agricastrol transfer, and I also had a Carrimore Car Transporter but that was pretty much the extent of my trucks or vans. Just one exception - an Austin Mini Van, which I found great fun to play with as you could put a finger or two through the rear doors and kind of drive it and push the back out round corners!

Just as these memories flood back now, so they had done in 2013 sometime when, having retired from lecturing and helping to introduce technology in education, Corgi Toys were one of the first things that came to mind when I thought about starting a new business. My plan was then to buy wrecks and restore them. I bought all sorts of equipment which I thought would be useful but it wasn't long before I realised that collectors were not very interested in restored models. They much preferred an original, even if it was not in great condition. I had hoped to get £20 or more for decent restorations but you could buy played-with but still decent originals of the more common editions for that amount.

So the restoration plan was binned and I carried on the other part of the plan which was to build a nice web site that could be a useful and genuinely comprehensive catalogue too. That took shape in 2014 and I bought lots of models with money inherited when my mother died. Once I'd taken some photographs and studied the models I began to sell them so that I could have funds for the next ones required. It just carried on from there.

I never expected it to be much of a business. I hoped people would enjoy reading my news from time to time and I tended to write about whatever came in as and when it occurred to me. It still tends to be that way although the Corgi Toys @ 60 series I started in 2016 has provided some structure. The rest is rather random as anyone who is still reading this will have appreciated!

I have since had a look at Ebay and there are models I've had for sale there for over 5 years! Clearly I am either asking too much or the photos are bad or the descriptions are poor. Maybe all three. Now there's a job for the next few weeks - to try and revive interest in these. I get a number of models listed free but, as my total number of items is well in excess of that, these listings have effectively been costing me a few pence every month and 60 times x pence means I've probably spent more listing them than some are worth! Expect to see some 'special offers' soon!

For those who may also have played with Corgi Toys in the 1960s, my layout was a piece of hardboard that my father had cut to fit nicely over the metal frame of a single bed in the spare room at the first house I lived in. I had made roads using thin strips of masking tape with additional edges from various pieces of Floral Garden and Bayko. Bayko provided a few nice buildings and garages that cars could actually be driven into. The Floral Garden stuff was quite delightful too. I would love to get some again but prices are even higher now than Corgis!

The one Corgi building that I had was a BP Filling Station. Well, it was the shop part and some sort of panelled bit at the side. No pumps but I may have had a BP sign. As I recall I could choose between BP and Shell logos (although the box image I've found just refers to Shell. Were there two?) I still have this tucked away somewhere. I should get it out and use it for some of the photos in future if it is respectable still. I have been looking to buy some kits but they are mostly very expensive. In fact, I'd be happy with a made-up kit rather than the unopened bag of pieces.

Looking to add pictures, I couldn't find any of the Filling Station building, which I had. I shall have to dig out my own - and seemingly take good care of it!

So that was a pleasant trip down memory lane.

New arrivals and vive la difference!

One of the most beautiful Corgi models, in my opinion, is the 1970 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Stealing the Austin Healey's catalogue number of 300, it was the last of the Golden Jacks issues and only available for a short period during 1970. It still sold well, issued in two bright liquid metallic colours, red and green. These seem to be sold as fast as they arrive so I guess this won't be around long although I am tempted to add this particularly fine example to my own collection.

Also arriving this month was the Whizzwheels replacement in pink. As well as saving money on the paint, Corgi also abandoned the idea of take-off wheels and this gets the same nasty plastic design as everything else at the time. They did keep the pop-up jewelled lights at the front but, at the back, filled the holes for the jewels with blobs of mazak! These models are scarce and, despite not looking as good, are quite a lot more expensive.

Next is something very special that I shall not be keen to part with, having taken several years to find. It looks like the 205M Mechanical edition of the Riley Pathfinder but doesn't have the motor. It is just an ordinary 205. Whilst I have seen a few of the mechanical editions in red, this is the first non-mechanical in dark blue that I've seen.

So far I have found examples of the 203 Vauxhall Velox in red, 211 Studebaker in white and the 216 Austin in red and black. the 205M in red is the only example, so far, I have found of the 'normal' model getting the 'M' colour. All are very scarce and it is exciting to find another. I can imagine that it would be a relatively simple thing to happen at the factory and I'm surprised that we don't see more of these reversed combinations of top and chassis.

Two normal 216Ms make the total that I now have to nine! I do find these difficult to resist. One is in really nice condition and the other still reasonable and both have working motors.

The next item was a bit more expensive but still cost me a lot less than it should have. It's the rare export edition of the Graham Hill Ford Cortina MkIII GXL in pretty good condition, with a box and Graham too. I had both the left- and right-hand drive versions in beige advertised on Ebay but they were not in particularly nice condition. A lady wrote to me to say that there was a boxed edition of the left-hand drive one listed at less than I was asking for mine. I think she may have been suggesting that my prices could be a bit high and I did expect to see the common bronze car which, in some photos can look paler.

When I did see this, though, I bought it straight away and replied to thank the lady as, even with a chip here and there, these make several hundred pounds and it was most definitely under-priced rather than mine being over-priced.

I has a 2000GT version (quite rare, too) in a pale beige but with a brown roof in 1973. and no, no relation to Graham!

Continuing the list of things that are very hard to find, here is a lovely Ghia 5000 Mangusta with an aerial! It didn't come with a box, though so I also bought another with a damaged aerial but which did have a box and swapped the cars.

I had not noticed before but there are two colours of metal used for the engine block on the detachable chassis. This one has a gold colour of metal whereas the other I bought (not illustrated) had plain steel colour. In some previous articles I have written about this model I also used to remark on how sad it seemed that Corgi didn't add suspension to this model, slightly reminiscent of the 319 Lotus Elan. Rather late in the day, however, I have now realised that the chassis does have suspension provided by the chromed metal elements. I can't imagine how I've missed that in the past but I did!

I do have an original Avengers Gift Set 40, with an original box and plinth available which seems to have escaped mention in last month's list. This month I have created several more sets in the marvellous reproduction boxes that I have. The boxes are really the very best I've encountered and far superior to either the DRRB or Mr Flowers' productions.

I have still not found a correct reproduction of the Steed character so can only make these sets when I manage to find enough originals. I refuse to use the annoyingly repainted Jeeves type that seems to be all that is offered. In contrast, the Mrs Peel characters available are generally not too bad at all, although the paintwork on her face can be a bit dire sometimes.

I have two or three of the classic red Bentley and white Lotus sets now.

I also put together, from time to time, an alternative set which, whilst not as issued, is closer to the vehicles that featured in the series from Series 2 when it came in colour. Mrs Peel's first Lotus was white but in the second and subsequent series she had a later silver-blue model. Steed never had a red Bentley but one of quite a few green ones! Sometimes they even moved the registration plates from one to the other but, more often than not, they varied from episode to episode. But they were never red.

This set has a really attractive Bentley that I made using the chassis from a 9002, the body from a 1985 re-issue (with lovely bright chromework) and 1985 re-issue bright silver wheels on the chassis. This was not as simple as it may seem, however, as the 1985 edition has a black interior into which Steed simply doesn't fit. So that need to be changed and I used an original brown interior and also a brown original dashboard.

The Lotus also deserves a mention. A colleague and font of substantial knowledge of matters diecast, with whom I correspond from time to time, suggested I use some Power Fairy liquid to remove the transfer from the Lotus boot. What I did not realise was that it also changed the colour of the paintwork if I left it soaking for too long! As a consequence this set has a particularly rich metallic blue Lotus Elan!

Another source of interesting variations can be the bases of Earlier Corgi models. As well as finding different text or information on them you will also find some of the models fitted with the thicker plastic base may have black or grey bases. I have mentioned before the Jaguar 2.4 Litre Mechanical edition and it seems that the grey base is very scarce for that. For the Standard Vanguard RAF model the black and grey seem to be more evenly available.

I need to do more research on these base types one day.

I have managed to accumulate all the elements for a Daktari Gift Set 7 now, with the arrival of reproduction stethoscope and glasses (as originals were proving impossible to find!) The box is original and, although a bit worn, complete. I am, however, trying to make a complete Daktari Set 14 as I have the Truck, a grey adult elephant and Giraffe Transporter + giraffes. All that is missing is the little elephant - a dark blue plastic model that is proving elusive. And a box. No-one seems to make the box. So I am not sure what to do. I think I shall probably hang on to everything and hope to come across a box and little elephant one day as that bigger set is worth so much more. I could probably fill the Gift Set 7 box again without too much trouble.

For a long time I have had a Land Rover Public Address model but without the girl assistant. Finally one came along that was damaged but it did have an original girl so, once I have some better stickers, this can be advertised.

The same colleague who provided the Power Fairy advice also has a Public Address model with yellow seats (they're usually red) and that is something I am also looking out for. Land Rovers with red seats have always been something I have looked out for - well, those that should have yellow seats normally, that is. Here is a first - the Corgi Flying Club Gift Set 19 Land Rover with a red interior! I have a Pony Club Land Rover with Whizzwheels and this interior and a deep green (normal wheel type) edition too.

My German collector friend, Andreas, let me have a fawn and cream Pony Trailer so I have been able to put a late Gift Set 2 together with an original pony too. "Why would he give me a Pony Trailer?" you may ask . . .

Here is the reason. He already had plenty and it came with something else a bit special that he bought from someone who wouldn't post to Germany. So I was lucky to have this for a while and get some photos. It is a very rare example with lemon interior instead of the normal red. It is a pity that the model is not in the best of condition and I had to repair the centre strut for the windscreen which had disappeared. It is, however, one of those models that are worth getting hold of in almost any (original) condition.

It does seem to have been a month of interesting variations. The other additions are three 'normal' models. 

I had not had a Joe's Diner Karrier Van before to look at closely and this was a most pleasant surprise. The Trans-o-lite system is put to great effect to light up the sign at the front and the orange roof seems to make the interior seem lit too. This model has already been sold. Clearly I didn't have it priced high enough as it went in a matter of days!

The 322 Monte Carlo Rover 2000 is one of those models I find hard to resist when they're in good condition and seem very reasonably priced. If I can find two decent Minis I'll have enough for two very nice Gift Set 38s.

Finally for November, a reasonably good old 206M Hillman Husky with a good friction motor. These old originals with the motors did not sell well but they have so much charm and I am slowly making my own collection of these, improving the models s and when I can.

Some of these models will be available to buy so if you would like to reserve anything just get in touch.

Corgi Toys @ 60: A ruddy great missile and the little Austin A40

In June 1959 the last of the Mechanical models was issued. It's the delightful little Farina designed Austin A40. The 216M models had a very short production life as it was later this year that the decision to drop the M models from the range would have been made. So there are not many of these red and black 216M models around and they fetch high prices whenever good examples do appear.

The 216 non-mechanical edition was usually blue and dark blue but a few escaped from the factory in red and black. they're definitely not easy to find these days!

You should also look out for the 216 with shaped wheels. These would have been fitted later in the model's production and are somewhat less common.

You need either to peer in through the window or look at the base to distinguish the 216 from the 216M in red and black!

The other new arrival on the shelves of your local toy shop would be the remarkable Corporal Missile on a launch platform as catalogue no. 1112.

This must have been a dramatic new toy to see and even now it stands out in any collection, simply by being so big - nearly a foot long - and just plain impressive. It first appears here with another clever piece of Corgi engineering. I can only imagine that there was this one chap working there who was brilliant at this sort of thing and was responsible for the whole range of military equipment loading and transport gear.

The two wheels can be detached so that the unit can be placed on the ground to receive the missile standing vertically. Four adjustment devices can be set to make it level on almost any surface and four shaped pins hold the bottom part of the missile in place whilst the base itself fits on the shaped platform centre.

Later in the year, an erector vehicle will come along which, with a few knobs being turned, moves the missile from horizontal into a vertical position to fit on the platform. However marvellous all this stuff was, though, sales were modest - the high price and, perhaps, a shrinking interest in all things military, meant that only 26,000 are recorded as sold, the lowest figure so far at that time.

There are no variations at the outset for this item but a replacement nose cone does come along later. That includes a metal section into which caps could be places so that we could make exploding bangs if the missile were thrown so that it landed on its top end. As a consequence, you may not find too many in great condition!

Unusual arrivals this month

From time to time I list some of the models that have arrived here in the village. Nowadays, having acquired most of the 'normal' models that I needed for the catalogue project, I tend only to buy items that are a little scarce and often more interesting.

The first is this lovely 252 Rover 2000 in maroon. Although I expect some reached shops in boxes, this colour was mostly only found in the Gift Set 41/48 with the 1138 edition Ford car Transporter. These were popular sets so the Rover in this colour is not particularly scarce but this is the first I have encountered with cast, spoke effect wheels.

This style of wheel was used across the range, including Land Rovers and commercial models, from around 1967 and the International Rally edition of the Rover issued in February 1967 only had the cast type of wheel. Most other models started with normal wheels and then had the cast type fitted at some later date which I've tended to regard as being around 1968 in most cases.

The make-up of the Transporter Set changed in early 1969 when a new Scammell cab was also issued. So there may have been a year when the cast wheels might have been fitted to this Rover but I suspect it will have been rather shorter a period, (simply based on my  never having seen any, which may, of course, be inaccurate!)

Next is the very scarce Citroen DS19 with fog lamps included in the casting (not jewels as in the Monte Carlo edition). This example had been sadly repainted and the base had been removed so there wasn't much I could do with it. I had intended to restore it but decided to stop at the shiny mazak stage which I feel is a nice way to display this unusual casting. 

I do have an issued and unadulterated red model with these lights too.

The Mercedes may look unexceptional at first glance but its free-spinning wheels caught my attention and it did, indeed, turn out to be one of the very first 303S models issued with suspension. The interior is the same as the 303 model - white with a black steering wheel. It was not long before this was replaced by a white model or silver plated with interiors in a different style.

This model fetches high prices when it does appear but mine is not in great condition, some corrosion having affected the top surfaces.

Here is something I had been looking for for years - a blue 300 Austin Healey. I had doubts about its existence for quite a while but eventually found evidence that it really had been made, with red seat inserts. This example had had a lot of extra paint applied by one of its past owners, presumably in an attempt to cover up chips and scratches. The colour used was not far off the original but it did look, on first glance, like someone might have started with a cream or red one and painted it blue. Looking underneath it is clear that it was originally blue and the base has never been removed so all is well. There is still work to do to remove some recent paint but that's a slow task.

The Bedford CA Van in Ambulance guise as 412 was a common little item with the split screen but this Mk II version was not referred to in the Great Book of Corgi or accompanying lists and so tends to be missed by people making lists based on that source. It is certainly not a common item and would not have had a long life. Indeed, it is likely that the 414 Military Ambulance would have been the intended 'replacement' and I don't think we'll find that many of these single screen 412s will be around.

It's not very scarce but I find it hard to resist nice examples of the 216 Austin A40 with shaped wheels. Such a pretty model.

This is scarce - the 324 Marcos 1800 with blue stripes is, I'm told the edition for export to Canada. We got green stripes. This is only the third I have encountered in many years. The first was, strangely, at a talk I gave to a Welsh Society meeting when someone in the audience who had worked with Messrs Marsh and Costin on the real cars took one out of his pocket, totally unaware of its value!

Lastly for now, it has taken a while to find this uncommon edition of a 214 Ford Thunderbird with shaped wheels. In reasonable condition, too, and this can only have been one of a very few late models made when this style of wheel was fitted just before the 214S replaced it.

 I am still looking for a decent 215 with shaped wheels. I have concluded that there will be none of the M models with them, but there is a slim chance of the two-tone issues of the Ford, Austin, Morris, Vauxhall, Rover and Hillman having them. I have the Standard and both Rileys with shaped wheels (the Standard, interestingly, also having a different red paint area!) and by the time the Jaguar was in production they were fairly common.

So it has been quite a month for the unusual!

Summer holidays in an Austin A40

#216M Austin A40

Walcott, Summer 1960

Being 8 had its advantages. I was too small to reach the roof of my dad's Austin A40 so never got asked to wash it. This is me on holiday, probably around 1960, in Walcott on the Norfolk coast.

At the time there were almost no red A40 models to be found as Corgi had wthdrawn its #216M model with the unpopular friction mechanism that added a massive 3d to the price. So I had a blue one which I had attempted to paint red at the time but now have, at last, a lovely example of the red Corgi car. The last to have that motor and really quite scarce.

Walcotte, Summer 1965

It looks like we went to Walcott again in 1965 with dad's new Hillman Minx. This was a great car, smooth and much more powerful. I learned to drive and even passed my test in this car! Five years later. My dad's car was dark green but there was no Corgi Hillman Minx so the best I could do was a Spot On model in a dull shade of pea. Actually, the Spot On models were very nice and more detailed than Corgis. I don't really know wht I didn't collect them and get as attached to them as I did Corgis. I have a feeling they were a lot more expensive. Still, I guess it's never too late.

Spot-On #187 Hillman Minx