The other new old Corgi Toys

 

The latest (and most interesting) releases from Hornby arrived this week as they seek to recoup some of the costs of their assisting the Corgi Model Club with their valiant efforts over the last three years. A deal was made whereby Hornby would be able to utilise the casting and design work for the Model Club re-issues, provided that the new models coming on the market are different.

This follows the rather disastrous attempt by Hornby to 're-issue' #261 a little before the Model Club's excellent effort which served mostly only to confuse collectors and annoy people like me who felt that you should only put a model in a box that had the number 261 and a design very similar to the original 261 box if that model was pretty closely modelled on the original #261, which Hornby's clearly wasn't, with its revolving number plates, ghastly wheels and a box that w as bigger than the original. It also follows the much better, but still very confusing, issue by Hornby of the Land Rover Breakdown Truck in 417S form at the same time as the Model Club released their is 417 form! Or maybe the other way round, I can't remember.

I am happy to say that things have much improved! Hornby, like the Model Club, do need to get someone to study fonts and typefaces rather more than they have to date as the boxes all feature some noticeably wrong characters when viewed next to some original issues.

But let's look at the models. First comes the Porsche Carrera 6. The Model Club produced this in the scarcer finish but Hornby have gone for the more familiar issue with a blue engine cover, red highlights and a 60 RN.

They updated the box illustration to match. When I first got this I thought the illustration looked strange and not much like what I had thought the original was like. However, when I found an original box I saw that the style is actually very similar, with someone recolouring the original to all intents and purposes.

As before, without Porsche's agreement, there can be no emblem on the base for this model either so that does look a bit bland, as did the Model Club issue.

Otherwise it is excellent all round.

Next is something new for us all! A Ford Mustang in gold with a matt black bonnet.

This is a nice addition to the Corgi range of Mustangs and stands out from the rest. The same colour interior is present so not a great deal had to be done in creating this one either.

It also has retained the quite chunky 8-spoke cast wheels but these do seem to make it sit much too high. It is reminiscent of the Ford Thunderbird. The first Open Top model, #215 sat nice and low as all the Thunderbirds seem to do in real life. Then came suspension and the 215S, with a much higher ride height and a silly-looking Simon Templar peering over the top of the windscreen. I may well try changing the tyres  on this and see whether 'normal' tyres permit it to sit at a better height.

It's a great addition to the collection, nevertheless, and I am glad this arrangement was made with the Club.

Next is a model which was issued - the Volvo P1800 in red.

My pictures show it looking a little pinkish but this is definitely a red Volvo and not the salmon one they issued in the old days. The red issue is less common so it's nice to see this from Hornby. 

It has the same shortcoming as The Saint's car, those rather plasticky jewels in the headlamps and I found that there was a lot of play in the axles which makes the car rattle annoyingly. A minor matter, though. Another attractive model I am happy to display.

Last this month is the Jaguar E Type 2+2 Fastback in metallic blue. Just as the red one from the Model Club has delighted us all then this cannot fail to do so again. I had always wanted the blue version as a child and it was one of the first original models I looked for when I rebuilt my collection. This is lovely.

Everything works as it should. The seat backs seem rather more flimsy than I remember the originals being but they do recline as necessary. The rear parcel shelf also moves back and forth. The wire wheels have been well-reproduced and the whole car looks wonderful.

It comes in identical packing to the original #335. Not easy to open so this one may not get played with as much as the others, being so tricky to extract and not something to attempt in a rush as the card will tear.

I see in the photos that the doors are a slightly darker colour, or maybe the metallic paint was sprayed on these in a different direction. I hadn't noticed when it arrived and it's not something I am inclined to complain about but I hope it is not affecting all the production.

So here we have four fine new additions to the Corgi family. My 'second' collection of new models is growing ridiculously quickly. I am just glad that I can afford to keep up, something I couldn't do as a child with very limited pocket money. Getting older does have its advantages!

I am reminded of some time in the early 1980s when I was in my twenties and had plenty of spare money after paying the bills. I would look in toy shops for Corgis, hoping to buy lots of the models I had had but which had become worn or damaged, or just get some new ones I had never been able to get, like the Ecurie Ecosse transporter and the silver Aston Martin. Of course, none were to be had anywhere in the toy shops. Had I known where to look I may have been able to get them at nice prices from whoever did have them for sale then but I never did discover who or where. At least I'm here now for new collectors or other old ones on a rebuilding mission and I hope I can continue to help you all find what you'd like, as well as keep you up-to-date with the new stuff.

Hornby variations on the Corgi Model Club theme

Look what we can now add to our collections! No, these are not from the Corgi Model Club. It would appear that, after Blue DTC have underwritten most of the costs of getting the castings right, Corgi, as in Hornby Corgi, have seen a chance to re-use them and here are the first four models which are available to pre-order at uk.Corgi.co.uk.

They are listed under the heading 'Vintage Corgi Toys' and the first one shown is the Land Rover Breakdown truck with suspension that was issued last year. I remember reviewing this and it was very good, although confusing for us all as the Model Club was issuing its 417 at the same time! Interestingly, there would not be a great deal of useful pre-production work for the 417 that Corgi could benefit from for the very different 417S whereas all these four new models are very much the Model Club revisited.

I had expected the Model Club to try and make some extra money by producing a metallic blue version of the E Type Jaguar. but Corgi appear to have stolen the march on that. This was a very fine model in red but the blue I always found a particularly attractive finish and I very much look forward to seeing this on my table later this year.

The Porsche Carrera reverts to the more common colour scheme in its Corgi re-appearance. It also has a driver who sometimes went missing with the original.

The Ford Mustang is something else. The Model Club produced the 325 Competition model but Corgi have catalogued this as a 320 and given it a remarkable gold finish with a black bonnet. I believe this might have been one of the sample colour schemes for the Mustang in the 1960s. it is quite impressive, although the illustration seems to show a rather high ground clearance and I am hoping that it has a better stance when it arrives. Retaining the 325 cast wheels with what look like wide tyres is a strange choice as they were never used on the 320 so this is a bit of an oddity but and interesting and possibly great addition none the less.

This requires a new box, of course, so it will be interesting to see how that is produced. The Jaguar and Porsche do not need need boxes so presumably the Model Club ones are used.

Lastly, for now, we have the Volvo P1800. This is, of course, the 258 model without Simon Templar and with a fresh coat of dark orange-red paint and a change of interior to make it pretty much a 228, as the box now indicates.

Unlike the Ford Mustang, this does seem to match an issued model, albeit in one of the scarce colours.

I can see these being very popular models. There is something about 'variations' that appeal to collectors. Most of my stock in my own business comprises variations of models that are a little harder to find and which collectors may not have been aware of. I love looking at the small differences and especially the different colours and shades. very much like the Machin stamps of the British definitive postage stamp issues which remained virtually unchanged in general design from 1967 to last year - with more than 1000 'variations'.

I am a little surprised that it has been Hornby Corgi rather than the Corgi Model Club that has produced these new models and it does beg the question as to whether we will see any such variations from the Club or will they simply create the single model and leave Hornby Corgi to take it further?

As long as Hornby Corgi do stay 'vintage' all should be well and I guess we are all hoping that the strange James Bond Aston Martin they brought out as their R26101 but which was not a reproduction of a 261 at all and which had a different size of box too, remains a one-off and is not associated with this new and quite exciting series.

Now, what else can we hope for? The Bentley in black and silver would be an obvious choice. As and when these start to arrive I will write more about what they're actually like.

The new old Corgi Collection

I don't know how many times I have said to fellow collectors how much I wished someone would try making the original Corgi Toys again. Not with Vanguards style wipers, realistic wheels and troublesome mirrors but plain perspex windows, shaped wheels like they used to be and suspension. And rubber tyres. Models that really do look and feel right and which may even need a second look to check that they are not actually originals from the 1960s.

At last, it seems, someone has taken a chance and is making a start. Hornby Hobbies plc have licensed the oddly-named Blue 14 DTC Brands trading as Corgi Toy Collection to sell and distribute reproduced models in the UK. Interestingly, text in one of their leaflets states that Blue 14 DTC Brands have an exclusive license to sell and distribute Corgi Toys in the UK. That would imply that they're handling the new stuff too as well as these reproductions - indeed it makes me wonder whether I'm going to be in trouble for selling a few of the old ones! I suspect that statement may be a mistake but never mind that now; back to the models.

This does look like great news. The first model has arrived and it's the 474 Thames Ice Cream Van with music chimes. Although I never wanted one of these as a child or even now as I found the hugely out-of-proportion handle affair at the back ugly - and it never seems to work for long either, the delicate tines on the element producing the notes breaking easily - I do respect the fact that lots of people do like it and originals sell for a fortune.

The van is an excellent and very faithful re-make of the 1965 edition. I am particularly pleased with the shaped wheels and windows. The colours are exact and texture of the plastic and weighting of suspension seems right too. Even the chrome, whilst maybe a little too bright, is OK. I suppose, if anything, the whole thing is a little too 'perfect', with precise silver and red painting whereas the originals would have missed bits!

It has all the right original stuff in the box (except, of course, a membership form). There is a sheet of stickers, instruction sheet, plain reinforcement card and a further packing card featuring the 60s kids in full colour. A small chunk of polystyrene replaces the cardboard to prevent the rear handle piercing the box.

The box itself is pretty good in terms of design and colours. A good effort but marks lost for someone using the wrong font for the list of features and product name. It is also just too shiny, as if printed on photographic paper where a dull surface would have been preferable in my view. The designers have cleverly retained almost all the original text and illustrations, changing 'Made In Great Britain' to 'Designed in Great Britain' on one panel and putting all the necessary 'new' stuff on a bottom panel where it will be least obvious if on display.

With this first issue I received a really good reproduction of the original Corgi badge (without the hole element and with a tie-pin and clip fastening rather than safety-pin type of operation). Additionally there is a pile of leaflets promoting the Collection and a certificate of provenance for this model.

This is simply great value at £1.99 which is the most you would pay for this at this time. Indeed, as I have signed up for the next release I actually get the van free of charge! You might bear this in mind if you were thinking of bidding for one on Ebay where, of course, annoying people are trying to make a quick few quid, some not even declaring this as a replica. It is good enough to fool a good few, especially if they ditch the box and most accompaniments.

The next issue planned is the 339 BMC Mini Cooper. A leaflet also displays a 155 Lotus F1 Racing Car, 258 'Saint's" Volvo P1800, 267 Batmobile, 325 Ford Mustang Competition Edition, 330 Porsche Carrera 6 and 417 Land Rover Breakdown Truck.

With the Mini there will be a 1505 Garage Attendant Figures Set, 1966 Corgi Catalogue and a tin to hold our certificates. The tin looks deep enough for more than eight sheets so I'm hopeful this will develop . . .

Oh, I can now add too that the reproduction of the Ice Cream Van is so good that the chimes are already beginning to miss a note from time to time!

The illustrations show some remarkably nice models, the only downside being the text on the base which tells us that these are made by 9 year old re-educated children working 18 hours a day in a 5 acre factory on the outskirts of Tianjin. I shall have to subscribe, though, and will report on all these as and when they arrive.

I am struggling with an image of an Ice Cream Van on the streets of Tianjin.