The giraffes return . . .

 

Well, maybe they never went away. June 1964 had seen the arrival of mother and junior giraffes in the back of a Bedford TK cab with a blue plastic box attached to the place where all sorts of rear sections had been attached in the past (and would continue to be attached for several more years, but that's another story).

In 1969 they re-appeared in the Giant Daktari Gift Set 14, in a similar box, now brown, and with a cab painted beige, and then again in the same year with a strong metal enclosure on the back of a Turbine Truck in a considerably larger scale to the Bedford, not that a scale can actually be applied to a model of something imaginary - but you'll know what I mean.

This is the Qualitoys #406 model from the very limited series I have been researching, much to the frustration of collectors who don't like these very much but, fortunately, of some interest to those who do (as there is precious little information published about this range).

Whereas the folk at Corgi decided that they needed a bigger pony than the ones issued either with #102 or #112 trailers for the Horsebox, they seem have concluded that the giraffes were fine as they were. Finding a model that had them and that was not sealed in a pack took a while but at least this one has only appeared as a truck and not a trailer.

I am still waiting to see, never mind acquire, the #709 Horsebox Trailer. If anyone has decent Dump Truck, Fire Trailer or Jumbo Dozer then I need these and they ought to be reasonably readily available. The problem with these toys is that they did get played with a lot so those I encounter are nearly always either wrecks or in original sealed packs which I don't really need.

I still have no idea what #713 might be - or even whether it exists.

Qualitoys update

 

I had something of a dilemma with some recent Qualitoys purchases. These models are packed in a sturdy bubble pack which might have been nice on the shelves but not ideal for collectors. The plastic is simply glued to the card and, whilst one or two have become detached with age and the model can be slipped out without further damage, those that remain firmly attached require a decision to be made. Do I keep the item like new and never actually see another view of the model? Or do I break in somehow?

As these particular models appear to be available pretty cheaply I decided that there would be precious little difference in value between the model in a nearly mint pack and one in a slightly damaged pack. At the current low prices that a nearly mint one can be found for then there really is not much to lose! I was also heavily influenced by wanting to see whether there was a horse in the Horsebox, as well as simply wanting to take a closer look at these models.

For some I made a neat cut with a scalpel in the card at the back to release the model and it closes up neatly which should still be reasonably satisfactory for someone as and when these are to be sold again.

The nice new models are illustrated below and they are really quite nice out of that bubble. As many that are available loose do tend to have been very well played with by kids, as indeed was the intention, it is unusual to see them in this new condition.

The trailer is one item that doesn't do anything but you can still load it up and attach it to one of the trucks.

The pony is there and this one's brown. I am sure that others I have seen were white so that is something I need to research more. The white roof comes off quick easily, and was hanging off in the packet but not by enough to see the horse. There is a ramp which folds up too which didn't look right in a half open, half closed state in the pack so I am happy to have got it out.

The tower truck has three plastic sections, one of which can be lifted up and the top one rotates.

The Breakdown Truck has a familiar 'Corgi' hook and a handle I've seen before!

This version of the Truck has a rear section that tips to one side. Otherwise it looks just like the basic Truck but in a different colour scheme. It was probably the most popular model and there re many around but, so far, I haven't seen a nice one at a reasonable price.

One mystery is now solved! I had not looked closely at the models promoted on the back of the card for some models - you'll see that there is a Horsebox Trailer and that is catalogued as #709. I have yet to see one, though. I wonder whether there is a set of the basic Truck with the Horsebox Trailer? Anyway I have now updated the list as you'll see below. There may still be one to find but so far a different model eludes me. It does seem that some of these items may be particularly scarce - or are they just not deemed worth listing on Ebay or wherever by anyone who has them?

One more Qualitoys model. Two to go. Maybe.

 

I've found another Qualitoys item from the 1971 release group. It's a Jumbo loader with Scoop. I may or may not be successful in buying it so all I have is this picture for now.

Here is a table I have put together based on the information I've found to date:

I have also added a live table to the Corgi Catalogue website at this address.

So, assuming the Little Red Book is correct, (which, as we know, is not always the case but what else can we do?) and there were six models released in 1971 there are still two to find. If we regard the Fire Hose Trailer as a 1971 issue, however, then there would only be one but that would mean a gap in the numbers. Now, gaps in the numbers are all too familiar to Corgi Toys collectors! So anything is possible. We'll find out eventually. Maybe.

My guess is that the Fire Hose Trailer came out at the same time as the Truck and that the two 'sets' also came out with the first batch. That is because I see many of them for sale but I most definitely do not see many of the 1971 releases around anywhere.

I appreciate that all this about Qualitoys is not what many of you wish to read and so be reassured that I shall return to the main theme again soon. At least you've been spared the 1;36 scale models.

Corgi Qualitoys: the Water Truck

 

This is my first Corgi Qualitoys model. Firstly, they're a lot bigger than I had expected, more like 1:36 although a scale isn't possible because there is no such thing as the real brand in 1:1. 

The brand is called Turbine Trucks and this is inscribed on the base along with Qualitoys by Corgi

 and  Made in Gt. Britain. Note that this is a different brand to Benbros Qualitoys which had been produced from the early 1950s to 1965. The Turbine Truck models have a TT logo as you can see on the front of this one.

This model is a Water Truck but I have no idea what its catalogue number is and it is not one of the first eight issued in 1969 but one from the second batch in 1971. As they were discontinued shortly afterwards these late models seem quite scarce and I have no clue as to the production quantities but I can't imagine they were very big numbers.

I had noticed in pictures what looked like a plug at the top but I don't see how that can be removed. It rotates, however, and you can align two small holes which would allow water to be drained without causing a vacuum inside.

There is a larger plug underneath where it looks like you would fill the green plastic container if you wished. Now that would be great fun and, although these were supposed to be designed for younger children than the normal Corgi range, I don't recall any of the main range that could be filled with water and driven around! (OK, there was a Dolphinarium and a big Fire Truck but I think these were a bit later.)

It's interesting to see the screw holding the plastic container in place. I have not tried to undo it and wonder whether the container can be simply removed. The construction is otherwise two rivets and a metal twist retaining the cab element in place. The plastic interior also provides the red (in this case) horizontal decoration line around the cab.

The white cab and yellow chassis appears the same as for the Horse Transporter and the Breakdown Truck.

These are very simple items and I won't claim to be madly enthusiastic about them but they do have a certain charm and I shall continue to acquire the whole set, once I have figured out just what the whole set should be! As I have said previously, part of the reason for my interest is the lack of information about the series that I have been able to unearth so far. That, plus what appears to have been a pretty short production life for all of them, but especially the last few, makes them worth a closer look.

Corgi Qualitoys: the odd ones

There are some curious additions to the Corgi range in September 1969. Several models based on a 'Turbine Truck' with its double T logo were issued, seemingly eight all at once, with some sold together in packs too. They were simple toys, said to be sturdy and designed for younger children to play with. They all had free-spinning wheels with 'pneumatic' hollow tyres and identical cabs but different treatment at the rear and it appears that each model had just the one colour scheme. They had interiors but no suspension. Despite being supposedly 'simple' some had some quite impressive features or fittings. 

701 is the basic Truck and could also be bought in a pack with the matching 708 Trailer.

702 is the Truck with a Side Tipper. The rear section has a hydraulic arm that allows it to be tipped.

Here is 702 in its original packing - a bubble pack with descriptions of some others in the series on the reverse.

703 is a Breakdown Truck with a working winch, operated by a handle on the other side, not visible in this picture.

704 is a Tower Truck with a plastic cage-like structure that can be raised and rotated.

705 is a Horse Transporter, with a white pony included.

706 is a Giraffe Transporter. Corgi seemed to be keen on giraffes! The box, however, is different to their 508 model.

707 is a Fire Truck. the ladders strapped to the side and poles can be attached to each other to create a long-reach device. It is illustrated here with 712, a Fire Hose Truck which has a retractable rubber hose. These two would be available together in pack 750.

708 the Truck Trailer

This one is a bit of a mystery, being a Water Truck. I have seen this referred to in some other research but I don't know which number was allocated to it or whether it was a later issue. It looks like one could actually add water through a cap at the top. I have yet to discover! 

[Update: yes, it can be filled, but through a plug underneath.]

Another mystery is this Dumper Truck. At first I thought that someone had simply put a Corgi Dumper rear section on to an old TT chassis but I now see it has a hydraulic attachment and is all original as far as I can tell. There has been a reference to a Dumper Truck model too but, again, when this was issued I have no clue.

I have, however, just noticed that the Little Red Book accompanying the Great Book of Corgi refers to 'the last six Qualitoys being issued during the year' in 1971. It does not, though, tell us what they were. So one may be the Water Tanker, another the Dumper Truck and there is also a Bulldozer, no.715.

This one is the first I've found which isn't based on the TT Truck. So there remain three, apparently. I wonder whether they might be sets? I know of  two packs - 750 for the Fire Truck and Trailer and there is one that I don't know a number for containing the matching 701 and 708. That still leaves one. Or maybe still three other models, although I would have expected to have found some reference to at least one different model had there been one.

From what I can gather, there are not that many of these around and the series was not particularly popular. Prices, though, are cheap at the moment and so I shall try to get hold of the whole series while I can see some available at reasonable prices. Most do seem plentiful but you need to look for the better condition models and many have scuffs or scratches in the front window which is vulnerable. Nevertheless, I don't mind a few scratches. 

And, yes, you'll have noted that I decided not to go after the 1:36 series. These Qualitoys were a cheaper and better bet, in my view, and a little mysterious still.