D is for Donation - Chris - [Not] Paratroops!

The exception which proves the rule! As we saw Chris's most recent parachute toy finds/donation in a post at the end of April, I thought we'd look at the civilian vehicular portion of the last parcel, and there haven't been any in the three recent tranches from Peter, so it all sort of balances out!

 

Vessels, and we have an all new - to me - sailing ship, possibly a game-playing piece, or just a novelty? A variation of Hong Kong mini bath-toy to its right, both versions of cereal premium baking soda submarine, and  Marx Miniature Masterpiece rubber boat, all good stuff!

 

Five of the Quaker cereal premiums at the back, two of the commoner Hong Kong Minic knock-offs. but in the less common blueish-sea green, and another of the forward sloping prow vessels, which were new to me, when we saw a silver one recently (probably also from Chris), this pink suggesting the bottom-end of rack toys, such as those parachutists who would come in a bag with a couple of aeroplanes and a cyclist or something . . . something like this ship?!

 

Another pair of cereal premiums, this time the R&L plastic-kit types of US locomotives, from different sets I think, and a similar Hong Kong effort in black, all three are in polystyrene.

 

A couple of Kinder or Kinder-like racers in the foreground, with something more interesting behind, it's in the style of a blow-mould, but is actually PE mouldings, plugged-together, however, what Chris would like to know (as I would), is . . . 

 

. . . who made it? It's clearly marked 'Made in Finland', and there can't be that many Finnish toy makers; we've heard of one or two, in the Space Toy business, courtesy of a loyal reader, on the Blog passim, but does anyone know who made this?

 

Micro-stuff included a Star Wars Micro-Machine, and one of the MPC 'minis' copies, out of Hong Kong, all useful grist-to-the-mill, and one day we will look at all the Micro-Machine stuff in better detail.

 

Vehicular jalopies aplenty! Game-playing piece, back left, I think (one of those car-park/traffic jam puzzle-games?), bits of some Kinder or similar model railway vehicles, a soft-plastic copy of the old dime store 'Morris Mini-Minor', the die-cast is a Hong Kong take on a Marx or Tootsie Toys mini, I suspect, while the charm-looped actual 'jalopy' is probably a cracker toy.

 

It's funny ironic too, as it's probably taken from those Japanese slush-cast minis carried by Shackman and others, while it is also aping the actual silver, or plate charm objects, of the sort well-to-do young ladies collected on a bracelet?

 

Back, centre is an interesting, all-plastic American muscle-car type (or Japanese sports type?), marked 280 ZX Fairlady, which Google revealed is a Japanese model - the eponymous Datsun-Nissan to be accurate, I don't know anything about the maker of the toy version though, do you?

 

Interesting, but very large, and will probably end-up on the swaps page, this is a Play Craft [sic - usually Playcraft] large-scale ('Big', G-gauge or LGB) hopper-car, for an all plastic floor/garden railway, the wheel-base however seems to match the soft ethylene infant railway, which shared the gauge of Brio wooden sets!

Heading to the card and paper tub (a Really Useful Box 35lt job), these are a pleasant mystery! Not apparently configured for slotted-wooden stands, but having clearly had the home-cut fragments of magnetised rubber sheet added by an owner, I don't recognise the characters, but they would seem to be recognisable comic creations? Can anyone add anything that might serve as a further clue? Batman?

 

A Gerry Anderson tie-in from Allen Industries; Super Car, see comments.

 

Thanks again to Chris for all these, the highlights, for me, are probably the pink vessel and the card bits, it's always nice to see things you've never seen before! Although a racing car from Finland is pretty special!

SPV is for Soapy Persuit Vehicle!

Heads-up, it's the BMSS (British Model Soldier Society) show tomorrow, in Reading, Berkshire, And, it's a full moon tonight, so lock up any lycanthropes' in the family, lest you fall out with the neighbours, big-time! I happened to need to go to Reading last weekend, and managed a quick trip to a couple of old collectables shops I know . . .

 

. . . of which the first, to be fair, is mostly comics and the usual Star Wars action figure type stuff, while the latter is a more eclectic shop. They are both next door to each other in one of the few remaining Victorian covered arcades. We used to have one in Aldershot, but it was ruined, blocked-off at one end, and replaced with a rebuilt fake, a couple of decades ago.

 

However, I did manage to find one of 1993's Captain Scarlet SPV soaps from NAPA Products, which had seen better days, but was, nevertheless a bit of fun, and which, being modern, in my eyes at least, will probably end up being used in the bath!

 

The dust of ages, or, at least, 33 years!

 

The vehicle - marginally smaller than the Corgi model - was more battered than the box, but you get the idea, and there's not a lot I can add to the photographs, it's a soap, with no rope! But I thought the colour was well-chosen?

 

After a bit of a wipe with a damp cloth!

 

If you do happen to go tomorrow, both shops will be open, and are minutes, or hundreds of yards from both the station and the show venue.

P is for Plamodel?

No 'y'. With this SF-Series set of six vintage gashapon, we seem to have a maker/branding, and while there are some similarities, especially with the box-reverse artwork/instruction graphics, enough for me to retro-add Plamodel to the previous post, now you've seen this one, there are also differences, and it may be only a matching of the vending-machine's standard format/parameters, or Japanese toy-trends of the day, rather than any closer connection?

 

Of the six we have another two giant, transformer type robots or 'mecha' battle-suits, and only one 'Space Tank', along with two starfighters and a larger spaceship, all to a box-scale, rather than a constant scale.

 

Space Tank!

 

Giant Robot!

 

Another Giant Robot!

 

'Bronco'

 

'F15/16 Angel Interceptor'

 

'The Hooded Swan'

 

Those last three are my titles, based on their vague resemblance to other properties, and all other comments on the origins of the sculpts/designs are the same as for the previous post's. The artwork makes them look familiar, but Japanese kit-art of the 1960/70's was sublime, even supreme, and has a tendency to do that with anything! Especially when you consider that both the Anime and Manga of the period, also followed quite tightly stylised formats.

 

The main difference with the previously seen quartet, is that these are fuller models, building into more substantial and realistic playthings, also, they are all manufactured of polystyrene 'kit plastic', and can be glued easily to make more permanent display models or toys.

 

The four runner/four colour trope is the same, except for the spaceship and 'Tank', which both have only three, and while the red-blue-black-yellow theme is also generally the same, there are an obviously-turquoise and silver runner exceptions.

 

The 'Space Tank', visually, a sort of Cullin hedgerow-cutter on the Cristie suspension of a Tetrarch light/airborne tank's tracks! Those tracks scream Gerry Anderson, not without reason, they were used extensively by the Anderson's Supermarionation studios, on various models, although taken from models of post-war Vickers Vigor bulldozers, the Tetrarch's running gear was a thinner, lighter affair altogether! 

 

When WWII becomes sci-fi vintage future-past - Vickers Vigor bulldozer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP6y-cDAxRY

S is for Super Robo!

We looked at contemporary gashapon, with an overview, a while ago, today we're looking at a more vintage, fun, sci-fi line, which I picked-up at Sandown Park the other day . . . yeah, I was being lazy, and didn't get round to posting a reminder; soz!

 

Super Robo in English, is the only clue attached to these, which are from the middle period of gashapon, after the adoption of American style gum-ball machines, and before the modern large-capsule dispensers, there was a period when banks of these machines were found out on the pavement/curbside, dispensing toys in little boxes, like cigarette vending machines, or the old chocolate dispensers from Cadbury, I remember from my childhood - which survived on the underground until the 1980's, but which had been at main-line rail stations too.

 

'Space Tank' bulldozer/helicopter!

 

Matt Mason'esque 'walker'.

 

Giant Robot.

(Only one with green runner) 

 

Hint at interactivity through a 'zip wire' on the box reverse.

 

Another big-boy!

 

I don't know if these are referencing one specific cultural licence/element, or are just generics, based upon the many tropes found in Manga comics, of which there have been tens of thousands issued from childish infant works, through to hard pornographic 'adult' works, or Anime movies/TV serials, of which there exist hundreds?

 

They all have a familiarity, but without a knowledge of Japanese, can't be pined-down, by me, as either 'made-up' or existing property's, or a mix of the two? The first vehicle above is very Gerry Anderson-like, for instance, like a Thunderbird 2 pod-vehicle?

 

While this (the only one with a figure, approximately 20mm), obviously has the lines of Matt Mason's strange sucker-walker, but with the practical addition of paired wheels to allow for movement over gullies, low cliffs, or wadis! The nose-cone and tail-fin being in the small bubble-wrap parcel seen above.

 

All are quite crude, in the style of cereal premiums from the likes of R&L or CGGC, and while three of them are in a sort of dense polyethylene, or polypropylene, one (the flying, tracked, bulldozer'copter), has been manufactured in polystyrene 'kit' plastic.

 

Beyond the obvious 'ST' mark (known to most for years, explained in all the books, and on my abbreviation pages for the longest time!), there is no clue as to a maker. However, I've added Plamodel, see newer/next-day post.

SPC is for Spectrum Patrol Car

Up to London on Saturday last, and managed to get to the toy dealer we'd failed to reach, through a diabolical mix of sudden torrential storm, and pre-existing line-failures, before Christmas, where I bought all sorts of lovelies, and Peter Evan gave me some plunder I haven't shot yet, but I did get an odd box-ticker, which is the subject of this post.

 

 

But first, another labyrinth maze, (explanation in the comments, thanks to Brian B), and the one I doubted I'd ever find, given the nature of the station, the miles of tunnels, escalators and travelling walkways, not to mention the various entrances and exits, at Waterloo.

 

But in the end it was just there, blankly staring at me! It's on one of the main pilasters at the major entrance, between platforms 17 and 20, at the top of the escalators, and I'd passed it many times! An apt one as it mirrors, or conjures-up the Spectrum symbol from Captain Scarlet!

 

Not a nostalgia purchase, but more of a settling of scores! No, not Bushy the twig, he's an idiot ("Oh, look, I just watched this movie two days after Hugh mentioned it"!), but that we never had this one as kids, although several of our friends did, and we hankered after it, but it just never happened.

 

 

And, it wasn't for trying, when asked what we wanted for a Christmas or a Birthday present, we always asked for something better - the SPV with its tracks, rocket and sprung-loaded figure, the Security Vehicle with its treasure chest, gull-wing doors and folding walkways, the Thunderbird 2 with it's T4, pod and delicate folding legs, and frankly, we just never got far enough down the wants list (along with the Airfix, Action Man, Lego . . . etc. ) to get one!

 

This is loose, and a bit chipped, no bad thing, as a good one with box is £250-plus, this was in the tens! And it struck me that it's quite a retro' design, even at the time, compared to the other vehicles in the series, it's half 1950's American car, half early jet fighter, and a bit ambulance!

 

Without flash!

W is for Wroxham Miniature Worlds

This was going to be part of a twin posting/comparison with the 'museum' at Mountfitchet, but things took a darker turn at that establishment, and for now I'll stuff it inconveniently under the carpet, and instead you can enjoy this as a stand-alone!

 

The shots Chris Smith took on a visit to the Wroxham Miniature Worlds attraction up in Norfolk, just NE of Norwich . . . 

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"From the outside the building looks like an industrial unit with entrance via a propped open fire door escape, I knew entry price was £13.95, did think about not going in... But took the plunge.

Very well laid out displays, some massive model railway scenic setups. Not my thing but couldn't help but be impressed by the standard of work involved in creating them, 100's of plastic buildings and 1000's of small figures included. All the trains controlled by a central PC program.

A number of working flight and driving simulator PC games from the 80/90's set up to try. I was useless at these back then so passed on trying."

"Good Scalextric track and display. Pelham Puppets, another massive collection on display. Huge vintage Star Wars action figure collection, figures, vehicles and boxes"

 

"Only other plastic figures I spotted were four Britains RNLI boats and crew in with some other, larger model ships."

"The Lesney/Matchbox bus was amazing, the sheer amount of vehicles was staggering. They do need to improve the lighting in this and the head height is an issue if you're over 5' 9" having to stoop on both levels."

 

 

 

"A small display of more general toys of interest were Magic Roundabout Figures, Sooty & Friends cereal premiums and a strange space bike with no rider, approx 1/32 scale that I'm sure would know the maker." [MPC Fireball XL5]

 

"Massive Lego display, from vintage Lego city to more recent lines of  Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter etc."

 

"Knitting! Not my thing, but impressed with the level of detail and work involved."

 

[Excellent use of a mirror-back display cabinet, to visually double the size of the diorama]

 

"Airfix models, poor display, obviously not loved. Poor quality build and a bit battered now. Were a few Airfix painted 1/32 figures and 1/72, but at ground level and hard to see.

 

One of my favourites was a collection of penny arcade machines all in working order, old pennies available via a change machine a £1 for ten, which I enjoyed spending. 

 

Overall, I'd recommend it to anyone if you're in the area on holiday or in Norfolk visiting/working. Personably disappointed by the lack of plastic figures."

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To which I'll add my tuppenny's worth, firstly thanks to Chris for sending all this to the Blog, and secondly, it appears to be a much better curated and displayed than others I have seen, the Airfix 54mm case, not withstanding!