Datsuncog

So, y'know what - I think that's it, finally. For the remaining half-hour that's left of it - Happy Friday, kids.

While out getting a few groceries at lunchtime, I also picked these two up; a Matchbox Nissan Sentra and a Hot Wheels Pontiac Firebird, from B&M and Poundland respectively: They're ones I've kinda liked for a while, but not quite enough to put my hand in my pocket. Realising they're unlikely to get any cheaper, and someday soon they'll be gone, today I took the plunge. Not really Market Tat, admittedly, but all are welcome on Tat Friday, no? And on the subject of diecast from elsewhere, this finally showed up today: Yup, the slightly delayed January release from Corgi Model Club: the #302 MGA roadster. It's a basic enough little thing, but still quite charming. Windshield is best described as 'rudimentary', though. There's been a fair bit of animated discussion on the CMC Facebook page over this release, with a few folks getting quite sniffy about such an early model getting a release in the collection. As ever, there seems to be certain purists holding the opinion that the best Corgis were the mid-60s releases, and that's all the Club should focus on - no early blue-box stuff, absolutely no Whizzwheels. And they want a Batmobile, and they want it now. (There's licencing issues being worked through, apparently, but it's getting kinda tiresome that each time a forthcoming new release is trailered, the usual berks start snarking about how "I don't see a bat on it...") I guess this is what ends up happening when you're selling toys to appeal to people's inner six-year-old selves. I quite like it; I'd be happy enough with more reproductions of the 1950s models, although to my eye the wheels look weirdly flattened; I appreciate that the crimped axle ends have had to be recessed to pass current toy safety regulations, but they still just look slightly off to me. I think the base here is diecast rather than the original tinplate too. Blurb is supplied also: Much blurb. But yeah - I've been waiting for this one for a few weeks, so I'm glad it showed up in the end. Even if, from next month, the cost's going up by another £2.

Staying smol, I also took a shine to this: It's a fuel tanker by Yatming. Despite best efforts, I couldn't locate a matching tractor unit anywhere in the box - nor do I have any idea what it was originally paired with. But I remembered that I do have this, stashed away... Hmm. Not sure - I think the tanker's a wee bit small, especially around the wheels. But hey, sometimes you gotta try these things?

I'm a sucker for Matchbox at the minute, and this box van was sufficiently unusual to draw me in. Not because it's amazingly detailed or anything, but because it reminded me that until quite recently Matchbox mainlines still came with opening features, rather than these being the stuff of a separate, much more expensive 'Moving Parts' range. Diecast base and cab are also unlikely to feature in current releases - those I've found with a diecast base recently tend to have all-plastic bodies (Bedford Ice Cream Van, FedEx delivery truck). The box section and door are both plastic, however - one corner's yellowed a little, though I don't think it's that noticeable in the pics. I do feel like Matchbox have come on massively in recent years, in terms of detailing, subject matters and general 'feel' - but this is quite a nice bit of street furniture from their slightly earlier era, anyway. Staying with me, for now.

And making up a haulage hat-trick, the Super Kings K126 DAF 3300 proved just too nice to pass up. I believe this is meant to be carrying a helicopter on the trailer, but I couldn't see one in the box. But regardless, the tractor unit is magnificent. In common with others in the range the front wheels turn whenever the yellow lights on top are pressed. I've never seen one of these outside of a Matchbox catalogue, so it's good to finally hold one. Like the Siku, it's weighty! A few chips to the paintwork, some yellowing to the white wheel centres on one side, and the wing mirrors have broken away at the bottom of their fixings but haven't yet parted company with the model - I daresay a dab of glue will fix them. Also available for a tenner!

Continuing with the trucking theme, I also became unaccountably enamoured with the Siku MAN. Like the rest of the range, this is a hefty big thing with plenty of metal in it. The tractor unit locks on to the trailer by means of a retaining lever, which is probably what kept these from getting separated like so many others in the box. There's also another lever on the trailer, which rotates through about 240° and in doing so raises or lowers the bed by about 4mm. Well, alright. There's also a large plastic box riveted on to the end, for ropes and chains and other heavy haulage paraphernalia. The cab has a few chips to the leading edges and the door mirrors have snapped off, but it's still quite an impressive big thing. Available for £10, if anyone's keen to re-home it!

Sadly I didn't have time to finish my coffee at the table, or finish cropping the pics, as time was ticking on... On my circuitous way out, I passed by Alan's Emporium, just in case he'd got a load of mint Lone Star Impy models in, but I'll never know - the man himself wouldn't be hurried in his setting-up, and so the 50p Tray remained bare just before 9. Ah well. Amidst all the general bustle once I got home and logged on to the network, there wasn't really a great deal of time for diecast funsies... but I managed to get a few snaps of what I came away with, which I'll belatedly share now. First off - no, I couldn't pass up the Ford transporter. It's clearly led a hard life, with many of the fragile bits missing and a fair bit of paint loss. It's also somewhat faded, and the axles have taken a whack at some point. But the 'hydraulic' deck still works alright: And the engine detailing remains as fine as ever: I know it's hardly hyper-detailed, but I still think this is impressive going for a 60yr old toy. Wonky axles can be more clearly seen here: And the exhaust stack has also vanished into the mists of time. I know these bits can all be got via Steve Flowers or assorted eBay sellers, but it's not so much of a priority right now. I also didn't realise that the trailer's jockey wheels automatically come down and then retract whenever the tractor is uncoupled or hitched up again. That's a pretty neat trick. Overall - I'm pleased with this, even at the price. I'll probably keep an eye out for a better, more complete example but I've wanted one of these for a good long while.

Up top, there wasn't very much to excite: Some Brumm, Rio and MoY classics, plus some bigger Bburagos, and more tinplate antics. Plus the usual Lledo toss that no-one really wants. The Nemesis made his choices, and bid his farewells: Big Mercedes is by Rio; red Daimler is an early issue 1960s Corgi Classic. I think the BMW sharknose may be a Hot Wheels? So, I shuffled off to see if any of the other stalls had much to tickle me with... Colin's Irish Tat stall did in fact have a fair bit of new stuff: The 1/24 Whitebox items were very nice, if not all that cheap. Also, Vanguards RS2000s: Not massively cheap at £36 a go, and I'm finding it hard to believe the same stall used to knock out Vanguards for a fiver. (Admittedly, about 15 years ago) He'd some new Greenlights in too - Escort Cosworths in street or rally mode, plus a Fox-body Mustang. Tenner a go. I moseyed over to the Charity Stall, but they'd not a lot to draw the eye today... Ah well. Just about time for a quick coffee, and a sort of frangipane slice thing that I definitely didn't drop on the floor, and then eat it anyway...

Right right right... see, this is the problem when a bunch of politicians fuck off for two years, then pile back in and start noisily asking loads of pointless Assembly Questions about the progress of transport plans, to which the only honest answer is "nothing's happened since 2022, because you lot all fucked off for two years". And who suffers? Tat Friday suffers, that's who. Remember - the political is personal, kids. Or it is when this sort of shit happens, anyway. So! What happened this morning? Lorries happened. A lot of them. While there were a few oddities lurking - more on those later - the majority were either rubbishy cheapo Poundland trucks, or the same Corgi and Lesney items we've seen manys a time. Super Kings DAF flatbed was quite clean, but c'mon - are there any of us that don't have a couple of these? I know I do. Still wish I'd nabbed the apparently rare variant with the pink base that appeared the other week, mind. So many DAF transporters. I'm sure these were popular sellers at the time, but it's quite amazing the numbers that still show up on the stalls in ok condition. This wasn't even all of them today, there were a few more at the bottom of the box too. Regular wheels version in yellow and red for the 1970 catalogue year only was a bit more uncommon, though - and with its easily-lost retaining tabs on the upper deck still in place, astonishingly. I was tempted, but I already have one of these - so I left it for another lucky collector to drool over. Super Kings caravan was tidy, but missing its towhitch unfortunately. Modernish Corgi stuff was either incomplete or a bit messy. Many of the transporters had cheapo Teamz or Wheels or whatever generic stuff is cheap in Tesco sellotaped onto the carrier bed, for reasons best known to the previous owner. Kenworth Aero was quite nice, but not really my scene. Plenty of Super Kings Peterbilts - but trailers, there were none. Although there was a Christian Salvesen box trailer in a box a couple of weeks back, which would have paired with the white Peterbilt - so I wonder if this has been a single collection split carelessly into multiple boxes? Annoying, if so. Siku MAN low loader was pretty vast and at least had kept its trailer. Mirrors and load had gone AWOL, but an impressive big model all the same. I've had an eye out for a Corgi Transporter for a while. Much as I'd like a later Scammell or an earlier Bedford S, this Ford Type H is quite an appealing big thing. Also giving me the eye was this DAF 3300 by Matchbox Super Kings. Working steering, too. Smaller-scale MANs looked like they might be related. The one on the left is a no-name, the one on the right is apparently by Schuco. Hongwell Merc towing van was quite clean, but Nemesis'd in short order. As was this Lone Star articulated tanker. I actually didn't hate this repainted Corgi Ford. The mounting on the fifth wheel was inexplicably broken off, though. This Corgi Unimog Gooseneck was, well, kinda goosed however. Few smaller bits were buried at the bottom - nothing very old, or very interesting though. Hot Wheels Ford cabover was rolling on some pretty shonky blackwalls, just about - but its original load was nowhere to be seen. I set a number of these aside in the hope of some cheap laughs, but it unfortunately became apparent that these would be moderately expensive laughs... two-for-a-fiver on smaller stuff like the Hot Wheels, £5 on single tractor units or trailers, £10 on complete tractor and trailer units. So - I put most of 'em back...

Plenty of trucks, but not a lot we haven't seen before. It's mostly the usual Corgi and Lesney suspects, in varying stages of bashed-up-ness. I gotta run, sadly - but more pics and full write-up later! But just to whet the old appetite... Siku MAN low-loader was in not too bad shape, barring some missing wingmirrors (and the original load, which was a tractor shovel) A choice of two Corgi Major Ford H-Series, in either tired original condition with Carrimore trailer, or in hand-painted tractor unit only. Modern MAN tractor units - the one with the Linde logo (and very thick paint on the lower half) is by Schuco; the clearly-related one on the left seemed to have no manufacturer mark on the base. Hongwell Mercedes breakdown van in not bad shape, but as such it also attracted the attentions of the Nemesis - and was soon snaffled. Following on from the Lone Star excitement earlier in the week, here's a later non-prototypical model articulated tanker wearing Esso colours. This one was also Nemesis'd (though he did kindly ask if I wanted it, first) A closer look at the repainted H-Type - not a very neat job, but quite a pleasing colour scheme. Unusually, the roof-mounted horns were still in situ. Not a great deal up top, in fairness - some unboxed Brumm, Rio and MoY classics, a fairly chipped EFE decker and some Bburago 1/18s, plus some more tinplate stuff and Mamod accessories. The black round things in the Quality Street tub are rubber bullets, or baton rounds as they were known - probably police issue. You get a different class of Norn Iron tourist souvenir on the Tat Stall...

Cold old morning, but fortunately we're a bit too close to sea level for snow today. Cars were coming down off the hills with a good few inches on the roof, mind... That seems to cause people to not want to drive at more than 20mph, even on well-gritted NSL roads. Which causes me to scream in frustration as I get caught at the level crossing again.. All the while imagining that wonderful things are being uncovered at the Tat Stall in my absence. I treated myself by parking directly outside the market today, though. There's not often a space so when one presented itself, I went for it. Through the Oxford St doors, I could see the regulars thronged around the Tat Stall already - and the Nemesismobile was already parked... And inside were... mainly trucks.

Oh good, I thought this was just me. Best one is usually trying to do an oil change; all lovely and calm until the plug's pulled, and then suddenly a Force 8 gale springs up, causing the free-flow oil to blow backwards horizontally and miss the catch bowl by about three feet. Every. Damn. Time.

Ah, that's solved something that's been bugging me for years - whenever the Mitsubishi i-MiEV was launched in 2010, I was sure I'd seen one on the road about two years earlier, on an 07 plate. It was such an odd-looking thing, it stuck in my mind. I hadn't realised the same car had been sold briefly in the UK with a petrol engine a few years beforehand. Well well well. That's a weight off my mind!

Sorry, haven't ever seen this footage before. I think you have the link now from Warren, though. It's one of those odd things that until the arrival of YouTube, an awful lot of footage about The Troubles was never shown (or at least, not repeated after appearing on a news bulletin) in Northern Ireland. 'Local sensitivities', fear that people in the footage would be identified and reprisals taken; that sort of thing. I saw more in-depth, uncensored footage about certain events of The Troubles on TV while I was living in Australia in the mid-2000s than I did growing up just down the road from the same events in the 80s and 90s.

Quite pleased to find the previously profiled Hot Wheels Nissan multipack down in Home Bargains today, for a fairly reasonable £7.99... (I say reasonable - for some reason, it's still more expensive to buy this 5-pack than to buy 5 individual mainlines off the adjacent pegs at £1.49 each...) Rare to find a pack where every model's worth having, though! This is the first 5-pack I've bought for a long, long time.

Clearly, the manufacturing shift from Hong Kong to China did not improve matters much...

So! Is that us? I think it kinda is. Ah well. If some of the items from this week pop up again next week, we're gonna have a good ol' time of it. Until then... Happy Friday, kids.

So, there were a couple of small purchases made today: The Saab floppytop was picked up for @Split_Pin, and seems to have never been out of the box before. It's really quite nicely done. I'd expected a screw to be holding the model to the base, but no: I last saw these little metal clips, which hook round the axles, on a Herpa Trabant. Not many clues about the maker, but I'll take it on trust that it's a New Ray! Sadly, the website 'saabexpressions.com' seems to no longer be with us. Will pop that in with your other items, dude! I also thought this was a reasonably appealing little thing... Majorette VW Golf MK3, in slightly chipped but otherwise not bad condition. I speculatively grabbed this in case @Spottedlaurel might fancy it - but if not, expressions of interest will be entertained, for the £1 it cost me! And then, I got this for myself... Seemingly, I'm far from immune to all the Ergomadness from the past few days... I've seen the EFE Leyland Ergo before in rigid tanker format, but as an articulated box van - no, seems to be a new one on me. Even though it dates as far back as 1997, apparently, when I ought to have been pretty au fait with the full EFE catalogue and release schedule, as there were no end of middle-aged sad-acts quizzing me on it every Saturday in the shop. And now I'm the middle-aged sad-act. Surprise! Didn't see that coming. But I do quite like this, despite the assorted chips it's suffered while stuffed in the suitcase. Reminds me of the thrill* of visiting my first Tesco, in Windsor c.1991, when I believe they were still using that logo (or something very similar). Some online efforts to identify this model seem to call it a Leyland Beaver, but my tired old eyes can just about make out the word 'Buffalo' on the grille just above the nearside headlight, so... I dunno. It needs a good scrub, as it's quite dusty too. In fact... MrsDC's out with her Yarn Harpies tonight, so it could be an ideal opportunity for some terrible films, some beer and a tub of warm soapy water... * No, really. There were no branches of Tesco in NI until about 1998 or so, and it felt so glam compared to our local Stewarts and Crazy Prices stores (which were pretty much on a par with Netto)

Oh, except for Alan. I don't feel I've quite managed a full market experience until he finishes setting out his wares. This involved spending rather more time than I otherwise would have done over at the Charity Stall, appreciating just how many filthy DVD copies of Matrix films and copies of Norton 360 for Windows XP I could have acquired for 50p. Eventually, time became pressing and I had to go before he'd finished setting everything up neatly... Eh. Looks like I needn't have bothered. Oh well. Roll the credits...

Well, there were a few more items of interest on the stall which I photographed at the point of exit but hadn't the time to edit and post up - presented here for your delectation. First up - confirmation that the boxed stuff was going out the door at a fiver today. I sprang into action to secure the New Ray Saab before anyone else could bag it. Looking at the stall again, it seems the red Beetle's already gone. These fairly crude 'Pure Cuban Classic Car' had no maker's name visible, but plenty of Havana Club branding on the bonnet/ roof/bootlid: Presumably some sort of promotional item that came free with rum, once upon a time. Magazine partwork Cadillac Eldorado was better proportioned, but not quite my era. This Citroen 2CV had comically misaligned headlights giving it a pronounced boss-eyed look, but that probably wasn't the best reason for picking it up... Not bad at a fiver, as probably easily fixable. But not today. Some of the loose stuff had been emptied out too: German-release Lesney Super Kings 'Londoner' bus with Berlin transfers had the Londoner name deleted from the base - and also the entire casting flipped, to make it into a left-hooker. Matchbox Specials Mustang III racer was a little down-at-heel, but seems to be one of the less common models from the range. Legendary pull-back 'VOIKSWAGENS' LT minibus... Am I right in thinking that 'TT' logo stands for Tins Toys? Same manufacturer seems to be behind this Van Hool (?) coach: Post-Mattel years Corgi refuse collector, being mostly a mild update of their late 70s original Shelvoke & Drury Revopak just about hanging on into the dot-com era, with Biffa's web address reproduced on the doors. I was tempted, but decided it was a bit chipped. Think I'll hold out for a decent original version. If anthropomorphic planes were your thing, you'd have been in luck today... Also a few Superfast era Lesneys in okay shape and a Majorette Ford Econoline in Cadburys Creme Egg colours - nothing all that uncommon, really. So, some interesting stuff and at slightly more moderate prices than last week's scalding - I dunno, maybe Market Blokey got the same letter I did to say his electricity was going up by another 15%, and decided it was gonna be the diecast fondlers who took the hit? And that was more or less that...

Yes, it was indeed priced up at £23.99 - sadly no cheaper than its list price on the Oxford Diecast online store. Seems to be a new colour release, in Imperial Green. Might be a while before they hit bargain territory, I'm afraid. Still - cheaper than Vanguards these days?

Sadly, I had to scarper off around 9.15 to get myself home and logged on. Very tedious stuff. Will do my best if they show up again next week, or even on subsequent weeks - we all know how these wares can disappear for months and then suddenly reappear again!

So after a slurp of coffee and the customarily sticky caramel-chocolate flapjack, I moseyed back over again to see what was what, and hopefully secure a New Ray Saab 93 for no more than a fiver...

Secured, at target price! I'll let him know - hopefully he'll have it in with him again next week (he said he would) and I'll grab it for you then! Oh, so good... they're really nice. And now - I gotta split, but more pics and japes to come later!