Shite in Miniature II

[Tenmil Socket]

Me and the Mrs have booked a couple of days off work. We’re going ‘Bennerz’ in a couple of weeks so she’s suggested that we go to Warrington so she can shop in Primark and I can wander round the charity shops. Does anyone know if there’s any decent tat holding places that I can visit?

[sierraman]

41 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Me and the Mrs have booked a couple of days off work. We’re going ‘Bennerz’ in a couple of weeks so she’s suggested that we go to Warrington so she can shop in Primark and I can wander round the charity shops. Does anyone know if there’s any decent tat holding places that I can visit?

No but in Benidorm there’s a place that stocks Matchbox called Don Dinos. Also ‘El Rastro’ on a Sunday might yield some diecast, it’s a car boot about a mile away. I took the wife on our wedding anniversary- which as you can imagine she was overwhelmed with joy around. 

[bunglebus]

Morrisons actually have a decent selection, new Pink Slips

Even Matchbox 

Monster Trucks are getting weirder

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

15 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Hexagons, formed from aluminium

Apparently Marzàl translated from Corsican is Marshal

Lamborghini Marshal

Cambridge dictionary said:

So.  Reclined seating to induce backache for four persons relying on italian electricals running the air conditioning.   Perfect for a trip to Ramsgate.

Hexagons were a thing used by Bertone at the time.

Grille on a Fiat Dino Coupe.

[Datsuncog]

This morning I did something I seldom do, and took a wander down to Carrick Market.

It's not really much of a market these days; what was once a thriving weekly gathering of traders and smallholders from miles around selling their honest produce and wares to the smiling townsfolk, has shrunk to about five vans in the corner of a windswept car park selling assorted tat to bewildered pensioners and random weirdos.

Well, one stall does sell fruit and veg, but the others are generally trying to flog car-boot-grade stuff; secondhand clothing, cast-concrete gnomes and planters, assorted china and glassware.

And there's also Colin, from the Irish Tat stall at St George's.

Now he's not always  in Carrick on a Thursday - in fact, on the few occasions I've been inclined to take a mosey down, he hasn't been there. He's mentioned that he barely even covers the cost of the stall and the diesel most weeks, so when the weather forecast isn't great, I don't blame him for cutting his losses and just staying at home. Mostly he's selling greetings cards, puzzle books and stationery - the car park's right on the seafront, and trying to prevent your stock from flying away in the wind probably gets kinda tedious after a few hours.

But! He was there today. With some of his diecast.

I casually asked if the Matchbox Moving Parts order had landed yet.

It hadn't, BUT he got an email from the carrier last night to say that they should be delivered today.

Only there's usually a follow-up email the next morning giving a further reminder of the time, and that hadn't shown up. So - they might not land until sometime on Friday, too late for St George's.

I casually mentioned that I'd be very keen on one of the Moving Parts Range Rovers, should there be any in the box.

Colin replied that he had a Moving Parts Range Rover with him on the stall today.

OMG EXCITE

So he went and fetched it.

Oh.

It's that one.

Not the classic one.

Harrumph.

Eh, you'll not be surprised to learn that I bought it anyway.

[bunglebus]

33 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

bewildered pensioners and random weirdos

Which one are you?

[Datsuncog]

I would have said the latter, but to be fair I'm starting to resemble the former now as well...

...why not both?

 

[Datsuncog]

My general antipathy to L405 series Range Rovers was overcome by dint of it simply being smol and having a gimmick.

The grille, lights and side louvres are fairly true-to-life, though.

It's a little slabby-looking from the side, though - and oddly, the door shut lines are only just about visible.

The black paint doesn't really do it many favours - other releases in white, blue and orange look a bit more balanced with the window areas finished in contrasting black paint, improving the overall look.

Maybe a bit narrow, too? Or am I just being ludicrously picky now?

The money shot:

No junk in the trunk, but at least the tailgate does swing more or less upright, which the Nissan X-Terra from the same 2020 release series couldn't quite manage.

It's probably slightly better proportioned than the chonky L322 version, put out by Matchbox back in 2006 or so:

Was it what I wanted?

No.

Was it what I needed?

Also no.

But it's here now, so... Happy Thursday, everyone!?

[warch]

37 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

 

That one.

Not the classic one.

I did see a newish Range Rover (possibly a derivative therein) being driven around with the rear hatch half open. I assumed the electronic mechanism had failed in this position.

[Datsuncog]

Also delighted to become the recipient of another quality BungleBox™ this afternoon:

Very nice.

The Majorette Renault 18 Taxi is a replacement for a childhood version that ended up in a terrible state, as is the Superfast BMW CSL. I also once had a Corgi Juniors XJ6 missing a bootlid and most of its paint, so this one's a good bit better.

The Juniors Rough Terrain Truck is just a bit of an oddity; I had a decent one and let it go, then regretted it. I'm still not sure if this was a total fantasy vehicle from Corgi's design team, or based on a real-life prototype or design - I understand Ogle Design worked with Corgi on a few models in the early 1970s, so there's a possibility it may have been worked up as a toy from one of their styling exercises.

The Ford F150 Custom 'Flareside Pickup' in blue is one of those Matchbox toys that's far older than it feels - this is the first release of the casting from 1982, at the tail end of the Lesney years, and is the only version to wear 'Made in England' lettering on the base. All subsequent releases were made in Macau, Thailand and ultimately China. Because it stayed in the range all through the '90s, I keep thinking these are quite recent but ones like this are now 40+ years old.

The Corgi Cubs pickup is really clean, and I think I now have a minty version of nearly the entire Cubs range, bar the Roadster and Helicopter.

Spare containers for Convoys trailers or any of the other commercials which used them are always good to have, especially when both opening doors are present!

The Hot Wheels F&F Chevrolet Fleetline is just so batshit crazy I had to have one. The rusty primer and missing doors and front end have context in the film, sure, but it looks mighty like an abandoned project and it's great as that alone.

I've yet to see any on the pegs locally, despite plenty of searching, so all thanks to @bunglebus for picking that one up.

I might need to go for a lie-down now...

[Tenmil Socket]

7 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Me and the Mrs have booked a couple of days off work. We’re going ‘Bennerz’ in a couple of weeks so she’s suggested that we go to Warrington so she can shop in Primark and I can wander round the charity shops. Does anyone know if there’s any decent tat holding places that I can visit?

Not a sausage in the few town centre charity shops but stopped at a retail park to find 2 of the biggest charity shops I’ve ever seen!

Oh hello 😀

 

[Tenmil Socket]

Not a car but it is Lone Star!

 

[bunglebus]

28 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Oh hello 

Is that a Glow Racer I see? Dibs if you don't want it...

[Tenmil Socket]

3 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Is that a Glow Racer I see? Dibs if you don't want it...

Happy to swap it?

[Tenmil Socket]

I’m made up with the Kees Escort but it’s got a ‘boot full of bricks’ so I need to rectify that. Anyone want the trailers?

[Tenmil Socket]

Fixed!
 

[bramz7]

More Norev musings.

 

One of my personal favourites is this Twizy. It's so delicate, it feels like opening up a kinder egg toy.

The detail is very good considering how tiny it is. I would fish out my Matchbox one, but it's buried in another box. 

When is a Norev not a Norev?

When it's by Universal Hobbies. 

Oo la la. Fancy tin and plush* inlay. Imagine buying this with your brand new Clio V6? You probably didn't tbh. 

One very infrequently used casting was the Bipper and Nemo. I think these were the only versions ever made, indeed the Nemo was only a promotional and supposedly sold ' internally only '. 

Identity crisis though...

[eddyramrod]

A couple of boxes arrived today...

First one was from ebay and contained a job-lot I hadn't expected to win...

They're actually quite nice.  The Fiat box van has no back doors but I will probably make some.  Not sure about the two American artic units.  They're about 1/50 scale, so will be a quid each if anyone wants them.  Plus postage, obvs.

The second box didn't have a sender address that I could find.  I vaguely remember discussing a selection like this with someone here, referring to my Gerry Anderson project, and that someone did offer me a box of project vehicles.  Well it's here and it's great, thank you; there's plenty for me to fiddle with over the coming winter.  But, er... I don't remember who I was talking to, or even in what thread.  So whoever sent this, please identify yourself in a PM, then I can thank you properly.

[flat4alfa]

I remember painting those

[flat4alfa]

It was lockdown, I was off work, the sun was out and I had this fanciful idea of creating a futuristic fantasy diorama, with each having different loads.

So I bought a few in, stripped them, painted them.

Typically, I was distracted by upteen something elses, so they then just sat about in a box, in store, in unfinished states since then.

Until a person named Eddy resurrected that sort of idea last week.

Sylvia Anderson said Hi.

[eddyramrod]

What it is to be an old man with a faulty brain. 

Thank you kind sir. 

I'm delighted to now have multiples of various fantasy trucks.  I mean, you'd think it quite reasonable to see three or four Scanias or Land Rovers in a motorway service area, and might even have a happy half-hour spotting variations between the examples.  That's what I'm trying to do here.

[bunglebus]

6 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said:

I’m made up with the Kees Escort but it’s got a ‘boot full of bricks’ so I need to rectify that. Anyone want the trailers?

Hmm bare base - somewhere back in the mists of time we discussed how these came to be a Matchbox and the other name they were sold under. 

Corvette is a Speed Riders Street Heat - and the Ferrari is a Race Bait 308!

[egg]

15 hours ago, bramz7 said:

One very infrequently used casting was the Bipper and Nemo. I think these were the only versions ever made, indeed the Nemo was only a promotional and supposedly sold ' internally only '. 

That's the company that bought out my Dad's motor factor CAT Automotive.

[egg]

Before and after Matchbox code 3 - not perfect - again the old eyesight + a little lack of patience, must get the varifocals. Still it's ok, last one of the year probs.

Dark Blue is Rimini blue - Mondeo colour, cos Fords.

[flat4alfa]

[Datsuncog]

Well now, I did swing by St George's this morning, as it happens, but the only thing I spent money on was a coffee.

The main Tat Stall had a few Solido Age d'Or vintage things for a fiver, and some larger Corgi Classics commercials (Scammell tankers, Bedford removal van) for about £20. Nothing very old or very interesting, and nothing very cheap.

Colin at the Irish Tat stall was very sorry that the parcel with the Matchbox Moving Parts in it still hadn't touched down. He agreed to set aside a Range Rover Classic and VW Type 3 for me if they're in the box, but couldn't promise anything (seems to be just a random selection from the distributor). He's pitching up at Ards Market tomorrow morning, but I've a few things on tomorrow so I don't think I'll be able to get over there.

The Charity Stall had nothing of any interest, and Alan's Emporium had gained some highly desirable* Days Gone, but had even less than usual on the 50p Tat Tray.

I didn't take any pics, because there really wasn't anything worth looking at!

[flat4alfa]

8 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

I didn't take any pics

A vision of the scene has been virtualised

[Datsuncog]

1 hour ago, egg said:

Before and after Matchbox code 3 - not perfect - again the old eyesight + a little lack of patience, must get the varifocals.

D-Series looks great in that colour scheme - nice going. The shiny axles really make it pop.

Off-topic a little, but I was also finding detailed work/ reading things off screens required me to take my glasses off, and felt that the time had come for varifocals - however my optician advised that it might not be necessary just yet, and that it was possible to get lenses that weren't true varifocals but just had a bit of a 'bump' down in the lower half which would correct the close-up issue. And it has!

[flat4alfa]

Who's got a Hairy Hauler?

(stop tittering at the back)

I meant, who's got a Hot Wheels Hairy Hauler from 1971

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326086940350 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285011012688 crikey that's a lot

[flat4alfa]

20 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

The Corgi Cubs pickup is really clean, and I think I now have a minty version of nearly the entire Cubs range, bar the Roadster and Helicopter.

I saw this in a local antiques shop and thought of you

Is there a MINT IN BOX AND STILL SEALED IN ITS OWN ATMOSPHERE example in the DatsunCubs™ Collection ?

Does it need one?

This could* be the start of a new way of life and the grounds for the CCCC (the Carrickfergus Corgi Cubs Club) who meet on the second Tuesday of the month at 7pm to share experiences, cakes and have a natter.