Jump to content

Shite in Miniature II


Recommended Posts

Posted

So I had a bit of a tat safari earlier.

I've got fed up with the same-old 2024 Hot Wheels in the Carrick branches of Tesco, Poundland, Poundstretcher and Home Bargains, so thought I'd cast my net further afield.

Heaven helps those who help themselves, no?

I'm specifically looking out for the gold Camaro and the black R32 Skyline which have already featured on these fair pages lately, and thought my chances might be higher before the weekend.

I had buoyant hopes that Smyths over at Abbeycentre might be a decent hunting ground - but although they've tidied up their shelves quite a bit, there wasn't an awful lot to tempt me in the Silverlines:

IMG_20250131_1254162.thumb.jpg.e1beab24f0f85909132594067982fd04.jpg

Premiums are a bit up and down in price - anything from £5.99 to £8.99, depending on how long they've been warming the pegs.

IMG_20250131_1254112.thumb.jpg.5fb8c01bb4f7b04faf2b30a218de2c70.jpg

But not very much there that I couldn't live without.

As expected, the previously seen Mini and Nissan twin-packs had been cleared from the pegs; and for Team Transports the pale green Toyota 4Runner pulling the Supra was also all gone:

IMG_20250131_1254242.thumb.jpg.f5fad3ff2b2c925810464a4ec104732b.jpg

Surprised to see two full pegs of the Land Rover towing the Jaguar Mk1 racer - I'd really thought that would be a popular set. Looks like it might be joining the discounted Porsche 906 Carrera and Mercedes 300SL sets that just won't shift...

Mainlines here still seem to be stuck in the summer 2024 mixes, with the pink-window Track Dwagon, blue SII Land Rover and red Fox body Mustang to the fore. Ah well.

IMG_20250131_1254302.thumb.jpg.bbf1021e01df26ab6516785ec24014e2.jpg

Reduced Premium sets were also to be found - lots of them, but they just don't seem to be shifting either. Better value than the Team Transports at the same price, but still...

IMG_20250131_1256022.thumb.jpg.c91f098335c832be72b87e178343a50e.jpg

Maybe there's just not the market in this neck of the woods?

While in the general area, I took a swift pass through Tesco, B&M, Home Bargains and two branches of Poundland, but emerged empty-handed. Some 2025 Hot Wheels cases were evidenced in Home Bargains and B&M, but they'd been picked over already.

Ah well. Onwards, then...

Posted

I took a ramble through the toy aisle in TK Maxx, as they've sometimes unexpectedly thrown a Matchbox Action Drivers set or two my way - but not this time.

Quite a few Majorette sets to be found, though:

IMG_20250205_1911322.thumb.jpg.19e86d0a09a2a83b4d3c46732700ba6b.jpg

And also some premium singles:

IMG_20250205_1912312.thumb.jpg.ede46e3842bd251c50c82bbeb9e9ac8c.jpg

And Monster Beetles!

IMG_20250205_1912172.thumb.jpg.11da91a9ce7bbeea3d5ec349075ac078.jpg

They were also rocking a whole load of Hot Wheels 5-packs, apparently from 2022 but quite good value at only £6.99.

Since it was right next door, I took a quick squizz into Matalan as they sometimes have a load of Hot Wheels mainlines up beside the till, and sometimes have quite good ones too because no-one seems to know that they're a Mattel stockist (albeit only when they feel like it).

But they had no mainlines today.

IMG_20250205_1918352.thumb.jpg.07b9e0f4d2c34669f00a018f4b825573.jpg

As well as more monster trucks, they did have some elderly 5-packs available, at the frankly daft price of £11.50...

IMG_20250205_1917562.thumb.jpg.316f52d22f6937953f60e1e3fc63cd7d.jpg

Plus this highly optimistically priced Team Transport with the Porsche 906 Carrera, yours for £6 more than Smyths up the road are looking.

Still, interesting to see that a fashion and homewares place like Matalan are stocking Hot Wheels Premiums at all - with B&M also pushing the latest Japan Historics Premium line alongside their usual Silverlines and mainlines, is Mattel trying to push these top-end models more widely to stockists? And will they succeed, given that they're really quite expensive for what they are?

I departed Abbeycentre bowed, but not broken (and with a small purchase made on behalf of a fellow-shiter) - so it was gonna have to be a run into the Big Smoke if I was to emerge with anything...

Posted

Yup, no more messin'. Time to hit up Smithfield and Castle Court.

Now, I knew the model shop in Smithfield had a Hot Wheels 2025 A-case. I knew this because I'd seen the teal Audi Quattro hanging on the pegs in there a couple of weeks back. The reason I didn't buy it was because blokey who runs the place had taken himself off for a nice long lunch, leaving the shop locked and an 'open again at 2pm' sign on the door. At 1pm. All I could do was stare forlornly through the glass, knowing I couldn't wait around...

But today, the shop was open - staffed by the world's most martyred and resentful shop assistant, currently nursing yet another bad cold. Sniff. Snifff. Sniiiiiiifff.

The teal Quattro, and pretty much anything else of interest from the A-case, were all long gone. I flicked through the rack anyway, but there wasn't very much there to catch my eye.

Alongside, there were quite a number of boxed Matchbox that looked to be fresh in - chiefly dating from the late 90s and early 2000s, and ranging wildly in price from between £4 and £10:

IMG_20250206_1307252.thumb.jpg.3c56245159f13f06f66b384546900704.jpg

(The white Mk3 Escort cabrio in the blue box was £10).

This store sometimes surprises me with a good range of Matchbox Moving Parts, Collectors Series, Working Rigs or other oddities like the Japanese power grab boxes - not so many of those to interest me today, though.

They did have a bunch of 2023 Hitch & Hauls though, including the National Parks Jeep and trailer set with the bear, wolf and hiker figures - but with no price on them, and I know from bitter experience that if it's not priced, then the world's most martyred and resentful shop assistant won't sell it.

Still, at least she wasn't listening to repetitive Facebook livestreams by antivaxxer types at earsplitting volume today. Small mercies.

Other Hot Wheels. old and new, lurked in the window - their prices concealed, but probably batshit crazy.

IMG_20250206_1310042.thumb.jpg.da1cf4a4c5f0b2699e2f013930c8de6f.jpg

The trays of loose diecast are usually worth a look, though - if only for the LOLZ.

IMG_20250206_1306542.thumb.jpg.a28aad8c20abd798913966291114427b.jpg

There really is no rhyme or reason here at all, with some very clean older stuff being priced at £1, while heavily playworn modern Hot Wheels might be out for £4.

Yup, I've seen scratched and bent-axled Mattel diecast dumped in here for three or four quid, while a mint boxed example of exactly the same model is hanging on a peg on the other side of the shop for £2.

This place melts my brain.

I made a few happy little discoveries though, and handed over a couple of pound coins, before scuttling off out because time was ticking on...

  • Like 8
Posted

I tore through the Castle Court branch of Poundland like my arse was on fire, but although they still had much of the Matchbox 2025 A-case on their pegs (less the Fiesta, BMW M3 Touring and Merc Shooting Brake, of course), their Hot Wheels were much further behind the times.

Which really only left The Entertainer - and although I was pleased to see they'd dropped their prices a little on Mattel stuff, I also couldn't see anything new on their pegs.

Most of the Moving Parts I'd seen last week had gone, and while there were loads of Working Rigs, it was mostly just the road grader and the crop sprayer.

Ah well.

They did however have an Italian Roads 5-pack, reduced to £8.20, which I didn't think was tooooo bad...

IMG_20250206_1325062.thumb.jpg.006d5295cac7b712e12124797f4c12e0.jpg

I really only want this set for the Lamborghini Miura and the Alfa Giulietta - the other three moderns I already have in several colours, but I guess I could sort of justify it...

Ah.

IMG_20250206_1325192.thumb.jpg.b51acb7ea6073dcec9c9fe6042127cbd.jpg

Bugger.

IMG_20250206_1325193.thumb.jpg.22df08c8ec22799c94b9651be457e3ef.jpg

That's a lot of paint flaws on the Alfa's door. Three visible marks (don't look as bad in the pic, weirdly).

No, I know it'd just bug the life out of me. I put it back, along with the Hot Wheels Team Transport 4Runner and Supra, reduced down to £15 - because something like this going slightly awry reduces me to Pingu-like levels of emotional maturity.

Screenshot_20240425-1406062.thumb.png.fc93d25021ee1c7ccb0b846596fbc7ea.png

I mean, it's not like I actually need any of this stuff...

So I charged back to the car and scooted off home, ultimately bagging these:

IMG_20250206_1419222.thumb.jpg.b18d001bb289fdb1f1c9c2f0786c2c40.jpg

(Ok, cheating a bit but the Oxfords order arrived while I was out, so I'm including it in the haul).

Majorettes Monster Beetle in gold was scooped for @bunglebus; the white Hot Wheels Impreza was found lurking towards the back of the Smithfield model shop pegs and I snaffled that for myself, as I don't have one.

The Husky Aston DB6 in a sort of metallic purpley-lavender shade and the (mint) Corgi Juniors Mercedes Mobile Shop were nabbed for a pound each from the lucky dip trays, as they seemed too good to leave behind at the price. More pics of them to follow.

The Nissan Pathfinder was hiding at the bottom of an otherwise uninspiring sleeve of Power Grabs up on the counter of the model shop - this was included in one of those 2024 mixes that just never seemed to appear anywhere, so I was very pleased to find one at last without having to resort to online scalpers.

So - not great, but not bad either. Could have been better, could have been worse. Just middling, I guess.

Ain't that just the way of it, sometimes?

  • Like 11
Posted
3 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

I tore through the Castle Court branch of Poundland like my arse was on fire, but although they still had much of the Matchbox 2025 A-case on their pegs (less the Fiesta, BMW M3 Touring and Merc Shooting Brake, of course), their Hot Wheels were much further behind the times.

Which really only left The Entertainer - and although I was pleased to see they'd dropped their prices a little on Mattel stuff, I also couldn't see anything new on their pegs.

Most of the Moving Parts I'd seen last week had gone, and while there were loads of Working Rigs, it was mostly just the road grader and the crop sprayer.

Ah well.

They did however have an Italian Roads 5-pack, reduced to £8.20, which I didn't think was tooooo bad...

IMG_20250206_1325062.thumb.jpg.006d5295cac7b712e12124797f4c12e0.jpg

I really only want this set for the Lamborghini Miura and the Alfa Giulietta - the other three moderns I already have in several colours, but I guess I could sort of justify it...

Ah.

IMG_20250206_1325192.thumb.jpg.b51acb7ea6073dcec9c9fe6042127cbd.jpg

Bugger.

IMG_20250206_1325193.thumb.jpg.22df08c8ec22799c94b9651be457e3ef.jpg

That's a lot of paint flaws on the Alfa's door. Three visible marks (don't look as bad in the pic, weirdly).

No, I know it'd just bug the life out of me. I put it back, along with the Hot Wheels Team Transport 4Runner and Supra, reduced down to £15 - because something like this going slightly awry reduces me to Pingu-like levels of emotional maturity.

Screenshot_20240425-1406062.thumb.png.fc93d25021ee1c7ccb0b846596fbc7ea.png

I mean, it's not like I actually need any of this stuff...

So I charged back to the car and scooted off home, ultimately bagging these:

IMG_20250206_1419222.thumb.jpg.b18d001bb289fdb1f1c9c2f0786c2c40.jpg

(Ok, cheating a bit but the Oxfords order arrived while I was out, so I'm including it in the haul).

Majorettes Monster Beetle in gold was scooped for @bunglebus; the white Hart t Wheels Impreza was found lurking towards the back of the Smithfield model shop pegs and I snaffled that for myself, as I don't have one.

The Husky Aston DB6 in a sort of metallic purpley-lavender shade and the (mint) Corgi Juniors Mercedes Mobile Shop were nabbed for a pound each from the lucky dip trays, as they seemed too good to leave behind at the price. More pics of them to follow.

The Nissan Pathfinder was hiding at the bottom of an otherwise uninspiring sleeve of Power Grabs up on the counter of the model shop - this was included in one of those 2024 mixes that just never seemed to appear anywhere, so I was very pleased to find one at last without having to resort to online scalpers.

So - not great, but not bad either. Could have been better, could have been worse. Just middling, I guess.

Ain't that just the way of it, sometimes?

I've got a bad cold & feel shit & life ain't mega at moment. However that line " Pingu-like levels of emotional maturity" has really made me laugh, thanks for that 😄

Posted
8 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

IMG_20250131_1254162.thumb.jpg.e1beab24f0f85909132594067982fd04.jpg

Bottom centre (Porsche 914), if you happen to find the Honda Civic in that series, it's the only one that's eluded me so far

Posted
5 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

boxed Matchbox

Screenshot_20250207-080750.png.53c700a83db1efd59fbc6842b96d9beb.png

Is that a black Tyrone Malone? Nice...

Matchbox Kenworth Tyrone Malone

 

Posted

When I was a kid finding one of these American editions was a rare treat, I always went for the Capri maxi taxi If I could! I think I have just one treasured/battered  one now - damm you toy scrapyard recreations!

461DDC77-92E9-4F96-883B-0CCCF5B66AC0.jpeg.d46c971d53e3819b722d5f8ed8fc7ca3.jpeg

 

Posted
1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Bottom centre (Porsche 914), if you happen to find the Honda Civic in that series, it's the only one that's eluded me so far

I think the majority of the models hanging on that peg were just more of the Porsche 914s (#3 of 5) - though careful scrutiny of the pic indicates there is a #5 visible too, whatever it may be.

Will keep an eye out for you!

Posted

I keep twitching with the idea of picking up one of the Premium Lancia Stratos Zeros – a car that's always had me swooning in a most ungentlemanly manner.

But I keep checking myself cos I fear the enormous, slightly unprototypical wheels would irk me.

If they EVER get cheap, though....

Posted

Delivery day today for (almost😁) all of my diecast buys that I shouldn’t have bought. But we’ve all got to have something to make this miserable life that teeny bit more bearable!

Anyway…

First up, another Leyland Super Hippo. Last one in a clearance so had to! This takes my tally of this model up to 3 now😆

IMG_6653.thumb.jpeg.808b856c6faf4e40ea063fdb7904fde3.jpeg
 
Then some similar trucks all bought cheap for use as chassis donors. Two Berliets and an Ebro. 
The Leyland Comet tanker isn’t a donor though as it’s already suitable for a UK truck, just needs the steering wheel swapping sides.

IMG_6651.thumb.jpeg.4d881a8d6afad4bbd4c63f671e83bacc.jpeg
 
I couldn’t help myself but get this one! 
From some sort of fire engine partwork (pompiers) in France. Not the most common variant of Transit mk1/2 being a crew cab but they were around over here. Probably won’t be staying as a fire engine though as that’s not particularly British looking. Really nice model though.

IMG_6654.thumb.jpeg.3a0d149feaefd04e14a8988079316d98.jpeg

IMG_6655.thumb.jpeg.4c738853445c88181b91bf1b7fc05fad.jpeg
 
And finally, another 3D printed truck cab for the stockpile. A Leyland Terrier.

IMG_6652.thumb.jpeg.f8dfbe517c2809bde7e045ff51b18c8d.jpeg

As if I needed more donors and projects!!

Posted

Dug this out of a box after moving too. 
I bought it probably 4 or 5 years ago and it’s been packed away pretty much ever since. 
Peterbilt from the film Dual!

IMG_6643.thumb.jpeg.ece1767d5ab7ea3db40e81eac03a72b0.jpeg

IMG_6644.thumb.jpeg.c1b8206c0fe17cb058a527c4e0c58b31.jpeg

Posted
11 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Could well have been - it's hard to track down information on all the promotions, so I'm largely going by what I can remember myself! 

That Golden Wonder Sierra does seem to crop up in many job lots of the BP Corgis, but it could well have been offered out by Golden Wonder as a promotion.

I think the first promo Corgi made for Weetabix was the Leyland Terrier box van:

735400686_CorgiLeylandTerrier-Weetabix.jpg.2da6c0970a3aeedb23ce9ba61374f375.jpg

I didn't have one of these, though I did have this cut-out Dodge Commando:

1395468827_WeetabixCardboardPromo-DodgeCommando.jpg.54ac9c26aad1539970948e694cf6b2c7.jpg

For reasons I'll never understand, this was kept as a Christmas decoration for many years. I used to carefully place it into the tree, balanced on a branch - and I think it was a tragic casualty when the tree fell over one year.

A later mid-80s promotion featured these five Juniors to collect, which were standard releases rather than specific promotional versions:

Corgi Promotionals - Weetabix collection, 1980s.jpg

And a later on-pack offer incorporated an exclusively branded RM and a Volvo articulated truck for lots of tokens, or an Aston DB6 for fewer tokens:

1976710817_CorgiWeetabixPromotionals-range.thumb.jpg.494162e4e90ff73e026daef611e62aba.jpg

I'm pretty sure a large-scale Ford Cargo was offered out too at one stage - a few of those have cropped up at the market in Weetabix-branded boxes.

The Frosties Corgis were specially decorated:

Kelloggs_Frosties_Tiger_Tracks_Promo_1989_Corgi.png.f7956672d3385e7f4b2abd0217d63249.png

I had the XJS from this collection - I only had the patience to save up six tokens, whereas if I'd saved up eight I could have had the Porsche and the magazine plus stickers... ah well.

Kelloggs_Frosties_Tiger_Tracks_Promo_Comic_1989_Corgi.thumb.png.4f07f721ef0fb868b42fefee67fa766f.png

Then again, Tony the Tiger comes across as a bit of a prick in this comic, so maybe it was for the best...

I had all those Weetabix-branded vehicles. My uncle had a bowl of Weetabix every single morning for years so he was able to collect plenty of tokens and get the lot for me. Pretty much everyone in my school year had at least one of the Tony the Tiger cars and I remember having the black Porsche and white Ferrari, plus a Siku Jeep that I assume was from a different promotion.

Whatever happened to cereal packet giveaways? In my childhood they almost always had something that you could either find in the packet or collect tokens to send away for, but I haven't seen anything like that for years.

Posted

Yup, while perusing his wares at Carrick Market last Thursday, Colin from the Irish Tat stall had informed me that he had a load of Matchbox and Hot Wheels arriving in.

So I kinda wanted to see what might have shown up.

Well, a couple of nice things - but not much I don't already have.

IMG_20250207_0829512.thumb.jpg.974ac51464dac1043a1c77bb9120a77d.jpg

The Matchbox Working Rigs MAN drop side with telehandler is a marvel, but I've got one already. Ditto the International box van with the tail lift.

IMG_20250207_0838012.thumb.jpg.5f036b5bd966329158932f3ac0b82629.jpg

He had a couple of Moving Parts, but again doubles for me. I briefly considered the Collector Series Merc 220 SE, but the donk-like wheels and colour-mismatched doors didn't do it for me.

Market Blokey was away on holiday this week, so his customary two tables appeared to have been taken over by the estate of Julie Goodyear:

IMG_20250207_0827002.thumb.jpg.14b4291eeff7905013cc70350c2c574f.jpg

Ah well. Sad to say it, but he hasn't had much to interest me for a while now - I've called past the odd time, but there's been precious little to tempt me.

Paddy's Antiques Shitshow was at it again, though:

IMG_20250207_0827442.thumb.jpg.2679c5300164930fb819467ddce5a4f8.jpg

Some quite nice items, but mega money.

IMG_20250207_0828022.thumb.jpg.1082454100b0df137fe142e9d9fc396b.jpg

Yes sir, that is indeed ten pounds sterling for a pretty worn Lesney GMC Refrigeration Truck with the back door absent.

IMG_20250207_0828182.thumb.jpg.117954ad99cf371e8e10f84b91274852.jpg

And a tenner on a chipped, boxless MoY Ford van.

Or does that say £1000? Who knows?

The Corgi Chevrolet Caprice taxi is lovely, and one I absolutely would love to have - but at £35, I think it'll be here a while yet. Same goes for the Superkings Plymouth Gran Fury cop car.

Round the corner, The Giffer had some appealing Dinky wares, but they're not really my era and they're not particularly cheap at £15-25 a throw.

IMG_20250207_0827192.thumb.jpg.08aae5e17c4660d3252969bbeb0e45f7.jpg

He's had these for a right while, too.

The Charity Stall had a couple of larger 70s Lesneys:

IMG_20250207_0826272.thumb.jpg.ff09c74e2e3bfdd3dd0dbb3b146e5855.jpg

But nothing I really wanted.

Alan had a few items of interest on his 50p Tray:

IMG_20250207_0838432.thumb.jpg.453436de2ed2ecd42c4e19b46f753bf6.jpg

Not quite diamonds in the rough, but better than a poke in the eye.

IMG_20250207_0840172.thumb.jpg.22195598da2434b250736ea80664fdbc.jpg

None of these were in tip-top shape, to be fair. I was tempted, but left them for now.

  • Like 7
Posted
2 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Yup, while perusing his wares at Carrick Market last Thursday, Colin from the Irish Tat stall had informed me that he had a load of Matchbox and Hot Wheels arriving in.

So I kinda wanted to see what might have shown up.

Well, a couple of nice things - but not much I don't already have.

IMG_20250207_0829512.thumb.jpg.974ac51464dac1043a1c77bb9120a77d.jpg

The Matchbox Working Rigs MAN drop side with telehandler is a marvel, but I've got one already. Ditto the International box van with the tail lift.

IMG_20250207_0838012.thumb.jpg.5f036b5bd966329158932f3ac0b82629.jpg

He had a couple of Moving Parts, but again doubles for me. I briefly considered the Collector Series Merc SEL, but the donk-like wheels and colour-mismatched doors didn't do it for me.

Market Blokey was away on holiday this week, so his customary two tables appeared to have been taken over by the estate of Julie Goodyear:

IMG_20250207_0827002.thumb.jpg.14b4291eeff7905013cc70350c2c574f.jpg

Ah well. Sad to say it, but he hasn't had much to interest me for a while now - I've called past the odd time, but there's been precious little to tempt me.

Paddy's Antiques Shitshow was at it again, though:

IMG_20250207_0827442.thumb.jpg.2679c5300164930fb819467ddce5a4f8.jpg

Some quite nice items, but mega money.

IMG_20250207_0828022.thumb.jpg.1082454100b0df137fe142e9d9fc396b.jpg

Yes sir, that is indeed ten pounds sterling for a pretty worn Lesney GMC Refrigeration Truck with the back door absent.

IMG_20250207_0828182.thumb.jpg.117954ad99cf371e8e10f84b91274852.jpg

And a tenner on a chipped, boxless MoY Ford van.

Or does that say £1000? Who knows?

The Corgi Chevrolet Caprice taxi is lovely, and one I absolutely would love to have - but at £35, I think it'll be here a while yet. Same goes for the Superkings Plymouth Gran Fury cop car.

Round the corner, The Giffer had some appealing Dinky wares, but they're not really my era and they're not particularly cheap at £15-25 a throw.

IMG_20250207_0827192.thumb.jpg.08aae5e17c4660d3252969bbeb0e45f7.jpg

He's had these for a right while, too.

The Charity Stall had a couple of larger 70s Lesneys:

IMG_20250207_0826272.thumb.jpg.ff09c74e2e3bfdd3dd0dbb3b146e5855.jpg

But nothing I really wanted.

Alan had a few items of interest on his 50p Tray:

IMG_20250207_0838432.thumb.jpg.453436de2ed2ecd42c4e19b46f753bf6.jpg

Not quite diamonds in the rough, but better than a poke in the eye.

IMG_20250207_0840172.thumb.jpg.22195598da2434b250736ea80664fdbc.jpg

None of these were in tip-top shape, to be fair. I was tempted, but left them for now.

How much was the red MK2 Escort?

Posted
9 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

How much was the red MK2 Escort?

A whopping £37.99 on that one!

Brand new, 1/24 scale.

Culchies love them over here.

culchies.jpg

"Hi bai, does she diff?"

  • Like 1
  • Confused 1
Posted

Bloody Nora! How is that guy asking so much for those things? How is he making a living as he must not sell them, surely!?

@Datsuncog if your keen on a Caprice yellow cab, let me know… I have one better than that you can have for less. And it’s boxed still.

  • Like 2
Posted

I also shuffled in this morning because I quite fancied a coffee and bun, so duly procured same:

IMG_20250207_0858542.thumb.jpg.4b8e344582141cf2dbb0592452e99355.jpg

And with it, some small purchases from Colin.

IMG_20250207_1042072.thumb.jpg.98d0d457c70d2ef45f765f8085f1afab.jpg

I'm not normally a Porsche fanboy at all, but I just love this 911 Carrera casting.

I have this one in white, yellow and red already- but it looks so good in orange, I just couldn't leave it.

The Audi RS6 Avant is a cracker too, especially in this dark metallic green shade. It's not one I've seen before - I believe these are both 2023 releases, so possibly this is another case that never landed locally when new. 

The Matchbox Mercedes 220SE rally is one I did have before, but sold on just before the house move in 2022, still unopened. Again, good to be able to fill in these gaps with what appears to be old stock that's gradually filtering down through independent distributors.

And Colin gave me the latest Oxford mini-catalogue for the first half of 2025, which was nice.

The coffee was excellent; the 'cruffin' (as it apparently was) arrived with a large wad of napkins from the server, clearly borne of experience - although a 10'x16' tarpaulin, a bath towel and a drum of Swarfega might have been even better.

This isn't a pastry one consumes in polite society. Imagine a slightly damp shoe, filled with custard, and then rolled in sugar... yeah, a bit like eating one of those.

Still, it was pretty good, even if I did emerge looking like I'd been embroiled in a Chuckle Brothers sketch.

B188aMXCYAEkKVQ.jpg

Posted
32 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Bloody Nora! How is that guy asking so much for those things? How is he making a living as he must not sell them, surely!?

@Datsuncog if your keen on a Caprice yellow cab, let me know… I have one better than that you can have for less. And it’s boxed still.

He seems to deal primarily in old cameras and other assorted junk - diecast seem kinda peripheral to his core line of antiques.

Stuff tends to languish here for years - I think he only sells stuff whenever passing tourists get bamboozled about exchange rates and don't realise how much they're forking over.

But yes, I'd be exceedingly interested in a boxed Corgi Caprice taxi - and wouldn't you know it, I've suddenly got a suplus Oxford Firenza in blue? I'm sure we can sort something out...

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Posted
14 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

He seems to deal primarily in old cameras and other assorted junk - diecast seem kinda peripheral to his core line of antiques.

Stuff tends to languish here for years - I think he only sells stuff whenever passing tourists get bamboozled about exchange rates and don't realise how much they're forking over.

But yes, I'd be exceedingly interested in a boxed Corgi Caprice taxi - and wouldn't you know it, I've suddenly got a suplus Oxford Firenza in blue? I'm sure we can sort something out...

I’ll dig it out and send you a few snaps. I’ve seen it recently but put it away again so I’ll have to find out which one of the many many many identical cardboard boxes it’s in😄

The box isn’t mint, but it still has it.

Posted
54 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

I had all those Weetabix-branded vehicles. My uncle had a bowl of Weetabix every single morning for years so he was able to collect plenty of tokens and get the lot for me. Pretty much everyone in my school year had at least one of the Tony the Tiger cars and I remember having the black Porsche and white Ferrari, plus a Siku Jeep that I assume was from a different promotion.

The Frosties Corgis were great (or indeed, grrrr-eat!)

Kelloggs_Frosties_Tiger_Tracks_Promo_1989_Corgi_Cars_Ferrari_Porsche_Jaguar.thumb.png.4e224c33c851c4b90e8ed6b604dae3c0.png

I think the Siku Jeep came a little later:

Kelloggs_Frosties_Triple_Treat_Promo_1986_Siku.thumb.png.63ec4c421d8fce9322afb23f33800449.png

It must have been popular, as they're probably the most widely-found Siku around:

Kelloggs_Frosties_Triple_Treat_Promo_1986_Siku_Jeep.thumb.png.fb39fddb87086c5eecae10a07b42fb00.png

And then there's the Matchbox Firebird that started it all:

Matchbox_MB16_Pontiac_T-Roof_Frosties_Promotion.thumb.png.5d3138ce34502bfdea3e8f366764d819.png

So unexpectedly popular that Kelloggs quickly ran out of stock and had to rush-order a second batch, at significant cost, so as not to let all the little tykes down.

1985-Frosties-Tony-the-Tiger-Magazine--1-.thumb.jpg.a49a29cc0bfe3caae57adc602cfb11d8.jpg

 

Quote

Whatever happened to cereal packet giveaways? In my childhood they almost always had something that you could either find in the packet or collect tokens to send away for, but I haven't seen anything like that for years.

I think the end of in-pack giveaways were a combination of manufacturers trying to cut costs, some high-profile cases in the media of toddlers choking on things hidden in food that weren't actually edible, and a growing sense that 99% of the products were ending up as plastic landfill, so not very eco-conscious... all of which I can understand, but I absolutely loved some of the giveaways. I remember Kelloggs in the mid-1980s having little plastic mini-kits of aircraft and I think a tiny submarine that rose and sank in water if you put baking powder inside it?

But other offers were crappy things like bike reflectors and folding spoons, which didn't really grab me as much.

I think nearly every major diecast toy manufacturer put out cereal promotional models with Kelloggs in the '80s and '90s - I can also remember a Matchbox Ford Model A van for Kelloggs' cornflakes, a series of 'chromed' Majorette monster trucks with Rice Krispies, and the unique Corgi Cameo series of Brooklands Racers (and cardboard display diorama) with Corn Flakes - they also put out a 'Cars of the 1960s' range (Mini, incorrect Beetle splittie, 2CV, Minor), plus Land Speed Record cars by Lledo.

I believe my first ever Oxford Diecast was a Bullnose Morris van acquired through collecting tokens from Jordans Cereals.

  • Like 3
Posted
5 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

I’ll dig it out and send you a few snaps. I’ve seen it recently but put it away again so I’ll have to find out which one of the many many many identical cardboard boxes it’s in😄

The box isn’t mint, but it still has it.

Excellent! Absolutely no rush, I'm sure you're up to your eyes with the move.

I've become quite good at repairing old Corgi boxes, so that's not a problem at all.

I'd guess it's still probably not as dreadful as the yellow Mettoy box on my Mercedes 190E (but, as they say, find another...)

20190621_083654.jpg

  • Like 4
Posted

I’ve recalled this story before but about 1994/5ish I ate my own body weight in Bernard Matthews Turkey Dinosaurs, the had an on pack offer for a Rhino Rod or a Tailgator. I cannot find any reference to this on the internet so you’ll have to take my word and my resultant irritated bowel that this took place. I still have the Rhino Rod, in fact my daughter cites it as the best thing matchbox made. Controversial opinion perhaps. 
 

Round that time new Matchbow were scarce for me, not as such because they weren’t available but moreover that we’d go to the jumble sale and could get four of them for the price of a new one. It wouldn’t be the norm at this time getting a new one unless I was prepared to give myself congestive heart failure by eating a mass of processed meat to get the coupon for a free one. 

Posted
4 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

I remember Kelloggs in the mid-1980s having little plastic mini-kits of aircraft and I think a tiny submarine that rose and sank in water if you put baking powder inside it?

Yes! Only this week I was describing same to a member of staff, who – bewilderingly – is 20 years my junior. How is this possible when I'm still 20 myself and 1989 was only a few weeks ago?  Those aircraft kits consisted of a single primary coloured plastic sprue from which you snipped the fuselage and wings out and clipped them together. We're talking Christmas-cracker quality here, yet somehow so much better.

Anyway. I'm off to the newsagents  now for a 20p Mars Bar.

  • Like 3
Posted
31 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

Yes! Only this week I was describing same to a member of staff, who – bewilderingly – is 20 years my junior. How is this possible when I'm still 20 myself and 1989 was only a few weeks ago?  Those aircraft kits consisted of a single primary coloured plastic sprue from which you snipped the fuselage and wings out and clipped them together. We're talking Christmas-cracker quality here, yet somehow so much better.

If you want to make absolutely, postitively sure you get no more work done this week (or possibly this month), then go ahead and click the link:

Details & information on breakfast cereal offers and promotions including free gifts and packet cut outs

1985 Cornflakes Airliner Model Kits (2)

1985 Cornflakes Airliner Model Kits 1 (1)

1985 Cornflakes Airliner Model Kits - blue mint

1985 Airliner Model Kit issued with Kelloggs Cornflakes

Oh yeah. That's the stuff.

I think the Funmates Fords from the early 1970s are some of the best promotional toys I've ever seen - 1/43, with a launcher, and given away with packs of Proctor & Gamble laundry detergent!

LFPuDJZeOeUwyRY.To8o3g.jpg

Posted

I've got almost all those promo cars except the Cameos.

This Shreddies MK1 Escort is pretty rare though

Shreddies Ford Escort Mexico Shreddies Ford Escort Mexico Shreddies Ford Escort Mexico Shreddies Ford Escort Mexico

 

  • Like 6
Posted
15 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

If you want to make absolutely, postitively sure you get no more work done this week (or possibly this month), then go ahead and click the link:

Details & information on breakfast cereal offers and promotions including free gifts and packet cut outs

1985 Cornflakes Airliner Model Kits (2)

1985 Cornflakes Airliner Model Kits 1 (1)

1985 Cornflakes Airliner Model Kits - blue mint

1985 Airliner Model Kit issued with Kelloggs Cornflakes

Oh yeah. That's the stuff.

I think the Funmates Fords from the early 1970s are some of the best promotional toys I've ever seen - given away with packs of laundry detergent!

Christ almighty! I’d forgotten all about those.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...