Shite in Miniature II

[Datsuncog]

Ooft! That's WH Smith airport prices!

[bunglebus]

In Welshland for a couple of days, popped into Welsh Poundland and found the new batch of Welsh Matchbox 

Alfa is really rather nice

Landie

1 series is well detailed 

Mustang is a winner

Needs some attention from the paint pens though

Bronco is a nice retro modern

Bonus Barry Trotter

Not the best pics but they're taken in the back of a van

[warch]

Apropos of nothing I was randomly scrolling on eBay earlier today and spotted a rather splendid looking lot being sold by a certain @danthecapriman. I was sorely tempted but I’ve decided to restrict my extraneous purchases to either full scale Landrover parts or things for the house (bet that doesn’t last long).

[FakeConcern]

Here are some of the toys I've bought recently starting with a few I got from an amazing flea market place near Sheffield, Elsecar Heritage Centre

 

Dinky Solido Alfetta GTV and Solido Alfasud for £3 each

Very nice too

Nice Norev Renault R30 (in a colour I don't have) and an ok Corgi Jag

The Jag may well clean up quite well

Spares cars for £2 each

Lone Star Cadillac missing the grill otherwise good

 

Today I was in Lewes Flea Market and picked up this very good Norev R5 from the £1 tub of tat

I already had one I assume to be newer with fixed doors and no sunroof so very pleased to find this one

Also in the £1 tub

For @bunglebus

In a novelty shop I saw these very cute plastic toys for £1 each and had to have a set

Says PEZ of Italy, I wonder if that's the same as make the sweet dispensers?

They are very small, about 1/76 or so

You may remember that @AndyW201 very kindly linked me to Citroen C4 Coupes in 1/43 for sale on the French Jumajo ebay shop. A bit pricey, but lovely and I see they are now out of stock so glad I got it then

It looks like a Norev, but I haven't taken it out of the blister yet

Very good detailing anyway

Here's all my C4 Coupe collection

One of favourites up until I got the new red one was this 1/32 model of a VTS HDI (no spoiler), originally it played music and flashed the lights when a door was opened

I'd very much like another if anyone spots one. The make seems to be UNI Fortune, never seen any others

 

Incidentally the 1/32 silver ones are New Ray, I had one (the darker colour one) and then spotted the others on ebay with no makers name given and a strange front grill treatment in the pictures, anyway I took the plunge and they were New Ray with the correct front end!

Ebay shows this!

[outlaw118]

Check out this beauty*....1/24 1/25 Scale Fully Custom Diecast Volvo 760gle One Off Polistil Not 1/18 | eBay UK

I'm sure there's a lot of work gone into it, but it's another case of :

So; are you ready? Oh, and it's £156.68. I've bought a few full sized shitters for that.

[FakeConcern]

2 minutes ago, outlaw118 said:

Check out this beauty*....1/24 1/25 Scale Fully Custom Diecast Volvo 760gle One Off Polistil Not 1/18 | eBay UK

I'm sure there's a lot of work gone into it, but it's another case of :

So; are you ready? Oh, and it's £156.68. I've bought a few full sized shitters for that.

I like how there's some before pics and I can say I much prefer the one @Split_Pin did the other day...

[danthecapriman]

2 hours ago, warch said:

Apropos of nothing I was randomly scrolling on eBay earlier today and spotted a rather splendid looking lot being sold by a certain @danthecapriman. I was sorely tempted but I’ve decided to restrict my extraneous purchases to either full scale Landrover parts or things for the house (bet that doesn’t last long).

Not me, oh no!😄

Although who else is dumb enough to have that username!?

What was it you saw? I had a few things ended today and a few things went on the weekend too.

[Reluctant Adult]

3 for £1 from a toy fair on Saturday; couldn’t believe I found a Siku Kadett lurking at the bottom of a rummage box!

Also found this E-Transit Custom I didn’t know existed at Tescotainer - I think it’s in the same batch as the Alfa Duetto (which I also bought).

Today I found an elusive (to me) Matchbox Astra in B&M. I never saw the earlier yellow or white versions “in the wild” (I did see one at a toy fair earlier this year but wasn’t going to part with £5 for an everyday MB! This one’s in the same batch as the blue Morgan Plus Four, which was also on the pegs 😀

 

 

[bunglebus]

8 minutes ago, Reluctant Adult said:

Never seen that, and Poundland seemed to have the full batch today

[Split_Pin]

37 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

I like how there's some before pics and I can say I much prefer the one @Split_Pin did the other day...

I need to get my Polistil one out the box and compare the two models as theyre almost the same colour.

[Split_Pin]

46 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

Here are some of the toys I've bought recently starting with a few I got from an amazing flea market place near Sheffield, Elsecar Heritage Centre

 

Dinky Solido Alfetta GTV and Solido Alfasud for £3 each

Very nice too

Nice Norev Renault R30 (in a colour I don't have) and an ok Corgi Jag

The Jag may well clean up quite well

Spares cars for £2 each

Lone Star Cadillac missing the grill otherwise good

 

Today I was in Lewes Flea Market and picked up this very good Norev R5 from the £1 tub of tat

I already had one I assume to be newer with fixed doors and no sunroof so very pleased to find this one

Also in the £1 tub

For @bunglebus

In a novelty shop I saw these very cute plastic toys for £1 each and had to have a set

Says PEZ of Italy, I wonder if that's the same as make the sweet dispensers?

They are very small, about 1/76 or so

You may remember that @AndyW201 very kindly linked me to Citroen C4 Coupes in 1/43 for sale on the French Jumajo ebay shop. A bit pricey, but lovely and I see they are now out of stock so glad I got it then

It looks like a Norev, but I haven't taken it out of the blister yet

Very good detailing anyway

Here's all my C4 Coupe collection

One of favourites up until I got the new red one was this 1/32 model of a VTS HDI (no spoiler), originally it played music and flashed the lights when a door was opened

I'd very much like another if anyone spots one. The make seems to be UNI Fortune, never seen any others

 

Incidentally the 1/32 silver ones are New Ray, I had one (the darker colour one) and then spotted the others on ebay with no makers name given and a strange front grill treatment in the pictures, anyway I took the plunge and they were New Ray with the correct front end!

Ebay shows this!

Ive got a Norev R20 in exactly the same colour and you can still see where they've removed the 'Renault 30' badge from the die, interesting to see the 30 model for real. I always wondered what it looked like as a kid.

[RoadworkUK]

1 hour ago, FakeConcern said:

Today I was in Lewes Flea Market and picked up this very good Norev R5 from the £1 tub of tat

Ha! Small world... I was hoking through that same £1 tub (well, the three tubs, upstairs) on Sunday, and I too unearthed an R5:

Quite pleased with it, particularly after the diecast wasteland that Brighton had proven over the previous few days...

[bunglebus]

On 11/02/2025 at 10:22, bunglebus said:

Lastly a CGGC Auto Union, better known as a DKW Munga I believe 

 

On 06/01/2025 at 16:10, bunglebus said:

A weirdo arrived in the form of this Italian CGGC Porsche 

 

1 hour ago, FakeConcern said:

 

In a novelty shop I saw these very cute plastic toys for £1 each and had to have a set

Says PEZ of Italy, I wonder if that's the same as make the sweet dispensers?

They are very small, about 1/76 or so

Look like the same CGGC logos as mine

[eddyramrod]

1 hour ago, FakeConcern said:

Spares cars for £2 each

 

Lone Star Cadillac missing the grill otherwise good

 

Nice Cadillac... and Jag, in fact.  Mr Flowers does carry parts for the Cadillac; I know, I've done one

[Noel Tidybeard]

my magnifique is #1194

it's deffo one i'm glad they've done both colours

[FakeConcern]

32 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Ive got a Norev R20 in exactly the same colour and you can still see where they've removed the 'Renault 30' badge from the die, interesting to see the 30 model for real. I always wondered what it looked like as a kid.

I also have a white R30, not sure I've seen an R20! Interesting about the badge, on the turquoise one you can clearly read the Renault R30 script, but on the white one, Renault is just about legible followed by a smudge! I'll try to get a pic some time.

15 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

Ha! Small world... I was hoking through that same £1 tub (well, the three tubs, upstairs) on Sunday, and I too unearthed an R5:

Quite pleased with it, particularly after the diecast wasteland that Brighton had proven over the previous few days...

I saw that on the Emergency channel and thought I wouldn't find anything worthwhile after you'd been there! I also saw the £5 bags in the charity shop, one bag had a BBurago Lancia Delta Integrale and another had a Corgi Saab 9000, both of which I'd like, but not at that price.

Sometimes Snoopers in Brighton has some good bargains as does the other branch of Diplocks called imaginatively "Junk". There used to be a great vintage toy shop on Trafalgar Street, but it's gone now.

13 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

 

 

Look like the same CGGC logos as mine

That's very interesting, I'll look out for that now.

7 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

Nice Cadillac... and Jag, in fact.  Mr Flowers does carry parts for the Cadillac; I know, I've done one

Thanks Eddy, I had looked for Lone Star on Model Supplies, didn't know it was hidden in "Oddments"!

[warch]

2 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Not me, oh no!😄

Although who else is dumb enough to have that username!?

What was it you saw? I had a few things ended today and a few things went on the weekend too.

I’m sure it was you there were model trucks in the background.

[danthecapriman]

7 minutes ago, warch said:

I’m sure it was you there were model trucks in the background.

Almost certainly was! 
There was a Shell tanker with USA stars & stripes Mack cab, and possibly a Simca van in the background. 
It was most probably some model railway stuff I’ve been thinning out.

Speaking of which, prices for that stuff have gone absolutely crazy. Like most things of course, but it’s mad to think how much some of these are going for now. 
It took me a bit to make myself sell any tbh as I know damn well if I sell I’ll probably never be getting them again. I’m priced out now.

[warch]

7 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Almost certainly was! 
There was a Shell tanker with USA stars & stripes Mack cab, and possibly a Simca van in the background. 
It was most probably some model railway stuff I’ve been thinning out.

Speaking of which, prices for that stuff have gone absolutely crazy. Like most things of course, but it’s mad to think how much some of these are going for now. 
It took me a bit to make myself sell any tbh as I know damn well if I sell I’ll probably never be getting them again. I’m priced out now.

It was the Class 20 I was looking at (they sometimes used to use them on the Heart of Wales Line). I started out looking for a t shirt with a Class 37 on it, probably better than doom scrolling. 
 

Obviously I managed to resist bidding. I do have a small collection of model train stuff but mostly that teeny 009 stuff because I love narrow gauge railways.

[danthecapriman]

2 hours ago, warch said:

It was the Class 20 I was looking at (they sometimes used to use them on the Heart of Wales Line). I started out looking for a t shirt with a Class 37 on it, probably better than doom scrolling. 
 

Obviously I managed to resist bidding. I do have a small collection of model train stuff but mostly that teeny 009 stuff because I love narrow gauge railways.

That’d be this one.

I’ve sold a few 37’s already. Think there’s a couple more to do yet too. One I sold was a limited edition which went to a guy in Australia, postage must have cost a small fortune for that!

I’ve seen 009. Isn’t it 00 gauge size but runs on N gauge track? Something like that anyway.

[warch]

44 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

That’d be this one.

I’ve sold a few 37’s already. Think there’s a couple more to do yet too. One I sold was a limited edition which went to a guy in Australia, postage must have cost a small fortune for that!

I’ve seen 009. Isn’t it 00 gauge size but runs on N gauge track? Something like that anyway.

It was indeed think it looked especially smart in that grey livery.

I have a Class 37, its one of those old Triang Hornby ones from the 70s. No doubt railway experts would pour scorn on it, but it looks suitably Class 37ish and like my preferred diecast cars has that sort of toy quality, so you could give it to a child or drop it without harming it. I think I bought it when I was a kid with some money from my Grandad (who died in the late 80s).  

Regarding 009 that's it exactly. I've always found tramways, light railways and narrow gauge or temporary lines especially appealing, especially in an industrial context. Bachmann have also just introduced something called NG 7 which is the same sort of thing upscaled so they're sort of O gauge 'scale' 1:43 or whatever it is designed to run on 00 scale track. I haven't had a model railway since I was a kid so I'm resisting the urge to get any of this stuff, as I have enough hobbies and distractions as it is. Luckily Mrs w seems to be very supportive of this, she even bought me some diecast stuff from our local independent toyshop. 

Back to posting diecast though;

I pre ordered this months ago, and being a bit distractible completely forgot about it. It's 1/32 scale like Britains. Its a model of a Kubota B7100 compact/horticultural tractor which was introduced about 50 years ago and sold until the mid-80s. I used to spend years driving this sort of thing back in the 90s, and have waited ages for someone to make a model of one. The only issue with it is the box which is so appealing that I don't want to take it out. I especially like the nice promo pictures they've used on the box ends. 

Regarding the cost of diecast stuff mentioned in regard to Corgi, this cost £45 which is a lot of money but it gives me joy to look at and own, especially the lovely Kubota orange colour. 

 

[danthecapriman]

21 minutes ago, warch said:

It was indeed think it looked especially smart in that grey livery.

I have a Class 37, its one of those old Triang Hornby ones from the 70s. No doubt railway experts would pour scorn on it, but it looks suitably Class 37ish and like my preferred diecast cars has that sort of toy quality, so you could give it to a child or drop it without harming it. I think I bought it when I was a kid with some money from my Grandad (who died in the late 80s).  

Regarding 009 that's it exactly. I've always found tramways, light railways and narrow gauge or temporary lines especially appealing, especially in an industrial context. Bachmann have also just introduced something called NG 7 which is the same sort of thing upscaled so they're sort of O gauge 'scale' 1:43 or whatever it is designed to run on 00 scale track. I haven't had a model railway since I was a kid so I'm resisting the urge to get any of this stuff, as I have enough hobbies and distractions as it is. Luckily Mrs w seems to be very supportive of this, she even bought me some diecast stuff from our local independent toyshop. 

Back to posting diecast though;

I pre ordered this months ago, and being a bit distractible completely forgot about it. It's 1/32 scale like Britains. Its a model of a Kubota B7100 compact/horticultural tractor which was introduced about 50 years ago and sold until the mid-80s. I used to spend years driving this sort of thing back in the 90s, and have waited ages for someone to make a model of one. The only issue with it is the box which is so appealing that I don't want to take it out. I especially like the nice promo pictures they've used on the box ends. 

Regarding the cost of diecast stuff mentioned in regard to Corgi, this cost £45 which is a lot of money but it gives me joy to look at and own, especially the lovely Kubota orange colour. 

 

That brilliant! Pretty sure the gardener/landscaper at the golf course I used to live near had one, still running. They had a little trailer behind it most of the time.

Sometimes the cost of these things is a small price to pay for something you get enjoyment from. More so if it’s something you remember and have memories of.

[ambassador84]

For those with champagne tastes but Kestrel Super Strength money.....

[FakeConcern]

Does anyone know if there's a mainstream model/toy of a Rover Tomcat in 1/43 (or thereabouts)? I have done a google search and came up negative, but just wondered as I now have an urge for one.

If not has anyone used this seller of 3D printed kits on ebay?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/177075217204

It's hard to tell from the pics, but it doesn't look that great although I know that my not be the case

The same seller does have a Van Den Plas 4LTR and I saw one built up at a toy fair, not sure if it's the same version, but it was great!

 

[quicksilver]

1 minute ago, FakeConcern said:

Does anyone know if there's a mainstream model/toy of a Rover Tomcat in 1/43 (or thereabouts)? I have done a google search and came up negative, but just wondered as I now have an urge for one.

If not has anyone used this seller of 3D printed kits on ebay?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/177075217204

It's hard to tell from the pics, but it doesn't look that great although I know that my not be the case

The same seller does have a Van Den Plas 4LTR and I saw one built up at a toy fair, not sure if it's the same version, but it was great!

 

CMAC's 3D prints are AFAIK the only models of R8 Rovers ever made. I have loads of his 1/76 prints and they're generally very good although they usually need a bit of cleaning up. I can't comment on what the 1/43 versions are like but I think @danthecapriman might have some.

[MAF260]

After yet more searching in vain of various local outlets in 2 towns I almost didn’t bother going into the Sainsbury’s as the stock is minimal and ancient. No HW or Matchbox to be seen as usual, but I was delighted to see some Majorette stock which has never been there before. Somebody had clearly been there way before me, but I still managed to pick up a few. A little dear at £3 each, but with some having opening features and an otherwise fruitless venture I decided to splash out.

[Datsuncog]

Went out today determined to come home with one of those lovely little Matchbox Alfa Duettos, but tragically none seem to have made their way over to these shores just yet.

Local Poundlands are looking really ropey; not sure if there's differences between store areas but most here have only a smattering of Matchbox pegwarmers from earlier in the year, if any, while a few locations seem to have removed all their Mattel diecast entirely from the shelves, relegating their Hot Wheels to a dump bin halfway along the toy aisle.

One of the bigger B&M branches had some of the early 2025 Matchbox mix containing the black Plymouth Coupe, but only a handful and no newer mainlines to be seen - although lots and lots of older (2023) Hot Wheels have reappeared, zombie-like from the diecast grave.

One bright spot was the appearance of some Skybusters at a fiver, though:

I'm not that much into planes but, wildly differing scales aside, these are decent little toys. I'm hopeful that B&M might be amenable to bringing in more of the Matchbox range, since others retailers seem to just be giving up.

Tescotainer had nothing worth having, nor had Smyth's, ditto Sainsbury's (though the big branch did have quite a lot of Majorette too), while Asda and Home Bargains were equally behind the times in terms of diecast. I checked a local Toymaster independent store too in passing, but nah - stale stale stale.

Ah well! Swings and roundabouts, hey?

[bunglebus]

2 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Went out today determined to come home with one of those lovely little Matchbox Alfa Duettos, but tragically none seem to have made their way over to these shores just yet

I've had all day to mooch around the usual suspects in various towns, and that Poundland was the only place with anything new - other than the two Ronin Run premiums @Spottedlaurel has already posted, which were from Smyths. I'll get some pics tomorrow, hotel lighting is useless.

[danthecapriman]

@FakeConcern

Ive used that seller before a few times. 
As @quicksilver says, they’re very good kits. I’ve got the Bluebird and Austin 3 Litre. They come in two parts usually, body shell and floor/chassis so dead easy to assemble. 
You don’t get glazing though so that’s up to you entirely! You can just use thin clear plastic cut to size and glued in, or clear plastic card fitted to the window opening for a flush glazed effect similar to modern models. Your call really. 
The prints themselves are generally good. You do get a bit of that ‘layering’ effect in places from the printing process but after a rub down with some fine sand paper etc they come up really nicely. Most 3D prints come out similar though. There’s very few of the little pip things from the printing support bits left on the either which saves you the effort of carving them off.

Personally, I think they’re great value considering the effort that goes into designing them. 
One other thing, is be careful what glue you use on them! Some print resin does not like UHU type glue. I’ve found superglue and PVA/Glue N Glaze type stuff perfectly fine though.
 

[UltraWomble]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/197750165315

Not seen one of these