When the
Thunderbirds TV series was repeated on the BBC at the beginning of the nineties
a whole new generation of fans were treated to new up to date merchandise.
The sell-out
toy for Christmas was Tracy Island by Matchbox released in 1992. A marvellous electronic
play set with rocket sounds and pilot voices.
My son would
have been six when it came out and was lucky enough to get one by way of a
friend of mine who happened to chance upon a pre-Christmas delivery at The Forbidden
Planet shop while visiting London.
Although, my
son has long since lost interest in it, Dad has managed to hang on to it, and
although it’s a little knocked about and missing a palm tree it’s still, in my
opinion a super toy.
I love the little
details. The cliff side steps from the Round House and the cave entrance.
There’s even
a beach next to the Cliff House.
But the best
thing about Tracy Island is the secrets it holds!
What lies
beneath the pool? What’s behind the cliff under the Cliff House? And why is
there a hole at the centre of the Round House?
But those well known mysteries are for another day.
Vivid Imaginations released another version of Tracy Island a few years later. They looked pretty much alike, but the VI one had some extra features if I recall correctly. I've got both of them, but they're both in boxes up in my loft.
ReplyDeleteNot really had a look at Vivid one, but for me the Matchbox original is the most nostalgic.
ReplyDeleteI like it when relatively small playsets offer a lot of bang for the buck. I had these on 'watch' several times in eBay but then ultimately let them go.
ReplyDelete