BIRTHDAY UPDATE: THE FIVE KNOWN NUCLEAR FERRIES

All The Five Known Nuclear Ferries

 Researched by Arto, Updated by Woodsy

First published 2014, updated 2024

[the names in italics are purely for fun and based on either the original or current owner and or seller / location of the toy]

1. 2008 - Terry's Ferry for Bill or maybe the 

First Ferry

The first sighting of the previously-never-seen toy came via our man in the East, Terry Harle. Despite all the signs of usage and long storage with melt marks, it provided the first opportunity to have a closer look at this magnificent beast. Today in the custody of Wotan Bill B, this example will always carry the glory of being the very first Ferry.

UPDATE:

As of August 2024, this first Ferry now permanently resides at Moonbase as Bill kindly made me its custodian this summer, a duty for which I'm honoured and humbled to undertake. There'll be more about this Ferry as I start to 'play' with it!

2. 2009, January - Pekoday Ferry

Six months after the launch of the Moonbase Central, the appearance of this Ferry sent tremors through the whole Swordie community. Listed on eBay in Hong Kong, the place of its manufacture, this example came unused in an excellent box, with only slight fading to the top. 

SWORD Manual and Commander badge were included. The bidding was fierce until the last second of the auction with the Ferry fetching a staggering price exceeding USD 800. 

In the course of following weeks, seller Pekoday listed also other SWORD items in MIB condition, suggesting a warehouse find of SWORD and other HK rarities, perhaps of samples or factory remains. Now restored to its full glory by its current owner Ferryman, this example has been ever since - thanks also to great photographic documentation - the seminal piece of the Ferry mythos.

3. 2012, May - Yahoo Ferry

This Ferry, offered on Yahoo Japan in May 2012, went completely under the radar of Moonbase Central until it was brought to light in December 2012. 

Only three pictures remain, showing a complete example with (again) some fading to the box top. Aside the accompanying Commander badge, it interestingly included, not two, but three of the black nose tips of the Passenger Module and the Taxi sections. 

The purpose of the third nose remains a mystery, if something else than just a spare. This example went under the radar of the Sword collecting community, fetching only a modest price of some thousands of yens.

4. 2013, August - Nassau San Ferry

Again a Ferry on eBay from its native Hong Kong, this example showed considerable fading both on the box and on the Ferry itself, suggesting a long display period and exposure to light. 

Upon closer inspection done at the Moonbase Lab, it turned out that it was the Yahoo Ferry all over again! Having the distinct features of a loose nose tip from the Passenger Module and the missing chequered stripe around the nose of the Taxi, it was accompanied by an extra nose tip and a Commander badge but no Manual. 

The auction ended up doubling the previous record of the Pekoday Ferry, exceeding USD 1600. The happy winner was an unnamed U.S. collector.

Nassau San described its history to Woodsy at the time:

This Ferry is from my own collection and I got it from an old Hong Kong toy manufacturing factory / warehouse about 20 years ago. I think that place helped Century 21 Toys company to additional assembly in their space series and other Hong Kong toy companies between the 1950's - 70's. This old factory district was changed to a housing estate and developed by Hong Kong Government. Now when I go to visit again they are just building a modern shopping centre.

5. 2014, October - Moonbase Loan Ferry 

This new Ferry was first seen in October 2014 at the Moonbase Central Weekend display of a complete fleet of SWORD toys. Having lost its wheels and broken its antenna on some previous mission, the boxed Ferry still retained all the prime features of this magnificent toy. 

Contrary to previous Ferries, an Astronaut badge was included along with the Manual. Currently on loan to Woodsy at Moonbase Central from an anonymous benefactor under the moniker SWORDhopper. There were rumours of a bagged headered Nuclear Ferry but it remained a rumour.

6. 2014, November - Helsinki Ferry

The first-ever Ferry to come up for auction in the U.S., this example disappeared from eBay in a split second after it was put up for auction with Buy-It-Now. 

Graded as an old store stock example, despite some minor melt marks, it really lived up to every expectation of a prime example. Missing the Manual and/or Specification Sheet, it came however with red Commander badge. 

Perhaps of note is the fact that, unlike many other old store stock toys auctioned in the U.S., it did not carry an old price tag, pegging the question whether this example was part of an imported stock or just a single sample. Currently undergoing maintenance at Helsinki Base Hangars.

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That's the five boxed Ferries folks! No loose ones that we know of.

But are there any more?