Happy New Year Readers!

Happy New Year Readers! 

I know it's New Year already down under so here's to a fantastic 2025 stuffed with vintage wonders and new Excitements.

See you on the other side! 

Woodsy

SCOOP'S LOOK BACK AT 2024

 As New Year approaches, time to look back at some of the high points I enjoyed in 2024.

One thing I always enjoy is meeting up with fellow fans at various events, and 2024 had plenty to offer.

Here’s some of the photos I took:

The regular Smallspace event, which takes place in the picturesque village of Hanslope is always popular with Sci-fi modellers with a heavy bias towards film and TV related stuff. Sometimes we even get the odd guest!

The Cromford Mills Comic Con, formally the Cromford Mills Model display has grown over time into an extremely popular event.

The Secret Service Location tour was a fabulous event, and one I particularly enjoyed

The London Space:1999 Convention was also a great success.

I’ll wish you all a happy and peaceful New Year and here's to the further adventures 2025 has to offer.

New Year's Ray

Woodsy,

I added a new ray gun to the collection so as to be able to take my Remco helmet nerd pic. This one is a Razer Ray Gun made in China either in the late '80s or in the '90s - not sure which. The mechanism works but it has a crack in the housing.

From Vegas Base

Ed

New Year Message from Tony K

Eve's-Popping: A Japanese Space Pistol

Its New Years Eve in Blighty. I'm thinking about next year's vintage toys already!

 

Like this! I like this Japanese space toy gun I saw on Buyee.

Its an interesting design and new to me.

But where are the astronaut's legs?

STINGRAY MEMORIES

 Gerry & Sylvia Anderson’s, Stingray has always been my favourite Supermarionation TV series, closely followed by Fireball XL5.

2024 is the anniversary year for the first 1964 screenings of Stingray in the UK, although in spite of that fact I always feel 1965 as being more relevant to my own personal memories of the Super Sub.

However, I can still remember my local TV station, Granada broadcasting the first episode precisely sixty years ago on Wednesday, 30^th December, 1964 at 6.06 pm, after being called downstairs by my Dad just prior to it starting.

Just over three weeks later, on Tuesday, 19^th January, 1965, TV Century 21 comic appeared at my corner newsagent, featuring a large colour photo of Stingray being pursued by a mechanical fish. I spotted it, and persuaded my parents to place a regular order.

I vividly remember getting the Giant 48-Page TV Century 21 Stingray Special, which appeared during May , and featured a couple of fabric Stingray stick-on badges, which fitted fine on my school jumper. However, in spite of their aquatic nature I should have remembered to remove them before they went into the weekly wash!

Around this time Stingray merchandise was beginning to become available. My brother and I both got a pair of Fairylite friction drive Stingray toys. To my young eyes, I thought it was just like the real thing. Actually, to my much older eyes, I still think it looks great!

Competition prizes in TV Century 21, especially during it’s first year, also doubled as clever adverts for usually lower cost items that birthday money or holiday treats would cover.

The Fairylite Stingray water pistol and Lone-Star cap gun were sought after.

July saw the release of the first TV Century 21 Summer Extra featuring Fireball XL5 on the cover. Inside amongst the usual comic strips are adverts for the forthcoming Stingray and TV Century 21 annuals, plus a Lady Penelope Investigates feature on A.P. Film, and a mention of the upcoming Thunderbirds TV series.

July also saw adverts painted by Ron Embleton for the Golden Wonder Stingray inflatable offer.

I never did send away for one, or buy the other aquatic item of merchandise, the Stingray Arm Fins . However, that might have been a good thing, as it seems the promotion was quickly withdrawn the following month over safety concerns. A similar fate seemed to have befallen the Stingray Arm Fins!

A shame really, as the memorable advertising artwork from Ron Embleton and Rab Hamilton was very good.

One of the Stingray merchandise highlights for 1965 was the Lyon’s Maid Stingray kit, and adverts for this exclusive mail-away appeared in TV Century 21 from issues dated July 21^st until September 4^th.

I do remember sending away for one at the time, or rather my parents did. All that was required was three Sea Jet ice lolly wrappers, and a 6/- postal order.

September, and the end of the school holidays. The month also saw the premier of Thunderbirds on TV, although my local TV Station, Granada, began to screen it the following month.

Stingray was still getting some attention, though with World Distributors did publishing a Stingray Fun Book. (as well as a Supercar edition)

In October, I was pleased to see the TV Century 21 International Extra appear with Stingray gracing the front cover.

The first of the two Armada Stingray paperbacks were published in November. I must have seen it, and maybe read a friends copy, but I don’t remember owning a copy at the time.

Stand by for tooth decay as I collected the Cadet sweet cigarette cards throughout the year.

Christmas 1965, and, in amongst my presents I remember getting the Lincoln International Stingray, the Chad Valley give-a-show projector, and the first TV Century 21 annual.

With the New Year just round the corner, and the juggernaut that was Thunderbirds, already being broadcast, this meant Stingray and all the fun merchandise that came in it’s wake would be taking a back seat in favour of the Tracy brothers and their incredible vehicles during 1966.