Tri-ang Magazine 1964-65

A number of toy and model companies have produced a tie-in magazine to promote their products; or an outside publisher has launched a magazine carrying a famous, and well-established, brand name. 

Meccano Magazine (promoting Meccano engineering sets, Hornby model railways, and Dinky Toys) was launched in 1916; and Airfix Magazine (promoting Airfix plastic kits, model railways, and later slot cars) followed in 1960.

There was also a magazine carrying the Tri-ang name, but this only lasted for ten issues, between October 1964 and July 1965. It was published by Outward Publications Limited, on the fourth Thursday of each month, and sold for 1/6 (one shilling and sixpence, or 7 1/2 New Pence in post-1971 decimal currency).

It was available from newsagents, and also toy shops, or by subscription. Very few copies appear to have survived the decades, at least judging by the lack of sales listings on-line.

A feature of the magazine was a double-page centrefold - a bit like the Eagle cut-aways, but not as detailed, and only in black and white. Only the front and back covers appear to have been in colour.

These pages show the front covers of all ten issues. The magazine covered a wide range of subjects, and was clearly aimed at boys.

https://tri-ang.co.uk/OONew/indMaG.htm

https://tri-ang.weebly.com/tri-ang-magazine.html

The Editor was Douglas McHard. According to this article he had previously worked for Meccano.

https://www.maronline.org.uk/doug-mchard-and-the-somerville-bus/

Lines Brothers acquired Meccano in 1964, and soon set about merging various aspects of the two companies, to avoid duplication. Tri-ang Railways and Hornby Dublo became Tri-ang Hornby in 1965.

This also meant the end of Tri-ang Magazine, with the July 1965 issue. The August 1965 issue of Meccano Magazine announced that there was now just 'one BIG monthly hobby journal - The Meccano Magazine'.

The editorial stated that the black and white centrefolds had been one of the most popular features of the Tri-ang Magazine. It appeared to imply that the centrefolds would continue – or is that just my reading ?

In the event the centrefold in the August issue, depicting the Apollo Saturn C.5 rocket, was the only one to appear in Meccano Magazine. Obviously just using up a piece of artwork that had already been paid for.

This issue of Meccano Magazine can be found on the excellent Internet Archive site. Unfortunately, they do not have any copies of the Tri-ang Magazine.

https://archive.org/details/meccano-magazine-1965-08/mode/2up

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Just a Minic

Hello Woodsy

Here's my reproduction box for a Tri-ang Minic taxi. I bought it to display with the cab.

Terranova47

USA

Will's Triang Minic RAF Presentation Set

Not the usual, it may be of interest to some Moonbase readers. My Father's, this is one of the Triang Minic super sets from the mid-1960s. The vehicles are plastic with friction motors.

Will O,

UK

TERRANOVA47's Tin Buses

We've had a wonderful assortment of tin planes, mostly from Ed which prompted me to take some bus pictures after finding a Tin Bus I had forgotten about.

It's the Greyhound version of the MODERN BUS by Black Cat, made in Taiwan. That is only cost $3.69 puts it back in the 1970's and is powered by two C batteries.

Then a Greyhound Bus and a Trailways one, unknown manufacturer, Made in Japan. Unpowered.

Now if like me you remember Tri-ang Minic toys then the London Double Decker, Push n' Go,

 star of Hitchcock's movie Lifeboat is here to

hold up the end for British Tin Toys.

Two versions with different ads.

Enjoy,

Terranova47

NYC, USA

BRINGING MY TRIK TRAK BACK TO LIFE

 I've had great fun cleaning up my new Trik Trak Daredevil set. I really enjoy bringing old toys and boxes to somewhere near there former presentable glory. 

This is how I got it, lovely but in a jumble. I identified every part in the box save for a ball of string; not sure what that was for. Four plastic logs were initially mis-ID'd as Lincoln Logs until I saw that they really were part of the Daredevil set. Only instructions were missing, which I imagine can be found on the net somewhere.

The yellow car had a red head and stopper missing, which I 'replaced'. I tested them with batteries and bingo! They still worked. Finally I gave them a thorough clean.

I stiffened the box lid by ironing it and taping over the four inner corner creases. I flattened all the other card parts like car boxes and tunnels overnight with a stack of LP's. I stiffened the four inner corner creases of the bottom box using extra triangles of thick card glued in.

The open seams of the two car boxes were glued back and the inner supports folded and slid back in to house the newly cleaned cars.

Consulting the net for an image of a mint'ish set I positioned the parts as they were shown

Finally I returned the stiffened lid to its rightful place and stood back to appreciate this huge set in its nice spruced-up condition.

Do you get satisfaction from cleaning up old toys, and their packaging and boxes readers?

BRINGING BACK SOME TRIK-TRAK

 The Missus and me have been on our first post-Easter rummage ramble today.

There were some highs and some lows.

The lows were waiting an hour for our ordered lunch in a cafe, after which we cancelled and left; the cost of parking going up to 90p for two hours and some stuff in one antiques joint way overpriced, namely a Galaxy Warriors Lion figure at £40 loose and 2 loose Tonka Supernaturals with a pile of accessories at £30. No chance.

The highs: we got the last 60p car parking slot and picked up a few nice bits, namely some cute vintage matchboxes [still full of matches!] and a tin the Missus loved for £4 the lot.

Some cheapo Timpo-style Western figs and a couple of dinos for a Squid.

4 loose Hot wheels for £2 at a craft/ second hand market; pink Double Demon 1988, yellow Megadestroyer 1982, 2002 Super Chromes Dodge Van reissue and to make up the 4, Wild Thing 2002.

Catch of the day had to be this 1960's Triang/ Transogram Dare Devil Trik-Trak boxed set for £8. It looks complete and the box is huge. Maybe a few rips, scuffs and biffs to the box and parts but it looks great. To be road tested later this week. Is this a toy you had readers?

I did walk past life-size kids' 2003 Jakks WWF Wrestling belts in a charity shop, two of them for £4. Maybe I should have got them. Oh, and I passed a huge black RC Dodge Charger monster car from Fast and Furious [no remote] at £3.

All in all, a decent West Yorkshire stroll.

Have you picked up anything of late? Pictures welcomed!