THE BIG BIG TRAIN

While we were  at the Dinky Fair the other week, Woodsy pointed out  to me this large plastic Diesel model, and  insisted it was like one that was used in Gerry Anderson's Secret Service. 

Well, of course, he was absolutely spot on. The episode was' Last Train To Bufflers Halt' and the model used was the Blue Flyer Locomotive from The Big Big Passenger Train set by Triang.

Needless to say I bought it, along with some track and a couple of carriages. Not being a train buff I thought I'd better gen up on my new found treasure.

These are some pictures from Bill, who, not surprisingly was also fully aware of the Big Big Train toy.

Anyway, for anyone else like me who was unaware of this toy here's a brief history. 

The Big Big Train is an O gauge system produced by Tri-ang  in 1966. These continued to be made until 1972. The larger, but less detailed scale and robust plastic design meant it was ideal for younger children and anyone wanting to fix and run their model railway outdoors.

When production ceased, the tools were bought by Novo toys, who restarted manufacture in the USSR from 1975 to 1980.

My example is that type.

This battery powered toy also boasted a unique switch system which, when using a device attached to the track could flip the engine into reverse. 

Anyway, once I got mine working, I figured the best way to showcase my Big Big Train was to film it in action.

Hope you like it.

STALWART LEGION

Just rolling into the Wotan Archive today is this wonderful little friction Alvis Stalwart truck. Probably a variation of the Clifford Stalwart that Scoop won, its a little knocked about, but generally a nice looking toy. Its had a splash of gloss black paint on the tyres, but is actually molded in green. The only versions ive seen before are a garish red one and the white tanker.

The only other Stalwarts i'm aware of are the large Airfix version, the fine Matchbox and the rather lacklustre Dinky 'Task Force' version.

PROJECT SWORD PHASE 2 - 11/05/68

TROLL TRACY ISLAND

 



I've featured the nifty Brazilian Thunderbirds Tracy Island toy before on the blog. It was made by Troll in the late Sixties. Today I found this cool montage about the toy on You Tube. Does anyone own one of these latin beauties?

TAPING THE CHARTS

I got my first Cassette Recorder in the 1970's. It was a block of plastic with five big white plastic buttons on the lower edge, which looked like piano keys. I think it was a Philips. It had a mock leather case around it and a shoulder strap. The whole thing looked like a Star Trek tricorder and I loved it.

One of my favourite uses for my Recorder was taping the music charts on Sunday night. I think it was the official top 40 show on Radio 1 but I just taped the top twenty. Twenty two- minute songs and some jabbering from the DJ just about filled a C60 cassette tape.

 

 

It seems amazing in these days of Ipods and Downloads that my generation actually recorded the charts with an external microphone stood in front of the radio, capturing every sound in my bedroom too. Burps, trumps, Mum shouting its teatime, the lot! It didn't matter. As long as I could listen to the pop charts over and over again for a whole week I was as happy as a fish in batter!

 

 

Did you tape the charts?

 

 

 

Like a Bus

At our last Swordstock, Woodsy was asking me about the comparative size of some of our favourite toys, especially Spacex. So I thought it might be a good time to show one or two of the more famous ones in a group shot. Not all have a SWORD equivalent, but designs are echoed across a number of toy lines, so i've used the SWORD toy as the top end of the scale.

Firstly, in this occasional series, we have the SWORD Moonbus along with its derivative orange version by LP and the Triang Spacex Mobile HQ. I won't delve into issues of chicken and egg here, this is really just to show the size of the models.

Next, a familiar face on the blog, the Base Patrol Cricket P1. At the rear, we have the first appearance of a large scale Spacex model made by Kevin Davies. This is a conversion of the existing small 'Army Cricket'. In the middle is the Mortoys battery operated Cricket which comes from a set of interchangeable parts, which sit on a common motor base. Lastly, the classic Spacex Cricket P1. Although the Cricket is possibly the most often imitated of all Spacex models, with showings in the Hamilton Invaders line and a number of unlicensed army versions, its still a mystery where the actual 'jeep' design originates from.

ROCKET PUNCH PODCAST!

Our good friend and fellow blogger across the big pond, Will Schwartz has produced the first of a regular series of podcasts covering the sci-fi modelling and toy scene. His own blog Secret Space Base covers a range of contemporary and classic sci-fi themes and will shortly be hosting a special podcast to commemorate the life and work of the late Ray Harryhausen. 

Secret Space Base Podcast 01 by secretspacebase001

GREEN PLANET ABORT

 

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