ALL ABOARD THE INTERCEPTOR

I can remember when I was a youngster visiting the local funfair which had the usual roundabouts. One did have a Supercar and Stingray ride which was naturally a favourite with me. Sadly they are long gone but looking through some photos on social media I spotted these pics that someone had kindly shared of a SHADO Interceptor ride.

I wonder if it still exists?

ADDENDUM FROM WOODSY:

Is this it?

[2010 John Swan]

LEWIS'S DINKORGI PROJECT: FROM DIE-CAST TOYS TO TIN

Hi Paul, here are some pics of models I'm working on at the moment, so later in the year, you should have some updates.

I've decided to group them under the heading, The Dinkorgi Project, which should strike a chord with your viewers. 

Here's a shot of my very messy workbench with a DB5, Thunderball version, so it'll have a Bond with jet pack! A Toyota 2000 which will have a lighted TV screen, a Bond Moon Buggy tyre master, an Alien Narcissus with a prototype clear pink rocket nozzle...

Not shown are the prototype tyres for the SPC and SPV I'm planning... - later!

Thanks again for your inspiration and encouragement, 

Lewis P. Morley

TOYS ON TV: TAKE TWO

Andrew Kerr, a mate and fellow toy, comic and cult TV enthusiast, after seeing the recent Toys On TV post I did last week has sent me some photos of a couple of other toys he's spotted on TV.

http://projectswordtoys.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/toys-on-tv.html

The first is a bazooka toy seen in the vintage UK sitcom, Please Sir which starred John Alderton as teacher Bernard 'Privet' Hedges

Here we see Hedges talking to wide boy Eric Duffy (played by Peter Cleall) with mummy's boy Frankie Abbott (played by David Barry) in the background holding a toy bazooka.

(The episode, from the third season is called 'Peace in Our Time')

Andy spotted what he initially thought was a ping - pong ball firing Burp gun, but after closer examination it looks a lot like the toy Bazooka gun  made by Merit.

The second toy Andy remembered seeing was featured in the Wonder Women TV series episode, 'The Man Who Could Move Mountains' . Andy recognised it as an early Mego doll.

Finally, I reckon Andy's discovered why Herts Daleks have become so rare after dozens of them appeared on the Dalek production line from Power of the Daleks Episode 4. Maybe the BBC thought half a Dalek was better than none.

Many thanks for the detective work Andy and sharing your findings.

The Tin End of the Wedge

Anyone who knows my collecting preferences would say it would be a cold day in hell before I would buy tinplate toys. Well, I've just seen the devil on ice skates, so there must be something seriously amiss. That said, I haven't gone entirely soft, but have just acquired a delightful pressed steel vintage train, made in the late sixties by Bandai.

At around 150mm long and approximately HO scale, it originally ran via a battery pack which clipped to the rail. Mine came without track or power unit and also seems to have had the wagon bogies replaced for smaller HO standard ones.

Bandai Diesel 1965 (?)

Gondola Wagon

Southern Rail Tanker

Caboose Wagon

My initial interest in larger scale trains, as opposed to my usual N and Z gauge models, came about after I bought a pair of dilapidated Tootsietoy diesel engines and I recalled my fondness for the big trans continental engines i'd seen on layouts as a kid and a green Lone Star loco of similar shape that I had.

Tootsie Toy Diesel Loco - paint stripped, originally red

So when I saw this unusual loco on ebay, I was immediately taken. Its doubtful i'll ever get to the point of having a full layout, but as it stands, it makes a great little subject for a quick diorama.

ALPHADROME: HONG KONG TOYS

Over on the brilliant Alphadrome site there is a really cool forum thread on plastic space toys from Hong Kong.

Have a gander here http://danefield.com/alpha/forums/topic/15011-hong-kong-space-toys/?page=1

CLASSIC BATMAN TV SERIES BIRDMOBILE & BLACK WIDOW BIKE FROM EAGLEMOSS

Even though the Eaglemoss Batman Automobilia collection will soon be coming to an end, the company are still producing some unique collectable models.

Issues 82 & 83 both feature vehicles from the Batman TV series, which Eaglemoss collectors have seen before in different guises.

The first is a model of the Penguin variant of the Batmobile, after the feathered fink bagged it from the dynamic duo in the episode ‘Not Yet He Ain’t’.

The Penguin hastily gives the car a small makeover using his trademark umbrella parasols and covering the bat logo on the doors; the Batmobile is then transformed into The Birdmobile!

Collectors have already seen the excellent Eaglemoss version of the Batmobile from issue 2 in the series, so adapting it to a model of the Penguin variant has got to be a good idea as far as I’m concerned.

There’s the usual attention to detail, and with the 3D lenticular display background showing the steps of Gotham Police Headquarters it’s another perfect Batman collectable.

The second vehicle is the Harley Davidson motorcycle used by The Black Widow in the episode ‘Black Widow Strikes Again’.

The basic model, based on an Electra Glide Harley Davidson is similar, if not the same as the original Bat Cycle model Eaglemoss released in issue 77.

It’s speculated by some that the studio re-customised the leased Harley Davidson Bat cycle used in the aforementioned episode 'Not Yet He Ain't' to catch the Birdmobile, and transformed the cycle into The Black Widow Bike.

The 3D lenticular background shows 'The Web',  the name for The Black Widow's lair.

DID ANY OF YOU DRAW WHEN YOU WERE ILL AS A KID?

When I was ill as kid during the Sixties I would draw. Laid up on the sofa I would have a pad of paper and some pencils and away I went! I drew all the time generally but doing it whilst poorly seemed somehow therapeutic.

In this state I can remember at least two of my sick-bed creations.

The first was a comic full of comical sketches and gags. Somewhere in the attic I still have it! Influenced heavily by comics like Beezer, Buster and my older Bros' MAD mags I seem to remember.

The other drawings were detailed pictures of my Hot Wheels, Superfast and Whizzwheels die-cast toy cars. I can remember doing the Matchbox Silhouette distinctly and colouring it in bright red.

They were all drawn on graph paper so I could copy the shapes more easily. Not half bad really! Sadly these have gone to the great shredder in the sky.

Do you recall drawing when you were ill readers? Did you draw all the time?

A LITTLE IMPERIAL ACTION

Those little LP/ Imperial Apollo Moon Exploring domes get everywhere! here's one I spotted amidst a stack of stuff on the Bay in Winter 2015.