LADY PENELOPE AND ANDY .. OR IS IT JOE?

This is an odd old listing on Vectis. Who is Andy readers?

"Fairylite Gerry Anderson Thunderbirds Lady Penelope doll and TV21 Andy doll: Lady Penelope, wearing black and white Chinese style outfit, complete with black high heel shoes and hat; TV21 Gerry Anderson Andy character doll wearing red and navy PVC suit"

THE ART OF PAPER PLANES

 

If you like paper planes you'll love this!

I mean, Wow!

I just folded!

Do you make paper planes?

Train Arriving at Platform 2

Its been a while since I got onboard with my train hobby, diecasts and space have distracted me, but while looking online for choice Redlines, I sometimes spot other nice oddities. One such is the Lucky Toys Diesel Loco.

About 10" long, its a lovely simple friction drive toy. Lucky normally make cars, so this is probably an early sixties/ late fifties release. I also saw a red version online called the Red Flyer or somesuch.

What attracted me to it is the classic 'Canadian Pacific' style from the huge transcontinental lines and the similarity to the old Triang sets with the wonderful painted illustrations in the catalogues showing huge locomotives forging theough the Rockies, headlight blazing.

In complete contrast, I also picked up a collection of tiny trains, each part under an inch long and even smaller than the Lifebuoy Models (See here: https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2020/11/a-trained-eye.html?m=1)

I'm not sure if the are gaming pieces, but they are well detailed for their size and link together with pegs.

The steam loco is accompanied by coaches, freight wagons, gondalas, tankers and a caboose.

There is roughly one of each type in four main colours with a couple of black parts. Clearly not a full set, but great little things. Anyone recognise them?

DIGGIN' MR. BIG

As some you may know I'm a huge guitar-based rock fan. Guitars just do it for me. The rockier the better.

I'm currently listening to one of my favourite young guitarists from the 1970's, Paul Kossoff, playing in the amazing Free, possibly the best rock band in the world at the time.

The track that's on is Mr. Big, part of the wonderful double LP The Free Story. Its a real stunner. Restrained but powerful, Kossoff's playing is large and sublime and along with Andy Fraser's thumping bass, Simon Kirke's ace drums and Paul Roger's definitive rock voice, Mr. Big is truly something, one of the best rock songs ever and a fine example of Free's mighty sound. How I wish I'd seen them live. Mr. Big must have been a blast at festivals.

Tragically Paul Kossoff died far too young but he is fondly remembered and regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time.

See what you think. Do you like Free?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfTl3EXpwS4&list=OLAK5uy_lvVZR9RAI2srG5iLzTrfk9v9isUQ8yKA4&index=10

RANDY REGIER: AMERICAN TOYMAKER

I'm surprised I hadn't seen much of his work before but Randy Regier is a stunning toy maker. In Maine and Kansas USA he creates faux toys of exquisite quality. 

His Impending Future Bus is a good example.

I mean, Wow!

For more amazing toys done the Randy Regier way check out his neat website yourself.

https://randyregier.com/portfolio/

What do you think?

Jubiloo

It's Jubilation all round at the mo in the UK and beyond. Even Paddington Bear had tea with the Queen.

I've got my sore foot up. It's traditionally chucking it down. The coffees hot. BBC News is wall to wall pomp and pageantry. The Queen's in Windsor Castle feeling unwell. Ed Sheeran is warming up for his big palace gig. I'm hoping they show the James Bond cars that are lined up in London somewhere. No sign of Cliff Richard yet. Brian May appears to be the new national treasure. Queen Liz herself remains the main event of course. I can't imagine being 96, never mind being a monarch.

I remember some things about the Jubilee in 1977. I was 16 and probably in the midst of my summer O-levels in the 5th and final year of high School. It had been a terrible year, the worst of all years for me and my family, as our mum had died suddenly earlier in the winter.

Im surprised I bothered with the Jubilee that year but as someone said, life goes on and l went to see what was going on where my big sister lived in Adlington near Chorley.

I remember that my girlfriend at the time, Janet, came along and I think the festivities were in Adlington Fields. The portable toilets had been named Jubiloos by some bright spark. There were lots of punk rockers at the event with God Save The Queen ripped t-shirts on.

I also remember that my nephew came off his push bike that day, flying over the handlebars and landing on his chin. I can well imagine that he still has a scar where he hit the deck!

Do you remember the 1977 Jubilee readers?

Are you enjoying the long Jubilee weekend? Did you see the big concert last night on TV?

MATSUSHIRO MULTI 08 SPACE GUN

Matsushiro. We came across their toy guns earlier in the year. Here's another one, the Multi 08 Space, which I'm sure other firms released as well.

The smiling boy on the boxart looks happy!

THE FLYPAPER

Today I saw a shocking TV play in the series Tales of the Unexpected on the box. I was gobsmacked by the subject matter and I'm unsure of they'd even attempt it now. 

More like a public safety broadcast the episode was called The Flypaper, based on a story by one Elizabeth Taylor [not the actress]. It was first shown in the August of 1980. 

Here it is on You Tube, although it's not pleasant viewing.

https://youtu.be/tqa0abn9Tb4

I didn't watch telly that summer as I was in a rock band, which took up all my time.

Seeing it now, The Flypaper reminds me of other gritty and spooky TV dramas from the 70's, some of which I saw at the time and some I've discovered later including some with the help of Moonbase readers. Murren, The Photograph, the Stone Tape, those public safety adverts for kids, Thriller episodes and thanks to Tone K, the brilliant Vampires.

A few years back I had a go at making a handful of spooky shorts on my phone, starring Moonbase mutt Blue and the local fields. Great fun, although I'm glad no-one saw me doing them. They'll have thought I was a complete nutter!

Can you recommend any more gritty TV dramas and plays from the 1970's readers, preferably with a little spookiness thrown in?