Mettoy-Corgi
Encyclopedia
Corgi Toys is the name of a range of die-cast toy
vehicles produced by Mettoy Playcraft Ltd. in the United Kingdom
. The Mettoy company was founded in 1933 by German émigré Philip Ullmann in Northampton
, England, where he was later joined by South African-born German Arthur Katz who had previously worked for Ulmann at his toy company Tipp and Co of Nuremberg. They decided to market a range of toy vehicles as competition to Meccano
's Dinky Toy
s model vehicles
which had dominated the British market for many years. Corgi Toys were introduced in the UK in July 1956 and were manufactured in Swansea
, Wales
, for twenty seven years before the company went into liquidation.
The range was exported worldwide and sold in large numbers. Some of the best known and most popular models were of cars made famous in film and television such as the Batmobile
, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
and James Bond
's Aston Martin DB5
– which remains the largest selling toy car ever produced. Although the largest single vehicle type featured in the Corgi Toys range were models of cars from manufacturers around the world, this article sub-divides vehicles into genres, wherever possible, to allow a more detailed look at the variety of models produced by the company.
Mettoy became established in Northampton and within six years of the company's founding, the Northampton factory had 600 employees.
A production plant was built at Fforestfach in Swansea to manufacture the new range of Corgi Toys providing many new jobs in an area of high unemployment following the scaling down of local coal mining operations.
The name 'Corgi Toys' was chosen by Philip Ullmann in honour of the company's new home, taken from the Welsh breed of dog, the Corgi
and the iconic Corgi logo branded the new range. The name was short and easy to remember further aligning the range with their rival Dinky Toys. Corgi Toys also included plastic glazing which lent the models a greater authenticity, and they carried the advertising slogan 'the ones with windows'.
The 1956 releases were all familiar British vehicles. Six family saloon cars; Ford Consul
(200/200M), Austin A50 Cambridge (201/201M), Morris Cowley
(202/202M), Vauxhall Velox
(203/203M), Rover 90 (204/204M), Riley Pathfinder
(205/205M) and Hillman Husky
(206/206M), and two sports cars; Austin-Healey 100
(300) and Triumph TR2
(301). Initially, all models were issued in free-rolling form, or with friction drive motors, with the exception of the heavy commercials which would have been too bulky and the sports cars whose low slung bodies would not be able to accommodate the motors. The Mechanical versions, as they were known, were indicated by an 'M' suffix to the model number and were available in different colour schemes. They were issued with tougher die-cast bases to support the extra weight of the motor, and in far fewer numbers. Mechanical versions did not sell particularly well, partly due to a significantly higher purchase price, and were phased out in 1960 with Ford Thunderbird
(214M) the last of the line. The die-cast baseplates were expanded across the range to replace the original tin plate at the same time. Today they are considered more collectable because of their relative rarity.
British cars dominated the releases over the next few years reflecting the company's concentration on the home market, but by December 1957 new markets were being explored and the first European car to be modelled was the Citroën DS19 (210) issued in December 1957. The first American car, the Studebaker Golden Hawk
(211/211M), was released in February 1958 and by the early 1960s the Corgi range was being exported widely, finding particular popularity in Europe, Australia and the United States of America, and gradually more foreign vehicles were included to appeal to these new markets.
Models were issued on a monthly basis and the range grew quickly to include vehicles of all types. Gradually the models became more sophisticated with the addition of such features as 'Glidamatic' spring suspension and a detailed interior on the Renault Floride (222) in October 1959, and the fibre-optic style 'Trans-o-Lite' illuminating lights system first seen on the Superior Ambulance on Cadillac Chassis (437) in October 1962. The early type of interior which was known as 'vac-formed', was produced by stretching a thin sheet of acetate over a mould by means of a vacuum, and lasted for three years until being replaced by the crisper, more detailed injection-moulded type first seen in the Thames 'Airborne' caravan (420) in February 1962.
The Corgi design team came up with the first model with an opening feature in February 1960, the Aston Martin DB4
(218) which had an opening bonnet. Steerable front wheels, jewelled headlights and rear lights and an opening boot complete with spare wheel were added on the Bentley Continental Sports Saloon (224) in April 1961, and by October 1963 with the release of the Ghia L6.4 (241) new levels of authenticity were reached. This model featured a number of 'firsts' with not only an opening bonnet, but also opening doors and boot, and a detailed interior with a rear view mirror, folding front seats, and even a model corgi dog sitting on the rear parcel shelf. At introduction, the Ghia sold for eight shillings and sixpence, and even at this relatively high price around 1.7 million were sold before being withdrawn in 1969. Ironically, only twenty five examples of the real car were completed.
In 1964, Mettoy introduced a range of smaller scale vehicles called Husky Toys. These retailed at a lower retail price than the larger Corgi Toys, and competed with Matchbox Toys.
Meanwhile, Corgi had got as far as producing several pre-production examples of the stillborn car after receiving drawings from Rover as early as February 1957 and had planned to issue the model, which carried the article number 212, to coincide with the real vehicle's launch. To maintain secrecy within the factory and amongst out-sourced producers during the design of the pre-production models, two baseplate moulds were made, one carrying the inscription 'Rover 90' and the other for a mythical car called 'Road Hawk'. The half of the baseplate carrying both '90' and the word 'Hawk' were then machined off and the remaining halves featuring words 'Road' and 'Rover' combined to produce the Road Rover baseplate. Only six examples were finished making this the rarest of all Corgi Toys products. The only known existing example from Head Designer Marcel Van Cleemput's personal collection was sold during the 1990s.
finished in green (9001) or red (9002), an open 1915 Ford Model T
coloured black (9011) and a version finished in blue with the hood raised (9013), a 1910 Daimler
38 finished in red (9021) and a 1911 Renault
12/16 finished in lavender (9031) or pale yellow (9032). Two years later a 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
coloured silver (9041) was added to the range, which was updated in 1970 to feature American TV stars The Hardy Boys
, discussed later in this article. A Ford Model T van in Lyons Tea livery (9014) appeared in the 1967 Corgi catalogue but was never released. The Corgi Classics range was dropped by 1969, although the name was later revived for a range of adult collectable models in the 1980s.
tractor unit with full glazing in keeping with the rest of the Corgi range, and the company's first gift set including the Carrimore Car Transporter and four cars (GS1); Austin Cambridge
(201), Jaguar
2.4 (208), Austin-Healey
(300) and MGA
(302) in time for the Christmas market in December 1957. Early models in the new 'Corgi Major' range were issued in sturdy two piece boxes featuring the blue and yellow colour scheme that had recently been adopted across the entire Corgi range, later models in the 1960s using clear fronted packaging in line with the rest of the Corgi Toys range. The Carrimore Low Loader(1100) was the next release in April 1958 which was a low loader trailer attached to the Bedford cab and was followed by the similar Machinery Carrier low loader (1104) in September 1958. In November 1958 the Euclid TC12 Bulldozer (1102) was issued. A large earth mover which was being widely used in the construction of the M1, the UK's first motorway, the Euclid factory was only two miles from Corgi headquarters which allowed easy access to all the data required to produce a very accurate model. April 1959 saw the release of the Bedford Fuel Tanker in the attractive red livery of 'Mobilgas' (1110) and this model was revamped in pale blue and white as the Bedford Milk Tanker (1129) in May 1962, and both were later re-issued with a more modern Bedford TK
cab.
The Midland Red Motor Express Coach (1120), issued in March 1960, was a model of the latest high speed coach for the motorway age fitted with a turbo-charged engine, and a model of the pioneering SR.N1 hovercraft
(1119) was released in June 1960. In November 1962 the new Bedford TK cab unit was also fitted to the existing Carrimore Car Transporter (1105) and was also included in a new Car Transporter Gift Set (GS28) in December 1963 along with four cars; Ford Consul Classic (234), Mercedes-Benz
220 SE (230), Renault Floride (222) and Fiat 2100 (232). The Ecurie Ecosse
Racing Transporter (1126) issued in October 1961 was a racing car transporter custom built for the Scottish motor racing team Ecurie Ecosse, with room for three cars and an on-board workshop. The Corgi model featured operational ramps, a sliding door revealing the workshop complete with a miniature lathe, operational steering, and was finished in authentic dark blue. Racing Transporter Set (GS16) was also released in October 1961 featuring the Ecurie Ecosse transporter along with three racing cars; Vanwall
(150), BRM (156) and [Lotus XI] (151). Another construction site model was released in May 1963. The Priestman Cub Shovel (1128) made a continuous digging movement by turning a knob, and was paired with the earlier Machinery Carrier fitted with the latest Bedford TK tractor as Gift Set 27 in August. The Simon Snorkel Aerial Rescue Truck (1127) was issued in September 1964. This model fire engine was based on a Bedford TK chassis and featured an extendable centre-hinged arm with rescue cradle complete with fire fighter figure holding a die-cast water cannon which could be manoeuvred by means of a rotating base and wheels and gears. The model stayed in the range until being updated with a more modern Dennis cab (1126) in June 1977.
A new cab unit was introduced in September 1965. The Ford H Cab and Detachable Trailer (1137) was an American truck produced by Corgi to appeal to the lucrative US market and featured a forward tilting cab revealing a highly detailed engine, realistic moveable door mirrors and die-cast metal air horns and side ladders. The large box trailer featured sliding side doors, opening rear doors and was finished in the blue and silver 'Express Services' livery. The leap in quality of this model proved that the Major range had entered a new era, and it continued to sell well until 1972. The new Ford cab was used again in April 1966 with a new version of the Carrimore Car Transporter (1138) which had been re-designed to carry up to six Corgi cars, and which also featured in Gift Set 41 along with six cars; Ford Cortina
Estate (440), Rover 2000
(252), Hillman Imp
(251), Mini Cooper De-Luxe (249), Austin Seven
(225) and Mini Cooper Monte Carlo 1966 (321). This gift set was initially only available by mail order but was finally issued in time for Christmas in December 1967.
The Holmes Wrecker Recovery Vehicle (1142) issued in May 1967 was also based on the Ford H Series tractor unit, and featured twin boom die-cast recovery cranes with hooks attached to cotton lines that could be extended by winding a pair of spare wheels attached to the sides of the vehicle, and also included were two model mechanics previously seen with the 'Express Services' truck. The American LaFrance
Aerial Rescue Truck (1143) was added to the Major range in October 1968 and was a highly detailed model of a large articulated fire engine from the United States of America. It featured an extendable ladder on a rotating base complete with plastic ladder extensions and model firemen and has recently been re-issued by the modern Corgi company in a number of authentic liveries. The Carrimore Car Transporter Mark IV using the recently introduced Scammell cab was also released in April 1969 and a gift set (GS48) featuring the new transporter and six cars; MGC GT (345), Mini Cooper Monte Carlo 1967 (339), Sunbeam Imp Monte Carlo 1967 (340), Mini Cooper S Magnifique (334), Morris Mini Minor (226) and The Saint
's Volvo P1800
(258) soon followed. By October 1970 the Carrimore Car Transporter Mark V (1146) had grown to three decks and Gift Set 20 again featured the transporter complete with six cars now fitted with Whizzwheels; Lancia Fulvia
Zagato (372), Marcos
3 Litre (377), MGC GT (378), Ford Capri
3 Litre (311), The Saint's Volvo P1800
(201) and Pontiac Firebird
(343). It is interesting to note that the colour schemes applied to some cars in the Car Transporter Gift Sets were unique to models included in these sets, and today are particularly collectable. The Scammell Handyman Ferrymasters Truck (1147) issued in December 1969, proved to be the last new application for the Scammell cab and was finished in the authentic yellow and white livery of the Ferrymasters truck fleet.
The Major range continued into the 1970s but along with the Corgi Toys range suffered somewhat from the constraints on development budgets that the company was forced to make. The Mercedes-Benz Unimog and snowplough (1150) was released in February 1971 and another American cab unit was introduced in October 1971. The new Mack
was coupled with a fuel tanker in the livery of 'Esso' (1152) in October 1971 and a Transcontinental trailer (1100) in November 1971, and fitted with an updated version of the Priestman Cub Shovel now converted to become a crane in October 1972 as the Mack Priestman Crane Truck (1154). A new Berliet
cab was introduced in May 1974 as the Crane Fruehauf Discharge Dumper (1102), a large articulated aggregate carrier for use on construction sites, and the new cab was also used as the Berliet Wrecker Truck (1144) in March 1975 updating the aforementioned Holmes Wrecker, which had been in the range since 1967. The Pathfinder Airport Crash Truck (1103) released in September 1974 had won the Design Council Engineering Award for its manufacturer Chubb, and the Corgi miniature included an internal water tank allowing water to be squirted through die-cast water cannons by pumping a rubber bulb. Another new cab was introduced in April 1976. The Ford Transcontinental was designed for long range treks across the European continent and was first issued coupled to the fuel tanker previously seen with the earlier Mack cab, also in 'Esso' livery (1157) or 'Gulf' livery (1160), and later in February 1982 in the livery of 'Guinness' (1169). A new Car Transporter (1159) was issued in November 1976 using the new Ford Transcontinental cab, and two more construction site orientated vehicles were issued, the JCB Crawler Loader (1110) in June 1976 and the Volvo
BM Concrete Mixer (1156) in January 1977. The Dolphinarium (1164) was issued in April 1980 and featured the Berliet cab and a flatbed trailer which carried a large plastic water tank. Once the tank was filled a plunger attached to a jet nozzle within in the tank could be pumped forcing two model dolphins attached to a plastic guide to jump out of the water and through the air.
Crane Truck (1121) was the first of the highly successful and much sought after range of Chipperfield's Circus vehicles produced by Corgi Toys during the 1960s, and was issued in October 1960. It was based on a large International truck fitted with a metal crane, hook and pulley, and painted in the traditional Chipperfield's Circus livery of red and blue, as were all the models in the range. It was followed by the Circus Animal Cage Trailer (1123) in January 1961 which featured two two-part opening doors revealing a large cage with metal bars. These two models were later packaged together as the Chipperfield's Circus Set (GS12). An updated version of the Karrier Bantam Mobile Butcher Shop was introduced in January 1962 as the Circus Booking Office (426). The window insert of the original depicting joints of meat was replaced with a new one with circus advertising posters. In April 1962 the existing Land Rover 109 model was issued along with a trailer carrying a large cage and a model elephant as Chipperfield's Circus Land Rover and Elephant Cage on Trailer (GS19).
The Chipperfield's Circus Vehicles Set (GS23) was issued in September 1962 featuring all the Chipperfield's models released to date, and today this is one of the most desirable gift sets issued by the company. The Chipperfield's Circus Horse Transporter (1130) was released in October 1962 featuring the new Bedford TK
tractor unit and an articulated trailer with models of circus horses, and in June 1964 the Bedford TK tractor unit was adapted with a large high-sided open top 'wooden' box as the Giraffe Transporter (503) complete with models of a mother and baby giraffe.
The Land Rover
, which had been adapted as a 'Vote For Corgi' campaigning vehicle as a tie-in with the 1964 UK General Election, was re-issued in September 1965 in the red and blue colours of Chipperfield's as the Chipperfield's Circus Parade Vehicle (487) with a clown and chimpanzee replacing the political canvassers of the original, and a 'The Circus is Here' banner across the bonnet. The Chipperfield's Circus Menagerie Transporter (1139) which was released in October 1968 featured a new Scammell Handyman cab and a flatbed articulated trailer which carried a load of three clear plastic boxes designed to represent cages, each containing models of lions, bears and tigers. The Chipperfield's Circus Crane and Cage (1144), issued in April 1969, again featured the Scammell tractor unit but modified using the Holmes Wrecker platform with a large crane mounted on a pivoting base to the rear, and included another of the clear plastic animal cages with a model rhinoceros inside. The final model in the Chipperfield's Circus range was released in January 1970. The Chipperfield's Performing Poodles Pick Up (511) was an update of the earlier Kennel Club Wagon (itself an adaptation of the Chevrolet Impala
first issued in 1960) and included model poodles and trainer.
There were no further circus related releases until the Jean Richard Circus Set (GS48) which was issued in November 1978. This large set included models of the new 1/36 scale Land Rover Estate and Chevrolet
Van which had been updated to become a parade vehicle and mobile booking office respectively. Also included were an animal cage trailer and models of horses and an elephant and figures of a clown and a ringmaster, together with various Big Top accessories. The most interesting model, however, was the Berliet tractor unit which had been adapted to become a human cannonball launcher complete with die-cast cannon attached to the rear and a human cannonball figure that could be fired from the cannon by means of depressing a button.
Throughout the company's history, Corgi Toys have been closely associated with modelling Grand Prix and Formula 1 racing cars. The first issued was the Vanwall
Grand Prix car (150) issued in July 1957. Finished in green and carrying racing number 3, it was a scale model of the actual car driven by Stirling Moss
. This was followed in December 1958 by a BRM Grand Prix car (106) also with green paintwork, and both cars featured in the Racing Car Set (GS5) from 1958, along with the Lotus XI Le Mans racing car (151) from July 1958. The Vanwall, however, had been re-coloured red. In 1963 the Ferrari F1 (Ferrari Tipo 156 'Sharknose') (154) was released finished in Italian racing red, and was also featured in a Land Rover
and Ferrari F1 car set (GS17) that same year. It was followed in December 1964 by the Lotus-Climax F1 car (155) in an authentic British Racing Green
as driven by Jim Clark
, and in 1967 by the Cooper-Maserati F1 car (156) painted blue. The Lotus-Climax and the Cooper-Maserati were re-engineered in 1969 to include steerable front wheels operated by moving the driver from side to side, and a high level rear wing in the style of real Formula 1 cars of the time. They were re-coloured orange in the case of the Lotus-Climax (158) and yellow in the case of the Cooper-Maserati (159). A Lotus
Racing Car set (GS37) was issued in August 1966 containing the Lotus-Climax F1 car, two Lotus Elan
s and a Volkswagen
breakdown tow truck. Another Ferrari was issued in February 1965, Ferrari Berlinetta (Ferrari 250 LM) (314) which had competed at the 1964 Le Mans 24 Hour race, and in May 1967 another successful sports racer, the Porsche Carrera 6 (Porsche 906
) (330), was released.
In 1972 Corgi worked with the newly formed Grand Prix Association to produce a series of 1/36 scale Formula 1 racing cars. The first was the Yardley McLaren
M19A (151) driven by New Zealander Denny Hulme
which was followed by the Brooke Bond Oxo Surtees TS9 driven by John Surtees
(150), later followed by a Surtees TS9B in the livery of Italian sponsors 'Pagnossin', driven by Andrea de Adamich
(153). These were the first models produced in the larger 1/36 scale instead of the familiar O scale preferred by Dinky and Corgi up to this date (varying between 1/43 to about 1/50 for larger vehicles like lorries). Within the following five years virtually the complete Corgi range would be replaced by vehicles in 1/36 scale, much to the dismay of adult collectors. 1973 saw the release of Jacky Ickx
's Ferrari 312 B2 (152) and the John Player Special Lotus 72
(154) of World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi
, and in 1974 the Shadow
F1 car was issued in both UOP livery (155) driven by Jackie Oliver, and as Graham Hill
's Embassy Shadow (156). Scottish multiple World Champion Jackie Stewart
's Elf Tyrrell
F1 car (158) was also released along with the STP Patrick Eagle (159) driven to victory in the 1973 Indianapolis 500
by Gordon Johncock. The final two models in the series were the Hesketh 308
F1 car (190) driven by Englishman James Hunt
issued in 1976, and the six wheeled Tyrrell Project 34 driven by Frenchman Patrick Depailler issued in Elf livery (161) in 1977 and First National City Travellers Checks livery (162) which was released in 1978. Two Formula 1 cars were also issued in 1/18 scale, the John Player Special Lotus 72 (190) in 1974 and the Marlboro McLaren (191) in 1975.
The Proteus-Campbell Bluebird
Record Car (153) was issued in September 1960 and was modelled on the vehicle with which Donald Campbell
was to set a new Land Speed Record on July 17, 1964. The Corgi design team were given extensive access to the real car in order to produce their scale model, even receiving paint samples to enable them to create an exact colour match. However, a lighter blue was chosen for the model eventually. An example of the model was presented to Donald Campbell by young members of the Corgi Club.
Models following themes were released over the years. In January 1964, Corgi updated the existing Citroën DS
Safari to become a promotional vehicle for the 1964 Winter Olympics (475), complete with a skier figure, four model skis and two model ski poles. Painted white and with a decal of the Olympic rings logo on the bonnet, this model then reverted to a 'Corgi Ski Club' version the following year. It was revamped again in November 1967 for the 1968 Winter Olympics (499), this time painted white with a blue roof, and with a model toboggan on the roof rack along with a figure of a tobogganist and a pair of skis and poles, and a stylish 'Grenoble Olympiade 1968' decal on the bonnet. The final version introduced in 1970 was an Alpine Rescue vehicle (510), painted white with a red roof and which came complete with figures of a St Bernard dog and rescuer, and today is the rarest of the versions.
The Monte Carlo Rally
, held annually in January, provided a rich source of model cars between 1964 and 1967. By following the event closely, Corgi Toys were able to issue a model of the winning car shortly after the end of the rally Often there was not even enough time to produce a unique box for the new model, which had to make do with a hastily produced sticker applied to a standard issue box for a similar model. The 1964 winner Paddy Hopkirk
's Mini
Cooper S (317) released in February 1964 featured jewelled headlights and a rally lamp on the roof, and was finished in the BMC team colours of red with a white roof with authentic Monte Carlo Rally
transfers. Three Monte Carlo Rally cars were issued in 1965, the winning Mini Cooper S of Timo Mäkinen
(321) in February, finished in the same red with a white roof, and three jewelled rally lamps, and in April a Rover 2000
(322) in maroon with a white roof with two jewelled rally lamps in the grill and a Citroën DS
(323) with four small jewelled rally lamps and finished in pale blue with a white roof complete with roof aerial. All three of these models were available in the Monte Carlo Gift Set (GS38) also issued in April 1965; a highly prized set for today's collector. Another Mini Cooper S in Monte Carlo Rally finish was issued the January of following year complete with two jewelled rally lamps in the grille and the signatures of the driver Timo Mäkinen and his co-driver Paul Easter printed on the roof. The model number 321 was carried over from the 1965 car. A Hillman Imp
was also issued as a Monte Carlo Rally car (328), finished in blue with a white flash along the sides and two jewelled rally lamps, and was driven by an all female team of Rosemary Smith
and Valerie Domleo in the 1966 event.
1967 was the final year that Corgi issued Monte Carlo Rally cars, and the famous Mini Cooper S (339) appeared yet again in March, this time with four jewelled rally lamps in the grill, a sump guard and two spare wheels on a roof rack borrowed from the 'Surfing' Mini Traveller (485) from 1965. The 1967 Monte Carlo Rally Mini Cooper S stayed in the Corgi range until 1972, spanning two different castings. Another Mini Cooper S (333) was released in February 1967 carrying the same red and white paintwork, but as campaigned in the 1967 RAC/Sun rally by Tony Fall and Mike Wood, along with another Rover 2000 (322) from the same event finished in white with a matt black bonnet. The final Monte Carlo Rally car was the Sunbeam Imp (340) issued in March 1967, which featured four jewelled rally lamps and was finished in blue with a white flash and front panel. In December 1965 a Volkswagen 1200 Beetle was issued in East African Safari finish (256). This model featured an opening boot and engine cover and steerable front wheels operated by a spare tyre on the roof of the car. The colourful packaging was completed with the inclusion of a model of a charging rhinoceros. Three years later in July 1969 Corgi issued the winning Hillman Hunter from the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon (302), complete with Take-Off Wheels, roof mounted tool box and a plastic kangaroo guard across the front of the car. This time the packaging included a model kangaroo and details of the event, and in February 1970 the Ford Capri
3-Litre rally car (303) as driven by the late Roger Clark
was released. A model of the successful Datsun 240Z rally car in East African Safari Finish (394) was issued in October 1972 and in May 1973 the Datsun 240Z was also issued in "US Rally" finish (396). This, in fact, was an authentic model of the 1971 SCCA championship winning car. The Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona
as raced at the 1973 Le Mans 24 Hours race, with JCB and Corgi sponsorship (324), was released in June 1973 along with another in white/red/blue livery inspired by a 1972 Le Mans entry (323). In July 1973 the Porsche
-Audi
917/10 (397) from the Can-Am race series was issued with L&M cigarette sponsorship.
In the early 1970s Corgi Toys issued a range of dragsters in response not only to the increased following of this form of motorsport in the UK, focussed on the Santa Pod Raceway in Northamptonshire, but also the attention brought to these vehicles by Mattel
's Hot Wheels
. The first to be released was the 'Quartermaster' Dragster (162) in April 1971, closely followed by the 'Commuter' Dragster (161) in June. Both were models of real vehicles, and were of the 'rail' dragster variety. The first 'Funny Car' dragster was the Santa Pod 'Gloworm' Dragster (163) issued in July 1971, and which was based on the existing Ford Capri 3-Litre. Modifications allowed the body to be hinged from the rear, and by pressing a button secreted in the front bumper the entire body rose, by means of a spring, to reveal a roll cage and driver within and a detailed V8 engine. The next release, however, was a figment of the Corgi design team's imagination. The 'Organ Grinder' Mustang Funny Car (166), which was issued in October 1971, was purely an update of the Ford Mustang (320) first seen in 1965, complete with huge rear wheels and headers resembling organ pipes fitted to the V8 engine. In December 1971 the Ison Brothers 'Wild Honey' Dragster (164) was released which was a fully customised 'gasser' based on a 1930s Austin Seven saloon. The Adams Brothers 'Drag-Star' (165) released in February 1972 was a four engined machine produced in conjunction with designers the Adams Brothers, and the earlier 'Quartermaster' Dragster was updated in October 1972 as the John Woolfe Radio Luxembourg 208 Dragster (170) which was being driven by British drag racer Dennis Priddle at the time. Swedish drag racer Arnold Sundquist had built a car powered by a jet engine from a Starfighter plane which he brought to both the Corgi offices in Northampton and Swansea to allow the company's design team access to the car. The resulting model Silver Streak Swedish Jet Dragster (169) was released in February 1973.
's Volvo P1800
(258) from the British television series The Saint
starring Roger Moore
. This was an update of the existing Volvo P1800 model that had been issued in 1962, now finished in white and featuring The Saint's logo on the bonnet and a model of The Saint in the drivers seat. However, with the second in the range of film and TV related models Corgi unwittingly revolutionised the British toy car industry. The most famous and best selling (to date) toy car of all, James Bond
's Aston Martin DB5
(261) from the film Goldfinger
, was issued in October 1965 and despite the fact that the casting of the new James Bond car was based heavily on the earlier Aston Martin DB4
model from 1960, it was the special features that marked out this model. There were machine guns in the front wings which popped out at the touch of a button, a bulletproof shield which popped up to protect the rear screen when the exhaust pipes were pressed, and an ejector seat which fired through a roof panel which opened by the touch of another button. The model was released in time for the 1965 Christmas market and the Corgi factory found it was unable to keep up with demand, leading to coverage in the British press of stories of toy shop shelves being cleared of this new must-have toy in minutes. The model remains in production to this day in an updated form and has gone on to sell more than seven million examples in all its various versions.
More big selling film and television tie-in models were released over the next few years, each with special features to entertain children, and in 1966 Mettoy were awarded two of the most prestigious awards; 'The Queen’s Award to Industry' and the 'National Association of Toy Retailers’ Highest Standards Award'. 1966 also saw the release of another British television tie-in, a two car set from The Avengers
(GS40) which featured figures of the stars of the show 'John Steed' and 'Emma Peel' and their respective cars; the 1927 Bentley
from the Corgi Classics range and a white Lotus Elan
. Later in August 1966 The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
'THRUSH-buster' car (266), was issued. This was an update of an existing Oldsmobile Super 88 casting dating back to 1961, but now with models of the stars of the television series 'Napoleon Solo
' and 'Illya Kuryakin
' firing guns out of the windows. The two figures popped in and out of the car windows by pressing down on a model periscope protruding through the roof. The Christmas market was again dominated by a Corgi toy car; this time the Batmobile
(267) released in October 1966. This was a George Barris
customised 1955 Lincoln Futura
concept car from the American television series Batman
and the Corgi model featured rocket launchers, pulsating red plastic 'flames' from the engine exhaust, an operational die-cast metal chain cutting blade in the nose of the car and models of 'Batman' and the boy-wonder 'Robin
' sitting in the seats. The Batmobile went on to sell over five million examples staying in the range until March 1979, and was another huge success for the company.
In June 1967 GS3 was issued consisting of 'The Batmobile' towing a 'Batboat
' on a trailer, and another James Bond car soon followed – the Toyota 2000GT
(336) issued in October 1967 from the film You Only Live Twice
, which fired rockets from the boot. Also issued in November was the Daktari
Gift Set (GS7) which featured a Land Rover
painted in the camouflage style of the Wameru Nature Reserve with a model tiger lying across the bonnet, along with figures of 'Dr Marsh Tracy', his daughter 'Paula', 'Clarence' the cross-eyed lion and 'Judy' the chimp; the human and animal stars of the American television series Daktari. GS7 was accompanied later by the Giant Daktari Gift Set (GS14) which included versions of the Dodge Kew Fargo Livestock Truck (484) with elephants and the Bedford Giraffe Transporter (503) in addition to the contents of GS7. The previously issued 1927 Bentley was updated for a second time to tie in with the British television series The World of Wooster (9004) which starred Ian Carmichael, and featured figures of 'Bertie Wooster' and his valet 'Jeeves' at the wheel. The final film and television related model for 1967 was issued in November. The crime fighting car 'Black Beauty
' (268) - a George Barris customised 1965 Chrysler Imperial
Crown sedan, included an operational satellite launcher inside the boot and a rocket fired from behind the grill, and was featured in the American television series The Green Hornet
. Although the series was not screened in the UK until years later, the model proved to be very popular and it went on to sell over two million examples. In June 1970 the 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
from the Corgi Classics range was reissued, but updated with psychedelic paintwork and featuring figures of the group from The Hardy Boys
, another American television series which was unknown in Britain. This time the model failed to sell, making it extremely rare today.
A new casting of the James Bond Aston Martin DB5 (270) was released in February 1968, this time featuring the correct DB5 taillights (instead of the DB4 taillight clusters on the 261) and authentic silver paintwork. The original had been painted gold after the Corgi design team decided that silver painted pre-production models looked as if the metal bodies were unpainted. The new model now featured tyre slashers and revolving number plates whilst retaining all the features of the original, and early examples packaged in a short lived bubble-pack are even more valuable today than the earlier 1965 release. November 1968 saw the release of the flying car 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
' (266) from the successful film of the same name that had been in cinemas throughout that summer, and which featured plastic wings that popped out from the car's side skirts when the hand brake was pushed and detailed miniatures of the car's inventor 'Caracticus Potts', 'Truly Scrumptious' and the children 'Jeremy' and 'Gemima'. The 'Monkeemobile' (277) issued in December was a Dean Jeffries
1966 Pontiac GTO, again customised by George Barris, taken from the American television series The Monkees
which featured miniature models of the band sitting in the car.
Film and television related models continued to be issued in February 1969 with the 'Yellow Submarine' (803) from the animated Beatles film of the same name. This model featured two hatches that lifted at the touch of buttons on the side of the craft to allow models of John Lennon
, Paul McCartney
, George Harrison
and Ringo Starr
to pop into view. The 'Yellow Submarine' commands very high prices today amongst both die-cast collectors and Beatles related collectors too. Corgi Toys also introduced the 'Corgi Comics' range this year – a range of 'character' toys aimed at younger children. Noddy's car (801) featured figures from the Enid Blyton children's novels of 'Noddy', 'Big-Ears' and 'Golly' sitting in the rumble seat. Early examples featured a model gollywog with a black painted face but after just a few months the colour was changed to grey. The model was later reissued with 'Teddy' sitting in the rumble seat, perhaps in response to the fact that gollywogs had become less acceptable. It was issued again in the 1970s with just 'Noddy' at the wheel. Also released in December 1969 as part of the 'Corgi Comics' range was 'Popeye
's Paddlewagon' (802) a half car – half boat featuring 'Popeye', 'Olive Oyl' and 'Swee'pea' from the 'Popeye' cartoon series, and 'Basil Brush
's car (808) featuring a model of the glove puppet fox from the popular British children's television series The Basil Brush Show driving a colourful version of the 1911 Renault from the Corgi Classics range.
Also issued at the same time was a range of toys from Serge Danot's animated television series The Magic Roundabout
. These included the 'Magic Roundabout' Carousel (H852), 'Mr Mac Henry's' trike (H859), the 'Magic Roundabout' train (H851) and 'Dougal's' car (807), a modified Citroën DS
featuring models of 'Dougal' the dog, 'Dylan' the rabbit and 'Brian' the snail. Individual figures of all the characters were available, as was a 'Magic Roundabout' Playground set (H853) that included all the models in the 'Magic Roundabout' series as well as a large 'magic garden' base that featured trees and train tracks. The models in the series were all able to run on these tracks, and would move around the 'Magic Garden' at the turn of a large plastic handle. This set is now one of the most valuable of all Corgi Toys products.
Corgi Toys not only produced models of automotive stars of film and television, but also models of production vehicles. A newly tooled Commer 2500 mini bus body was used for the Samuelson Mobile Camera Van (479) issued in December 1967 which included a detailed cast metal model of a Panavision film camera and plastic cameraman on a metal plinth that could be either attached to the vehicle's roofrack or to the front or rear of the van for tracking shots. The lens of the camera was represented by a tiny jewel. In September 1968 the Renault 16 Tour De France Paramount Film Unit (GS13) was released. This gift set featured a Renault 16 car with the tailgate removed and a platform extension fixed at the rear to accommodate the Panavision film camera model and cameraman. Also included was a miniature racing cycle and cyclist.
models. A Ford Mustang Mach 1
(391) and the 'Moon Buggy' (802) from the film Diamonds Are Forever
were issued in 1972, and the Lotus Esprit (269) in 'underwater' mode from 'The Spy Who Loved Me
' in 1977. A rocket-firing 'Stromberg' Bell JetRanger helicopter (926) from the same film was added in 1978. The Space Shuttle
(649) from the Bond movie Moonraker
appeared in 1979 along with a 'Drax' JetRanger helicopter (930) from the same film. A Citroën 2CV
which James Bond drove in the film For Your Eyes Only
was issued in 1981.
As the decade progressed some of the film and television related models became less authentic and more a product of the imagination of the Corgi design team. In 1973 'Dick Dastardly
's' Car (809) was issued featuring models of the characters 'Dick Dastardly' and his sidekick 'Muttley
' from the children's television programme Wacky Races
. However, this Corgi offering was a toylike racecar from the 'Qualitoys' range, and was a far cry from the famous '00-zero' car that 'Dick Dastardly' drove in the cartoon series. In 1978 the 'U.S. Racing Buggy' (167) was reissued as 'The Penguinmobile', themed around Batman
's arch-enemy The Penguin, complete with an umbrella. (259). A 'Batbike' was released in 1978 featuring a figure of 'Batman' sitting astride a modified motorbike which fired two rockets, along with a series of vehicles that were issued as the result of obtaining the Marvel Comics
license. They were themed around Spider-Man
, Captain America
, Captain Marvel
and The Incredible Hulk. These included a 'Spidervan' (436); a suitably decorated Chevrolet van, which had also been issued the previous year as a tie-in with the American television series Charlie's Angels
(434), a 'Daily Planet' JetRanger helicopter (929) as seen in Superman: The Movie, a 'Spiderbuggy' (261); a Jeep CJ-5 with a model of 'Spider-Man's' arch enemy 'The Green Goblin' trapped in a web styled plastic bag dangling from a crane fitted at the back of the vehicle, a 'Spidercopter' (928) and a 'Spiderbike' (266). A similar treatment was also given to other Marvel characters including a 'Captain America' Jetmobile (263), a 'Captain Marvel' Porsche 917/10 Can-Am racer (262) and an 'Incredible Hulk' Mazda pick-up (264) which featured a caged model of the 'Hulk' on the flatbed of the truck. A 'Superman
' gift set (GS21) was also released featuring a 'Supermobile', the 'Daily Planet' helicopter and a Buick Regal
police car, as well as a 'Spider-Man' gift set (GS23) consisting of the 'Spiderbuggy', the 'Spidercopter' and the 'Spidervan'. Many of these later film and television related releases were not models of authentic vehicles as were the earlier issues from the 1960s, but merely existing models updated to take advantage of recently acquired licensing deals.
In May 1978 a new version of the James Bond
Aston Martin DB5
(271) was issued in 1/36 scale which featured the operational gimmicks of the 1965 original. This model appears in the Corgi range to the present day. In October 1978 The Saint
's Jaguar XJS
(320) was issued. This was a model of the latest Jaguar coupe as driven by Ian Ogilvy
in the ATV television series The Return of the Saint
and, again, was painted white and featured The Saint logo on the bonnet. Later in 1980 the 'Buck Rogers
' Starfighter (647) from the series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was released, including figures of 'Colonel Wilma Deering' and robot 'Twiki'. The planned 'Dan Dare
' Spacecar was never released. A series of models featuring characters from Jim Henson
's The Muppet Show
were also issued in 1980. These included 'Kermit
's' car (2030), 'Fozzie Bear
's truck (2031), 'Miss Piggy
's' Sports Coupe (2032) and 'Animal
's Percussionmobile' (2033).
By the mid 1970s some of the most popular series shown on British television were American police dramas, and Corgi decided to model several of the vehicles featured in these shows. In 1976 the Buick Regal (296) from the series Kojak
was issued, complete with figures of 'Lieutenant Kojak' and 'Detective Crocker' shooting from the rear seat, and a year later the Ford Gran Torino from Starsky & Hutch (292) was released also with figures of 'David Starsky', 'Ken Hutchinson' and a 'suspect'. In 1980 a silver Ford Capri
3.0 S (342) was issued as a tie-in with the popular British television crime drama The Professionals
featuring models of 'Bodie', 'Doyle' and 'Cowley', as well as a 1957 Ford Thunderbird
(348) from the American show Vega$
with 'Dan Tanna' at the wheel. 1982 saw the release of the Magnum, P.I. Ferrari 308 GTS (298). Cost-cutting at the time dictated that no figure was included.
To complement Corgi Toys film and TV related models they were issued in colourful packaging with period artwork, making examples with the original packaging and complete with all accessories such as rockets, satellites, and umbrellas in the case of The Avengers
set, both highly desirable and valuable. Corgi Classics Ltd have reissued many of these film and television related models in recent years, allowing collectors to own examples without the having to pay the high prices that the originals currently attract, although some of the reissued models are beginning to gain in value.
patrol car (209), finished in black and with a die cast police sign fitted to the roof complete with siren and bell. In January 1959 a Jaguar
2.4 Fire Chief car (213) was added to the range, finished in red and with a nylon aerial, crest transfers on the front doors and the same cast sign as the Pathfinder but modified to read 'Fire Chief'. The first American emergency vehicle to be produced by Corgi Toys was the Chevrolet Impala
State Patrol car (223) introduced in December 1959. It was painted black and featured a nylon aerial and 'State Patrol' stickers on the vehicle's front doors. An updated version finished in black and white was issued in 1965.
By 1959 the M1, the UK's first motorway, had opened to the public and this prompted the introduction of a new breed of powerful police vehicle able to carry a large payload. The Ford Zodiac Motorway Patrol Car (419) was introduced in August 1960 and was finished in white with a plastic aerial fitted to the front wing, a blue light attached to the roof, a 'Police' decal on the bonnet and a vac-formed interior detailing rescue equipment in the luggage compartment and in June 1962 the Oldsmobile
Super 88 County Sheriff car (237) was added to the range. Painted black and white it featured a red light fitted to the roof and 'County Sheriff' stickers on the doors. This model became the company's first million seller. The Superior Ambulance on Cadillac
Chassis (437) introduced in October 1962 was from the latest generation of models and featured red and white paintwork, a working battery operated flashing light on the roof and four trans-o-lite fibre optic lights in each corner of the roof that flashed in unison with the main bulb. This model was re-issued in blue and white in 1966. In January 1963 the existing Chevrolet Impala was introduced as a Fire Chief car (439), painted red with a light on the roof, crests decals on the doors and a 'Fire Chief' transfer on the bonnet, and was also updated with a red and white finish in 1966. In June 1963 the Commer
Police Van (464) was released, painted blue with a battery operated flashing light on the roof, barred side windows and 'County Police' transfers along the sides, and this model was also updated in 1967. An ambulance version (463) painted white was issued in February 1964.
In October 1964 a Police Dog Handler Mini
van (450) was introduced painted dark blue with 'Police' in white letters on the sides, a nylon aerial fitted to the front wing and came with models of the police dog handler and police Alsatian dog. The Volkswagen
European Police Car (492) issued in May 1966 was finished in the green and white of the German police force, and carried 'Polizei' transfers on the doors. It also featured steerable front wheels operated by the blue metal 'light' on the roof and two policemen sitting inside the vehicle, not to mention opening boot and rear engine cover. Another rear engined police car was introduced in May 1968, the Sunbeam Imp 'Panda' car (506). It was painted black and white initially but this colour scheme was soon changed to authentic 'Panda' car colours of pale blue with a white vertical centre section.
By 1970 Corgi Toys were fitting their models with Whizzwheels in response to the current market trends. In June 1970 a Porsche 911
Targa 'Polizei' car (509) was released, based on a real German police vehicle. It was painted red and white and was fitted with a blue light on an extension next to the door and a die-cast loud hailer on the engine cover. The Fire Bug (395) appeared in December 1971, and was based on a GP Beach Buggy fitted with fire fighting equipment. British police vehicles were well represented with the Police 'Vigilant' Range Rover
(461) released in January 1972 and the Ford Cortina
Police Car (402) released in August of the same year. Both models were finished in the contemporary white with red/blue side stripes, which would have been familiar to many motorists at the time. The Range Rover came complete with a model policeman and emergency road signs.
The remaining years that the company was in existence saw police cars based on such subjects as a Porsche 924 (430), a Renault 5 (428), a Mercedes 240D 'Polizei' (412) and a Buick Regal
(416) which had previously seen service as 'Kojak
's' car. There was also a Metropolitan Police Land Rover
and Horse box (GS44) complete with a model Police horse and rider, which was also available in RCMP finish (GS45). Ambulances were issued based on the Range Rover 'Vigilant' (482), a Mercedes Benz 'Bonna' (406) and a Chevrolet Superior Ambulance (405). There appears, however, to have been a lack of fire fighting machinery released in this time, although the American LaFrance ladder truck and Simon Snorkel were still available along with the modern Chubb Pathfinder airport crash tender. Two models from this era do warrant attention. Riot Police Truck (422) released in September 1977 was a squat armoured military vehicle painted white and red with twin water cannons fitted to the rear, and perhaps reflected the times in which it was conceived, and the Jaguar XJ12 Coupe which was released in December 1975 finished in the white and pale blue livery of the Coastguard (414), complete with die-cast light and twin foghorns on the roof. The model was updated as a police vehicle (429) in February 1978. In 1980 the first of the later 'Corgitronics' range was introduced: the HCB-Angus Firestreak (1001) with battery-operated siren and flashing red lights, complete with two figures in silver protective clothing.
van in Daily Express
livery (403) and in 'KLG Plugs' livery (403M) which was part of the July 1956 range that launched the brand. The CA van was later released in the yellow and black livery of AA Services in May 1957 (408), in the black and silver livery of the Evening Standard
(421) in June 1960 and in the yellow and blue livery of Corgi Toys (422) in October 1960. The first large commercial vehicles in the Corgi Toys range were the Commer
Dropside lorry (452) and the Commer Refrigerated van finished the livery of Walls Ice Cream (453). The same large van body was used on the ERF
88G chassis to become the Moorhouses Van (459) in March 1958. Painted red and yellow it featured paper stickers on the sides advertising Moorhouses Lemon Cheese and Raspberry jam.
The Karrier Bantam Lucozade Van (411) was introduced in August 1958 and featured a sliding plastic door, yellow paintwork and adverts for Lucozade
energy drink on the side. This model was updated in May 1962 to become the Dairy Produce Van (435) now painted pale blue and white and with a 'Drive Safely on Milk' advert on the side. A Volkswagen
van (433) was introduced in December 1962 finished in two tone red and white along with the Volkswagen Kombi (434), a mini van version with windows which was finished in green and white paintwork. A rare promotional version of the van was produced for the Dutch department store Vroom & Dreesman. In February 1963 the basic Volkswagen van was updated with Trans-o-lite headlamps as the Volkswagen Toblerone van (441). It was painted pale blue and finished with transfers along the sides advertising Toblerone chocolate bars. In March 1964 a Volkswagen Pick Up (432) was introduced to the range which came complete with a plastic canopy, and in December 1966 the pick up was converted to become the Volkswagen Breakdown Truck (490).
In 1963 Corgi introduced the Commer Constructor Set (GS 24), which consisted of two Commer FC van chassis units and four different rear bodies – an ambulance, milk float, panel van and pick-up. It proved very popular and remained in production until 1968. These models were also available separately as part of the normal Corgi range. The Commer Holiday Camp Special bus (508) issued in August 1968 was based on the earlier Samuelson Commer Film Unit bus, and featured bright orange and white paintwork with a decal fixed on one side on the vehicle, together with a plastic representation of luggage under cover on the roof rack.
The 'Mister Softee' Ice Cream Van (428) was introduced in March 1962 and was based on a Commer BF 1 ton van and which featured a plastic knob on the underside that allowed the ice cream salesman inside to be rotated. It also featured a sliding side window. In 1965 a Thames Wall's
Ice Cream Van (447) was introduced. This was a smaller vehicle based on the Thames 5 cwt van, a commercial version of the Ford Anglia
, and the bodywork featured a pointed roof design and a sliding side window. The model also came with a sheet of stickers which could be applied and also included were models of an ice cream vender and small boy. An alternative version (474) with musical chimes operated by a handle protuding from the back of the model was introduced a year later, but without the plastic figures. A Karrier Bantam based Mobile Butchers Shop (413) was released in October 1960 and was later updated to become a Chipperfield's Circus
Booking Office (426) in January 1962 and with the addition of an opening side hatch, a detailed kitchen interior and revolving chef it was re-issued in March 1965 as Joe's Diner Mobile Canteen (471). An export version to be sold in Belgium featured 'Patates Frites' stickers on the side in place of the usual 'Joe's Diner'.
There were no further additions to the commercial vehicle range until June 1979 with the Chevrolet van, first seen the previous year, issued in the livery of Coca-Cola (437). A Ford Transit Wrecker (1140) in the livery of 'Corgi 24 Hour Service' was issued in March 1981 followed by the Ford Transit
Milk float
(405) in February 1982 which carried the period slogan 'Milk's Gotta Lotta Bottle'.
65 tractor (50) finished in the manufacturer's familiar red and white colours. An accompanying Massey Ferguson trailer (51) was introduced at the same time, and in April 1960 an operational shovel was added to the tractor as the Massey Ferguson 65 Tractor Shovel (53). The scoop could either be raised or lowered by means of one of two levers and could be tipped by means of the second lever. Both the tractor and trailer were available together as GS 7. The Massey Ferguson combine harvester
(1111) was released in August 1959 as part of the Corgi Major range, which featured blades that rotated as the model was pushed along.
A new tractor was introduced in May 1961. The Fordson Power Major Tractor (56) featured steering operated by the steering wheel and was finished in Ford's traditional blue. A plough that could be attached to the tractor (57) was issued at the same time, and the two were available together as GS18. A half track version of the Fordson was available in March 1962 as the Fordson Power Major with Roadless Half Tracks (54). The first Agricultural Gift Set (GS22) was released in September 1962 and included the combine harvester, the Fordson and Massey Ferguson tractors with a fork replacing the shovel on the Massey Ferguson for this gift set only. Also included in the set were two trailers and an example of the existing Land Rover. The Fordson Power Major Tractor was issued with a new Beast Carrier Trailer, carrying a load of four plastic calves, as GS33 in March 1965 and the Working Conveyor on F.C.Jeep (64) was released in June 1965. This was an update of the Forward Control Jeep first issued in 1959 with a new casting of a working conveyor belt assembly fitted to the flat bed and accompanied by plastic model grain sacks and farmer. The first new tractor for five years was issued in July 1966. The Massey Ferguson 165 (66) featured steering and an 'engine sound' as the model was pushed along and was finished in red and white. The conveyor belt first seen with the F.C. Jeep was updated with a trailer chassis and coupled to a second new tractor in GS47 issued in September 1966. The Ford 5000 Super Major was finished in blue and came complete with operational steering and jewelled headlights. The new Ford tractor was coupled to a Beast Carrier trailer for GS1 released in December 1966 which became the first Corgi release in the new style cellophane window box which defined the company's packaging for the future.
The Dodge
Kew Fargo Livestock Transporter (484) was issued in April 1967. This was a large animal transporter based on an American Dodge truck which featured an opening bonnet and carried a cargo of plastic pigs. The Tandem Disc Harrow Plough Trailer (71) was relreased in July 1967 and an updated Agricultural Gift Set (GS5) in October 1967, which featured some of the more recent releases such as the Dodge Kew Fargo and the Massey Ferguson 165 tractor with scoop. In March 1970 the Massey Ferguson 165 Tractor With Saw Attachment (73) was issued featuring a clever circular saw attachment which rotated as the model was pushed along by means of a long finely coiled spring. Next followed two versions of the Ford 5000 Super Major tractor with a fully operational side trenching scoop (74) in 1970 followed by a version with a rear trenching scoop (72) in January 1971. The next new tractor model was issued in April 1973. The Massey Ferguson MF50B (50) featured a closed cab and was finished in yellow. A version with an operational shovel (54) was released in April 1974 and was featured with a trailer carrying a load of plactic 'hay' with figures sitting atop the 'hay' as the latest version of the Agricultural Gift Set (GS4) in July 1974. Another new tractor was added to the range in September 1976. The David Brown Tractor and Trailer Set (GS34) included the new tractor finished in white and with a closed cab and a tipping trailer. These models were also featured in another version of the Agricultural Gift Set (GS42) released in March 1978, along with models of a grain elevator and grain silo. At the same time the David Brown
tractor was issued with a Danish JF combine harvester attachment (1112).
and Trailer (350) was issued in May 1958 followed by the Bloodhound Guided Missile and Launch Pad (1108) in October 1958. In June 1959 the Corporal
Guided Missile on Launch Pad was issued, which was later featured coupled to a mobile transporter as Corporal Erector Vehicle and Missile (1113) released in October 1959. RAF vehicles included RAF Land Rover
(351) issued in May 1958, which was included in Gift Set 4 along with the Bloodhound Guided Missile, and Standard Vanguard
RAF Staff Car (352) which was issued in October 1958. The Decca
Mobile Airfield Radar Van (1106) released in January 1959 featured a revolving radar scanner which turned by means of a ridged wheel, and the Bedford
Military Ambulance (414) was issued in January 1961.
In January 1965, in response to a request from the company's American agent, a range of vehicles was produced in the matt green with white star livery of the US Army. These included Commer
Military Ambulance (354), Commer Military Police Van (355), Volkswagen
Military Personnel Carrier (356), Land Rover Weapons Carrier (357), Oldsmobile
HQ Staff Car (358), Army Field Kitchen (359), International Troop Transporter (1113), Bedford Army Fuel Tanker (1134) and Heavy Equipment Transporter (1135). All were updates of existing models from both the standard Corgi range and the Corgi Major range, and sold disappointingly leading to their withdrawal in less than a year. This line did not feature in Corgi catalogues.
There were no further military vehicles produced until the 1970s. A range of tanks was introduced in November 1973 with the German Tiger Tank
Mk I (900) and the British Centurion Tank
Mk III (901). It was expanded in 1974 with the releases of U.S. M60A1 Tank (902), the British Chieftain Tank
(903), German King Tiger Tank (904), Russian SU-100
Tank Destroyer (905) and British Saladin Armoured Car
(906). The Centurion Mk III tank was also included as part of Centurion Tank and Transporter (GS 10) along with a Mack articulated transporter truck. The Bell AH-1G 'HueyCobra' US Army Helicopter (920) was issued in March 1975, the German Hanomag
Sdkfz 251
Semi-Track Rocket Launcher (907) in July 1975 and the Sikorsky Skycrane US Army Helicopter (923) in September 1975. Military Gift Set (GS17) included the Bell Helicopter, Tiger I Tank and Saladin Armoured Car. Finally, in October 1976 the French AMX-30 Recovery Tank (908) and British Quad Gun Tractor
and Field Gun (909) were issued.
By the late sixties the British toy car market had changed with the arrival from the U.S. of Mattel
's Hot Wheels
range and their associated track sets. Sales of Corgi Toys began to fall away and matters were not helped by a disastrous fire at the Swansea factory in March 1969 which destroyed a warehouse full of models awaiting delivery. Even one of the company's cleverest innovations the Golden Jacks 'Take-Off Wheels' system which first appeared in March 1968 did little to halt the slide. The authentically detailed die-cast wheels fitted to these models were unique to each model, with the exception of the Oldsmobile Toronado
and the Chevrolet Camaro
which shared the Toronado's prototypical wheel design, and were attached to the axle by means of the 'Golden Jacks' – die-cast golden metal stands, which when folded downwards both released the wheel and supported the model. Only seven models were produced with this feature, with more models like the Ferrari Dino, Lamborghini Miura and Pontiac Firebird planned but ultimately released with Whizzwheels instead.
The Mini Marcos
was a fibreglass-bodied coupe produced by the specialist British sports car manufacturer Marcos
and was built on the Austin/Morris Mini chassis and fitted with a highly tuned Mini engine. The Corgi model Mini Marcos GT850 (341), finished in metallic red, was the first in the series of Take-Off Wheels models and was introduced in March 1968. The Rover 2000
TC (275) issued a month later in April 1968 and finished in metallic green was a new casting despite Corgi having previously issued a model of the Rover 2000, and was fitted with a clear roof panel as featured on a Rover 2000 displayed on the Triplex stand at the 1965 Earls Court Motor Show, and a plastic spare wheel holder attached to the boot lid which was a popular period extra. A rare version finished in white with a red interior also exists.
The Oldsmobile Toronado (276) released in June 1968 was an updated version of the earlier 1967 Corgi release of the same model but re-coloured metallic red or metallic yellow, but the metallic gold coloured Chevrolet Camaro SS350 (338) issued in August 1968 was a new model of one of the latest generation 'pony' cars from America. The previously mentioned 1968 London to Sydney Marathon winning Hillman Hunter rally car (302) was issued in July 1969 and was finished in the blue and white of the original. The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow
Mulliner Park Ward Coupe (273), finished in pearlescent white over grey, was issued in March 1970. A rare version of this model was released in silver over metallic blue which was used as the colour scheme for the later Whizzwheels version. The Chevrolet Corvette
Stingray (300) with detachable roof panels, released in April 1970, was the last of this short-lived line. This model was available in chromed red or green finish called 'Solarbrite' by Corgi and introduced with the Corgi Rockets range the previous year. Spare Take-Off Wheels were available separately in packs of twelve.
Low friction wheels known as 'Whizzwheels' were introduced to keep up with the competition in September 1969 with the Ferrari 206 Dino Sports (344) finished in either red and white or yellow and black. The first incarnation (known to collectors as 'Red Spots') featured rubber tyres and brass hubs with low friction red nylon centres, which though attractive and effective, were expensive to produce and were soon replaced by plastic wheels. Although giving more 'play value', Whizzwheels models are less popular with collectors today as they take away some of the character and realism of the earlier regular wheeled models fitted with rubber tyres. Some models fitted with the short-lived 'Red Spot' Whizzwheels have become collectable, particularly extremely rare promotional examples which were specially manufactured to be used as samples of the new gimick by Corgi's sales team, and which went into production with the later plastic Whizzwheels. An example of this is the Citroen SM (284).
(Automobile Association) and RAC
(Royal Automobile Club) Telephone Boxes (602) in June 1960. In November 1960 Silverstone
Pits (603) and Silverstone Press Box (604) were added to the range with Silverstone Club House and Timekeepers Box (605) released in March 1963 along with Circus Elephant and Cage (607). In April 1963 the Motel Chalet (611) was issued and in December 1963 a Shell
/BP
Service Station (608) was released, along with Shell/BP Forecourt Accessories (609) and Metropolitan Police and Public Telephone Boxes (610). A series of figures to go with Corgi Kits were released in December 1962; Racing Drivers and Mechanics (1501), Spectators (1502), Race Track Officials (1503), Press Officials (1504) and Garage Attendants (1505). The range culminated with two Gift Sets grouping together most of the releases - Shell/BP Garage Layout (GS25) and Silverstone Racing Layout (GS15) both issued in December 1963.
Designed with the intention of being used in conjunction with the Commer
Platform Lorry (454), Commer Dropside Lorry (452), ERF
Platform Lorry (457) and ERF Dropside Lorry (456), Corgi introduced a series of painted die-cast metal 'loads' called Corgi Cargoes. They were packaged in a clear plastic blisters attached to a card featuring the Corgi dog logo, images of Corgi lorries and the range's signature blue and yellow colour scheme. The first to be introduced in February 1960 were Plank Load (1485) and Cement Load (1488), and they were incorporated into Gift Set 11 including the ERF Dropside Lorry and Trailer in March 1960. Brick Load (1486) and Milk Churns Load (1487) followed in July 1960 and Skip and Churns (1490) in September 1960. The last in this range to be released was to be used with the Massey Ferguson
65 Tractor (50) and was a red painted cast metal platform carrying three metal milk churns which clipped to the rear of the tractor. The packaging featured an image of a tractor. Corgi Cargoes were available until 1964.
In December 1959 Corgi Toys produced packs of stickers which could be affixed to personalise Corgi models. Pack A (1460) included number plates, road fund licenses and GB plates, Pack B (1461) featured sports wheel discs and white-wall tyres, Pack C (1462) contained commercial vehicle items, Pack D (1463) included CD plates and L (learner) plates and Pack E (1464) introduced in December 1961 contained AA and RAC badges and towing plates. Today it is not uncommon to find early Corgi models with such additions still intact.
From 1956 to 1985 a catalogue was issued annually to promote the Corgi range. It was originally a small fold-out single sheet leaflet but by the late 1960s it had evolved into a 48 page colour catalogue. Corgi catalogues are notable for their illustrations and art work that are evocative of the period, and they are now collectable in their own right.
The biggest re-design in Corgi's packaging came in 1966 with the introduction of the 'window box', so called because the model was clearly visible through a plastic window incorporated into the box, initially only on a few Majors and Gift Sets while the main range still retained the cardboard box. The blue and yellow colour scheme was left unchanged. Because of its positive experience with the smaller Husky models sold in blisterpacks (the fully visible Husky models comparing favourably to Matchbox on the point of sale), Mettoy also tried the blisterpack for some of its larger Corgi cars between 1966 and 1968. This exercise was limited to a few models (Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost and 'World of Wooster' Bentley from the Corgi Classics range, Jaguar E-Type 2+2, Lincoln Continental and the 'New' James Bond Aston Martin DB5). However, during 1968 the blisterpack was abandoned and the window box introduced throughout the whole range. In 1970 boxes for the second-generation Whizzwheels cars fitted with plastic wheels changed to red and yellow. Some of the 'Red Spot' Whizzwheels which were rushed into production had been sold in blue and yellow boxes originally printed for cars to be released with the 'Golden Jacks' feature, but with large stickers promoting the new Whizzwheels feature strategically placed over the Take Off Wheels printing.
An update of the box design was introduced in May 1973 which featured an angled inner plinth so the model sat at an angle towards the front of the box, making the box taller than the previous (usually called the 'slimline box'). The colour scheme changed to dark blue with three stripes of varying colours; yellow, orange, red, purple or cyan surrounding the box window. While the 'slimline box' still used painted artwork on the rear these new boxes showed photos of other models in the range.
A more contemporary box design was introduced in January 1981, the colour scheme changed to black/yellow/red. This was a larger box altogether and allowed the model to be positioned at an angle as if on display, and was produced after a cheaper back-to-basics plain box design featuring a cardboard box with a photograph of the model was rejected by the company. As a cost-cutting measure the outer box no longer identified the model, the model number and description printed only on the yellow inner plinth. Therefore a few standardized box sizes could be produced instead of a different box for each article.
1983 saw the final version of this box, more solid with the window area smaller at the rear. This box design was also used by the new Corgi company in 1984. As mentioned elsewhere in this article, film and TV related models and gift sets featured more elaborate designs and unique artwork to distinguish their packaging.
and the factory was retained under the name of Microlink Industries Ltd.
The products of the Mettoy owned company continue to be prized by collectors worldwide. In recent years the internet has allowed a far wider collector-base than in the past when swapmeets and antique markets were the only places they could be found.
.
Corgi Toys. Dr. Edward Force and Jeff Bray. A Schiffer Book for Collectors, Schiffer Publications, 2005
Die-cast toy
The term die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by using the die casting method. The toys are made of metal, with plastic, rubber or glass details. Wholly plastic toys are made by a similar process of injection moulding, but the two are rarely confused...
vehicles produced by Mettoy Playcraft Ltd. in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The Mettoy company was founded in 1933 by German émigré Philip Ullmann in Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, England, where he was later joined by South African-born German Arthur Katz who had previously worked for Ulmann at his toy company Tipp and Co of Nuremberg. They decided to market a range of toy vehicles as competition to Meccano
Meccano
Meccano is a model construction system comprising re-usable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, with nuts and bolts to connect the pieces. It enables the building of working models and mechanical devices....
's Dinky Toy
Dinky Toy
Dinky Toys are die-cast miniature vehicles which were produced by Meccano Ltd at Binns Road, Liverpool, England - makers of Hornby railway sets, named after founder Frank Hornby.- Pre-war history :...
s model vehicles
Model car
A model car or toy car is a miniature representation of an automobile. Other miniature motor vehicles, such as trucks, buses, or even ATVs, etc. are often included in the general category of model cars...
which had dominated the British market for many years. Corgi Toys were introduced in the UK in July 1956 and were manufactured in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, for twenty seven years before the company went into liquidation.
The range was exported worldwide and sold in large numbers. Some of the best known and most popular models were of cars made famous in film and television such as the Batmobile
Batmobile
The Batmobile is the automobile of DC Comics superhero Batman. The car has evolved along with the character from comic books to television and films. Kept in the Batcave, which it accesses through a hidden entrance, the Batmobile is a gadget-laden vehicle used by Batman in his crime-fighting...
, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (car)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is the vintage racing car which features in the book, musical film and stage production of the same name. Writer Ian Fleming took his inspiration for the car from a series of aero-engined racing cars built by Count Louis Zborowski in the early 1920s, christened "Chitty Bang...
and James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
's Aston Martin DB5
Aston Martin DB5
The Aston Martin DB5 is a luxury grand tourer that was made by Aston Martin. Released in 1963, it was an evolution of the final series of DB4. The DB series was named honouring David Brown ....
– which remains the largest selling toy car ever produced. Although the largest single vehicle type featured in the Corgi Toys range were models of cars from manufacturers around the world, this article sub-divides vehicles into genres, wherever possible, to allow a more detailed look at the variety of models produced by the company.
Early history
A production plant was built at Fforestfach in Swansea to manufacture the new range of Corgi Toys providing many new jobs in an area of high unemployment following the scaling down of local coal mining operations.
Welsh Corgi
The Welsh corgi is a small type of herding dog that originated in Wales. Two distinct breeds are recognized: the Pembroke Welsh corgi and the Cardigan Welsh corgi, with the Pembroke being the more common..-Description:...
and the iconic Corgi logo branded the new range. The name was short and easy to remember further aligning the range with their rival Dinky Toys. Corgi Toys also included plastic glazing which lent the models a greater authenticity, and they carried the advertising slogan 'the ones with windows'.
The 1956 releases were all familiar British vehicles. Six family saloon cars; Ford Consul
Ford Consul
The Ford Consul is a car manufactured by Ford in Britain.Between 1951 and 1962 the Consul was the four-cylinder base model of the three-model Ford Zephyr range, comprising Consul, Zephyr and Zephyr Zodiac...
(200/200M), Austin A50 Cambridge (201/201M), Morris Cowley
Morris Cowley
Morris Cowley was a name given to various cars produced by the Morris Motor Company from 1915 to 1958.-Morris Cowley :The original Cowley, introduced in 1915, was a cheaper version of the first Morris Oxford and featured the same "Bullnose" radiator. To reduce the price many components were bought...
(202/202M), Vauxhall Velox
Vauxhall Velox
The classic four-door saloon boasted a newly developed straight-six-cylinder engine of 2275 cc, with overhead valves. The power output provided for a claimed top speed of...
(203/203M), Rover 90 (204/204M), Riley Pathfinder
Riley Pathfinder
First presented at the London Motor Show in October 1953, the Pathfinder replaced the RMF as Riley's top-line car.Designed as the "RMH" just before the 1952 merger of Riley-parent, the Nuffield Organisation, with Austin to form BMC, the Pathfinder is seen as the last proper Riley car...
(205/205M) and Hillman Husky
Hillman Husky
The Hillman Husky was a line of British passenger vehicles manufactured between 1954 and 1970 by the Rootes Group, under their Hillman marque.-Original Hillman Husky :...
(206/206M), and two sports cars; Austin-Healey 100
Austin-Healey 100
The Austin-Healey 100 is a sports car built from 1953 until 1959. There were two models, the original four-cylinder Austin-Healey 100, built 1953-1956, and the six-cylinder Austin-Healey 100-6, built 1956-1959....
(300) and Triumph TR2
Triumph TR2
The Triumph TR2 is a sports car which was produced by the Standard Motor Company in the United Kingdom between 1953 and 1955, during which time 8,636 cars were produced....
(301). Initially, all models were issued in free-rolling form, or with friction drive motors, with the exception of the heavy commercials which would have been too bulky and the sports cars whose low slung bodies would not be able to accommodate the motors. The Mechanical versions, as they were known, were indicated by an 'M' suffix to the model number and were available in different colour schemes. They were issued with tougher die-cast bases to support the extra weight of the motor, and in far fewer numbers. Mechanical versions did not sell particularly well, partly due to a significantly higher purchase price, and were phased out in 1960 with Ford Thunderbird
Ford Thunderbird
The Thunderbird , is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States over eleven model generations from 1955 through 2005...
(214M) the last of the line. The die-cast baseplates were expanded across the range to replace the original tin plate at the same time. Today they are considered more collectable because of their relative rarity.
Expansion and innovation
Studebaker Golden Hawk
The Studebaker Golden Hawk is a two-door pillarless hardtop coupe type car produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana between 1956 and 1958.-Styling:...
(211/211M), was released in February 1958 and by the early 1960s the Corgi range was being exported widely, finding particular popularity in Europe, Australia and the United States of America, and gradually more foreign vehicles were included to appeal to these new markets.
The Corgi design team came up with the first model with an opening feature in February 1960, the Aston Martin DB4
Aston Martin DB4
The DB4 is a sports car sold by Aston Martin from 1958 until 1963. It was an entirely different car from the DB Mark III it replaced, though the 3.7 L engine was externally visually related to the 2.9 L unit found in that car....
(218) which had an opening bonnet. Steerable front wheels, jewelled headlights and rear lights and an opening boot complete with spare wheel were added on the Bentley Continental Sports Saloon (224) in April 1961, and by October 1963 with the release of the Ghia L6.4 (241) new levels of authenticity were reached. This model featured a number of 'firsts' with not only an opening bonnet, but also opening doors and boot, and a detailed interior with a rear view mirror, folding front seats, and even a model corgi dog sitting on the rear parcel shelf. At introduction, the Ghia sold for eight shillings and sixpence, and even at this relatively high price around 1.7 million were sold before being withdrawn in 1969. Ironically, only twenty five examples of the real car were completed.
In 1964, Mettoy introduced a range of smaller scale vehicles called Husky Toys. These retailed at a lower retail price than the larger Corgi Toys, and competed with Matchbox Toys.
Road Rover
Early in the company's history Corgi Toys became embroiled in a minor controversy. The Corgi design team had been working closely with the Rover Car Company with a view to producing a model of the Road Rover, a new car which was being developed by Rover. This was to be a four wheel drive off-roader with a greater level of luxury than the existing Land Rover. Unfortunately the project was cancelled during 1958, and it would take until the release of the iconic Range Rover in 1970 for the idea to reach fruition.Meanwhile, Corgi had got as far as producing several pre-production examples of the stillborn car after receiving drawings from Rover as early as February 1957 and had planned to issue the model, which carried the article number 212, to coincide with the real vehicle's launch. To maintain secrecy within the factory and amongst out-sourced producers during the design of the pre-production models, two baseplate moulds were made, one carrying the inscription 'Rover 90' and the other for a mythical car called 'Road Hawk'. The half of the baseplate carrying both '90' and the word 'Hawk' were then machined off and the remaining halves featuring words 'Road' and 'Rover' combined to produce the Road Rover baseplate. Only six examples were finished making this the rarest of all Corgi Toys products. The only known existing example from Head Designer Marcel Van Cleemput's personal collection was sold during the 1990s.
Corgi Classics
In 1964 Corgi diversified into the adult collector market and released a range of highly detailed models of vintage cars called 'Corgi Classics'. Although superior in detail to Lesney's Matchbox 'Models of Yesteryear', they were comparatively expensive and met with mixed success. Initial releases were a 1927 BentleyBentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
finished in green (9001) or red (9002), an open 1915 Ford Model T
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
coloured black (9011) and a version finished in blue with the hood raised (9013), a 1910 Daimler
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
38 finished in red (9021) and a 1911 Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
12/16 finished in lavender (9031) or pale yellow (9032). Two years later a 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost refers both to a car model and to one specific car from that series.Originally named the "40/50 h.p." the chassis was originally produced at Royce's Manchester works, before moving to Derby in July 1908 and also, between 1921 and 1926, in Springfield, Massachusetts....
coloured silver (9041) was added to the range, which was updated in 1970 to feature American TV stars The Hardy Boys
The Hardy Boys
The Hardy Boys, Frank and Joe Hardy, are fictional teenage brothers and amateur detectives who appear in various mystery series for children and teens....
, discussed later in this article. A Ford Model T van in Lyons Tea livery (9014) appeared in the 1967 Corgi catalogue but was never released. The Corgi Classics range was dropped by 1969, although the name was later revived for a range of adult collectable models in the 1980s.
Corgi Major Toys
Following the success of the Dinky Supertoys range of die-cast trucks, Corgi decided to launch a range of heavy commercial vehicles in October 1957 with the release of the Carrimore Car Transporter (1101) featuring a BedfordBedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
tractor unit with full glazing in keeping with the rest of the Corgi range, and the company's first gift set including the Carrimore Car Transporter and four cars (GS1); Austin Cambridge
Austin Cambridge
The Austin Cambridge is a motor car range sold by the Austin Motor Company in several generations from September 1954 through to 1969 as cars and 1971 as light commercials. It replaced the A40 Somerset but was entirely new with modern unibody construction...
(201), Jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
2.4 (208), Austin-Healey
Austin-Healey
Austin-Healey was a British sports car maker. The marque was established through a joint-venture arrangement, set up in 1952 between Leonard Lord of the Austin division of the British Motor Corporation and the Donald Healey Motor Company, a renowned automotive engineering and design...
(300) and MGA
MG MGA
The MGA is a sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1955 to 1962.The MGA replaced the older T-type cars and represented a complete styling break from the older vehicles. The car was officially launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1955...
(302) in time for the Christmas market in December 1957. Early models in the new 'Corgi Major' range were issued in sturdy two piece boxes featuring the blue and yellow colour scheme that had recently been adopted across the entire Corgi range, later models in the 1960s using clear fronted packaging in line with the rest of the Corgi Toys range. The Carrimore Low Loader(1100) was the next release in April 1958 which was a low loader trailer attached to the Bedford cab and was followed by the similar Machinery Carrier low loader (1104) in September 1958. In November 1958 the Euclid TC12 Bulldozer (1102) was issued. A large earth mover which was being widely used in the construction of the M1, the UK's first motorway, the Euclid factory was only two miles from Corgi headquarters which allowed easy access to all the data required to produce a very accurate model. April 1959 saw the release of the Bedford Fuel Tanker in the attractive red livery of 'Mobilgas' (1110) and this model was revamped in pale blue and white as the Bedford Milk Tanker (1129) in May 1962, and both were later re-issued with a more modern Bedford TK
Bedford TK
The Bedford TK is a truck that was produced by the Vauxhall Motors-owned Bedford Vehicles company.-History and use:The TK range replaced the S type in 1959, and served as the basis for a variety of derivatives, including fire engines, military, horse boxes, tippers, flatbed trucks, and other...
cab.
The Midland Red Motor Express Coach (1120), issued in March 1960, was a model of the latest high speed coach for the motorway age fitted with a turbo-charged engine, and a model of the pioneering SR.N1 hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
(1119) was released in June 1960. In November 1962 the new Bedford TK cab unit was also fitted to the existing Carrimore Car Transporter (1105) and was also included in a new Car Transporter Gift Set (GS28) in December 1963 along with four cars; Ford Consul Classic (234), Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
220 SE (230), Renault Floride (222) and Fiat 2100 (232). The Ecurie Ecosse
Ecurie Ecosse
Ecurie Ecosse was a motor racing team from Scotland. The team was founded in 1952 by Edinburgh businessman and racing driver David Murray and mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson, its most notable achievement was winning both the 1956 and 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team also raced in three Formula One races...
Racing Transporter (1126) issued in October 1961 was a racing car transporter custom built for the Scottish motor racing team Ecurie Ecosse, with room for three cars and an on-board workshop. The Corgi model featured operational ramps, a sliding door revealing the workshop complete with a miniature lathe, operational steering, and was finished in authentic dark blue. Racing Transporter Set (GS16) was also released in October 1961 featuring the Ecurie Ecosse transporter along with three racing cars; Vanwall
Vanwall
Vanwall was a Formula One motor racing team that competed in the 1950s. Founded by Tony Vandervell, the Vanwall name was derived by combining the name of the team owner with that of his Thinwall bearings produced at the Vandervell Products factory at Acton, London...
(150), BRM (156) and [Lotus XI] (151). Another construction site model was released in May 1963. The Priestman Cub Shovel (1128) made a continuous digging movement by turning a knob, and was paired with the earlier Machinery Carrier fitted with the latest Bedford TK tractor as Gift Set 27 in August. The Simon Snorkel Aerial Rescue Truck (1127) was issued in September 1964. This model fire engine was based on a Bedford TK chassis and featured an extendable centre-hinged arm with rescue cradle complete with fire fighter figure holding a die-cast water cannon which could be manoeuvred by means of a rotating base and wheels and gears. The model stayed in the range until being updated with a more modern Dennis cab (1126) in June 1977.
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
Estate (440), Rover 2000
Rover P6
The first P6 used a 2.0 L engine designed specifically for the P6. Although it was announced towards the end of 1963, the car had been in "pilot production" since the beginning of the year, therefore deliveries were able to begin immediately. Original output was in the order of . At the...
(252), Hillman Imp
Hillman Imp
The Hillman Imp is a compact, rear-engined saloon car that was manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group from 1963 to 1976...
(251), Mini Cooper De-Luxe (249), Austin Seven
Austin 7
The Austin 7 was a car produced from 1922 through to 1939 in the United Kingdom by the Austin Motor Company. Nicknamed the "Baby Austin", it was one of the most popular cars ever produced for the British market, and sold well abroad...
(225) and Mini Cooper Monte Carlo 1966 (321). This gift set was initially only available by mail order but was finally issued in time for Christmas in December 1967.
The Holmes Wrecker Recovery Vehicle (1142) issued in May 1967 was also based on the Ford H Series tractor unit, and featured twin boom die-cast recovery cranes with hooks attached to cotton lines that could be extended by winding a pair of spare wheels attached to the sides of the vehicle, and also included were two model mechanics previously seen with the 'Express Services' truck. The American LaFrance
American LaFrance
American LaFrance is an emergency and vocational vehicle manufacturer, currently based in Summerville, South Carolina. Focusing primarily on emergency apparatus fire engines and fire aerial including ambulance and rescue vehicles.-History:...
Aerial Rescue Truck (1143) was added to the Major range in October 1968 and was a highly detailed model of a large articulated fire engine from the United States of America. It featured an extendable ladder on a rotating base complete with plastic ladder extensions and model firemen and has recently been re-issued by the modern Corgi company in a number of authentic liveries. The Carrimore Car Transporter Mark IV using the recently introduced Scammell cab was also released in April 1969 and a gift set (GS48) featuring the new transporter and six cars; MGC GT (345), Mini Cooper Monte Carlo 1967 (339), Sunbeam Imp Monte Carlo 1967 (340), Mini Cooper S Magnifique (334), Morris Mini Minor (226) and The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
's Volvo P1800
Volvo P1800
-History:The project was started in 1957 because Volvo wanted a sports car, despite the fact that their previous attempt, the P1900, had been a disaster, with only 68 cars sold. The man behind the project was an engineering consultant to Volvo, Helmer Petterson, who in the 1940s was responsible for...
(258) soon followed. By October 1970 the Carrimore Car Transporter Mark V (1146) had grown to three decks and Gift Set 20 again featured the transporter complete with six cars now fitted with Whizzwheels; Lancia Fulvia
Lancia Fulvia
The Lancia Fulvia is an Italian car introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1963 by Lancia. It was produced by that company through 1976. Fulvias are notable for their role in automobile racing history, including winning the International Rally Championship in 1972...
Zagato (372), Marcos
Marcos (automobile)
Marcos was a British sports car manufacturer. The name was a combination of founders Jem Marsh and Frank Costin.-History:Marcos was founded in Luton, in Bedfordshire, England, in 1959 by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin. Frank Costin had earlier worked on the De Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers and...
3 Litre (377), MGC GT (378), Ford Capri
Ford Capri
Ford Capri was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for three different automobile models. The Ford Consul Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Britain between 1961 and 1964. The Ford Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Europe from 1969 to 1986...
3 Litre (311), The Saint's Volvo P1800
Volvo P1800
-History:The project was started in 1957 because Volvo wanted a sports car, despite the fact that their previous attempt, the P1900, had been a disaster, with only 68 cars sold. The man behind the project was an engineering consultant to Volvo, Helmer Petterson, who in the 1940s was responsible for...
(201) and Pontiac Firebird
Pontiac Firebird
The Pontiac Firebird was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as the automaker's platform-sharing model, the Chevrolet Camaro...
(343). It is interesting to note that the colour schemes applied to some cars in the Car Transporter Gift Sets were unique to models included in these sets, and today are particularly collectable. The Scammell Handyman Ferrymasters Truck (1147) issued in December 1969, proved to be the last new application for the Scammell cab and was finished in the authentic yellow and white livery of the Ferrymasters truck fleet.
The Major range continued into the 1970s but along with the Corgi Toys range suffered somewhat from the constraints on development budgets that the company was forced to make. The Mercedes-Benz Unimog and snowplough (1150) was released in February 1971 and another American cab unit was introduced in October 1971. The new Mack
Mack Trucks
Mack Trucks is an American truck-manufacturing company and a former manufacturer of buses and trolley buses. A wholly owned subsidiary of Renault Véhicules Industriels since 1990, Mack Trucks is currently a subsidiary of AB Volvo. The company's headquarters are located in Greensboro, North Carolina...
was coupled with a fuel tanker in the livery of 'Esso' (1152) in October 1971 and a Transcontinental trailer (1100) in November 1971, and fitted with an updated version of the Priestman Cub Shovel now converted to become a crane in October 1972 as the Mack Priestman Crane Truck (1154). A new Berliet
Berliet
Berliet was a French manufacturer of automobiles, buses, trucks and other utility vehicles, based in Vénissieux, outside of Lyon, France.-Early history:...
cab was introduced in May 1974 as the Crane Fruehauf Discharge Dumper (1102), a large articulated aggregate carrier for use on construction sites, and the new cab was also used as the Berliet Wrecker Truck (1144) in March 1975 updating the aforementioned Holmes Wrecker, which had been in the range since 1967. The Pathfinder Airport Crash Truck (1103) released in September 1974 had won the Design Council Engineering Award for its manufacturer Chubb, and the Corgi miniature included an internal water tank allowing water to be squirted through die-cast water cannons by pumping a rubber bulb. Another new cab was introduced in April 1976. The Ford Transcontinental was designed for long range treks across the European continent and was first issued coupled to the fuel tanker previously seen with the earlier Mack cab, also in 'Esso' livery (1157) or 'Gulf' livery (1160), and later in February 1982 in the livery of 'Guinness' (1169). A new Car Transporter (1159) was issued in November 1976 using the new Ford Transcontinental cab, and two more construction site orientated vehicles were issued, the JCB Crawler Loader (1110) in June 1976 and the Volvo
Volvo
AB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
BM Concrete Mixer (1156) in January 1977. The Dolphinarium (1164) was issued in April 1980 and featured the Berliet cab and a flatbed trailer which carried a large plastic water tank. Once the tank was filled a plunger attached to a jet nozzle within in the tank could be pumped forcing two model dolphins attached to a plastic guide to jump out of the water and through the air.
Circus vehicle models
The Chipperfield's CircusChipperfield's Circus
Chipperfield's Circus was the name of a famous British family circus. The show toured Europe and the Far East. The dynasty goes back more than 300 years, making it one of the older family circus dynasties.-History:...
Crane Truck (1121) was the first of the highly successful and much sought after range of Chipperfield's Circus vehicles produced by Corgi Toys during the 1960s, and was issued in October 1960. It was based on a large International truck fitted with a metal crane, hook and pulley, and painted in the traditional Chipperfield's Circus livery of red and blue, as were all the models in the range. It was followed by the Circus Animal Cage Trailer (1123) in January 1961 which featured two two-part opening doors revealing a large cage with metal bars. These two models were later packaged together as the Chipperfield's Circus Set (GS12). An updated version of the Karrier Bantam Mobile Butcher Shop was introduced in January 1962 as the Circus Booking Office (426). The window insert of the original depicting joints of meat was replaced with a new one with circus advertising posters. In April 1962 the existing Land Rover 109 model was issued along with a trailer carrying a large cage and a model elephant as Chipperfield's Circus Land Rover and Elephant Cage on Trailer (GS19).
The Chipperfield's Circus Vehicles Set (GS23) was issued in September 1962 featuring all the Chipperfield's models released to date, and today this is one of the most desirable gift sets issued by the company. The Chipperfield's Circus Horse Transporter (1130) was released in October 1962 featuring the new Bedford TK
Bedford TK
The Bedford TK is a truck that was produced by the Vauxhall Motors-owned Bedford Vehicles company.-History and use:The TK range replaced the S type in 1959, and served as the basis for a variety of derivatives, including fire engines, military, horse boxes, tippers, flatbed trucks, and other...
tractor unit and an articulated trailer with models of circus horses, and in June 1964 the Bedford TK tractor unit was adapted with a large high-sided open top 'wooden' box as the Giraffe Transporter (503) complete with models of a mother and baby giraffe.
The Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
, which had been adapted as a 'Vote For Corgi' campaigning vehicle as a tie-in with the 1964 UK General Election, was re-issued in September 1965 in the red and blue colours of Chipperfield's as the Chipperfield's Circus Parade Vehicle (487) with a clown and chimpanzee replacing the political canvassers of the original, and a 'The Circus is Here' banner across the bonnet. The Chipperfield's Circus Menagerie Transporter (1139) which was released in October 1968 featured a new Scammell Handyman cab and a flatbed articulated trailer which carried a load of three clear plastic boxes designed to represent cages, each containing models of lions, bears and tigers. The Chipperfield's Circus Crane and Cage (1144), issued in April 1969, again featured the Scammell tractor unit but modified using the Holmes Wrecker platform with a large crane mounted on a pivoting base to the rear, and included another of the clear plastic animal cages with a model rhinoceros inside. The final model in the Chipperfield's Circus range was released in January 1970. The Chipperfield's Performing Poodles Pick Up (511) was an update of the earlier Kennel Club Wagon (itself an adaptation of the Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
first issued in 1960) and included model poodles and trainer.
There were no further circus related releases until the Jean Richard Circus Set (GS48) which was issued in November 1978. This large set included models of the new 1/36 scale Land Rover Estate and Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
Van which had been updated to become a parade vehicle and mobile booking office respectively. Also included were an animal cage trailer and models of horses and an elephant and figures of a clown and a ringmaster, together with various Big Top accessories. The most interesting model, however, was the Berliet tractor unit which had been adapted to become a human cannonball launcher complete with die-cast cannon attached to the rear and a human cannonball figure that could be fired from the cannon by means of depressing a button.
Competition models
Vanwall
Vanwall was a Formula One motor racing team that competed in the 1950s. Founded by Tony Vandervell, the Vanwall name was derived by combining the name of the team owner with that of his Thinwall bearings produced at the Vandervell Products factory at Acton, London...
Grand Prix car (150) issued in July 1957. Finished in green and carrying racing number 3, it was a scale model of the actual car driven by Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
. This was followed in December 1958 by a BRM Grand Prix car (106) also with green paintwork, and both cars featured in the Racing Car Set (GS5) from 1958, along with the Lotus XI Le Mans racing car (151) from July 1958. The Vanwall, however, had been re-coloured red. In 1963 the Ferrari F1 (Ferrari Tipo 156 'Sharknose') (154) was released finished in Italian racing red, and was also featured in a Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
and Ferrari F1 car set (GS17) that same year. It was followed in December 1964 by the Lotus-Climax F1 car (155) in an authentic British Racing Green
British racing green
British racing green or BRG, a colour similar to Brunswick green, hunter green, forest green or moss green , takes its name from the green international motor racing colour of Britain. Although there is still some debate as to an exact hue for BRG, currently the term is used to denote a spectrum of...
as driven by Jim Clark
Jim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
, and in 1967 by the Cooper-Maserati F1 car (156) painted blue. The Lotus-Climax and the Cooper-Maserati were re-engineered in 1969 to include steerable front wheels operated by moving the driver from side to side, and a high level rear wing in the style of real Formula 1 cars of the time. They were re-coloured orange in the case of the Lotus-Climax (158) and yellow in the case of the Cooper-Maserati (159). A Lotus
Lotus Cars
Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
Racing Car set (GS37) was issued in August 1966 containing the Lotus-Climax F1 car, two Lotus Elan
Lotus Elan
Lotus Elan is the name of two convertible cars and one fixed head coupé produced by Lotus Cars. The original Type 26, 26R Racing version , 36R Racing version , 36 Fixed Head Coupe, 45 Drop Head Coupe, and the "Type 50" +2 Coupe, circa 1962 to 1975, are commonly known as the '60s Elans...
s and a Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
breakdown tow truck. Another Ferrari was issued in February 1965, Ferrari Berlinetta (Ferrari 250 LM) (314) which had competed at the 1964 Le Mans 24 Hour race, and in May 1967 another successful sports racer, the Porsche Carrera 6 (Porsche 906
Porsche 906
The Porsche 906 or Carrera 6 was the last street-legal racing car from Porsche. It was announced in January 1966 and 50 examples were subsequently produced, thus meeting the homologation requirements of the FIA's new Group 4 Sports Car category to the letter...
) (330), was released.
In 1972 Corgi worked with the newly formed Grand Prix Association to produce a series of 1/36 scale Formula 1 racing cars. The first was the Yardley McLaren
McLaren
McLaren Racing Limited, trading as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, is a British Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed and won in the Indianapolis 500 and Canadian-American Challenge Cup...
M19A (151) driven by New Zealander Denny Hulme
Denny Hulme
Denis Clive "Denny" Hulme, OBE was a New Zealand racing driver, the 1967 Formula One World Champion for the Brabham team....
which was followed by the Brooke Bond Oxo Surtees TS9 driven by John Surtees
John Surtees
John Surtees, OBE is a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver from England. He was 500cc motorcycle World Champion in 1956 and 1958–60, Formula One World Champion in 1964, and remains the only person to have won World Championships on both two and four wheels...
(150), later followed by a Surtees TS9B in the livery of Italian sponsors 'Pagnossin', driven by Andrea de Adamich
Andrea de Adamich
Andrea Lodovico de Adamich is a former racing driver from Italy. He participated in 34 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 1 January 1968. He scored a total of 6 championship points...
(153). These were the first models produced in the larger 1/36 scale instead of the familiar O scale preferred by Dinky and Corgi up to this date (varying between 1/43 to about 1/50 for larger vehicles like lorries). Within the following five years virtually the complete Corgi range would be replaced by vehicles in 1/36 scale, much to the dismay of adult collectors. 1973 saw the release of Jacky Ickx
Jacky Ickx
Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.- Racing career :...
's Ferrari 312 B2 (152) and the John Player Special Lotus 72
Lotus 72
The Lotus 72 was a Formula One car designed by Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe of Lotus for the 1970 Formula One season.- Development :The 72 was yet another innovative design by Chapman featuring inboard brakes, side mounted radiators in sidepods, as opposed to the nose mounted radiators which...
(154) of World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...
, and in 1974 the Shadow
Shadow
A shadow is an area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object. It occupies all of the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or reverse projection of the object blocking the...
F1 car was issued in both UOP livery (155) driven by Jackie Oliver, and as Graham Hill
Graham Hill
Norman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to...
's Embassy Shadow (156). Scottish multiple World Champion Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart
Sir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
's Elf Tyrrell
Tyrrell Racing
The Tyrrell Racing Organisation was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell which started racing in 1958 and started building its own cars in 1970. The team experienced its greatest success in the early 1970s, when it won three drivers' championships and one...
F1 car (158) was also released along with the STP Patrick Eagle (159) driven to victory in the 1973 Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
by Gordon Johncock. The final two models in the series were the Hesketh 308
Hesketh 308
The Hesketh 308 and its derived sister model the 308B are Formula One racing cars designed by Harvey Postlethwaite for Hesketh Racing to compete in the and World Championships...
F1 car (190) driven by Englishman James Hunt
James Hunt
James Simon Wallis Hunt was a British racing driver from England who won the Formula One World Championship in . Hunt's often action packed exploits on track earned him the nickname "Hunt the Shunt." After retiring from driving, Hunt became a media commentator and businessman...
issued in 1976, and the six wheeled Tyrrell Project 34 driven by Frenchman Patrick Depailler issued in Elf livery (161) in 1977 and First National City Travellers Checks livery (162) which was released in 1978. Two Formula 1 cars were also issued in 1/18 scale, the John Player Special Lotus 72 (190) in 1974 and the Marlboro McLaren (191) in 1975.
The Proteus-Campbell Bluebird
Bluebird
The bluebirds are a group of medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the genus Sialia of the thrush family . Bluebirds are one of the few thrush genera in the Americas. They have blue, or blue and red, plumage...
Record Car (153) was issued in September 1960 and was modelled on the vehicle with which Donald Campbell
Donald Campbell
Donald Malcolm Campbell, CBE was a British speed record breaker who broke eight world speed records in the 1950s and 1960s...
was to set a new Land Speed Record on July 17, 1964. The Corgi design team were given extensive access to the real car in order to produce their scale model, even receiving paint samples to enable them to create an exact colour match. However, a lighter blue was chosen for the model eventually. An example of the model was presented to Donald Campbell by young members of the Corgi Club.
Citroën DS
The Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative...
Safari to become a promotional vehicle for the 1964 Winter Olympics (475), complete with a skier figure, four model skis and two model ski poles. Painted white and with a decal of the Olympic rings logo on the bonnet, this model then reverted to a 'Corgi Ski Club' version the following year. It was revamped again in November 1967 for the 1968 Winter Olympics (499), this time painted white with a blue roof, and with a model toboggan on the roof rack along with a figure of a tobogganist and a pair of skis and poles, and a stylish 'Grenoble Olympiade 1968' decal on the bonnet. The final version introduced in 1970 was an Alpine Rescue vehicle (510), painted white with a red roof and which came complete with figures of a St Bernard dog and rescuer, and today is the rarest of the versions.
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
, held annually in January, provided a rich source of model cars between 1964 and 1967. By following the event closely, Corgi Toys were able to issue a model of the winning car shortly after the end of the rally Often there was not even enough time to produce a unique box for the new model, which had to make do with a hastily produced sticker applied to a standard issue box for a similar model. The 1964 winner Paddy Hopkirk
Paddy Hopkirk
Patrick Barron "Paddy" Hopkirk is a former rally driver from Northern Ireland.He was born in Belfast and educated at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare from 1945 – 1949 before attending Trinity College, Dublin until 1953. He started his winning career in professional racing and rally driving...
's Mini
Mini
The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...
Cooper S (317) released in February 1964 featured jewelled headlights and a rally lamp on the roof, and was finished in the BMC team colours of red with a white roof with authentic Monte Carlo Rally
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
transfers. Three Monte Carlo Rally cars were issued in 1965, the winning Mini Cooper S of Timo Mäkinen
Timo Mäkinen
Timo Mäkinen was one of the original "Flying Finns" of motor rallying. He is most famous for his hat-tricks of wins in the RAC Rally and the 1000 Lakes Rally-Career:...
(321) in February, finished in the same red with a white roof, and three jewelled rally lamps, and in April a Rover 2000
Rover P6
The first P6 used a 2.0 L engine designed specifically for the P6. Although it was announced towards the end of 1963, the car had been in "pilot production" since the beginning of the year, therefore deliveries were able to begin immediately. Original output was in the order of . At the...
(322) in maroon with a white roof with two jewelled rally lamps in the grill and a Citroën DS
Citroën DS
The Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative...
(323) with four small jewelled rally lamps and finished in pale blue with a white roof complete with roof aerial. All three of these models were available in the Monte Carlo Gift Set (GS38) also issued in April 1965; a highly prized set for today's collector. Another Mini Cooper S in Monte Carlo Rally finish was issued the January of following year complete with two jewelled rally lamps in the grille and the signatures of the driver Timo Mäkinen and his co-driver Paul Easter printed on the roof. The model number 321 was carried over from the 1965 car. A Hillman Imp
Hillman Imp
The Hillman Imp is a compact, rear-engined saloon car that was manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group from 1963 to 1976...
was also issued as a Monte Carlo Rally car (328), finished in blue with a white flash along the sides and two jewelled rally lamps, and was driven by an all female team of Rosemary Smith
Rosemary Smith
Rosemary Smith is a rally driver from Dublin, Ireland.Smith initially trained as a dress designer.Smith entered her first rally as a navigator. After deciding that navigating was not to her liking she switched to driving...
and Valerie Domleo in the 1966 event.
1967 was the final year that Corgi issued Monte Carlo Rally cars, and the famous Mini Cooper S (339) appeared yet again in March, this time with four jewelled rally lamps in the grill, a sump guard and two spare wheels on a roof rack borrowed from the 'Surfing' Mini Traveller (485) from 1965. The 1967 Monte Carlo Rally Mini Cooper S stayed in the Corgi range until 1972, spanning two different castings. Another Mini Cooper S (333) was released in February 1967 carrying the same red and white paintwork, but as campaigned in the 1967 RAC/Sun rally by Tony Fall and Mike Wood, along with another Rover 2000 (322) from the same event finished in white with a matt black bonnet. The final Monte Carlo Rally car was the Sunbeam Imp (340) issued in March 1967, which featured four jewelled rally lamps and was finished in blue with a white flash and front panel. In December 1965 a Volkswagen 1200 Beetle was issued in East African Safari finish (256). This model featured an opening boot and engine cover and steerable front wheels operated by a spare tyre on the roof of the car. The colourful packaging was completed with the inclusion of a model of a charging rhinoceros. Three years later in July 1969 Corgi issued the winning Hillman Hunter from the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon (302), complete with Take-Off Wheels, roof mounted tool box and a plastic kangaroo guard across the front of the car. This time the packaging included a model kangaroo and details of the event, and in February 1970 the Ford Capri
Ford Capri
Ford Capri was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for three different automobile models. The Ford Consul Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Britain between 1961 and 1964. The Ford Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Europe from 1969 to 1986...
3-Litre rally car (303) as driven by the late Roger Clark
Roger Clark
Roger Albert Clark, MBE, was a British rally driver during the 1960s and '70s, and the first competitor from his country to win a World Rally Championship event when he triumphed at the 1976 RAC Rally.-Biography:...
was released. A model of the successful Datsun 240Z rally car in East African Safari Finish (394) was issued in October 1972 and in May 1973 the Datsun 240Z was also issued in "US Rally" finish (396). This, in fact, was an authentic model of the 1971 SCCA championship winning car. The Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona
Ferrari Daytona
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4, better known by the unofficial name Ferrari Daytona, is a Gran Turismo automobile produced from 1968 to 1973. It was first introduced to the public at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968 and replaced the 275 GTB/4...
as raced at the 1973 Le Mans 24 Hours race, with JCB and Corgi sponsorship (324), was released in June 1973 along with another in white/red/blue livery inspired by a 1972 Le Mans entry (323). In July 1973 the Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
-Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
917/10 (397) from the Can-Am race series was issued with L&M cigarette sponsorship.
In the early 1970s Corgi Toys issued a range of dragsters in response not only to the increased following of this form of motorsport in the UK, focussed on the Santa Pod Raceway in Northamptonshire, but also the attention brought to these vehicles by Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
's Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
. The first to be released was the 'Quartermaster' Dragster (162) in April 1971, closely followed by the 'Commuter' Dragster (161) in June. Both were models of real vehicles, and were of the 'rail' dragster variety. The first 'Funny Car' dragster was the Santa Pod 'Gloworm' Dragster (163) issued in July 1971, and which was based on the existing Ford Capri 3-Litre. Modifications allowed the body to be hinged from the rear, and by pressing a button secreted in the front bumper the entire body rose, by means of a spring, to reveal a roll cage and driver within and a detailed V8 engine. The next release, however, was a figment of the Corgi design team's imagination. The 'Organ Grinder' Mustang Funny Car (166), which was issued in October 1971, was purely an update of the Ford Mustang (320) first seen in 1965, complete with huge rear wheels and headers resembling organ pipes fitted to the V8 engine. In December 1971 the Ison Brothers 'Wild Honey' Dragster (164) was released which was a fully customised 'gasser' based on a 1930s Austin Seven saloon. The Adams Brothers 'Drag-Star' (165) released in February 1972 was a four engined machine produced in conjunction with designers the Adams Brothers, and the earlier 'Quartermaster' Dragster was updated in October 1972 as the John Woolfe Radio Luxembourg 208 Dragster (170) which was being driven by British drag racer Dennis Priddle at the time. Swedish drag racer Arnold Sundquist had built a car powered by a jet engine from a Starfighter plane which he brought to both the Corgi offices in Northampton and Swansea to allow the company's design team access to the car. The resulting model Silver Streak Swedish Jet Dragster (169) was released in February 1973.
1960s
Corgi Toys introduced the first of the many film and television tie-in models that made the company famous in March 1965, with The SaintThe Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
's Volvo P1800
Volvo P1800
-History:The project was started in 1957 because Volvo wanted a sports car, despite the fact that their previous attempt, the P1900, had been a disaster, with only 68 cars sold. The man behind the project was an engineering consultant to Volvo, Helmer Petterson, who in the 1940s was responsible for...
(258) from the British television series The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
starring Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
. This was an update of the existing Volvo P1800 model that had been issued in 1962, now finished in white and featuring The Saint's logo on the bonnet and a model of The Saint in the drivers seat. However, with the second in the range of film and TV related models Corgi unwittingly revolutionised the British toy car industry. The most famous and best selling (to date) toy car of all, James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
's Aston Martin DB5
Aston Martin DB5
The Aston Martin DB5 is a luxury grand tourer that was made by Aston Martin. Released in 1963, it was an evolution of the final series of DB4. The DB series was named honouring David Brown ....
(261) from the film Goldfinger
Goldfinger (film)
Goldfinger is the third spy film in the James Bond series and the third to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Released in 1964, it is based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. The film also stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title...
, was issued in October 1965 and despite the fact that the casting of the new James Bond car was based heavily on the earlier Aston Martin DB4
Aston Martin DB4
The DB4 is a sports car sold by Aston Martin from 1958 until 1963. It was an entirely different car from the DB Mark III it replaced, though the 3.7 L engine was externally visually related to the 2.9 L unit found in that car....
model from 1960, it was the special features that marked out this model. There were machine guns in the front wings which popped out at the touch of a button, a bulletproof shield which popped up to protect the rear screen when the exhaust pipes were pressed, and an ejector seat which fired through a roof panel which opened by the touch of another button. The model was released in time for the 1965 Christmas market and the Corgi factory found it was unable to keep up with demand, leading to coverage in the British press of stories of toy shop shelves being cleared of this new must-have toy in minutes. The model remains in production to this day in an updated form and has gone on to sell more than seven million examples in all its various versions.
More big selling film and television tie-in models were released over the next few years, each with special features to entertain children, and in 1966 Mettoy were awarded two of the most prestigious awards; 'The Queen’s Award to Industry' and the 'National Association of Toy Retailers’ Highest Standards Award'. 1966 also saw the release of another British television tie-in, a two car set from The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
(GS40) which featured figures of the stars of the show 'John Steed' and 'Emma Peel' and their respective cars; the 1927 Bentley
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
from the Corgi Classics range and a white Lotus Elan
Lotus Elan
Lotus Elan is the name of two convertible cars and one fixed head coupé produced by Lotus Cars. The original Type 26, 26R Racing version , 36R Racing version , 36 Fixed Head Coupe, 45 Drop Head Coupe, and the "Type 50" +2 Coupe, circa 1962 to 1975, are commonly known as the '60s Elans...
. Later in August 1966 The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an American television series that was broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1964, to January 15, 1968. It follows the exploits of two secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a fictitious secret international espionage and law-enforcement...
'THRUSH-buster' car (266), was issued. This was an update of an existing Oldsmobile Super 88 casting dating back to 1961, but now with models of the stars of the television series 'Napoleon Solo
Napoleon Solo
Napoleon Solo is a fictional character from the 1960s TV spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The series was remarkable for pairing the American Solo, played by Robert Vaughn, and the Russian Illya Kuryakin as two spies who work together for an international espionage organisation at the height of...
' and 'Illya Kuryakin
Illya Kuryakin
Illya Nickovetch Kuryakin is a fictional character from the 1960s TV spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E..The series was remarkable for pairing an American Napoleon Solo and the Russian Kuryakin as two spies who work together for an international espionage organisation at the height of the Cold War...
' firing guns out of the windows. The two figures popped in and out of the car windows by pressing down on a model periscope protruding through the roof. The Christmas market was again dominated by a Corgi toy car; this time the Batmobile
Batmobile
The Batmobile is the automobile of DC Comics superhero Batman. The car has evolved along with the character from comic books to television and films. Kept in the Batcave, which it accesses through a hidden entrance, the Batmobile is a gadget-laden vehicle used by Batman in his crime-fighting...
(267) released in October 1966. This was a George Barris
George Barris (auto customizer)
George Barris is a designer of custom cars.-Early history:George and his brother Sam were born in Chicago in the 1920s. After the deaths of their parents, they moved to Roseville, California as children to live with relatives. Both were good students, interested in drama, music, and design...
customised 1955 Lincoln Futura
Lincoln Futura
The Lincoln Futura was a concept car designed by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company. It was built by Ghia entirely by hand in Italy at a cost of $250,000 and displayed on the auto show circuit in 1955...
concept car from the American television series Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
and the Corgi model featured rocket launchers, pulsating red plastic 'flames' from the engine exhaust, an operational die-cast metal chain cutting blade in the nose of the car and models of 'Batman' and the boy-wonder 'Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
' sitting in the seats. The Batmobile went on to sell over five million examples staying in the range until March 1979, and was another huge success for the company.
In June 1967 GS3 was issued consisting of 'The Batmobile' towing a 'Batboat
Batboat
The Batboat is the fictional personal watercraft of comic book superhero Batman.-Comics:In Sub-Level 6 of the Batcave, there's an aqua-dynamic hydrofoil/submersible on both the navigable Gotham River and the Atlantic Ocean's waters.-Background:Early in his career, while investigating arms dealers...
' on a trailer, and another James Bond car soon followed – the Toyota 2000GT
Toyota 2000GT
The Toyota 2000GT is a limited-production, front-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat, hardtop coupé grand tourer designed by Toyota in collaboration with Yamaha. First displayed to the public at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1965, the 2000GT was manufactured under contract by Yamaha between 1967 and...
(336) issued in October 1967 from the film You Only Live Twice
You Only Live Twice (film)
You Only Live Twice is the fifth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fifth to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, and loosely based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name...
, which fired rockets from the boot. Also issued in November was the Daktari
Daktari
Daktari is an American children's drama series that aired on CBS between 1966 and 1969. The series, an Ivan Tors Films Production in association with MGM Television, stars Marshall Thompson as Dr. Marsh Tracy, a veterinarian at the fictional Wameru Study Centre for Animal Behaviour in East...
Gift Set (GS7) which featured a Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
painted in the camouflage style of the Wameru Nature Reserve with a model tiger lying across the bonnet, along with figures of 'Dr Marsh Tracy', his daughter 'Paula', 'Clarence' the cross-eyed lion and 'Judy' the chimp; the human and animal stars of the American television series Daktari. GS7 was accompanied later by the Giant Daktari Gift Set (GS14) which included versions of the Dodge Kew Fargo Livestock Truck (484) with elephants and the Bedford Giraffe Transporter (503) in addition to the contents of GS7. The previously issued 1927 Bentley was updated for a second time to tie in with the British television series The World of Wooster (9004) which starred Ian Carmichael, and featured figures of 'Bertie Wooster' and his valet 'Jeeves' at the wheel. The final film and television related model for 1967 was issued in November. The crime fighting car 'Black Beauty
Black Beauty
Black Beauty is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she remained in her house as an invalid. The novel became an immediate bestseller, with Sewell dying just five months after its publication, long enough to see her first and only...
' (268) - a George Barris customised 1965 Chrysler Imperial
Chrysler Imperial
The Chrysler Imperial, introduced in 1926, was the company's top of the range vehicle for much of its history. Models were produced with the Chrysler name until 1954, and again from 1990 to 1993. The company tried to position the cars as a prestige marque that would rival Cadillac and Lincoln...
Crown sedan, included an operational satellite launcher inside the boot and a rocket fired from behind the grill, and was featured in the American television series The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet is an American radio and television masked vigilante created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell, in 1936. Since his radio debut in the 1930s, the Green Hornet has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of media...
. Although the series was not screened in the UK until years later, the model proved to be very popular and it went on to sell over two million examples. In June 1970 the 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost refers both to a car model and to one specific car from that series.Originally named the "40/50 h.p." the chassis was originally produced at Royce's Manchester works, before moving to Derby in July 1908 and also, between 1921 and 1926, in Springfield, Massachusetts....
from the Corgi Classics range was reissued, but updated with psychedelic paintwork and featuring figures of the group from The Hardy Boys
The Hardy Boys
The Hardy Boys, Frank and Joe Hardy, are fictional teenage brothers and amateur detectives who appear in various mystery series for children and teens....
, another American television series which was unknown in Britain. This time the model failed to sell, making it extremely rare today.
A new casting of the James Bond Aston Martin DB5 (270) was released in February 1968, this time featuring the correct DB5 taillights (instead of the DB4 taillight clusters on the 261) and authentic silver paintwork. The original had been painted gold after the Corgi design team decided that silver painted pre-production models looked as if the metal bodies were unpainted. The new model now featured tyre slashers and revolving number plates whilst retaining all the features of the original, and early examples packaged in a short lived bubble-pack are even more valuable today than the earlier 1965 release. November 1968 saw the release of the flying car 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car is a children's book written by Ian Fleming for his son Caspar, with illustrations by John Burningham...
' (266) from the successful film of the same name that had been in cinemas throughout that summer, and which featured plastic wings that popped out from the car's side skirts when the hand brake was pushed and detailed miniatures of the car's inventor 'Caracticus Potts', 'Truly Scrumptious' and the children 'Jeremy' and 'Gemima'. The 'Monkeemobile' (277) issued in December was a Dean Jeffries
Dean Jeffries
Dean Jeffries is an American custom vehicle designer, fabricator, stuntman and stunt coordinator for motion pictures and television programs based in Los Angeles, California....
1966 Pontiac GTO, again customised by George Barris, taken from the American television series The Monkees
The Monkees (TV series)
The Monkees is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from September 1966 to March 1968. The series follows the adventures of four young men trying to make a name for themselves as rock 'n roll singers. The show introduced a number of innovative new-wave film techniques to series...
which featured miniature models of the band sitting in the car.
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
to pop into view. The 'Yellow Submarine' commands very high prices today amongst both die-cast collectors and Beatles related collectors too. Corgi Toys also introduced the 'Corgi Comics' range this year – a range of 'character' toys aimed at younger children. Noddy's car (801) featured figures from the Enid Blyton children's novels of 'Noddy', 'Big-Ears' and 'Golly' sitting in the rumble seat. Early examples featured a model gollywog with a black painted face but after just a few months the colour was changed to grey. The model was later reissued with 'Teddy' sitting in the rumble seat, perhaps in response to the fact that gollywogs had become less acceptable. It was issued again in the 1970s with just 'Noddy' at the wheel. Also released in December 1969 as part of the 'Corgi Comics' range was 'Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
's Paddlewagon' (802) a half car – half boat featuring 'Popeye', 'Olive Oyl' and 'Swee'pea' from the 'Popeye' cartoon series, and 'Basil Brush
Basil Brush
Basil Brush is a fictional anthropomorphic fox raconteur, best known for his appearances on daytime British children's television. He is primarily portrayed by a glove puppet, but has also been depicted in animated cartoon shorts and comic strips...
's car (808) featuring a model of the glove puppet fox from the popular British children's television series The Basil Brush Show driving a colourful version of the 1911 Renault from the Corgi Classics range.
Also issued at the same time was a range of toys from Serge Danot's animated television series The Magic Roundabout
The Magic Roundabout
The Magic Roundabout was a children's television programme created in France in 1963 by Serge Danot...
. These included the 'Magic Roundabout' Carousel (H852), 'Mr Mac Henry's' trike (H859), the 'Magic Roundabout' train (H851) and 'Dougal's' car (807), a modified Citroën DS
Citroën DS
The Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative...
featuring models of 'Dougal' the dog, 'Dylan' the rabbit and 'Brian' the snail. Individual figures of all the characters were available, as was a 'Magic Roundabout' Playground set (H853) that included all the models in the 'Magic Roundabout' series as well as a large 'magic garden' base that featured trees and train tracks. The models in the series were all able to run on these tracks, and would move around the 'Magic Garden' at the turn of a large plastic handle. This set is now one of the most valuable of all Corgi Toys products.
Corgi Toys not only produced models of automotive stars of film and television, but also models of production vehicles. A newly tooled Commer 2500 mini bus body was used for the Samuelson Mobile Camera Van (479) issued in December 1967 which included a detailed cast metal model of a Panavision film camera and plastic cameraman on a metal plinth that could be either attached to the vehicle's roofrack or to the front or rear of the van for tracking shots. The lens of the camera was represented by a tiny jewel. In September 1968 the Renault 16 Tour De France Paramount Film Unit (GS13) was released. This gift set featured a Renault 16 car with the tailgate removed and a platform extension fixed at the rear to accommodate the Panavision film camera model and cameraman. Also included was a miniature racing cycle and cyclist.
1970s
The releases of film and television related models continued into the seventies, and included more James BondJames Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
models. A Ford Mustang Mach 1
Ford Mustang Mach 1
The Ford Mustang Mach 1 was a performance model of the Ford Mustang that Ford produced beginning in 1969. The original production run of the Mach 1 ended in 1979 because the Mustang II coupe was being phased out in favor of newer Mustangs on the Fox body platform.The Mach 1 returned in 2003 as a...
(391) and the 'Moon Buggy' (802) from the film Diamonds Are Forever
Diamonds Are Forever (film)
Diamonds Are Forever is the seventh spy film in the Eon Productions James Bond series, and the sixth and final Eon Productions film to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film is based on Ian Fleming's 1956 novel of the same name, and is the second of four James Bond films...
were issued in 1972, and the Lotus Esprit (269) in 'underwater' mode from 'The Spy Who Loved Me
The Spy Who Loved Me (film)
The Spy Who Loved Me is a spy film, the tenth film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Roger Moore as the fictional secret agent James Bond. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and the screenplay was written by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum...
' in 1977. A rocket-firing 'Stromberg' Bell JetRanger helicopter (926) from the same film was added in 1978. The Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
(649) from the Bond movie Moonraker
Moonraker (film)
Moonraker is the eleventh spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The third and final film in the series to be directed by Lewis Gilbert, it co-stars Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Corinne Clery, and Richard Kiel...
appeared in 1979 along with a 'Drax' JetRanger helicopter (930) from the same film. A Citroën 2CV
Citroën 2CV
The Citroën 2CV |tax horsepower]]”) was an economy car produced by the French automaker Citroën between 1948 and 1990. It was technologically advanced and innovative, but with uncompromisingly utilitarian unconventional looks, and deceptively simple Bauhaus inspired bodywork, that belied the sheer...
which James Bond drove in the film For Your Eyes Only
For Your Eyes Only (film)
For Your Eyes Only is the twelfth spy film in the James Bond series and the fifth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It marked the directorial debut of John Glen, who had worked as editor and second unit director in three other Bond films. The screenplay by Richard Maibaum...
was issued in 1981.
As the decade progressed some of the film and television related models became less authentic and more a product of the imagination of the Corgi design team. In 1973 'Dick Dastardly
Dick Dastardly
Dick Dastardly is a fictional character and antagonist who appeared in various animated series by Hanna-Barbera Productions. Dastardly's most famous appearances are main character in the series Wacky Races and its spin-off Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines...
's' Car (809) was issued featuring models of the characters 'Dick Dastardly' and his sidekick 'Muttley
Muttley
Muttley is a Hanna-Barbera animated fictional character created by Iwao Takamoto and originally voiced by Don Messick. In the 2000 Wacky Races videogame he was voiced by Billy West.-Bio:...
' from the children's television programme Wacky Races
Wacky Races
Wacky Races is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera. The series features 11 different cars racing against each other in various road rallies throughout North America, with each driver hoping to win the title of the "World's Wackiest Racer." Wacky Races ran on CBS from September...
. However, this Corgi offering was a toylike racecar from the 'Qualitoys' range, and was a far cry from the famous '00-zero' car that 'Dick Dastardly' drove in the cartoon series. In 1978 the 'U.S. Racing Buggy' (167) was reissued as 'The Penguinmobile', themed around Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
's arch-enemy The Penguin, complete with an umbrella. (259). A 'Batbike' was released in 1978 featuring a figure of 'Batman' sitting astride a modified motorbike which fired two rockets, along with a series of vehicles that were issued as the result of obtaining the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
license. They were themed around Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics)
Captain Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these versions exist in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.- Publication history :...
and The Incredible Hulk. These included a 'Spidervan' (436); a suitably decorated Chevrolet van, which had also been issued the previous year as a tie-in with the American television series Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men...
(434), a 'Daily Planet' JetRanger helicopter (929) as seen in Superman: The Movie, a 'Spiderbuggy' (261); a Jeep CJ-5 with a model of 'Spider-Man's' arch enemy 'The Green Goblin' trapped in a web styled plastic bag dangling from a crane fitted at the back of the vehicle, a 'Spidercopter' (928) and a 'Spiderbike' (266). A similar treatment was also given to other Marvel characters including a 'Captain America' Jetmobile (263), a 'Captain Marvel' Porsche 917/10 Can-Am racer (262) and an 'Incredible Hulk' Mazda pick-up (264) which featured a caged model of the 'Hulk' on the flatbed of the truck. A 'Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
' gift set (GS21) was also released featuring a 'Supermobile', the 'Daily Planet' helicopter and a Buick Regal
Buick Regal
The Buick Regal is a mid-size car introduced by General Motors for the 1973 model year. North American production ended in 2004 and began again in 2011. For the 2011 model year, Buick re-introduced the Regal to the North American market, positioned as an upscale sport sedan...
police car, as well as a 'Spider-Man' gift set (GS23) consisting of the 'Spiderbuggy', the 'Spidercopter' and the 'Spidervan'. Many of these later film and television related releases were not models of authentic vehicles as were the earlier issues from the 1960s, but merely existing models updated to take advantage of recently acquired licensing deals.
In May 1978 a new version of the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
Aston Martin DB5
Aston Martin DB5
The Aston Martin DB5 is a luxury grand tourer that was made by Aston Martin. Released in 1963, it was an evolution of the final series of DB4. The DB series was named honouring David Brown ....
(271) was issued in 1/36 scale which featured the operational gimmicks of the 1965 original. This model appears in the Corgi range to the present day. In October 1978 The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
's Jaguar XJS
Jaguar XJS
The Jaguar XJ-S is a luxury grand tourer produced by the British manufacturer Jaguar from 1975 to 1996. The XJ-S replaced the E-Type in September 1975, and was based on the XJ saloon. It had been developed as the XK-F, though it was very different in character from its predecessor...
(320) was issued. This was a model of the latest Jaguar coupe as driven by Ian Ogilvy
Ian Ogilvy
Ian Raymond Ogilvy is an English film and television actor.-Early life:He was born in Woking, Surrey, England, the son of advertising executive Francis Ogilvy and actress Aileen Raymond .He was educated at Sunningdale School, Eton College and at the Royal Academy of...
in the ATV television series The Return of the Saint
Return of the Saint
Return of the Saint was a British action-adventure television series that aired for one season in 1978 and 1979 in Britain on ITV, and was also broadcast on CBS in the United States...
and, again, was painted white and featured The Saint logo on the bonnet. Later in 1980 the 'Buck Rogers
Buck Rogers
Anthony Rogers is a fictional character that first appeared in Armageddon 2419 A.D. by Philip Francis Nowlan in the August 1928 issue of the pulp magazine Amazing Stories. A sequel, The Airlords of Han, was published in the March 1929 issue....
' Starfighter (647) from the series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was released, including figures of 'Colonel Wilma Deering' and robot 'Twiki'. The planned 'Dan Dare
Dan Dare
Dan Dare is a British science fiction comic hero, created by illustrator Frank Hampson who also wrote the first stories, that is, the Venus and Red Moon stories, and a complete storyline for Operation Saturn...
' Spacecar was never released. A series of models featuring characters from Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
's The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
were also issued in 1980. These included 'Kermit
Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
's' car (2030), 'Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
's truck (2031), 'Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....
's' Sports Coupe (2032) and 'Animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
's Percussionmobile' (2033).
By the mid 1970s some of the most popular series shown on British television were American police dramas, and Corgi decided to model several of the vehicles featured in these shows. In 1976 the Buick Regal (296) from the series Kojak
Kojak
Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. It aired from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978, on CBS. It took the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier...
was issued, complete with figures of 'Lieutenant Kojak' and 'Detective Crocker' shooting from the rear seat, and a year later the Ford Gran Torino from Starsky & Hutch (292) was released also with figures of 'David Starsky', 'Ken Hutchinson' and a 'suspect'. In 1980 a silver Ford Capri
Ford Capri
Ford Capri was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for three different automobile models. The Ford Consul Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Britain between 1961 and 1964. The Ford Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Europe from 1969 to 1986...
3.0 S (342) was issued as a tie-in with the popular British television crime drama The Professionals
The Professionals (TV series)
The Professionals was a British crime-action television drama series produced by Avengers Mk1 Productions and London Weekend Television that aired on the ITV network from 1977 to 1983. In all, 57 episodes were produced, filmed between 1977 and 1981. It starred Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon...
featuring models of 'Bodie', 'Doyle' and 'Cowley', as well as a 1957 Ford Thunderbird
Ford Thunderbird
The Thunderbird , is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States over eleven model generations from 1955 through 2005...
(348) from the American show Vega$
Vega$
Vega$ is an American detective television drama series that aired on ABC between 1978 and 1981. It was produced by Aaron Spelling. The series, was filmed in its entirety in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is believed to be the first television series produced entirely in Las Vegas...
with 'Dan Tanna' at the wheel. 1982 saw the release of the Magnum, P.I. Ferrari 308 GTS (298). Cost-cutting at the time dictated that no figure was included.
To complement Corgi Toys film and TV related models they were issued in colourful packaging with period artwork, making examples with the original packaging and complete with all accessories such as rockets, satellites, and umbrellas in the case of The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
set, both highly desirable and valuable. Corgi Classics Ltd have reissued many of these film and television related models in recent years, allowing collectors to own examples without the having to pay the high prices that the originals currently attract, although some of the reissued models are beginning to gain in value.
Emergency vehicle models
The first emergency vehicles produced by Corgi Toys were issued as part of the launch range in July 1956, and were based on the Bedford Utilicon light commercial. It was issued in red as a 'Fire Dept' vehicle (405M) and in green as an 'Army Fire Service' vehicle (405), both with a tin plate ladder attached to the roof of the vehicle. These were followed in June 1958 by the company's first police vehicle; a Riley PathfinderRiley Pathfinder
First presented at the London Motor Show in October 1953, the Pathfinder replaced the RMF as Riley's top-line car.Designed as the "RMH" just before the 1952 merger of Riley-parent, the Nuffield Organisation, with Austin to form BMC, the Pathfinder is seen as the last proper Riley car...
patrol car (209), finished in black and with a die cast police sign fitted to the roof complete with siren and bell. In January 1959 a Jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
2.4 Fire Chief car (213) was added to the range, finished in red and with a nylon aerial, crest transfers on the front doors and the same cast sign as the Pathfinder but modified to read 'Fire Chief'. The first American emergency vehicle to be produced by Corgi Toys was the Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
State Patrol car (223) introduced in December 1959. It was painted black and featured a nylon aerial and 'State Patrol' stickers on the vehicle's front doors. An updated version finished in black and white was issued in 1965.
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
Super 88 County Sheriff car (237) was added to the range. Painted black and white it featured a red light fitted to the roof and 'County Sheriff' stickers on the doors. This model became the company's first million seller. The Superior Ambulance on Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
Chassis (437) introduced in October 1962 was from the latest generation of models and featured red and white paintwork, a working battery operated flashing light on the roof and four trans-o-lite fibre optic lights in each corner of the roof that flashed in unison with the main bulb. This model was re-issued in blue and white in 1966. In January 1963 the existing Chevrolet Impala was introduced as a Fire Chief car (439), painted red with a light on the roof, crests decals on the doors and a 'Fire Chief' transfer on the bonnet, and was also updated with a red and white finish in 1966. In June 1963 the Commer
Commer
Commer became known in later years as a maker of vans for the British Post Office—particularly the Commer FC which was introduced in 1960 with many body styles, including a 1500 cc van. After engine and interior upgrades it was renamed the PB in 1967 and the SpaceVan in 1974...
Police Van (464) was released, painted blue with a battery operated flashing light on the roof, barred side windows and 'County Police' transfers along the sides, and this model was also updated in 1967. An ambulance version (463) painted white was issued in February 1964.
In October 1964 a Police Dog Handler Mini
Mini
The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...
van (450) was introduced painted dark blue with 'Police' in white letters on the sides, a nylon aerial fitted to the front wing and came with models of the police dog handler and police Alsatian dog. The Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
European Police Car (492) issued in May 1966 was finished in the green and white of the German police force, and carried 'Polizei' transfers on the doors. It also featured steerable front wheels operated by the blue metal 'light' on the roof and two policemen sitting inside the vehicle, not to mention opening boot and rear engine cover. Another rear engined police car was introduced in May 1968, the Sunbeam Imp 'Panda' car (506). It was painted black and white initially but this colour scheme was soon changed to authentic 'Panda' car colours of pale blue with a white vertical centre section.
By 1970 Corgi Toys were fitting their models with Whizzwheels in response to the current market trends. In June 1970 a Porsche 911
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...
Targa 'Polizei' car (509) was released, based on a real German police vehicle. It was painted red and white and was fitted with a blue light on an extension next to the door and a die-cast loud hailer on the engine cover. The Fire Bug (395) appeared in December 1971, and was based on a GP Beach Buggy fitted with fire fighting equipment. British police vehicles were well represented with the Police 'Vigilant' Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
(461) released in January 1972 and the Ford Cortina
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
Police Car (402) released in August of the same year. Both models were finished in the contemporary white with red/blue side stripes, which would have been familiar to many motorists at the time. The Range Rover came complete with a model policeman and emergency road signs.
The remaining years that the company was in existence saw police cars based on such subjects as a Porsche 924 (430), a Renault 5 (428), a Mercedes 240D 'Polizei' (412) and a Buick Regal
Buick Regal
The Buick Regal is a mid-size car introduced by General Motors for the 1973 model year. North American production ended in 2004 and began again in 2011. For the 2011 model year, Buick re-introduced the Regal to the North American market, positioned as an upscale sport sedan...
(416) which had previously seen service as 'Kojak
Kojak
Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. It aired from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978, on CBS. It took the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier...
's' car. There was also a Metropolitan Police Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
and Horse box (GS44) complete with a model Police horse and rider, which was also available in RCMP finish (GS45). Ambulances were issued based on the Range Rover 'Vigilant' (482), a Mercedes Benz 'Bonna' (406) and a Chevrolet Superior Ambulance (405). There appears, however, to have been a lack of fire fighting machinery released in this time, although the American LaFrance ladder truck and Simon Snorkel were still available along with the modern Chubb Pathfinder airport crash tender. Two models from this era do warrant attention. Riot Police Truck (422) released in September 1977 was a squat armoured military vehicle painted white and red with twin water cannons fitted to the rear, and perhaps reflected the times in which it was conceived, and the Jaguar XJ12 Coupe which was released in December 1975 finished in the white and pale blue livery of the Coastguard (414), complete with die-cast light and twin foghorns on the roof. The model was updated as a police vehicle (429) in February 1978. In 1980 the first of the later 'Corgitronics' range was introduced: the HCB-Angus Firestreak (1001) with battery-operated siren and flashing red lights, complete with two figures in silver protective clothing.
Commercial vehicles models
The first light commercial modelled by Corgi Toys was the Bedford CABedford CA
The Bedford CA was a distinctive pug-nosed light commercial vehicle produced between 1952 and 1969 by Vauxhall Motors subsidiary Bedford Vehicles, in Luton, United Kingdom....
van in Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
livery (403) and in 'KLG Plugs' livery (403M) which was part of the July 1956 range that launched the brand. The CA van was later released in the yellow and black livery of AA Services in May 1957 (408), in the black and silver livery of the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
(421) in June 1960 and in the yellow and blue livery of Corgi Toys (422) in October 1960. The first large commercial vehicles in the Corgi Toys range were the Commer
Commer
Commer became known in later years as a maker of vans for the British Post Office—particularly the Commer FC which was introduced in 1960 with many body styles, including a 1500 cc van. After engine and interior upgrades it was renamed the PB in 1967 and the SpaceVan in 1974...
Dropside lorry (452) and the Commer Refrigerated van finished the livery of Walls Ice Cream (453). The same large van body was used on the ERF
ERF (lorry manufacturer)
ERF was a British truck manufacturer. Established in 1933 by Dennis Foden, its factory in Sandbach, Cheshire was closed in 2002, and finished as a marque by owner MAN AG in 2007.-History:...
88G chassis to become the Moorhouses Van (459) in March 1958. Painted red and yellow it featured paper stickers on the sides advertising Moorhouses Lemon Cheese and Raspberry jam.
The Karrier Bantam Lucozade Van (411) was introduced in August 1958 and featured a sliding plastic door, yellow paintwork and adverts for Lucozade
Lucozade
Lucozade is an umbrella name for a 6 series of energy and sports drinks, produced by GlaxoSmithKline in Gloucestershire. The former company became part of Beecham and, after the mergers of SmithKline and Beecham in 2000, GlaxoSmithKline....
energy drink on the side. This model was updated in May 1962 to become the Dairy Produce Van (435) now painted pale blue and white and with a 'Drive Safely on Milk' advert on the side. A Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
van (433) was introduced in December 1962 finished in two tone red and white along with the Volkswagen Kombi (434), a mini van version with windows which was finished in green and white paintwork. A rare promotional version of the van was produced for the Dutch department store Vroom & Dreesman. In February 1963 the basic Volkswagen van was updated with Trans-o-lite headlamps as the Volkswagen Toblerone van (441). It was painted pale blue and finished with transfers along the sides advertising Toblerone chocolate bars. In March 1964 a Volkswagen Pick Up (432) was introduced to the range which came complete with a plastic canopy, and in December 1966 the pick up was converted to become the Volkswagen Breakdown Truck (490).
In 1963 Corgi introduced the Commer Constructor Set (GS 24), which consisted of two Commer FC van chassis units and four different rear bodies – an ambulance, milk float, panel van and pick-up. It proved very popular and remained in production until 1968. These models were also available separately as part of the normal Corgi range. The Commer Holiday Camp Special bus (508) issued in August 1968 was based on the earlier Samuelson Commer Film Unit bus, and featured bright orange and white paintwork with a decal fixed on one side on the vehicle, together with a plastic representation of luggage under cover on the roof rack.
The 'Mister Softee' Ice Cream Van (428) was introduced in March 1962 and was based on a Commer BF 1 ton van and which featured a plastic knob on the underside that allowed the ice cream salesman inside to be rotated. It also featured a sliding side window. In 1965 a Thames Wall's
Wall's ice cream
Wall's is a United Kingdom-originated food brand, covering both meat products and ice cream, owned by Unilever. Founded in London in 1786 by butcher Richard Wall, it was acquired in 1922 by Lever Brothers, which became a part of Unilever in 1930. To avoid summer lay-offs due to the down turn in its...
Ice Cream Van (447) was introduced. This was a smaller vehicle based on the Thames 5 cwt van, a commercial version of the Ford Anglia
Ford Anglia
The 1949 model, code E494A, was a makeover of the previous model with a rather more 1940s style front-end, including the sloped, twin-lobed radiator grille. Again it was a very spartan vehicle and in 1948 was Britain's lowest priced four wheel car....
, and the bodywork featured a pointed roof design and a sliding side window. The model also came with a sheet of stickers which could be applied and also included were models of an ice cream vender and small boy. An alternative version (474) with musical chimes operated by a handle protuding from the back of the model was introduced a year later, but without the plastic figures. A Karrier Bantam based Mobile Butchers Shop (413) was released in October 1960 and was later updated to become a Chipperfield's Circus
Chipperfield's Circus
Chipperfield's Circus was the name of a famous British family circus. The show toured Europe and the Far East. The dynasty goes back more than 300 years, making it one of the older family circus dynasties.-History:...
Booking Office (426) in January 1962 and with the addition of an opening side hatch, a detailed kitchen interior and revolving chef it was re-issued in March 1965 as Joe's Diner Mobile Canteen (471). An export version to be sold in Belgium featured 'Patates Frites' stickers on the side in place of the usual 'Joe's Diner'.
There were no further additions to the commercial vehicle range until June 1979 with the Chevrolet van, first seen the previous year, issued in the livery of Coca-Cola (437). A Ford Transit Wrecker (1140) in the livery of 'Corgi 24 Hour Service' was issued in March 1981 followed by the Ford Transit
Ford Transit
The Ford Transit is a range of panel vans, minibuses, and pickup trucks, produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe.The Transit has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle in Europe for 40 years, and in some countries the term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a generic term...
Milk float
Milk float
A milk float is a battery electric vehicle , specifically designed for the delivery of fresh milk. They were once common in many European countries, particularly the United Kingdom, and were operated by local dairies...
(405) in February 1982 which carried the period slogan 'Milk's Gotta Lotta Bottle'.
Agricultural vehicle models
A variety of farming vehicles formed part of the Corgi Toys range for the majority of the company's existence under Mettoy's ownership. These models were popular with children from rural areas and today are considered highly collectable. The range was introduced in June 1959 with the Massey FergusonMassey Ferguson
Massey Ferguson Limited was a major agricultural equipment manufacturer which was based in Canada before its purchase by AGCO. The company was formed by a merger between Massey Harris and the Ferguson tractor company in 1953, creating the company Massey Harris Ferguson. However in 1958 the name was...
65 tractor (50) finished in the manufacturer's familiar red and white colours. An accompanying Massey Ferguson trailer (51) was introduced at the same time, and in April 1960 an operational shovel was added to the tractor as the Massey Ferguson 65 Tractor Shovel (53). The scoop could either be raised or lowered by means of one of two levers and could be tipped by means of the second lever. Both the tractor and trailer were available together as GS 7. The Massey Ferguson combine harvester
Combine harvester
The combine harvester, or simply combine, is a machine that harvests grain crops. The name derives from the fact that it combines three separate operations, reaping, threshing, and winnowing, into a single process. Among the crops harvested with a combine are wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn ,...
(1111) was released in August 1959 as part of the Corgi Major range, which featured blades that rotated as the model was pushed along.
A new tractor was introduced in May 1961. The Fordson Power Major Tractor (56) featured steering operated by the steering wheel and was finished in Ford's traditional blue. A plough that could be attached to the tractor (57) was issued at the same time, and the two were available together as GS18. A half track version of the Fordson was available in March 1962 as the Fordson Power Major with Roadless Half Tracks (54). The first Agricultural Gift Set (GS22) was released in September 1962 and included the combine harvester, the Fordson and Massey Ferguson tractors with a fork replacing the shovel on the Massey Ferguson for this gift set only. Also included in the set were two trailers and an example of the existing Land Rover. The Fordson Power Major Tractor was issued with a new Beast Carrier Trailer, carrying a load of four plastic calves, as GS33 in March 1965 and the Working Conveyor on F.C.Jeep (64) was released in June 1965. This was an update of the Forward Control Jeep first issued in 1959 with a new casting of a working conveyor belt assembly fitted to the flat bed and accompanied by plastic model grain sacks and farmer. The first new tractor for five years was issued in July 1966. The Massey Ferguson 165 (66) featured steering and an 'engine sound' as the model was pushed along and was finished in red and white. The conveyor belt first seen with the F.C. Jeep was updated with a trailer chassis and coupled to a second new tractor in GS47 issued in September 1966. The Ford 5000 Super Major was finished in blue and came complete with operational steering and jewelled headlights. The new Ford tractor was coupled to a Beast Carrier trailer for GS1 released in December 1966 which became the first Corgi release in the new style cellophane window box which defined the company's packaging for the future.
The Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
Kew Fargo Livestock Transporter (484) was issued in April 1967. This was a large animal transporter based on an American Dodge truck which featured an opening bonnet and carried a cargo of plastic pigs. The Tandem Disc Harrow Plough Trailer (71) was relreased in July 1967 and an updated Agricultural Gift Set (GS5) in October 1967, which featured some of the more recent releases such as the Dodge Kew Fargo and the Massey Ferguson 165 tractor with scoop. In March 1970 the Massey Ferguson 165 Tractor With Saw Attachment (73) was issued featuring a clever circular saw attachment which rotated as the model was pushed along by means of a long finely coiled spring. Next followed two versions of the Ford 5000 Super Major tractor with a fully operational side trenching scoop (74) in 1970 followed by a version with a rear trenching scoop (72) in January 1971. The next new tractor model was issued in April 1973. The Massey Ferguson MF50B (50) featured a closed cab and was finished in yellow. A version with an operational shovel (54) was released in April 1974 and was featured with a trailer carrying a load of plactic 'hay' with figures sitting atop the 'hay' as the latest version of the Agricultural Gift Set (GS4) in July 1974. Another new tractor was added to the range in September 1976. The David Brown Tractor and Trailer Set (GS34) included the new tractor finished in white and with a closed cab and a tipping trailer. These models were also featured in another version of the Agricultural Gift Set (GS42) released in March 1978, along with models of a grain elevator and grain silo. At the same time the David Brown
David Brown (entrepreneur)
Sir David Brown was an English entrepreneur, managing director of his family firm David Brown Limited and one time owner of shipbuilders Vosper Thornycroft and automobile manufacturer Aston Martin....
tractor was issued with a Danish JF combine harvester attachment (1112).
Military vehicle models
Corgi Toys produced a sizeable range of military vehicles during the 1950s and early 1960s, and in such uncertain times they proved very popular. The Thunderbird Guided MissileEnglish Electric Thunderbird
The English Electric Thunderbird was a British surface to air missile produced for the British Army. The Thunderbird was primarily intended to attack higher altitude targets at ranges of up to thirty miles or so. AA guns were still used for lower altitude threats...
and Trailer (350) was issued in May 1958 followed by the Bloodhound Guided Missile and Launch Pad (1108) in October 1958. In June 1959 the Corporal
MGM-5 Corporal
The MGM-5 Corporal missile was the first guided weapon authorized by the United States to carry a nuclear warhead.The first nuclear-authorized unguided rocket was the MGR-1 Honest John...
Guided Missile on Launch Pad was issued, which was later featured coupled to a mobile transporter as Corporal Erector Vehicle and Missile (1113) released in October 1959. RAF vehicles included RAF Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
(351) issued in May 1958, which was included in Gift Set 4 along with the Bloodhound Guided Missile, and Standard Vanguard
Standard Vanguard
The car used a conventional chassis on which was mounted the American inspired semi-streamlined four-door body, which resembles a Plymouth. Suspension was independent at the front with coil springs and a live axle and leaf springs at the rear. Front and rear anti-roll bars were fitted. The brakes...
RAF Staff Car (352) which was issued in October 1958. The Decca
Decca Radar
The Decca Company, a British gramophone manufacturer that, as Decca Records, released records under the Decca label, contributed to the British war effort during the Second World War...
Mobile Airfield Radar Van (1106) released in January 1959 featured a revolving radar scanner which turned by means of a ridged wheel, and the Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
Military Ambulance (414) was issued in January 1961.
In January 1965, in response to a request from the company's American agent, a range of vehicles was produced in the matt green with white star livery of the US Army. These included Commer
Commer
Commer became known in later years as a maker of vans for the British Post Office—particularly the Commer FC which was introduced in 1960 with many body styles, including a 1500 cc van. After engine and interior upgrades it was renamed the PB in 1967 and the SpaceVan in 1974...
Military Ambulance (354), Commer Military Police Van (355), Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
Military Personnel Carrier (356), Land Rover Weapons Carrier (357), Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
HQ Staff Car (358), Army Field Kitchen (359), International Troop Transporter (1113), Bedford Army Fuel Tanker (1134) and Heavy Equipment Transporter (1135). All were updates of existing models from both the standard Corgi range and the Corgi Major range, and sold disappointingly leading to their withdrawal in less than a year. This line did not feature in Corgi catalogues.
There were no further military vehicles produced until the 1970s. A range of tanks was introduced in November 1973 with the German Tiger Tank
Tiger I
Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of...
Mk I (900) and the British Centurion Tank
Centurion tank
The Centurion, introduced in 1945, was the primary British main battle tank of the post-World War II period. It was a successful tank design, with upgrades, for many decades...
Mk III (901). It was expanded in 1974 with the releases of U.S. M60A1 Tank (902), the British Chieftain Tank
Chieftain tank
The FV 4201 Chieftain was the main battle tank of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s. It was one of the most advanced tanks of its era, and at the time of its introduction in 1966 had the most powerful main gun and heaviest armour of any tank in the world...
(903), German King Tiger Tank (904), Russian SU-100
SU-100
The SU-100 was a Soviet tank destroyer. It was used extensively during the last year of World War II and saw service for many years afterwards with the armies of Soviet allies around the world.- Development :...
Tank Destroyer (905) and British Saladin Armoured Car
Alvis Saladin
The Saladin is a six-wheeled armoured car built by Alvis, and fitted with a 76mm gun.Used extensively by the British Army, it replaced the AEC Armoured Car that had been in service since World War II.-History:...
(906). The Centurion Mk III tank was also included as part of Centurion Tank and Transporter (GS 10) along with a Mack articulated transporter truck. The Bell AH-1G 'HueyCobra' US Army Helicopter (920) was issued in March 1975, the German Hanomag
Hanomag
Hanomag was a German producer of steam locomotives, tractors, trucks and military vehicles. Hanomag first achieved international fame by delivering a large number of steam locomotives to Romania and Bulgaria before World War I....
Sdkfz 251
SdKfz 251
The Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track was an armored fighting vehicle designed and first built by Hanomag company during World War II. The largest and best armored of the wartime half-tracks, the Sd.Kfz. 251 was designed to transport the panzergrenadiers of the German mechanized infantry corps into battle....
Semi-Track Rocket Launcher (907) in July 1975 and the Sikorsky Skycrane US Army Helicopter (923) in September 1975. Military Gift Set (GS17) included the Bell Helicopter, Tiger I Tank and Saladin Armoured Car. Finally, in October 1976 the French AMX-30 Recovery Tank (908) and British Quad Gun Tractor
Morris C8
The Morris Commercial C8 FAT commonly known as a Quad was an artillery tractor of the British and Commonwealth forces during World War II....
and Field Gun (909) were issued.
Take-Off Wheels and Whizzwheels
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
's Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
range and their associated track sets. Sales of Corgi Toys began to fall away and matters were not helped by a disastrous fire at the Swansea factory in March 1969 which destroyed a warehouse full of models awaiting delivery. Even one of the company's cleverest innovations the Golden Jacks 'Take-Off Wheels' system which first appeared in March 1968 did little to halt the slide. The authentically detailed die-cast wheels fitted to these models were unique to each model, with the exception of the Oldsmobile Toronado
Oldsmobile Toronado
The original Toronado began as a design painting by Oldsmobile stylist David North in 1962. His design, dubbed the "Flame Red Car," was for a compact sports/personal car never intended for production...
and the Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
which shared the Toronado's prototypical wheel design, and were attached to the axle by means of the 'Golden Jacks' – die-cast golden metal stands, which when folded downwards both released the wheel and supported the model. Only seven models were produced with this feature, with more models like the Ferrari Dino, Lamborghini Miura and Pontiac Firebird planned but ultimately released with Whizzwheels instead.
The Mini Marcos
Mini Marcos
The Mini Marcos was produced in limited numbers between 1965 and 1970 by Marcos, 1974 to 1981 by D & H Fibreglass Techniques Limited and again between 1991 and 1996 by Marcos. It was based on the DART design by Dizzy Addicott who finally sold the project to Jeremy Delmar-Morgan. Jeremy marketed...
was a fibreglass-bodied coupe produced by the specialist British sports car manufacturer Marcos
Marcos (automobile)
Marcos was a British sports car manufacturer. The name was a combination of founders Jem Marsh and Frank Costin.-History:Marcos was founded in Luton, in Bedfordshire, England, in 1959 by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin. Frank Costin had earlier worked on the De Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers and...
and was built on the Austin/Morris Mini chassis and fitted with a highly tuned Mini engine. The Corgi model Mini Marcos GT850 (341), finished in metallic red, was the first in the series of Take-Off Wheels models and was introduced in March 1968. The Rover 2000
Rover P6
The first P6 used a 2.0 L engine designed specifically for the P6. Although it was announced towards the end of 1963, the car had been in "pilot production" since the beginning of the year, therefore deliveries were able to begin immediately. Original output was in the order of . At the...
TC (275) issued a month later in April 1968 and finished in metallic green was a new casting despite Corgi having previously issued a model of the Rover 2000, and was fitted with a clear roof panel as featured on a Rover 2000 displayed on the Triplex stand at the 1965 Earls Court Motor Show, and a plastic spare wheel holder attached to the boot lid which was a popular period extra. A rare version finished in white with a red interior also exists.
Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow
The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow is a luxury car that was produced in Great Britain in various forms from 1965 to 1980. It was the first Rolls-Royce to use a monocoque chassis, a response to concerns that the company was falling behind in automotive innovation....
Mulliner Park Ward Coupe (273), finished in pearlescent white over grey, was issued in March 1970. A rare version of this model was released in silver over metallic blue which was used as the colour scheme for the later Whizzwheels version. The Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
Stingray (300) with detachable roof panels, released in April 1970, was the last of this short-lived line. This model was available in chromed red or green finish called 'Solarbrite' by Corgi and introduced with the Corgi Rockets range the previous year. Spare Take-Off Wheels were available separately in packs of twelve.
Low friction wheels known as 'Whizzwheels' were introduced to keep up with the competition in September 1969 with the Ferrari 206 Dino Sports (344) finished in either red and white or yellow and black. The first incarnation (known to collectors as 'Red Spots') featured rubber tyres and brass hubs with low friction red nylon centres, which though attractive and effective, were expensive to produce and were soon replaced by plastic wheels. Although giving more 'play value', Whizzwheels models are less popular with collectors today as they take away some of the character and realism of the earlier regular wheeled models fitted with rubber tyres. Some models fitted with the short-lived 'Red Spot' Whizzwheels have become collectable, particularly extremely rare promotional examples which were specially manufactured to be used as samples of the new gimick by Corgi's sales team, and which went into production with the later plastic Whizzwheels. An example of this is the Citroen SM (284).
Corgi Kits, Corgi Cargoes, accessories and catalogues
During the early 1960s Corgi Toys issued a series of clip-together plastic kits of buildings and street furniture to complement and add further play value to their range of scale vehicles. The first release was the Batley Leofric Garage (601) with opening garage door in May 1960 followed by two street lamps (606) and AAThe Automobile Association
The Automobile Association , a British motoring association founded in 1905 was demutualised in 1999 to become a private limited company which currently provides car insurance, driving lessons, breakdown cover, loans and motoring advice, and other services...
(Automobile Association) and RAC
Royal Automobile Club
The Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School...
(Royal Automobile Club) Telephone Boxes (602) in June 1960. In November 1960 Silverstone
Silverstone
Silverstone is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Towcester on the former A43 main road, from the M1 motorway junction 15A and about from the M40 motorway junction 10, Northampton, Milton Keynes and Banbury...
Pits (603) and Silverstone Press Box (604) were added to the range with Silverstone Club House and Timekeepers Box (605) released in March 1963 along with Circus Elephant and Cage (607). In April 1963 the Motel Chalet (611) was issued and in December 1963 a Shell
Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...
/BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
Service Station (608) was released, along with Shell/BP Forecourt Accessories (609) and Metropolitan Police and Public Telephone Boxes (610). A series of figures to go with Corgi Kits were released in December 1962; Racing Drivers and Mechanics (1501), Spectators (1502), Race Track Officials (1503), Press Officials (1504) and Garage Attendants (1505). The range culminated with two Gift Sets grouping together most of the releases - Shell/BP Garage Layout (GS25) and Silverstone Racing Layout (GS15) both issued in December 1963.
Designed with the intention of being used in conjunction with the Commer
Commer
Commer became known in later years as a maker of vans for the British Post Office—particularly the Commer FC which was introduced in 1960 with many body styles, including a 1500 cc van. After engine and interior upgrades it was renamed the PB in 1967 and the SpaceVan in 1974...
Platform Lorry (454), Commer Dropside Lorry (452), ERF
ERF (lorry manufacturer)
ERF was a British truck manufacturer. Established in 1933 by Dennis Foden, its factory in Sandbach, Cheshire was closed in 2002, and finished as a marque by owner MAN AG in 2007.-History:...
Platform Lorry (457) and ERF Dropside Lorry (456), Corgi introduced a series of painted die-cast metal 'loads' called Corgi Cargoes. They were packaged in a clear plastic blisters attached to a card featuring the Corgi dog logo, images of Corgi lorries and the range's signature blue and yellow colour scheme. The first to be introduced in February 1960 were Plank Load (1485) and Cement Load (1488), and they were incorporated into Gift Set 11 including the ERF Dropside Lorry and Trailer in March 1960. Brick Load (1486) and Milk Churns Load (1487) followed in July 1960 and Skip and Churns (1490) in September 1960. The last in this range to be released was to be used with the Massey Ferguson
Massey Ferguson
Massey Ferguson Limited was a major agricultural equipment manufacturer which was based in Canada before its purchase by AGCO. The company was formed by a merger between Massey Harris and the Ferguson tractor company in 1953, creating the company Massey Harris Ferguson. However in 1958 the name was...
65 Tractor (50) and was a red painted cast metal platform carrying three metal milk churns which clipped to the rear of the tractor. The packaging featured an image of a tractor. Corgi Cargoes were available until 1964.
In December 1959 Corgi Toys produced packs of stickers which could be affixed to personalise Corgi models. Pack A (1460) included number plates, road fund licenses and GB plates, Pack B (1461) featured sports wheel discs and white-wall tyres, Pack C (1462) contained commercial vehicle items, Pack D (1463) included CD plates and L (learner) plates and Pack E (1464) introduced in December 1961 contained AA and RAC badges and towing plates. Today it is not uncommon to find early Corgi models with such additions still intact.
From 1956 to 1985 a catalogue was issued annually to promote the Corgi range. It was originally a small fold-out single sheet leaflet but by the late 1960s it had evolved into a 48 page colour catalogue. Corgi catalogues are notable for their illustrations and art work that are evocative of the period, and they are now collectable in their own right.
Packaging
Unlike Dinky Toys, which until the mid 1950s were supplied to the toy retailer in trade packs of six models and then sold loose to the customer, Corgi Toys were always supplied in individual boxes featuring an illustration of the model incorporated into the box design. The original design has become known to collectors as the 'blue box' because of its blue and black colour scheme, and lasted from the July 1956 range launch until the iconic blue and yellow colour scheme was introduced in January 1959.The biggest re-design in Corgi's packaging came in 1966 with the introduction of the 'window box', so called because the model was clearly visible through a plastic window incorporated into the box, initially only on a few Majors and Gift Sets while the main range still retained the cardboard box. The blue and yellow colour scheme was left unchanged. Because of its positive experience with the smaller Husky models sold in blisterpacks (the fully visible Husky models comparing favourably to Matchbox on the point of sale), Mettoy also tried the blisterpack for some of its larger Corgi cars between 1966 and 1968. This exercise was limited to a few models (Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost and 'World of Wooster' Bentley from the Corgi Classics range, Jaguar E-Type 2+2, Lincoln Continental and the 'New' James Bond Aston Martin DB5). However, during 1968 the blisterpack was abandoned and the window box introduced throughout the whole range. In 1970 boxes for the second-generation Whizzwheels cars fitted with plastic wheels changed to red and yellow. Some of the 'Red Spot' Whizzwheels which were rushed into production had been sold in blue and yellow boxes originally printed for cars to be released with the 'Golden Jacks' feature, but with large stickers promoting the new Whizzwheels feature strategically placed over the Take Off Wheels printing.
An update of the box design was introduced in May 1973 which featured an angled inner plinth so the model sat at an angle towards the front of the box, making the box taller than the previous (usually called the 'slimline box'). The colour scheme changed to dark blue with three stripes of varying colours; yellow, orange, red, purple or cyan surrounding the box window. While the 'slimline box' still used painted artwork on the rear these new boxes showed photos of other models in the range.
A more contemporary box design was introduced in January 1981, the colour scheme changed to black/yellow/red. This was a larger box altogether and allowed the model to be positioned at an angle as if on display, and was produced after a cheaper back-to-basics plain box design featuring a cardboard box with a photograph of the model was rejected by the company. As a cost-cutting measure the outer box no longer identified the model, the model number and description printed only on the yellow inner plinth. Therefore a few standardized box sizes could be produced instead of a different box for each article.
1983 saw the final version of this box, more solid with the window area smaller at the rear. This box design was also used by the new Corgi company in 1984. As mentioned elsewhere in this article, film and TV related models and gift sets featured more elaborate designs and unique artwork to distinguish their packaging.
Decline and demise
There were many reasons for the decline of Corgi Toys, and indeed the British toy car industry; not least the changes in tastes of youngsters, the spiralling cost of developing new features that would capture the imagination, and the emergence of computer games consoles. After the phenomenal success of the range during the late 1950s and 1960s, sales remained fairly static during the early 1970s, but by the end of the decade the models had become less innovative, and sales slumped continually into the 1980s. The increasing costs of UK based production and decreasing sales revenue meant that there was not the funds available to develop the ingenious toys of the past, and the models now sold in their thousands rather than in the millions that they achieved during their heyday. The end finally came in 1983, when Corgi Toys were forced to call in the Official Receiver after years of staving off the inevitable, just three years after the demise of their greatest rival Dinky Toys. An era of British toy manufacturing had passed into history.Legacy
The Corgi story does not end in the mid-1980s, however, as a management buy-out saw the company re-formed as Corgi Toys Limited in March 1984. This company continued to produce model vehicles, but in smaller numbers than before. The workforce grew but the costs of running the factory at the Fforestfach site had became higher. Competition was now wholly in the form of products which were being manufactured overseas leading to management moving some of the moulds to China and setting up a joint venture company with a Hong Kong company called Flying Dragon. At the same time it took on contract work producing non-toy items. In 1989 the management sold the Corgi brand to MattelMattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
and the factory was retained under the name of Microlink Industries Ltd.
The products of the Mettoy owned company continue to be prized by collectors worldwide. In recent years the internet has allowed a far wider collector-base than in the past when swapmeets and antique markets were the only places they could be found.
Corgi Classics Limited
A management buyout in 1995 saw the end of Mattel ownership and a new company was born, Corgi Classics Limited. On May 1, 2008 Corgi Classics was bought by the international models and collectables group HornbyHornby Railways
Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. Its roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, Hornby launched its first 00 gauge train...
.
Further reading
The Great Book of Corgi. Marcel Van Cleemput, who headed the Corgi design team from 1956 to 1983. This is the definitive work on the subject and features hundreds of colour photographs from the author's collection. ISBN 1872727190, ISBN 978-1872727196. This book is now out of print. An updated version "The Great Book of Corgi 1956 - 2006 The Complete Corgi Story" by Marcel Van Cleemput was published by New Cavendish books on 30 November 2010. ISBN 1904562108, ISBN 978-1904562108.Corgi Toys. Dr. Edward Force and Jeff Bray. A Schiffer Book for Collectors, Schiffer Publications, 2005
See also
- Corgi Classics, the current manufacturer of Corgi models
- Dinky Toys
- SolidoSolidoSolido is a french manufacturer of die-cast model cars and trucks based in Oulins, Anet, France, about 40 miles west of Paris. Cars are usually made of the alloy zamac in varying sizes, but mostly 1:43 scale.-History:...
- Matchbox
- Husky toys
- Hot WheelsHot WheelsHot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
- Diecast Collector MagazineDiecast Collector MagazineDiecast Collector is a British magazine dedicated to the hobby of collecting diecast metal vehicles. Published monthly, it is a thick, glossy magazine featuring a variety of articles on toy and model cars, trucks and buses....
External links
- http://homepage.ntlworld.com/d.jones7317/public_html/corgiindex.htm - Free online pictorial price guide for Corgi toys
- 1958 Corgi Toys Catalogue Retrieved on 12/7/2008
- 1969 Corgi Toys Catalogue Retrieved on 12/7/2008
- 1973 Corgi Toys Catalogue Retrieved on 12/7/2008
- 1980 Corgi Toys Catalogue Retrieved on 12/7/2008
- A complete list of all Corgi Toys on ToyPedia