Thursday, November 8, 2012

MINICHAMPS 1/43 FORD FOCUS - RED


Minichamps has majored on Ford Focus. The three-door Focus is not everyone's cup of tea, but the new model certainly captures the purposeful, modern looks of the actual car. Perhaps the nicest touch is the headlamp and grille area, which is very well done. Separate curved front lights are complimented by an excellent grille, complete with neat 'Ford' badge. The wheels are also well modelled. Shop here

Sunday, November 4, 2012

ELVIS PRESLEY THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL'S FERRARI DINO 308 GT4




Ferrari's family of immensely successful V8 road cars began in 1973 with the Dino 308 GT4. This V8-engine road car and first mid-engine 2+2 seating configuration, was styled by Bertone rather than the customary Pininfarina, the styling was incredibly unique and controversial for its time, with its angular wedge shape, it looked quite differently from the 206/246 from which it was derived. The overall shape was very tight and well balanced, and has stood the test of time very well. Elvis, one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century, the 'King of Rock and Roll,' a cultural icon, in October 1976 decided to include in his huge collection of super cars a Dino 308 GT4 black. A great die-cast model for a worldwide known artist! Shop here

BRUMM 1/43 FIAT 600D MULTIPLA AUTOMOBIL CLUB MODENA 1956


The Fiat 600D Multipla has a heavy metal base, giving the model quite a weighty feel. The decoration is pretty good for the scale but the line between the duo colour could be a touch neater.

The Multipa (one of the original people carries) is finished in the Automobile Club of Modena colours and carries a roof mounted badge and rack. The orange and blue livery is quite stunning and should find a very welcome place in any model road service vehicle collections. Shop here

CORGI 1/76 AUSTIN MINI VAN


Corgi Trackside is a series of 1:76 scale die-cast model vehicles. The range features a great selection of vehicles including cars, emergency service vehicles, vans, trucks and construction machines. Corgi Trackside models are the ideal accompaniment to any steam and diesel era ‘00’ gauge model railway layout. Shop here

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

BBURAGO 1/24 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE


This is the Chevrolet Corvette Convertible of 1998, featured in yellow. Good quality paintwork, and a high level of detailing, make this a very appealing model. Shop here

Thursday, October 25, 2012

JOAL 1/50 KOMATSU PC1100LC-6


The one model, a Komatsu PC1100LC-6 tracked materials handler, is also in 1/50th scale. This particular model is offered in four version: fitted with a clamshell bucket, which is detachable, a magnetic plate, a grapple, or as a set with all three attachments included in the box. The overall finish is rather good. Shop here

JOAL 1/50 DUMP TRUCK


The Komatsu HD605-5 Dump Truck model from Joal in 1/50th scale is certainly good value for money. Normally, the fine detail on dump trucks is nothing to get excited about-they are basic machines for dirty jobs and have to be strong and robust. However Joal have worked hard to get such items as grab safety rails in proportion.In addition, the tyre patterns are authentic and there is a wealth of other clever detailing. This is a pleasingly accurate replica of the 715 hp machine, which has a healed payload capacity of 52.3 cubic yards. Shop here

CORGI 1/50 DAF 105 OPEN TOP CURTAINSIDE WITH MOFFETT MOUNTY-KEN MALLINSON




Ken Mallinson established the business in 1973 with one van. His sons, Stephen and Andrew joined the business in 1980, expanding to three wagons and eventually took over the running of the business full time in 1987. Mallinson’s now boast a fleet of forty vehicles and eighty trailers plus specialist vehicles including the Moffett Mounty as available with this particular model. All of their vehicles are fitted with a state of the art vehicle tracking device which enable HQ to locate each vehicle anywhere in the country gaining complete visibility of the entire transport operation. Ken Mallinson & Sons Ltd operate out of Barnsley, South Yorkshire delivering general haulage throughout the UK alongside ‘Mallinson International’ providing worldwide services. This model features brand new open curtainside depicting an authentic load. Shop here

CORGI 1/76 LEYLAND PD3 QUEEN MARY OPEN TOP BUS - PEOPLE'S PROVINCIAL


This is Leyland PD3 Queen Mary Open Top Bus - People's Provincial, registration WOW 993T, fleet number 202, route 99C Solent Sea-Line (HMS Alliance, Stokes Bay, Lee on Solent, Bridgemary, Elson, Gosport Ferry). The neat open top Queen Mary casting looks good in the Gosport based fleet's 80's livery. Shop here

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

CORGI 1/50 MAN TGA FELDBINDER - JOHN MICHELL GRANGEMOUTH ROAD TRANSPORT


John Mitchell started the business in 1956 with one vehicle operating from Grangemouth in central Scotland. The business expanded over the years and in 1973 moved to a purpose built 3 acre haulage depot with new offices workshop and storage facilities at Earls Road in Grangemouth. Continued growth saw the acquisition of an additional site in Grangemouth in 1990 this is the Thornbridge Depot - a 26-acre site with 150000 sq ft of covered warehousing and storage capacity for over one thousand freight containers. The haulage fleet also expanded over the years and now stands at around 100 vehicles. The haulage operation is still based at Earls Road and a further seven acres of adjacent land was purchased recently for container storage. The Company is still family owned and managed by Iain Mitchell - Managing Director and his sister Catherine Weir - Company Secretary. Shop here

CORGI OOC - PLAXTON EXCALIBUR OXFORD LONDON EXPRESS COACH


The Volvo B10M Plaxton Excalibur is a striking coach, and it looks very impressive in Oxford CityLink livery.

Corgi has gone to a lot of trouble to reproduce the complex livery. There's an enormous of detail in the tampo printing. As well as the 'E' emblem and obvious Oxford London Express livery, the Oxford Bus Company logo is well done. And you can even read the details of the Five Star luxury Coach: 'double glazed windows, full air conditioning'

With the exception of a bit of a white smudge on the passenger door, this is certainly one of the most intricate and best executed liveries we've seen. Shop here

Monday, October 8, 2012

HOT WHEELS - STREET ROADDER





This was a small, simple, but very typical, model of a stripped-down and hotted-up 1932 Ford. It was nicely made and well finished, with a white body and a flame tampo in red and orange on each side. It had a metal chassis, grey plastic interior, windscreen and grille, plus a huge engine in chromed plastic.

HOT WHEELS - FORMULA P.A.C.K.




The formula racing car was the bizarrely named Formula P.A.C.K. It was finished in black, with attractive orange and light green tampos, and an unpainted base, engine and interior. The model was deleted in 1978, but revived in 1982 under the name of ‘Malibu Grand Prix’ with the lovely Real Rider wheels. It was again re-release in 1984 in yellow and called ‘Lightning Gold’, but by then, this type of racing car was looking pretty dated.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

SIKU 1/55 MERCEDES BENZ ACTROS



In the big 1/55th scale series we can expect a nine-axle extending boom mobile crane, which should complement the two earlier lattic mast outfits released over the last couple of years. To complete the heavy haulage side there is a Mercedes Benz Actros tractor hauling a new five axle draw-bar low loader with O&K bucket loader for cargo. Shop here

Mercedes-Benz Actros 1846 with a Pril beer bottle

  Die-cast car model "Mercedes-Benz Actros 1846" with a Pril beer bottle on a trailer and a traffic sign, made in China by Hummer ...