RALLY MONTE CARLO PLATE

Besides many collected item concerning to a big rally in Europe, "Monte Carlo Rally" such as model car poster etc., the most popular item is "Plate". It is an aluminium sign, size 12"x6". Its appearance is a rectangle with a half circle at the above. The bottom part screened Rally Monte Carlo. The upper part printed the year of the rally or both side. The middle of the arch is the number of the rally car. It had been used for more than 50 years.

This plate for a Monte Carlo Rally has many styles, many colours. It might be seperated are as the followings:

A plate for a rally racing car used white colour, the surface is red with the number of the car.

A plate for the committe or regulator is white colour, red surface. The alphabeth is "CONTROLE"

A plate for the reporter, the surface is black, the white alphabeth is "PRESSE".

A plate for a photographer is "PHOTOGRAPHE"

Besides this, it had a plate for broadcasting radio car. The assistant rally car, repairing assistant car. Every style to be designed including multi-coloured in the year but the plate is a classic up to the present time.

THAI NATIONAL FLAG ON DIECAST CAR

Model of Yesteryear Y-14 1935 E.R.A.

The only diecast in the world that screened Thai National Flag on the body of the car is ERA a racing car driven by Prince Birabongse Bhanutej.

Birabongse Bhanutej best known as Prince Bira of Siam (now Thailand) was a Formula One and Grand Prix motor racing driver who raced for the Maserati, Gordini and Connaught teams, among others.

Prince Birabongse came to Europe in 1927 to complete his education in England at Eton and Cambridge University. Bira first raced with his cousin Prince Chula Chakrabongse's team, White Mouse Racing, driving a Riley Imp at Brooklands in 1935. It was in this car that Bira established the national motor racing colours of Siam: pale blue with yellow. He also established residence near Geneva (Switzerland) and later in the southern part of France. This explains his activity in smaller, more local type events.

Later in the same year, Prince Chula gave him one of the new ERA voiturette racing cars - R2B, which was nicknamed Romulus. Bira finished second in his first ever race in Romulus, despite needing to stop for repairs. The remaining races of the season saw Bira consistently placing amongst the more powerful Grands Prix vehicles, with another second place, and fifth at the Donington Grand Prix.

For 1936 the princes decided that the previous season's results merited a second ERA. They purchased Remus to use in British events and retained Romulus for international races. Chula also purchased a Maserati 8CM to complete the White Mouse roster. Bira's expertise behind the wheel earned him the Coupe de Prince Rainier at Monte Carlo. Bira won a further four races in the ERAs that season, and took the Grand Prix Maserati to 5th at Donington and 3rd at Brooklands.

Unfortunately, this proved to be the career high-point for both Bira and the White Mouse team. Following Dick Seaman's move to Mercedes for 1937, the Thais purchased his Grand Prix Delage and all of its spare parts, along with a second Delage. Despite several upgrades, and hiring experienced race engineer and future Jaguar team manager Lofty England, the cars underperformed, and on many occasions Bira was forced to race in the older and by now substantially inferior ERAs. In addition, the money spent on the Delage upgrades had sapped the resources of the team and corners were being cut in the ERA's race preparations. While Bira maintained a respectable results tally in British events, the more costly international races were largely a disaster.

After the war, Bira returned to racing with several teams. In 1951 he raced in an old 4CLT fitted with a newer V12 Osca engine. No result were obtained this year as a result of the poor performance of the car combined with a severe accident. By 1954, with some newer gear, a Maserati 250F, he won the Grand Prix des Frontières on the Chimay road circuit and then finished fourth in the 1954 French Grand Prix with his own Maserati. He retired at the end of the following season.

Prince Bira died unexpectedly at a London tube station in 1985 at the age of 71.

SIMON SNORKEL FIRE ENGINE

Corgi No.36 Simon Snorkel Fire Engine

This fire-fighting device is designed to bring the fireman and his hose close to the seat of the outbreak in high buildings. Unlike the normal escape ladder, the Snorkel is articulated so that it can be manoeuvred hydraulically from ground level. It can rotate through 360 degrees, as well as extend vertically or sideways. The fireman does his work from a caged plateform at the top of the movement controls are duplicated. The appliance is mounted on along-chassis Bedford. Stability when the Snorkel is elevated is ensured by hydraulic jacks lowered from the fire-engine chassis.

BATMAN'S BATMOBILE

Corgi No.1002 Batman's Batmobile

Batman-super-hero of comic strip, cinema and television-has become part of 20th century legend, together with young assistant Robin and their atompowered personal transport, the incredible Batmobile. As vital a participant in their adventures as the Dynamic Duo themselves. Batmobile was dreamed up by George Barris, American "Kustom King"; it was based on a 1951 Lincoln Design, but its many modifications have made the original car unrecognisable. Apart from the bizarre body styling. Batmobile's armoury of weapons and security devices make it one of the most fantastic and unique cars built. See here.

From : Corgi Juniors Collectors Album

EUCLID DUMPER

Corgi No.42 Euclid Dumper

For the heaviest work on the most uneven sites, the Dump Truck is the answer to the civil engineer's problem. Built somewhat on the lines of a military vehicle that is intended to used off the road, the dumper has very deep chassis members, a Diesel engine developing at lease 120 h.p. and a 5 - or 6 speed gearbox to give flexibility under load. The all-steel tipper body is specially shaped to load and unload rapidly, rectangular bodies tend to retain a small but significant part of a difficult loads, such as wet sand. The dump truck driver is protected from debris during loading by a robust plate extending from the body over the cab.

From : Cogi Junior Collectors Album

1829 STEPHENSON ROCKET

Matchbox Model of Yesteryear No.12 1829 Stephenson Rocket, Produced in Macau. The head engine compartment is 6.5 cm. long, 3.1 cm. wide and 7.1 cm. high. The length of a trailer is 4.1 cm. the width of the body is 3 cm. the height is 4.2 cm. a scale is 1:64 (“S” GAUGE)

The Rocket was built by Robert Stephenson to complete in the Rainhill trails on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1829. It was called “The Rocket” because it could run very fast at that time and met with a lot of success. It had been assembled until 1836. Nowadays, it was kept at the “Science Museum South Kensington” England.

Matchbox’s “The Rocket” is yellow like a real one as you can see in the picture. It was separated into two parts. The head compartment engine has four wheels with different size. The trailer loaded a water tank has 4 wheels in same size, it was made of metal, black metal base. The chimney stayed by metal wire. When the wheels circle, the pistol will operate. A Limited Edition (but it did not mention the number of producing) storing in a hard box with a cover with beautiful gold lining. A sheet of history of Rocket are included. See more.

CARE FOR YOUR TOY VEHICLE COLLECTION

Properly store and maintain your toy vehicles so that you can share your passion with future generations.
· Ditch dust: Protect your collection from dust and show it off with a display case.
· Prevent fading: Keep your toy vehicles out of direct sunlight that can fade colors and warp plastic toys.
· Retain value: If you plan to resell your toy vehicles, keep them in their original packaging.
Use a soft brush, soft cloth, or Q-tips to clean dirty vehicles. Add a few drops of a lukewarm water and mild detergent solution to your brush, cloth, or Q-tips if you need more cleaning power. Although you'll want every part of your toy vehicles to look shiny and new, resist the urge to clean decals. You won't be very happy if you rub away their detail. Ther are many diecast case. See at amazon.com