BRITAINS - FORD 5000 TRACTOR

The Ford 5000 Tractor is a true classic of the Farmyard and a workhorse for the generation. It had a powerful 6-litre diesel engine that had the torque to do many jobs other Tractors would struggle to cope with. And for a basic machine it also looks good in it's all blue paint with a white roof. Britains have done a brilliant job here and even for the non farm collector this is still a must buy. --NEO "Daren"

LLEDO - 1/43 MORRIS MARINA 1800

Wow! This is a fabulous model. It answers many of the criticisms readers have made of Vanguards products, and totally captures the look and spirit of the original car.

The excellent chromed grilled and door handles set the tone. That bulbous rear is captured exactly, as is the general rather dumpy look of the car.

The badging is excellent for a 1.8 Super, particularly the Marina script. Wheels are very good and correctly finished, and the wipers are larger, more subtle and a better fit than previous versions. Even better, there are no wing mirrors-the problem of big holes in the wing versus non mint models are thus easily solved!

The interior is great fun. It captures the horrible 70’s pea red vynide to a ‘T’. The ribbed seats are good, and the dash is a marvelous piece of casting with that sloping front. The correct Marina steering wheel even features an indicator stalk. There’s a hole for a gear stick, but not one present on our model-however it did go through the wars in our studio, so it’s possible it’s just come loose-have readers’ models got theirs?

The teal white finish is very well done, and the tampo sprayed chrome blends well with the separately attached chrome detailing.

Lledo’s Marina is on a par with readers’ favourite Car of the Year, the Austin Cambridge, and as accurate as models costing twice its price or more.--Model Collector

IXO 1/43 PEUGEOT 206 WRC - 2002 DRIVERS WORLD CHAMPION

2002 Drivers World Champion, M. Gronholm, and T. Rautiainen, with their Peugeot 206, car number 2. Capturing the scene at the Telsra Rally in Australia, it is a pity about the moulding join on the 'triumphal gateway', while the figures look slightly over scale.--Model Collector See more.

MINICHAMPS 1/18 MORRIS MINOR POLICE CAR

Alec Issigonis’ Morris Minor, with its modern design outlook, incorporation rack-and-pinion steering and independent torsion-bar suspension, became highly popular with police forces across the country. By 1962 with the 1098cc engine, a top speed of 70mph made it popular with traffic divisions of the London Met’, yet independent suspension made it ideal for rural policing. Minichamps have produced the 1959 Morris Minor in accurate police livery. By 1959, over a million Minors were on the road, driven by both civilians and police officers. The model features appropriate police equipment with opening doors, bonnet and boot. See more.

CORGI TOYS - BASIL BRUSH'S CAR

'Basil Brush's Car' (no.808) was based on yet another veteran car, this time the 1/40th scale 1910 Renault. It featured a larger than life figure of Basil at the wheel. Finished in red with a yellow chassis and solid (not spoked) red disc wheels, the model itself boasted no special features, but the inclusion of a seperate sound box with two characteristic laughter tapes was a novel touch to an otherwise staid release. Basil was at the height of his popularity, and the model was available for two years.-- Model Collector.

DINKY TOYS - SPACE 1999 'EAGLE FREIGHTER'

Gerry Anderson provides the motivation behind this year's release, the 'Eagle Freighter' (no.360) and the 'Eagle Transporter' (no.359). They were identical space craft from the 'Space 1999' series, each version carrying a different load module and both to the same 1/110th scale which meant that models could be interchanged. A variety of colour schemes was available, and unboxed models could easily be cannibalised from other variants, so beware of unusual colours.

The Freighter version was originally released in metallic blue with a white load module but was later released in metallic blue with a white load module but was later released in white with a red load module. The mainframe on both variants was in white plastic strengthened by an unpainted steel strip, and four yellow plastic waste cannisters were winch operated.

DINKY TOYS - SPACE 1999 'EAGLE TRANSPORTER'

This is Eagle Transporter. (no.359) It was identical space craft from the 'Space 1999' series, each version carrying a different load module and both to the same 1/110th scale which meant that models could be interchanged. The transporter version was only ever available in metallic green with a white plastic capsule module. The main frame was as the Freighter version, in white plastic. All variants of either type had four large red plastic main engine nozzels and most had red four-way auxiliary direction nozzels on each outer pod; rarer versions had these moulded in yellow. A very accurate pair of models, especially if finished in white, the colour that all the Eagles in the series were finished in. See here.