Table of contents for January 2026 in Diecast Collector

MATRIX has announced a new addition to its 1:43 scale range, the 1929–1932 MG M-Type Midget, set for release in the first quarter of 2026. This finely detailed model will be available in three colours: red (MX31305-021), blue (MX31305-022) and green (MX31305-023), with each limited to just 100 pieces. The original MG M-Type was a landmark in British motoring history, an affordable sports car based on the Morris Minor chassis and powered by a 20–27bhp overhead-cam, four-cylinder engine. With its distinctive fabric-covered body and lively 65mph top speed, it became a defining success for MG in the early 1930s.…

Launched in 1976, the Ford XC Falcon Hardtop represented the final chapter of Australia’s great muscle coupe era. Evolving from the earlier XA and XB lines, the XC added a more refined yet still intimidating presence, making it an ideal fit for Highway Patrol duties at a time when Ford’s V8 power was needed to keep pace with rapidly expanding road networks — and speeding motorists. Equipped with a choice of straight-six or the more serious 5.8-litre Cleveland V8, the Hardtop’s combination of straight-line muscle, long-legged gearing and broad, purposeful stance gave it an undeniable authority on the road. Bathurst success further cemented its legacy, with the XC platform carrying Ford to multiple 1000 victories and reinforcing its status as a true performance icon. Its later transformation into the famous…

A nother great release from the Buckie Model Centre (BMC) is this VDL double-decker in 1:87 scale, featuring the eye-catching livery of Hodgsons Coaches from Barnard Castle, Darlington – one of only a few operators of this vehicle in the UK. This limited-edition model, produced by Holland OTO exclusively for BMC, is limited to 200 pieces. It’s an accurate and highly detailed version of the real coach, thanks to Hodgsons Coaches supplying the exact colour codes, fleet numbering, and reference drawings to ensure every detail is correct. Buckie Model Centre / Holland OTO Vehicle VDL Double Decker – Hodgsons Coaches (blue/white) Scale 1:87 Price TBCwww.buckiemodelcentre.com…

When Corgi announced that the Mk2 Fiesta was (finally) joining the Vanguards range during the second part of 2025, there was much excitement and discussion on social media about which versions would be modelled, how accurate would they be, and how soon would they be available. This excitement was reignited upon the first deliveries. My first two cars were a Mk1 and Mk2 Fiesta, so consequently I naturally developed an interest in models of them. My first published writing about model cars was all about my collection of these early Fiestas. While there have been plenty of Mk1 Fiesta models released in the last 10-15 years, there have only been a sprinkling of, arguably the more successful in sales terms, Mk2 Fiesta. While this article is not designed as a…

Prior to the launch of the mighty Escort RS Cosworth in 1992, Ford spent many years trying to develop the Sierra Sapphire Cosworth into a successful rally car. Although it never won the World Rally Championship, in its final season at top level rallying in 1992, it did have two second and two third place finishes. The livery on the works cars in 1992 was a smart white and blue one with prominent sponsorship from Ford, Mobil 1 and Autoglass. The three models here are all wearing registration number A9FMC, driven by Frenchman François Delecour on the 1992 season-opening Monte Carlo Rally. We’ll start, as always, with the smallest of the pair. This tiny marvel, which is to 1:64 scale, comes from the CMS ‘Rally Car Collection’. I know very…

LEGO is establishing itself as a valuable item in the collector’s space. In part, that’s because there are just so many unusual products from the company’s history, many of which are now out of circulation and difficult to locate. Adult-focused sets are selling especially well, and hobbyists are diving back into the archives to check out builds they might have missed. But what would make LEGO even more valuable? Star Wars, of course! Star Wars items, including toys and memorabilia, have become mainstay collectables. It’s perhaps not that surprising, therefore, that one of the most expensive and valuable LEGO sets ever produced is from the Star Wars range. The Millennium Falcon is a ship without equal in the galaxy far, far away and an item of equal worth in the LEGO…

I was always intrigued by the many lorries I saw delivering a variety of goods and driving around Sheffield. There were many Fords, Bedfords, and Austins, but every so often a Foden was seen making its way up one of the many steep hills in the city. These Fodens were usually four-wheel versions, and I cannot remember any eight-wheel models. However, these Foden’s were impressive due to their large scale. Once again, toy manufacturers produced a variety of Foden models, and, of course, so did Dinky Toys in the Supertoy range. The Dinky Supertoys Foden Flat Truck with Chains, number 505, was first seen in the 1951 Dinky Toys catalogue as a Dinky Toy, and was the first Foden cab version. The model was based on the Foden Flat Truck…

On a recent Saturday morning stroll around the local shops, I discovered a new Matchbox Models of Yesteryear. This was a bit of a shock, given that the Yesteryear range has not been seen since the 1990s. Naturally, I grabbed it. The Yesteryears of old were mostly veteran and vintage vehicles, and a good deal larger than regular Matchbox models, but this new Yesteryear depicts a 1954 Bentley, and it is the same size as a normal Matchbox model. Matchbox have hardly trumpeted the return of the Yesteryears, and this appears to be the only Yesteryear they released in 2025. We do not yet know what is planned for 2026. Lesney introduced Matchbox toys in 1953, and the Models of Yesteryear in 1956. These initially depicted vehicles from around the…

EDITOR’S COLUMN ‘Tis the season to collect! Christmas and the New Year are almost here, and this is our final issue on sale in 2025 before we head into an exciting 2026. Welcome, Collectors! As this issue lands just before the end of the year, I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas and plenty of health, happiness, and great finds in the new year. We hope the big guy in the red suit delivers some of the collectables you’ve had your eye on! And if not, why not treat yourself? After all, it’s the season of giving, so give your collection a new addition! Before we look ahead to 2026, I’d like to apologise to our readers, and particularly to Alan and Chris, for the mix-up on…

PROPSTORE, one of the world’s leading film and television memorabilia auction houses, is once again unwrapping cinematic treasures this holiday season. Their Winter Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction will take place from 5-7 December 2025, featuring more than 1,350 rare and extraordinary lots valued at a combined estimate of £8 million. Just in time for the holiday season, this winter auction will be led by Buddy’s (Will Ferrell) hero elf costume from Elf (2003). Screen-matched to the famous elevator scene in which Buddy pushes every button to see them light up, the costume originates from the film’s producer Jon Berg. Capturing the warmth and humour of Jon Favreau’s modern Christmas classic, this festive favourite is expected to achieve between £100,000 and £200,000. Adding to the festive spirit is a poignant selection from…

HOT Wheels is adding new names to its ever-growing Formula 1 line-up, with the Scuderia Ferrari HP and Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team joining the range later this year. The announcement comes as part of Hot Wheels' multiyear partnership with Formula 1, meaning that the 2025 series will feature all ten championship teams, each car finished in its official livery and available in both core and premium 1:64-scale lines. The new models were unveiled at an exclusive Hot Wheels event held ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, hosted by driver Sergio Pérez, who returns to the grid next season with Cadillac F1Team. Fans will soon be able to collect and display diecast replicas of every car from the 2025 season, including the Ferrari SF-25 and Aston Martin AMR25.…

Corgi has released a fun Paddington New Routemaster, featuring a bright red livery with Paddington licking his lips at the sight of a huge stack of marmalade sandwiches! The bus runs on route 32 to Windsor Gardens, a nice touch for fans of the famous bear who first appeared in A Bear Called Paddington back in October 1958. It may not have wing mirrors or a registration plate, but it’s a cheerful model that’ll stand out in any collection, especially for Paddington fans. Corgi Vehicle New Routemaster – Paddington (red) Scale 1:76 Price £24.99 www.corgi.co.uk…

Reliant Motors is a brand of car which I am not aware of there being too many models having been produced. Oxford Diecast has given us the Scimitar GTE, the Regal Van and the Tri-Car in 1/76th scale, while 1/8th scale Scimitar has appeared from Cult, and there is of course Pathfinder Models’ Scimitar in whitemetal, plus another from Illustra. So to say that the UK’s once second largest car producer is underrepresented is a bit of an understatement. That situation has changed a little lately, however, with two more Reliants becoming available during 2025. Prolific resin model car producer Matrix Models has added the diminutive Reliant Robin Mk.I, which I am not aware of being modelled before, and another Scimitar, the GTE SE5a. But before we move on to…

What got you into scale model collecting? One of the earliest memories I have is from when I was a child in the late 70’s / early 80’s and my Mum and Nana would come home from the shops with a Matchbox car. I can remember the excitement of ripping open the box to reveal what was inside, looking and admiring the car and then pretending that I was driving it. The one car that sticks in my mind is MB74 Matchbox Cougar Villager in green. I don’t know why exactly but it became a firm favourite of mine. Sadly, none of my childhood cars survived but I made sure I bought a green Cougar Villager when I started to collect diecast again. Fast forward to a birthday in 2010…

No. 66 GREYHOUND COACH Production: 1970-72 Catalogue: 1971-72 Box Styles: F, G Yet another classic regular wheels that made the transition to Superfast but it took a fair while for this to take place and when it did, the model didn't last in the range for very long, sadly. Nothing changed visually apart from the wheels until the model is turned over. In terms of variations it was all about the base - dark yellow, pale yellow, pink or black (the latter with a red front axle clip). All models had the same body in the same colour with the same labels, plus a white interior and an amber window unit, although the opacity of this varies. MAZDA RX 500 Production: 1972-75 Catalogue: 1973-75 Box Styles: I The real Mazda…

Bunk; a narrow bed. Dunk; what you do with a biscuit. Funk; heavily syncopated pop, which is actually quite annoying. Gunk; a smelly product for degreasing engines. Junk; the contents of your shed. What does that leave? Ah yes; Punk. Whether being used by Shakespeare, Clint Eastwood or the Sex Pistols, I must confess it’s a word I’ve never really liked. So it was with slight misgiving that I first encountered the eccentric fashion and accoutrements of what they call ‘Steampunk’. But, like the beards and moustaches which can form part of the steampunk aesthetic, it’s grown on me. WHAT IS IT? Steampunk is a genre which looks at a Victorian or old-time world where elegance and steam methods of transportation are combined. It originated in literature, but is now…

We’ve all heard the old joke that a camel is a horse designed by a committee — the point being that when several parties have input into a design, the end result is an awkward compromise rather than something harmonious. So, what would happen if two different companies with different areas of expertise got together to design a toy vehicle? This ‘hybrid’ model of a Berliet Shell petrol tanker, made in France in the 1950s, is proof that collaborative efforts can pay off. Toy companies, like all other industrial producers, tend to specialise in a particular type of manufacturing process. Older firms, like Meccano orWells-Brimtoy, were equipped to make tinplate toys such as clockwork trains, while newer ones, such as Airfix, developed skills in plastic moulding. During the 1950s, tin…

There are no few manufacturers trading under the letter T, so we’ll plough on. From Tomica to Togi, and even a few you might not have heard of, this letter turns out to be a treasure chest for diecast devotees. T FOR TWO: TAKARA-TOMY AND TOMICA. The Takara-Tomy story is a complicated one, and would occupy several pages of this magazine to relate in full. Essentially, the brand, as a toy company, had its origins in the 1920s; previously known as Tomiyama and Tomy Kogyo, the name changed some years ago, with Tomy and Tomica being the more recognisable monikers these days. Interesting to note, it took the company about half a century to get into the world of the diecast – but when it did, the floodgates opened. Spurred…

TOYFAIR TIMES FAIRS 4 DECEMBER • Theydon Bois Joe Lock 07866 641215 6 DECEMBER • Maidstone Mike Spencer 01622 298159/01732 840787 7 DECEMBER • Lincoln J & J Fairs 01522 880383 • Kempton Park R M Toys 02392 262446/07957 823507 14 DECEMBER • Gateshead Jim Corr 07504 035955 • Brecon Jackson & Jackson Events 07967 681080 • Bromley KRJ Vintage Toy Fairs 07977 646386/07889 901729 21 DECEMBER • Port Sunlight Jackson & Jackson Events 07967 681080 • Ashington David Parsons 07742 609865 23 DECEMBER • Midhurst KRJ Vintage Toy Fairs 07977 646386/07889 901729 27 DECEMBER • Llandudno Llandudno Toy & Train Fair 01492 517004 • Rayleigh KRJ Vintage Toy Fairs 07977 646386/07889 901729 28 DECEMBER • Worthing David Parsons 07742 609865 1 JANUARY • Lincoln J & J Fairs 01522…

A remarkable discovery has been made in a loft, an extremely rare“Real Cricket in Miniature” set by Tulltoy (Phillip Segal Toys), dating from around 1947, has surfaced and is set to be auctioned at Vectis Auctions on 28th October with an estimate of £3,000–£5,000. The vendor discovered the boxed set when they moved into their home and initially brought it to Vectis for valuation four years ago. After some deliberation, they have now decided the time is right to sell, and collectors are already taking notice. A true testament to postwar British craftsmanship and a dream find for collectors, this “Real Cricket in Miniature” set is expected to bowl over bidders when it goes under the hammer. This auction will have happened when this magazine goes on sale! So, head…

RAILS of Sheffield Vintage Toy Shop has announced the arrival of an extraordinary Lego collection that has sent a surge of excitement through the toy collecting community. Acquired from a private Yorkshire collector, the full range includes over 100 Lego Star Wars sets, ALL in factory-sealed, as-new condition. Among them, the legendary and exceptionally rare ‘Cloud City’ (set no. 10123). A COLLECTOR’S DREAM The Yorkshire collection, now housed in Sheffield, spans the years 1999 to 2007, including the first 10 sets ever released under the LEGO Star Wars line. The entire collection went on display during a special “White Gloves” preview and sale event at Rails Vintage Toys and Trains, Chesterfield Road, Sheffield, on Saturday 8 November — and it proved to be a major success. A queue had already…

ONE of the auction house’s recent sales threw up some eyewatering prices for the humble Lesney 1-75 range. Take the (almost) legendary Dodge BP regular wheels Wreck Truck with reversed green and yellow colours: this example wasn’t quite perfect but would have graced any collection nonetheless. Despite some discoloration to the decals and odd paint nibbles, it sold for £3,920 – and there wasn’t even a box with it. In contrast, £2,817 was the winning bid on the Superfast 41a Ford GT40 Italian multi pack issue, with a rare yellow body with high arches, no bonnet label, clear windows, red interior and a gloss black base. It came in an excellent “New” type G box. Finally, an unboxed Superfast 69c Security Truck factory pre-production colour trial with a bright yellow…

Model Buses Creations has confirmed the first release in its new Superloop series — the Superloop SL6 Enviro400 MMC, finished in Go-Ahead London’s Superloop livery. A pre-production sample was displayed at the Stagecoach London Catford Garage open day, where it drew plenty of attention from collectors. The model is fully licensed by Transport for London and depicts fleet number EH213 (YY67 UTN) operating on route SL6 to Russell Square. MBC says the finished version will be produced to its usual high standards, complete with collector certificate, and limited to just 504 pieces. Pre-orders are due to open soon, with delivery expected autumn 2025. As the first Superloop release, this one’s set to be a sell-out. Model Buses Creations Vehicle Enviro400 MMC – Superloop TfL (red/white) Scale: 1:76 Price: TBC www.modelbusescreations.com…

Troféu and Ixo released a few Ford Escort MKIIs sponsored by“Diabolique” in the last few years. Altaya brought the name back recently in their rally service vans series. In that collection - that we’ve published a story about, not long ago - you can find two versions of Ford Transit from the same era, painted in the “Diabolique” colours, white, gold and red. As this Altaya collection is an invitation to find the matching rally cars, you may have already done some “research” about this potential collection theme. That’s if you are a rally fan, of course. In fact, as a title sponsor, “Diabolique” (diabolical, in French) became the name of a perfume, made in northern Portugal, near the city of Porto. The interesting part of the story is that…

On one of my recent visits to Richard Sanders & Co, a Peugeot dealer in Kettering, Northants, my son, who works there, drew my attention to the replica lion mascots dating from 1923 to the present day. As early as 1912, the pioneer Peugeot family had been successful in voiturette (small car) races with their Lion-Peugeots, named after their trademark ‘The Lion of Belfort’. Their 1912 Grand Prix car won the two-day French GP in that year. In the early seventies, I also worked for a Peugeot dealership, Hanson & Co of Rushden, Northants. At that time, Peugeot were just beginning to come into England from France. I had no idea then that my son, now aged 45, would in 2025 be working for the same brand 50 years on.…

Located at Moyses Hall, Bury St Edmunds, this exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see some amazing examples, like the Princess Diana ‘Revenge’ dress from The Crown, Batman’s Cowl, and the Witch King of Angmar’s helmet from Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Rings. All the exhibits come from Kudos Memorabilia, a Cambridge-based company that specialises in sourcing rare and authentic film collectables, props, vintage costumes, posters and photography. The result is an exhibition that evokes memories of key productions from both TV and cinema. Many of the items are production-made props, such as the iconic DH-17 blasters used by rebel soldiers at the Battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. Looking at LOTR memorabilia amid the medieval stone walls of Moyses Hall, with its subdued lighting, is intensely atmospheric…

Hi, my name is Ed and I’m a collectorholic. There, I’ve said it, which must mean I’ve taken the first step to facing up to my problem and recognising it for what it is. Of course, the real problem is my propensity to buy and sell stuff. Whether it’s upgrading, simply making space for other things or just for the pleasure of owning them briefly, it’s a problem. I’m ashamed to say that the turnaround has gotten faster and faster over the years. Indeed, I’ve been known to buy models just to quickly flip them to make a profit. This is shameful I know but in my defence the profits were ploughed straight back into more toys. It all started when I helped a professional toy dealer many moons ago.…

I had such a great time writing last month’s article – and taking the photos for it – that I couldn’t resist keeping the momentum going and decided to carry on photographing my small but much-loved collection of cars and trains. However, I quickly ran into a snag. My trusty homemade lightbox, while handy, just wasn’t giving me the consistent lighting I needed. As the autumn days grew darker, I found myself battling dim light and uneven shadows. Taking decent photos was becoming more of a challenge than I’d hoped. So, I did what any self-respecting enthusiast would do: I went trawling through the internet for a solution. Before long, I realised that the best way forward was to invest in a proper lightbox – ideally one with built-in lighting.…

There are many Superfasts that have become incredibly sought after, either because they weren’t around for long or, even if they were, were so popular and played with that not many have survived. For those of us without the resources necessary to purchase any like these, the quick and easy (and fun) way to add them to your collection is to use a little imagination and spend a couple of hours ‘making’ your own. Actually restoring a Matchbox Superfast isn’t as difficult as you might think because although it has rivets on the base rather than screws, these are quite easy to remove. I use a 4.5mm drill bit for this and, actually, if you do it just right you can remove just enough of the rivet for there to…