It's Christmas eve and back in the sixties and seventies lots of us were looking forward to seeing Santa (and our parents) had put for us under the Christmas tree! This is a selection of stuff that I enjoyed back in the day and like most adults haven't grown up entirely so still enjoy model railways at least. Which brings me to the first feature.
Tri-ang Hornby trains.
Like many of my friends a small ovular layout (usually 6' x 4') was the centre of attention in our rooms where we could run trains of both past and present. Tri-ang were the main manufacturer, having absorbed Hornby-Dublo, so the bulk of our models were from this company.
Here some adverts to remind you of what we wanted. This includes one for Minitrix cars, electric roadways designed to go with their trains.
Of course Hornby are still going strong these days and have become much more sophisticated and realistic. As for having lorries and buses moving on your layout, companies like Faller have designed vehicles that move without slots! Amazing.
Then of course there were Airfix Kits. Plastic models of Aircraft, tanks, ships and more that we used to make and re-enact the Second World War with. They even made 1:72 soldiers to with them. Great fun for kids who had to use their imagination rather than a computer.
Both sides of all conflicts were available so "dogfights could take place in your bedroom...when anyone wasn't looking of course!
Then the re was motor car racing. One of my mates was really fanatical about this and nearly always manged to beat me in a race. Never had a set myself, but they were and are still popular today.
Here's some classic action.
And last but not least every boy liked model cars, trucks and buses.
There was quite a wide choice. The large scale (1:43) Corgi and Dinky toys or the smaller varied scale (to fit in the box!) Matchbox cars. The latter were cheaper and fitted on your model railway,well mostly, they weren't exactly to the right scale.
Unlike electric cars they had to be pushed around and some inevitably got broken when you or an adult accidentally trod on them when they were left on the floor! Hurt to sometimes! Lego's worse though...
Did I say static? I never got the Matchbox Motorway System but they did make a roadway that sent your vehicles round and round..... Here's a short video of how it worked!
I hope that brought back a few treasured moments from your childhood!
The third and final part of the Holiday Interlude: Classic Comedy Cuts from the 60's & 70's will be published on Boxing day.
If you want more memories in the meantime go to Howie's World of Comics for a gallery of Christmas comic covers: Christmas Cover Cavalcade.
Have a good Christmas.
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