A little about diecast insustry and manufacturers: (Part 3)
Effectively from the ashes of Matchbox's bankruptcy arose Lledo, a company created by former Matchbox partner Jack Odell. Odell believed that British diecast car collectibles for British collectors could still be profitably produced in England. Lledo took over part of the Matchbox factory in Enfield, and introduced their "Models of Days Gone" line of collectible diecast vehicles in 1983. The first series of Days Gone diecast car models included re-makes of some of the most popular and respected first and second-generation Matchbox Models of Yesteryear. Lledo die-cast car models were very popular diecast collectibles in the '80s, leading to a period of diversification (incl. the Vanguards line of classic post-war British collectible diecast vehicles), but by the '90s they were eclipsed by other brands, and by 2002 Lledo went broke. Parts of their line were purchased by Corgi Diecast Model Cars, which moved production to China.
Oxford Diecast Model Cars developed a range of promotional stylized collectible diecast vehicles and maintained its manufacturing base in Swansea until 2000 when it relocated its production to a plant it owned in China. As such is was the last large scale producer of diecast car models to manufacture in the UK, although it choose to own and build its own Chinese factory rather than outsource production entirely.
In addition to collectible diecast trucks, Corgi produced hundreds of versions of their 1/64 scale diecast Routemaster bus in the '80s and '90s. Like other collecting and promotional die-cast model car trends, it started as a trickle and soon became a flood. Many versions were made to be sold exclusively in the stores whose advertising appeared on the buses. Harrods, Selfridges, Gamley's, Hamley's, Army & Navy, Underwood's, and Beatties were among the British stores employing this idea. A South African chain called Dion was one of the few overseas firms to follow suit.
Then 1/76 scale diecast buses became very popular in Britain in the late '80s and early '90s, with competing lines from Corgi Diecast Model Cars (the Original Omnibus Company) and Gilbow Holdings (Exclusive First Editions, or EFE) fighting for the market. The 1/76 scale fits in with British 'OO' scale diecast model trains.
By the 1990s NASCAR Diecast Model Cars enjoyed increasing popularity in the USA, and a large number of racing-related NASCAR collectible diecast model cars and trucks, painted in the colors of the different racing teams, appeared from various manufacturers. Racing Champions Die-cast Models was a leading brand of such models, but there were many others.
In addition to diecast model cars, trucks, buses, agricultural implements, and construction equipment, diecast aircraft and military models were popular. While Dinky Collectible Diecast Model Cars had made such models decades earlier, new companies entered the field in the '80s and '90s. One producer was Dyna-Flytes, which went bankrupt in the 1990s, but their market share was quickly taken up by their competitors, including Schabak, GeminiJets, Herpa, and Dragon Wings.
In 2005 Oxford Diecast Model Cars entered the scale accurate market with range of die-cast vehicles in popular British railway scales of 1:76 and 1:148. This and a radically enhanced product in its 1:43 scale range meant the company rapidly grew diecast model cars sales and UK market share, becoming the dominant player within 5 years. Licensing agreements with BBC TV for the Top Gear programme and UK Haulier Eddie Stobart followed as they expanded into licensed product.
Today, diecast model cars are available to the consumer in a wide range of options. The market is rather diverse and includes such categories as diecast sports cars, NASCAR, diecast trucks models, construction vehicles, and die-cast service vehicles.
As for the die-cast model cars scales, the numbers used for these purposes can be confusing because of the comparison of the real item to a small replica of the item. Basically, the smaller the number the larger the diecast car model is to the actually real car or truck size. Therefore the larger the number the smaller the diecast model car. A 1:64 scale car model is a matchbox size car when compared to the real car.
