WHAT'S BIG AND GREEN AND LOOKS LIKE A NUMBER 2?

Back around 1966/'67 (possibly '68), I was on a day

trip to Ayr with my family when I saw a boy running around

on the grass near the seafront with a toy THUNDERBIRD 2.  It

was the CENTURY 21 (J. ROSENTHAL) model and I wanted it.

Asking the lad where he'd acquired it, he pointed to a shop on the

street, and my mother bought me my very own.  Now, don't get

the impression I was spoilt (despite being run over by a steam-

roller) - the times I was told "No!" far outnumbered the

occasions my parents acquiesced to  my requests.

I remember taking it into school one day and the teacher

allowing me to display it on top of the floor cupboard next to

the blackboard - I felt immensely proud of my TB2 and thought

the world of it.  It's therefore a surprise to me that I can no longer

recollect its precise fate.  It probably got broken over time and

eventually discarded, but whether I threw it out or my mother

did on one of her routine 'clean-ups', I no longer recall.

I've not yet got around to replacing it, but I did buy the

MATCHBOX and VIVID IMAGINATIONS toys when

they came out, purely because they reminded me of the one I

had as a kid.  I even bought a jeep (not pictured) to fit in the pod,

as that was what my childhood toy had instead of a TB4.  Any-

way, because the 'modern' versions are such great items in their

own right, I'd thought I'd show them here for all you lovers

of super things to appreciate.  Ain't I kind?

Did any of you have the Century 21 toy as a kid?

Then sing its praises in our comments section.

Posted in: Cartoons