Diecast-metal Dinky Toys arrived on the scene in 1934. In 1953 Lesney launched the Matchbox series - tiny models that could fit inside a matchbox for less than two shillings. Within most pocket money budgets, they blew the market wide open. Then Mettoy brought its Corgi range in 1956, with working suspension, seats and steering wheels, and opening doors and bonnets. The brand hit the jackpot with its James Bond movie tie-in: its 1:43 scale Aston Martin DB5 had working versions of the on-screen gadgets, including its ejector seat. Dinky hit back with models based on Gerry Anderson TV shows, but then this magical world was hit for six. From the US (but made cheaply in Hong Kong), Mattel's Hot Wheels cars arrived in 1968, low on accuracy but high on thrills with hollow plastic, low friction wheels that enabled them to race along plastic track. The British establishment was left reeling.

Throughout the 1970s, the nation's three toy car heroes battled on, trying to alter their offerings so that they offered as much 'play value' as possible. But in 1979, Dinky Toys' loss-making factory was closed. Within a few short years both Lesney and Mettoy were bankrupt. AUTHOR: Giles Chapman is an award-winning motoring writer. He has been editor of Classic & Sports Car, the world's best- selling classic car magazine, and since 1994, he's worked freelance across a huge variety of media. His books include 'My Dad Had One Of Those', 'Worst Cars, Cars We Loved in the 1960s, 70s and 80s', and '100 Cars Britain Can Be Proud Of'. SELLING POINTS: * July 2016 coincides with 60th anniversary of the launch of the Corgi brand * Over 100 images showcasing the model cars and associated ephemera * Entertainingly written by a motoring expert * Adult collecting took off in the 1970s ; there is fanatical interest in diecast collecting * The magical names of Dinky, Matchbox and Corgi are redolent of the childhoods of several generations of enthusiasts the world over 10 b/w, 140 col illustrations.