We get the MB1091 eStar Electric Van in white. This is done as a thank you to all those key workers who stayed in stores to allow us to go out and buy what we needed, or those who spent all day driving around delivering our essentials to keep us going. Oh look, not a red one. In 2001 it finally saw a worldwide basic range release as MB30 in this white design. This model debuted in 2016 as MB61 in mint with the National Parks theme on it. I did find a shade to the mint. Quite often some tend to be noticeably paler than others.

But it was not just a US exclusive. In 2000 Mattel were going nuts with the basic range, creating 5 different series. The US would see a set of 100 models, where the ROW range would see 75. But the ROW market had some exclusive not in the US range, the US had 25 additional exclusives not in the ROW range, but the ROW range also split further. With the UK, German and Australian markets being their strongest markets at the time, each one of these saw a set of 10 from the 75 being exclusive to their market. The UK saw the Ambulance as MB38. This was in a Metropolitan Police theme. The MB186 Dodge Dakota was brand new to the US market in 1987 as MB17. It featured a slightly raised suspension, as well as chrome roll bars with spotlights in the rear bed too. And yes I do know that one of spotlights on mine got slightly squashed. It happens with these and I have recently changed the way I store this model before they all ended up either bent or broken. The model was then added to the ROW range as MB50 in 1988 too. The thing is, it was only sold like this in the basic range. The ROW range dropped it after 1990, but it continued in the US range until 1993. Always in this red design, with a small caveat if you read on. Next up I move into the Universal era with a Dodge Dakota inspired by the Ram 1500 Police. Obviously Ram is the spun-off arm of the Dodge brand so the Dakota is related, and it has always been such a cool little casting. Of course if you are anything like me and hunting for shades everywhere, you might have found the yellow stripe does change between a lighter and darker shade too.In 1998 Mattel was still in the midst of sorting out all that they had now accumulated from the Tyco takoever and as such they did a few things. They changed the way the basic range was numbered, adopting a pattern as used by the brand they already owned, which meant the Ambulance moved to the MB25 slot for 1998 whereas until 1997 models would run for years as the same number. Although they took over the brand in late 1996, 1997 was already set up and ready to go (they do work in advance), and with a changeover in progress work on the 1998 range was a little slow. New castings were the priority, but a lot of designs were simply carried forward in alternate colours, and the Ambulance was one of them. Same tampo design, but now it was yellow and red. It was something that Tyco often did anyway, create alternate colours for models using the same design, so why not just carry it on. It makes this issue stand out from the others. I did wonder about having 806 on the side. Often they tend to put the MAN numbers on there, but that was 817. But then I notice the real one has 806 on the side, so it makes sense. There was quite a lot to take in with this one. I am really impressed with it. Of course this was also used to say thanks to the firefighters as well, as they just couldn’t stop. Fires weren’t going to go away. A very lovely and thoughtful design.

Box is gone. Recue/Rescue, it makes no difference to me. I am all about these 5 really cool little models. They are all based on vehicles that are in the Boone County vehicle pool. The MB1178 International TerraStar Ambulance with the 3 tampo hits looks extremely good honouring those who looked after us during the worst times. Ambulance drivers in particular had a very rough time of things but just kept on going. Plus the other 3 that form a lovely trio. And once you put them all together, I really see why Matchbox went with a yellow rear end for the Ford Super Duty. It blends in so well with the other models. I think grey might have not worked as well. What do they always say about artistic license?

A nice blue and really funny design. To me it looks like they are throwing a box at your home. Ha ha! The UK did later get its own version though as MB39 in the UK market was this London Fire Brigade issue. Next up after seeing the first use of a casting, we now saw the last use of a casting. The MB877 International Pumper had been going since 1999 and saw a change in 2012 to incorporate the lighter bar into the window section. This particular MAN number only saw 3 uses, and Boone County happened to be the last one. It was in the 2015 Supreme Heroes series. This was the first year that proper premium products returned to the Matchbox brand after Lesney Edition was dropped in 2011. Boone County was in the last year of premium (the Ambulance) and the first year of the rebirth. Boone County is quite the significant license isn’t it. What is a “recue”? Is that when you go to cue something up, make a mistake and recue it? Ha ha! Still, I am not exactly fussed, because I took that photo, and well, 30 seconds later I took this one…. I think there will be very few people who will look at that and tell you exactly what it is. Picture courtesy of Keith Hoskins

After the first year, they had exhausted what was left of the original label and came up with a new Police label which saw the model through to the end of production in 1974.The MB55-B Mercury Commuter Police Car. Inspired by the Ford Interceptor Utility as I do SUVs as being somewhat closely linked to wagons (albeit taller) and this one was also in white just the like the new SUV is. Or with the base. This came with an all-new base stating it was the police car, but could have quite easily used the base for the MB59 Fire Chief/MB73 Commuter as they were using the same base as each other. It was also added to the 2008 Best of British series too also in red as red was its most logical colour, they were going with variations on a red theme.

But you know what I am like. I did some older models inspired by vehicles from this set too. So first up…. And well I should continue the history shouldn’t I. Because as they were discussing the Expedition, they also set up a second Boone County model at the same time. The MB771 Ford E-350 Ambulance was set up in the Boone County Fire District livery for the 2011 Lesney Edition series. But that is about it now. For sure. I hope you managed to stay until the end. My reports are getting longer and longer aren’t they. It is a very good casting with lots of play features, and for this release was given a Mobile Hospital themed outing. Very VERY important during the last year, that care was given to those who needed it.Yes I was out in the garden with these utilizing a few of the Action Driver playsets as I felt they were a good fit. It was also chosen by Everett Marshall to be the fundraiser for the 2019 annual Golf Tournament too. As per usual, models get made half in red and half in pink (the latter half for Breast Cancer). I just wanted to share some pictures of the Thank You Heroes set that was released at the start of the year. I have shown 2 of them in this report, which should have been after showing these pictures, but as I was delayed in showing these I will just show them again. It debuted in 2019 as MB41 in red with, oh look, an El Segundo design on it. I see lots of recurring themes here. But due to a slight mix up, they forgot to change the details on the base at first, so early production runs still had MB846 on the base. They realized during production, altered it and later runs saw MB933 on the base instead.