The badge is the sort of printed plastic badge that were everywhere when I was a kid. I know I had loads of them with different logos printed on the front. This is new to me, and of course, as a bit of my youth, and GGR, it was three quid well spent.
The lorry is a Lledo model sold through the Promotors brand. According to the certificate in the box it's number 238 of 523. Fortunately, I managed to beat off a slew of American millionaire collectors for this rare item, bagging it for a fiver.
My initial thought was that it was so ugly as to be fun, but with the model in my hand, I really like it. The printing is really good and the design features both Sea Lion and Polar Bear - so what's not to like?
More importantly, it reminds me that I visited the line for the centenary weekend in 1996. At the time, I was working for Lunn Poly travel agent on their systems helpdesk - a miserable place to work where my boss (yes, you Stella) hated me for no apparent reason from the day I arrived (that wasn't just my opinion, one of my collgues asked "Why does she treat you like s**t?") and I couldn't wait to leave.
Anyway, I worked the early shift one Friday so I left at 4:30, heading straight to the station and then on to Birmingham International. A quick change to a 'plane and by 6:30 (I think) I was waiting for the bus outside Ronaldsway airport, breathing that clean, Manx air.
This little lorry reminds me of that, and so is well worth it's asking price.
Now, if I can find some photos, I'll post them here eventually.
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