Editing Corgi Toys (section)

==Early history==
[[File:Nick's Pics 044.jpg|thumb|left|225px|204 Rover 90 and 205 Riley Pathfinder]]
Mettoy became established in [[Northampton]] and within six years of the company's founding, the Northampton factory had 600 employees.<ref name="Indie-obit">{{cite news
|url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-arthur-katz-1108922.html
|title = Obituary: Arthur Katz
|first = Giles|last = Chapman
|date = 27 July 1999
|access-date = 8 November 2010
|publisher = Independent Print Limited}}</ref>
A production plant was built at [[Fforestfach]] in [[Swansea]], [[South Wales]], to manufacture the new range of Corgi Toys. This provided many new jobs in an area of high unemployment following the scaling down of local coal mining operations.<ref name="V&A1">{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.vam.ac.uk/moc/collections/british_toy_making/toy_manufacturers/british/mettoy/index.html
 |title        = Mettoy - V&A Museum of Childhood
 |access-date   = 8 November 2010
 |publisher    = Victoria and Albert Museum
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110107214055/http://www.vam.ac.uk/moc/collections/british_toy_making/toy_manufacturers/british/mettoy/index.html
 |archive-date = 7 January 2011
 |url-status     = dead}}</ref>

Prior to the introduction of Corgi Toys, Mettoy mainly produced tin plate toys. However, in the early 1950s, they began producing a few products in cast metal. The first was a large scale wind-up racer made with a cast aluminium body and tin plate wheels. The body material was soon changed to die cast zinc and it was refitted with cast wheels and moulded rubber tyres. Other models followed and the product line was given the name "Castoys." These were the direct ancestors of Corgi Toys. 
[[File:Nick's Pics 045.jpg|thumb|right|305 [[Triumph TR3]]]]
The name 'Corgi Toys' was chosen by Philip Ullmann in honour of the company's new home, taken from the Welsh breed of dog, the [[Welsh Corgi|Corgi]], and the iconic Corgi dog logo branded the new range. The name was short and easy to remember, further aligning the range with their rival Dinky Toys. Corgi Toys also included plastic glazing,<ref name=Autocar196712/> which lent the models a greater authenticity, and they carried the advertising slogan "the ones with windows".

The 1956 releases were all familiar British vehicles. Six family saloon cars; [[Ford Consul]] (200/200M), [[Austin A50 Cambridge]] (201/201M), [[Morris Cowley]] (202/202M), [[Vauxhall Velox]] (203/203M), [[Rover 90]] (204/204M), [[Riley Pathfinder]] (205/205M) and [[Hillman Husky]] (206/206M),<ref name=Autocar196712>{{cite magazine| title = Corgi's miniature motor industry|magazine=[[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]] | volume =  127 nbr 3749| pages =26–27 |date = 21 December 1967}}</ref> and two sports cars; [[Austin-Healey 100]] (300) and [[Triumph TR2]] (301).

Initially, models were issued both in free-rolling form, and (except the larger commercial vehicles and sports cars with low-slung bodies) with friction drive motors. The Mechanical versions, as they were known, were indicated by an 'M' suffix to the model number and were produced in different colour schemes. They were issued with tougher die-cast bases to support the extra weight of the motor. Mechanical versions did not sell as well as the free-rolling versions, partly due to a significantly higher purchase price, and were phased out in 1960 with [[Ford Thunderbird]] (214M) the last of the line. One particular problem that was not anticipated was that it was possible to lubricate the "motor" using oil through a hole in the base, but the oil tended to splatter around inside and cloud up the windows. The rigid die-case bases which were are originally limited to the "M" versions were retained and became the standard for Corgi toys.