METTOY PLAYCRAFT Ltd., is the name of a range of toy manufacturers: METTOY (= METAL TOYS) Company was founded in 1933 by German émigré Philip Ullmann in Northampton, England, where he was later joined by South African-born German Arthur Katz who had previously worked for Ullmann at his Toy Company, Tipp and Co of Nürnberg, Germany. METTOY made a variety of lithographed metal wind-up toys. They are most famous for its line of die-cast toy motor vehicles of their CORGI TOYS branch created in 1956. In the same year METTOY merged with the PLAYCRAFT Company. The Company ended in 1984 with the assets of the Company transferred to CORGI TOYS. A production plant was built in Swansea, South Wales, to manufacture the new range of Corgi Toys.
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 Corgi, and the iconic Corgi dog logo branded the new range. Corgi Toys also included plastic glazing, which lent the models a greater authenticity, and they carried the advertising slogan "the ones with windows".
Corgi Toys Volkswagen Breakdown Service Bus with a Cooper Maserati racecar (part of Grand Prix Racing Gift Set). VW Service Bus has cut out windows and a clear plastic window insert. The bed has a red plastic insert that looks like tool boxes, gas cans and spare tire, etc. Racing Club decals on the doors and a VW emblem on the front. The back of the bed has a towing lift with a pully assembly. The Volkswagen Breakdown Service Bus in the set is painted white, when sold separately, it is cream color.
