In 1983 I was aware that Matchbox Powertrack was no longer stocked. Being only a lad I remember spending my pocket money in bargain bins at model shops up and down the country on odd bits of track.
I remember a local toy shop had a Lap Counter (PT-221) for sale for £10.99. It never sold in five years! One day I went in and got it for £5. How chuffed was I?
That January '83 I attended the Model Engineers Exhibition in Earls Court, London. There was a company there called Proops Bros, based on Tottenham Court Rd. who sold hardware items. They appeared to have bought a significant amount of Matchbox stock and were selling off sets and cars based on Powertrack Plus.
In addition, they had a hefty amount of Lanechanger items and were supplying sets at ridiculously cheap prices. I got a flyer for their trade stand which is shown at the top. A Lanechanger 'kit' similar to an LC-2000 was made up of the following and retailed for £12-95 + £2.50 postage & packing:
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1 x Terminal Track: £1.00 each
5 x 15" Straight: £0.80p each
6 x 90 Degree curve: £1.00 (Pair)
2 x Cars: (£2.00 each)
2 x Hand controllers: £1.00 each
1 x 10V Transformer: £1.00 each
1 x Bridge supports: £0.50p each
A 6V Powertrack layout also retailed for the same price and was pretty similar in content.
A bank curve would set you back £3.50 and the 'Branch track' would cost £2.00 for the pair.
Now, some of this was sold loose but I do remember most of the track was sold in Powertrack packaging (carded blister packs). The 6V cars were sold in the usual Powertrack branded boxes.
At the Exhibition, Proops were offering upgrades to 12V for very little money. 12V transformers, hand controllers and cars were available very cheaply but all loose. Further proof that apart from the Powertrack Plus sets (PP-2000/3000/9000) there were no other branded Powertrack Plus items.
It's astonishing now that these things were stacked high and sold cheap but that's how it was back then. One wonders how long Proops continued with their enterprise...
