POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

'Stretcha Fetcha' toy ambulance made by Lesney

Object No. 85/1177-12

The Matchbox Stretcha Fetcha, model MB No. 46d, was made by Lesney Products and Co. Ltd, in England, in 1976. It is a fantasy ambulance, one of several imaginary vehicles first released by Lesney in the early 1970s in response to competition from American die-cast toy companies whose range included similar models. The toy ambulance contains a white plastic patient and looks like a hybrid between a greenhouse and a boat. It was released in various combinations including: white with amber windows; white with a red base and/or tailgate; red with 'Unfall Rettung' markings for the German market; and lime green with yellow windows as the 'Viper Van'. The fantasy vehicles failed to save Lesney from bankruptcy in 1982. This was in response to the poor economic circumstances in Britain at the time rather than any fault of the company itself. Dinah Hales, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences volunteer, under the supervision of Margaret Simpson, Curator January 2015.