Toy fair news

[YYS4BOB]

Presume the gathering in the cafe area is at 1030 as usual?

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Presume the gathering in the cafe area is at 1030 as usual?

As close to it as possible.

Ghosthunter.

[fixer]

Presume the gathering in the cafe area is at 1030 as usual?

As close to it as possible.

Ghosthunter.

not the toilet block then ??

[GHOSTHUNTER]

...and so another Sandown Park toy has come and gone. This particular event was a bit special. Nick Jones was using it for a first public airing of His new Book (available from all good model car forums called Vintage British Diecast Forum), and had brought along something like 80 copies. Unfortunately the weather decided Nick should have a bit of a soaking during his short journey from the train station to the toy fair and sadly some books had become rather wet.

Leading up to the toy fair I had decided it would be nice to have the toy fair organizer come across to the tables and give Nick a congratulatory hand shake and Barry Potter the event organizer said he would very happy to oblige and even suggested he could make an announcement on the 'PA' system and I heard at least Three of them during the Day!

This of course would be wasted without some decent pictures so an email to a reporter and Her photographer who work for the 'Diecast Collector' magazine, saw them making a long trip down from Nuneaton, Warwickshire to do the pictures which when I get some copies will be added here in due course, but for now I have posted Three of my own.

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A very proud Nick holding an example of His hard work.

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Some of Nick's books awaiting their new owners on Rob Freeman's table, Thank's Rob.

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My reporter friend, Ann Evans taking notes for 'Diecast Collector'.

Even before I had got Nick to Rob's table we had interest from a collector visiting the toy fair from abroad wanting to buy a copy and during our usual 10.30am meeting in the Cafe area, more copies were sold, well done Nick.

So I think the Day went rather well, all my hard work behind the scenes paid off and thank's to the other forum members for their help, I even gave Nick a lift back to the train station, only to find the trains were no longer stopping at the station, oh dear! now what do we do.

The idea of taking Nick all the way home was considered, but I could not risk leaving my Father for so many Hours as he was alone and relies on me so much. I understand some sort of transport was being arranged for stranded train passengers to take them to another station further along the line and from there Nick could get a train Home.

Ghosthunter.

[tjlglass]

I'm still without Nick's book, by the time I got around to him I had spent out, mind you I got two interesting salesman trade catalogue/books, they came direct from the ex employee, will get some pictures posted soon. Well done with the book Nick and will have one next time.

[petethesweet]

Hi All, had a good morning at Sandown despite a two hour journey down in heavy rain & three hours getting back home. The place was packed with early morning buyers, a lot of new people that i hadn't seen before. Once again a lot of new traders with no idea on pricing & display i think they are complete amateurs especially how they open boxes. Picked a couple of bits up from Vectis nothing rare but mint boxes also picked up a mint Red Javelin & a dark green Team Matchbox a very unusual green, i will have to check it out with my other one. I think there are more people getting into collecting now as the pound isn't worth anything. Next toy fair the NEC. Pete.

[zBret]

Thanks for your summary Ghosty and pictures of the event.
Sounds like it was a good day, I hope that Nick made it home ok

zBret

[nickjones]

Hi All.
I was up at 4.20, out by 4.50. at the station for 5.15 to catch the first of 5 trains to Sandown. finally got there at 9.45 and walked the last mile to the show site in the poring rain. I was drenched, had a quick look at the offerings and picked up a nice error piece in a gpw 21c commer milk float with an odd size front wheel, also got a couple of rough semi rares, a green 30b ford station wagon with gpw and black base and one other which has slipped my memory.
Then I met Barry Potter and posed for photographs with him and then I was interviewed by Anne Evans of diecast collector magazine. My book launch was announced several times over the tannoy system and for me the most enjoyable part of the day was the stream of people coming up to me thanking me for such an excellent website, thank you one and all.
the day was over too quickly, Kevin ghosthunter offered me a lift to the station which I gratefully accepted. so we set off for the station only to find that the heavy rain had caused a signals failure so there were no trains stopping there, so I got a mini cab to the next station and caught the train from there, the next 4 trains were uneventful and I got back to clacton at 6.45 because there are no evening or sunday buses into tollesbury I stayed there for the night and made my way back to the boat on monday, it was a tiring weekend but a very enjoyable one.
this pic, left to right.
Bob Tutt, Gary Galvin, Pillip and Fabrice from Belgium at the back, ? not sure, Reg fixer, and Kevin ghosthunter

[nickjones]

Gary Galvin

[nickjones]

Reg and Rob