I changed to Sterling there in the centre as it is much cheaper then changing euro-gbp in London.
Then a short train journey to the south of Amsterdam and the departing station for the London Coach.
I had just over half an hour to wait for departing time at 19.30. It was raining. I didn't take any photos during the journey itself as I did so in november. (those photos were posted in my report at the time)
Not that many people in the coach but we went to the Dutch cities of The Hacgue, (in the west) Rotterdam and Breda (in the mid south) to get more travellers.
In Breda only a few people came in including a chinese girl next to me (I was lucky not to have a big 200 pound person next to me. The coach was full when we left from Breda. Via a half an hour break near the Dutch/Belgium boarder we went all across Belgium to the northern France city of Calais.
We arrived shortly before 02.00 and French customs took very little time. The English customs at the French side took a little longer but we managed to catch the 2.45 Ferry to Dover.
THIS WILL NOT BE A COMFORTABLE CROSSING, I'AM AFRAID, the captain was saying trough the speakers before we left and indeed it wasn't. Lots of rain and a very very rough sea.
I just stayed on one the many sofa's and didn't walk around.
I was glad we managed to arrive at Dover an hour and a half orso later.
At the British side we didn't have customs controll at all.
At 3.30 local time we went futher straight across to London Victoria Coach station and we arrived around 5.15.
Not as much rain in London during my walk to the main station and underground.
The Circle and District lines were out of service during works so I took the Victoria line to Green Park, then change to the Picadilly line and then to Ears Court in the west. From there-on the District Line to Wimbledon was running and I managed to catch my train from Wimbledon to Esher around 18.30 which is only a twice per hour service.
A short walk from there brings you to the venue. All vans were still lined up before 7.00 and in one of them was John Moore who I spoke before the gates even opened at 7.00. There were quite some Early Bird ticket buyers at 7.00 who came walking to the gates.
It was no longer raining but the tribune stairs were still wet so not that many toys were spread out.
I only took a few photos. There was heavy selling of the nice items and an old (think Mecanno) speedboat (prewar?) went for 165 gbp under my eyes before the doors even opened.
Later on I got to meet Andreas Maas and Bettina and Uwe who had made the journey from Germany the day before. I noticed Matchbox dealer Trevor Bannister and a few big Dutch Dinky and Mecanno collectors. I met them before the doors opened and saw them again looking for Matchbox for their collection.
It was rather cold. The doors opened at 8.00 and dealers started to build their tables. Ofcourse some have allready build their stands like Vectis by example. They have to bring so many heavy and fragile glasscabinets that it would not be possible to build them when all the dealers come in at 8.00
As allways a nice stand to see allthough I didn't notice any Matchbox models this time.
They had man many James Bond related toys on display for an auction soon.
They had some old (from many years ago) auction catalogues on sale.
Rob Freeman had nice Matchbox items on his table as always including this copper colored Superfast nr 73 Wessel and a purple VW in Candian blisterpack to name a few.
I met Matchbox dealer Bob May, Models of Yesteryear Collector Garry Matthews, Matchbox dealer Graham Hamilton with his girlfriend and to me I think this was the best looking stand for Matchbox at the venue. Collector Bob Tutt had collected my recent UK Ebaywins for me and brought them for me to Sandown. This included a very rare 1963 UK trade catalogue which shows a very early UK Models of Yesteryear display I have.
I took less photos then during my visit in november as I thought dealers may not like the fact that some-one takes pictures without buying something.
However I took some for you to see the great great atmosphere at Sandown and to see the most important Matchbox stands and items.
Even a lot of the British vendors at Sandown drive more then 5 hours single way to this great swapmeet. I met 2 brothers who I had meet at MICA conventions many times. They had a stand at Sandown for the 1st time with interesting Matchbox items which I took no photo's of as I forgot when talking to them !
Some sellers had EARLY LESNEY TOYS AND this one even had a 1963 Models of Yesteryear Giftset.
Aston Auctions sent 2 pretty girls to represent them last time (They only had some leavlets) but now there was a more proffesional stand with a few glasscabinets with nice items to be auctioned soon including a very nice set of Snowwhite and the 7 dwarfs. Allthough I collect Matchbox I very much like to see other vintage toys and it is only because lack of money, time and space that I can not collect more vintage toys then just the Matchbox's.
This is only a small part of the many nice Matchbox items John Moore brought to Sandown.
I got to meet up with Peter Stevens who is a friend of Nigel Cooper. Before Sandown we only had emailcontact and he offered me a ride to Nigel some weeks ago when he got to know I was planning to visit Matchbox ambasador and collector Nigel Cooper. Therefore I didn't stay long at Sandown. I only bought one Models of Yesteryear racing car from the mid eithies with a slightly different box.
At 10.30 I had an appointed with Garry Matthews and Bob Tutt and Bob brought Alex his book to see and discussed the white book. Unfortunatly there was to little time for me.
Peter Stevens joined also but warned that we had to leave at 11.15 max to drive to Nigel. This took aprox an hour futher south-west.
What a collection ! The biggest Matchbox collection I ever saw. I made quite some photos. I was aloud to take pictures but have to discuss with Nigel 1st which I can show here. We had some sandwiches and talked about Nigels task of Matchbox ambasador which he takes very seriously.
Peter Stevens left around 15.30 for his long journey to the north. Another colltector arrived early evening. We directly went upstairs to complete 2 glasscabinets which can only be completed by 3 persons. Nigel drove me with a very fast XK Jaguar to nearby village Alton for my 18.45 train to London Waterloo. The train already was at the platform when we arrived at Alton so I just catched it. It was a journey via Farnham and Esher (this train did not stop at Esher)
From Waterloo it was just the Jubilee line to Green Park and then the Victoria Line to Victoria Line to Victoria main station and a short walk to the coach station.
I had half an hour left before departure at 21.00 to the Netherlands. The coach was only half full so most of us had 2 seats. A lot of laughing with the driver and he had good contacts with the passengers. Some of them had the nightcoach leaving Amsterdam at 21.30 the night before and also stayed in London for just 1 day.
They had an enourmous delay as the rear window of the coach broke (which took 2 hour for another coach for them) and then delays at customs. They arrived at London 10.30 Saturdaymorning. I was happy that I took the earlier coach from 19.30 from Amsterdam with arrival in London at 5.15.
The UK customs went very quickly and at the French side we didn't have customs controll at all.
The returncrossing was far more compartable and the french ship was far more luxeres.
We had a break in the north of Belgium and then a stop in the Dutch city of Eindhoven. Quite some pasengers left the coach there so the coach was even emptier. Another break in the mid south of half an hour and the stairght ahead to Utrecht. I was there at 8.15.
I waited there for an hour and puted my luggage in a locker. There was not enough time to go to Amersfoort. I had joined my montly walk with some (girl) friends. Very nice weather indeed for our 20km walk in the mid-west.
At 17.15 I was home and talks with one of the art-academy student girls here at home. She had completed many small paitings in our kitchen and these were everywhere. The study at art academy takes a lot of time and she had to complete many paintings for early this week.
I was very tired so went asleep early.
marcel
