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It was great to meet everyone yesterday! I came home with quite a lot of nice things. Among this lot there's a first casting 49b Unimog, a clear-windowed 21c Commer milk float with the cow decal (and another that in the dark of the NEC looked like it had clear windows, but doesn't), a crimped-axle 9c Merryweather fire engine, a 15c Tippax without peep hole, a metallic 65b Jaguar with pale glazing and no engine brace, an orange 8a Caterpillar, an unglazed 70a Ford Thames with the smooth roof, a nice Budgie A95 emergency vehicle and a couple of Benbros. I'll put some more pictures up later.

Yes, yesterday at the NEC was surprisingly good. Normally I come away with nothing but, on this occasion, I found a GPW maroon/grey 3b (with an angled exhaust pipe, presumably the result of damage during tumbling), and a very presentable pale yellow 8a still with tow hook. In addition, I was able to inspect Glenn's off-white 45b Corsair (which looks to be 100% genuine.)
As if that weren't enough, I also had the pleasure of meeting up with no fewer than five VBD Members (Glenn, Reg, Alex, Dylan, and Tim). I have the idea that six VBD Members together in the same place at the same time must be a record.

Idris wrote:a very presentable pale yellow 8a still with tow hook

Very presentable - an excellent find, I think.
Here are some of mine in more detail. First, the metallic red 65b. It has 9x20 silver wheels, no engine brace and glazing that's only noticeably green at the edges. Here's the 15c Tippax. Not perfect, but worth £2! And the clear windowed 21c Commer milk float with the remains of a cow decal. It has 9x20 SPW and what I'd call light tan crates, which seems to be an unlisted but plausible variation. Let me know if there are any others you'd like to see. I'll put the Benbros and Morestone / Budgies in the other UK-made diecasts area.

Is there anything special about the 24c Silver Shadow in your purchase from the NEC.

Ghosthunter.

GHOSTHUNTER wrote:Is there anything special about the 24c Silver Shadow in your purchase from the NEC.

Ghosthunter.

Every Rolls Royce is special Kevin !

I only visited NEC only ones (very far for me) and I can remember about 30% of the room was full with teddy bears.

marcel

Does that Ford tractor have the long exhaust? Laurie

GHOSTHUNTER wrote:Is there anything special about the 24c Silver Shadow in your purchase from the NEC

I don't know! It definitely has the early wheels with hub caps, but I think I'm going to have to take some photographs so you can help me with whether it has what Antonin called "the structure behind" and the other early features. I'll do that tomorrow.

matchboxmarcel wrote:I only visited NEC only ones (very far for me) and I can remember about 30% of the room was full with teddy bears.

I think we're past peak teddy bear now! I'd say it's about 60% diecast, 30% railways and the rest is Star Wars, Lego and Action Man. Quite a bit of the diecast was new, but there was quite a lot of Matchbox, though I'm sure there was more Dinky and Corgi. I did find quite a lot this time, but I've done better at smaller, local shows.

waratah wrote:Does that Ford tractor have the long exhaust?

Yes, well spotted - though this one was a very kind gift from a VBD friend (thanks!). I've added tyres and the steering wheel.

DrJeep wrote:...a crimped-axle 9c Merryweather fire engine...

A particularly good find in my opinion.

Could you show a pic of the first casting Unimog, please?
It's on the top of my wish list in the moment.

Was nice meeting all you guys again.