"Gateshead Toy Fair 19/05/2018 - show report" Topic

I'd like to start by asking everyone to please excuse my photography. I've never done a show report before!

Anyway the show went well, it didn't feel as full as the last few but then it seems that summer(-ish) shows are always just a little bit quieter. Some regular traders weren't present but they were mostly railway vendors. Good to see some now-familiar faces again.

I'll begin where my camera snaps did – at my stall :-)

Some hand-painted figures:

DSC_0432 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

Boxes of soldiers and kits in several scales. Off camera to the left was some PSC 15mm boxes. Books are in the background.

‌_20180520_223417 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

This was about half of one stall. I hadn't seen the couple running it at the show before and was even more surprised to find out they weren't running a business, it was just his hobby!

DSC_0435 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

Close up of the Dragon Firefly box:

‌_20180520_224007 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

And now some pics of Bruce's Ready 4 Action stall. You can find more of his brushwork here: r4a.info

‌DSC_0439 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

Commonwealth troops in the Far East, WWII:

‌DSC_0452 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

Weird War Two figures (and what must be a Weird War One fig in the pickelhaube):

‌DSC_0441 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

Multi-national desert figs at the front, Waffen-SS cavalry at the back:

‌DSC_0443 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

More SS, on foot this time:

‌DSC_0442 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

I forgot to take a photo of some of his second-hand figures. We were laughing about me picking up the Minairons Republican Infantry every show – I always feel tempted but my lead and plastic mountain is high enough.

Colin and Sam's stall now. DeAgostini WWI figures:

‌DSC_0446 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

Tamiya 1:48 AFVs:

‌DSC_0444 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

20mm AFVs. There are a lot of diecast vehicles at this show in several scales (should have photographed some of mine) and not just military ones. I think people gaming VBCW, Prohibition-era gangsters or even 70s cop/winter of discontent games could find something useful.

‌DSC_0447 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

I don't know the name of the guy who runs this stall but he always has plenty of soldiers in 1:32 and 1:72/76 too:

‌DSC_0449 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

The old Esci battle sets:

‌DSC_0451 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

Mostly 1:32 figures, but if you look closely you'll see a set of figs by Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy:

‌DSC_0448 by modelsbooksandgames, on Flickr

This is just a snippet of what was on show. Those who've been to Border Reiver over the last few years will know how big the venue is. Now imagine BR with no games, just wall-to-wall traders.

Next up for me is the Northern Model Show – TMP link – hope to see you there.

Lee
Business page:
auction

Very nice Lee
Thanks
Clif

Love me a good toy soldier show!

Looks good. Is there a calendar of events somme where please?

clifblkskull
You're welcome :-)

cavcrazy
It isn't actually a toy soldier fair, most of what's on sale is model railways and diecasts. I've highlighted the toy soldier/military modelling/wargaming aspects because I figured (no pun intended) that that's what'd interest people on TMP the most. I know it's what interests this wargamer the most :-D.

The flyer for the shows –

– explains the diverse mix of what's on sale. The stalls at this show are run by professional traders like me and by hobbyists too. Some of the latter are at every show; some just do one show for a clear out. I've yet to do two shows where the traders are all the same.

Lee
Business page:
auction

Ö I only meant that to be a link, not a whopping big picture!

On the bright side Marc got his calendar :-)

LoL

Now need to find a calendar that is headed "Southern toy fairs". Those places all sound like a long way away. On my maps, most of that region is blank, and just marked "here be dragons…"