P is for Plastic Warrior's 31st Show - Show Report

So to the Twickenham 'Boarders' in the posher hinterlands of South-West London, two-weeks ago, for the 31st Annual Plastic Warrior show, primarily organised for the readers of PW's magazine although the odd non-subscribers are allowed in!*

There was a slight delay with the arrival of the tables, but memory serves that with three shows, now, at this venue, the late arrival of the tables has become a time-honored, timeless, every-time tradition, to be much looked-forward too, again, this time next year! And it took less than three minutes to unload . . . and it's a 'club' event . . . and . . .

Welcoming committee: on the left PW's erstwhile editor Paul Morehead looking like he needs a coffee! With one of the 'seven pillars' of the readership on the right; Barrie Blood; looking like he's had too many coffees...you're not supposed to drink it through a straw, it goes straight to your head . . . I'm told!

The first stall you encountered was Barney Brown's, and having failed to get a good candid shot of him, I got him to pose and still failed to get a good shot, sorry Barney, I think the Macro was still on! He's holding the retro packaging he's developed for selling his better quality figures, which some of you may have seen on feeBay.

Peter Bergner had a large stall (well, better call it a 'stockade' did I do that joke last year? Doh!) in the centre of the room, and is seen here with his rummage boxes, from which I had earlier plundered a nice handful of eclectic stuff. He also had a lot of new boxed figures such as Technolog from Russia and other delights including a range of casualties and other prone or seated figures in resin, I didn't get the name of the company.

Down the bottom corner of the venue was to be found Peter Cole of Replicants, here looking very pleased with his new Smugglers (reviewed in Plastic Warrior No.160 - subscribe here) and even newer - 20th anniversary of Replicants - Highwayman, he also had a nice pair of equally new clerics (Medieval Monk and Nun), which I bought.

I believe the little vignette / dioramas he displays the new figures on are his own efforts, I didn't ask, but having seen his English Civil War work, I'm guessing they're from his hand as well; the church façade was particularly nice with its gothic windows.

Next to him were his agents for day-to-day sales, Steve Weston's Toy Soldiers, who also carry a lot of the newer company's products here in the UK. of course it's really Steve and Lynda Weston's Toy Soldiers! . . . and here Lynda is seen 'guarding the fort' [Kandahar!], but look at all those figures . . . I'm glad I wasn't the one tasked with setting them all up!

Adrian Little had these new-production runners of Timpo G.I.s on offer, they are from Steve Morris - one of the Brummie contingent (who always turn-up good stuff), and he has found the moulds and got them back into production, I don't have sales/contact details for him; if anyone does, let us know. But they will be turning up at shows and things I'm sure, or you can try Mercator.

Chatting to stallholders at the end, it was deemed a good day, and packing-up was a bit later than usual, so clearly some last-minute transactions kept the 'buzz' going, not that it's just about the plunder sales, meeting old friends, catching-up, being shown rarities, having more knowledgeable mates ID stuff, hearing the gossip and rumours, it all helps make the day. So it's roll-on the 32nd show - less than a year away now!

*Of course everyone is welcome as long as they have the entry fee, strength in their legs and a big bag, or bags - I needed three . . . and a bit!

For those who don't like show-reports, I've posted some aluminium below, or click 'older post'. I've also added a vintage plastic puzzle Humpty-Dumpty to the jig toys page.

1st June 2016 - Paul emailed me to explain: "The dioramas are built for Replicants by Dan Morgan, another regular PW contributor", so; Nice diorama's Dan!