News, Views Etc . . . Sandown Park Spring Show

So, went to the first Sandown of the year a few weeks ago, these are a few shots I took of the meet for those who don't know just how big it is. The photographs have ended up in a rather reverse order so we start . . .

. . . in the annex looking back down toward the main halls, the annex is mostly full of HO train dealers and a couple of modern truck sellers, but Abid has his stall here (see below) and there is a toy soldier stall hidden among the heads at the top of the picture on the right!

Hall three from the raised area back across to the race-day restaurants. This is about half the stalls in the hall with Mercator Trading and a couple of other toy soldier dealers out of shot to the left of the picture. There are also stalls on the raised section and off to the left by the main race-side entrance.

This is looking diagonally across hall 2 toward the winners circle windows (the opposite angle/direction to the previous shot but 100 yards further down, there aren't many soldier dealers in this section, but a lot of the mixed vintage toy dealers stall-out here so this is where you find odd space tanks and Palitoy 'planes . . . well - I do!

Bottom left corner of hall 1 looking toward the eateries, Plastic Toy Soldiers (PTS52 on eBay) is hidden in his own alcove just out of shot to the right, but everyone going for food or drink has to pass him so it's quite a prime spot!

The other side of hall 1, I think Steve Vickers is down there in the far corner somewhere and there are a couple of other toy soldier dealers in this hall, but while there aren't the number of toy soldier dealers you would find at a 'Toy Soldier' show, it's a fact that a lot of the tables will have a tub or tray of figures or the odd bargain as other 'toy people' realise their worth, or understand that they are worth 'something', and it's often where you find the interesting things that might otherwise not have come to light, such as yesterday's pair of ceremonials.

Even the connecting arms between the halls are stuffed with stands and this one linking Halls 1 and 2 past the service-core between them is no exception, Help Empty My Attic being a name probably familiar to those of you who spend much time on evilBay.

It was at Sandown that I realised my camera was getting long in the tooth, and as well as noticing the gribbles on the lens, it's not so hot on wide shots anymore. This is Abid's stall back up in the annex and Abid has literally - a little bit of everything! There's always a bargain to be had, and while he was free to be photographed while I was chatting to him; as soon as I got the camera out he got customers!

Abid is always looking for new stock so if you're looking to sell a collection, part collection or just thin-out a collection - try giving him a buzz.