News, Views Etc . . . Forthcoming Events Saturday 14th-Friday 20th December 2019

Well! It seems like the Tories have won a landslide? Never have so many turkey's voted for Christmas so close to the oven. Being on the 'losing side' albeit as a Liberal voter rather than Labour, it not for me to pontificate now; I can only temper my disappointment with the hope that the Yahoos and Morlochs get everything that's coming to them.

I would also add that it was a full-moon yesterday and it's Friday the Thirteenth, so one can't be that surprised . . . oh . . . and news just coming across from the 'Well Fancy That' department is that a government requested and paid for independent report came out today (the day after a General Election) stating that waiting times in the NHS got worse last month, that's the NHS Boris was assuring us he loves like a brother . . . oops! If you voted Tory yesterday and are poorly, I hope you'll have the decency to go to the back of that queue before an over-worked nurse sends you there?

And - this close to Christmas - there's precious few events to drown one's sorrows in, nor - indeed - celebrate, and anyway, we'll all need to start husbanding our money!

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Toy Fairs

Saturday 14th December 2019

Gateshead - Jim Corr Fairs - Toy, Train & Sci-Fi Fair

Gateshead International Stadium, Neilson Road, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE10 0EF

eMail - jim_corr73@hotmail.co.uk

Mob. - 07504 035 955

10:00 - 15:00hrs

Admission £3, children/senior citizens £2, 'Early Bird' £5

Maidstone - Michael Spencer - Maidstone Vintage Toy Fair

Lockmedow Market Hall & Leisure Complex, Barker Road (Hart Street entrance), Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8LW

Internet presence unknown

Tel. - 01622 298 159

Mob. - 01732 840 787

09:00 - 15:00hrs

Admission £2.50p

Park & ride, pay and display parking, refreshments

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Sunday 15th December 2019

Stafford - Barry Potter / BP Fairs - 'Stafford Showground'

The Preston & Argyle Suites, Stafford County Showground, Weston Road, Stafford, ST18 0BD

Web. - www.bpfairs.com

Tel. - 01604 846 688

Mob. - 07966 527 177

Fax. - 01604 771 070

10:30-15:00hrs

Admission £4.00 (early-bird £8), OAP's £3.50, Children £1,

Free parking

Pudsey, Leeds - Steel Promotions - Leeds (Pudsey) Toy/Train Fair

Pudsey Civic Hall, Dawson's Corner, Stanningley Road, LS28 5TA

Internet presence unknown

Tel. I - 0161 283 1255

Tel. II - 0161 766 2012

10:00-15:00hrs

Admission charge unknown

Café, licensed bar

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Auctions

Tuesday 17th & Wednesday 18th December 2019

Newbury - Special Auction Services (SAS)

81 Greenham Business Park, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG19 6HW

Web - www.specialauctionservices.com

eMail - mail@specialauctionservices.com

Tel. - 01635 580595

Fax. - 0871 714 6905

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Overseas Events

Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th December 2019

Dulles (USA) - Greenberg’s Great Train & Toy Show

Dulles Exposition Center, Chantilly, VA, Virginia, USA (venue)

Greenberg Shows, 280 Carlton Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188, Illinois, USA (organiser)

Web. - http://greenbergshows.com/

Tel. -  ++6302 794 087

Fax. - ++2405 974 482
10:00-16:00hrs
Admission is $10 Saturday (for both days) or $9 Sunday (on-site ticket sales cash only), children 11-or-under free

Sunday 15th December 2019

Montvale (USA) - National Collectors Club - Montvale Train & Toy Show

The St. Joseph High School, Montvale NJ, 07645, New Jersey, USA (venue)

PO Box 604, Englishtown, N.J. 07726, New Jersey, USA (John)

PO Box 812, Ramsey, N.J. 07446, New Jersey, USA (Joe)

Web. - http://www.eastcoasttrainparts.com/98mar8.htm

Tel. I - ++7328 455 966 (John)

Tel. II - ++2013 275 254 (Joe)

09:00-15:00hrs

Admission $7.00

Featuring America's premier model train dealers

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Links

Because of the time difference, this may be of use to you if you happen to be near North NY State and read this in the next hour or two!

More toys . . . in Jordan!

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News

A World War II mascot teddy bear that went to war in a tank fetched £4,000 at auction earlier in the week. That's a Christmas story if ever I read one!

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H is for How They Come In

Has gone almost as quiet as the show dates and auctions, but I still managed two things to show you this week;

A leery, purple and puke-green bag of Moshi Monsters, something which is on the long-list and has been since I announced the imminent staring of them (and there ilk - they are piling-up) on the Blog about two summers ago!

And I also managed an almost perfectly 54mm Santa Clause - caught in the act of stealing someone's door-wreath! And I think he's going to announce the theft by ringing a bell to wake them . . . bad Santa! He's poured resin, but it's that 'polystone' stuff which loks quite chalky.

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Other Stuff

Only a horse this week, in the figural line (and Santa I suppose!) on the advent-calendar front and more 'hobby-' than 'cavalry-', note also how the different lighting and backgrounds change the colours of what is identically-coloured chocolate, always shot with flash, stopped-down two grades.

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