Small Scale World

It's the London show today, and I'm off! Chalk Farm tube station - helps if I know where I'm going, I've always driven it before!

Heres' a random shot of some cracker toys!

I sort of ran out of Mojo on Thursday night, only temporary, had other things to do, so should be publishing again by tomorrow, but in the meantime, I saw the bestest shooting star ever last night, the tail must have been 40/100-miles long, and as it broke-up it burned-out turquoise through to ultramarine, it was worth being born, just to see that split-second of wonder!

Anyway, I tthought I'd remind everyone it's Sandown Park toy fair today!

So, 4am here, and I've run out of puff, sorting the plunder pile! Yeah, I had a snooze earlier! There were three new Plastic Warrior Special Publications launched at the show this year, and the embargo has been lifted on them being announced, so they are:

A brief look at VP, not much added since the last issue, but all now in full colour for the first time, which with the sister volume . . .

. . . on UNA, means all five (Kentoys, Speedwell, Trojan) of the problematic Britains/Timpo-copy Khaki Infantry issuers have now been updated and colourised, I think?

While this overview of Poplar Plastics, and it's relationship with Thomas, is also an update of a past title, with much more added, and again, in colour for the first time. They areare available separately for varying prices, or all three are in a bundle for £15:00, but I don't know how long that offer will last, before they revert to individual list items, or one of them runs out, so get your order in now!

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PlasticWarrior?fref=ts

Blog. - http://plasticwarrioreditor.blogspot.com/

eMail - pw.editor3@gmail.com (pw.editor@ntlworld.com)

Tel. - 01483 830 743

**********************************

Peter Cole and his label Replicants had a 40th Anniversary (of Plastic Warrior magazine) figure, and four pairs of English civil War cavalry on his tables.

In a departure for Replicants, there is a new horse with separate base a' la Britains/Timpo, and the 40th Anniversary figure is of a spy, saboteur or 5th columnist, with headphones, using a morse-sender/receiver, in a suitcase. Whether this is a metaphor for PW's revelations on the secrets of plastic toy soldier production over the years, I didn't ask, but it seems apt! He may, of course, just be getting the football results?

**********************************

Graham Apperley reminded me he has a Blog now, which I had read on Brian Carrick's pages, but forgot to action, so this is the URL:

https://talesfromthetoyroom.blogspot.com/

Away from the show, Tom also has a new blog:

https://tomertonvillage.blogspot.com/

and sent me a link to an interesting 3D print source for civil/railway figures:

https://www.smartmodels.org/

And I'm hoping to get commenter John's Blog-link shortly.

10-06-25 Done - https://toysoldiersblog.wordpress.com/

It's nice to see a resurgence in Blogging, especially in our field.

It was a fantastic show as always, and credit is due to Paul, Peter and Brian for putting it on, I don't know when I'll get the plunder posts out as there's a ton of stuff in the queue before it, even if I get stuck back-in, which I'm not sure I'm ready to, but it'll all be here in the end!

I'm not 'people'ing' right now, too much other shit going on, but I will be my usual cheery self tomorrow, at the world's best Toy Soldier show, being the . . .

Usual contact details and travel stuff from the usual sources:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PlasticWarrior?fref=ts
Blog. - http://plasticwarrioreditor.blogspot.com/
eMail - pw.editor3@gmail.com (pw.editor@ntlworld.com)
Tel. - 01483 830 743

. . . and Brian posted all the relevant details a while ago.

And, given the success I had last year, pre-mentioning the need for a blue astronaut/paratrooper, this year I'm hoping to find . . . No; you don't tempt fate!

Here's some eye candy for stuff you may find though, and I will get round to answering comments/eMails, next week if I can.

Airfix window display, circa 1949!

Haven't had one of these for a while!

Trying to find the Kennedy space set on Ed's Blog, now found here (cheers Robert) - https://toyconnect.blogspot.com/2012/06/marx-4625-action-cape-kennedy-carry-all.html - I found his Tags were stuck at Hing Fat, mine are stuck at Maerklin, I hope this is a Blogger/Google thing, and that they are working to fix it, the other day my Tags were stuck in the B's, so they seem to be making progress, it only seems to be affecting those who have adopted the marginal, linier, alphabetical-list format, people with blocks or the random size-for-number ones (cloud/frequency stuff) seem unaffected? But for now, you'll have to use the search-box, which is quite good, I often use it myself!

Also, might as well remind you now - Sandown Park's Toy fair on Saturday! Be there or be unable to spot the bargains!

Random toy shot!

I bought these back in March '23, and never got round to Blogging them! They are part of a long-queue project to look at all these! Interestingly, the bright-coloured and white ones are soft polyethylene re-issues, dating between the originals and the Glenco set. While the dung-green one is a hard polystyrene version of the usually soft Hong Kong copies!

I had an email from the Command Centre at PW Towers, courtesy of the editor himself; Paul Morehead, earlier today, with a firm date for the next Plastic Warrior Toy Soldier Show at Twickenham (Whitton), next year:

It's a bit later than previous shows, but won't clash with Sandown Park, while for those who don't do Sandown, it'll give you another Month to save-up plunder-funds! It'll be the best show of the year!

Brian's posted all the relevant details, and I'll probably do something similar nearer the time. It'll be the 40th aniversary of Plastic Warrior magazine too!

Paul also sent me an image which shed more light on the Lilliput shop-stock box we looked at the other day, with a final contents-total, so thanks are due for that!

Well, this is new, I was going to write 'weird', but it's not really weird, just 'new', I'm coming at'cha from a car-park on an industrial estate having paid 4.99 for an hour's internet, which seems excessive but that's end-stage capitalism! However, I happen to have an hour to spare, and remembering to tell you about this at midnight, would be a tad late!

Going to give the London antique toy fair a go tomorrow, I suspect it will all be wooden games. barley-twist marbles, balding Teddy Bears and old dolls, but there might be something of more interest, and it beats sitting at home avoiding showers, and definitely beats going to work!

Kensington Town Hall

Hornton St

W8 7NX

October 13th 2024

https://www.200yearsofchildhood.com/

It's the 39th year - ignoring the hiatus of SARS-Covid19 - of the Plastic Warrior magazine's toy soldier show tomorrow, and I know for a fact a couple of new table holders have sorted out piles of new to market stuff, and other people have sorted out equally good stuff, so there's going to be lots of stuff! If you're looking for toy soldier stuff, you'll want to be there, you need to be there!

The next Twicker's match is first of June, so we should be safe from rugger-bugger's and there'll be plenty of parking. Gareth reported a rail replacement bus service to Whitton -

Replacement rail bus, Saturday.
If travelling on the train from London there is a bus service

from Feltham to Whitton

So worth setting out a bit earlier if that was your intended mode of ingress! All other details are on Brian Carrick's page -

https://toysoldiercollecting.blogspot.com/2024/05/plastic-warrior-show-2024.html

To get us in the mood, here's a few shots I found languishing in a folder in Picasa, taken at the 2018 show.

Vehicles.

Timpo and early British bits.

Gun-line!

Steve Weston's tables, he'd started packing-up.

I bought the chariot . . . the next year!

Elastolin fort and their 40mm figures.

Britains Herald & Deetail

Jean stagecoach and two East German sets

(Georg Blechschmidt KG or Friedhold Fischer KG,

I think it's GB figures in FF boxes?)

Hope you make it, I'll be there, and I shouldn't be, far too much, more serious stuff happening in real life, right now, but you can't keep an addict down!

Coincidentally running from my Birthday, although I've only just learnt of it, until the 30th June, so still plenty of time to get up there and have a look;

Everything else you need to know is here;

https://colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/events/joy-of-puppetry/

And, better late than never! Sorry, missed the activity weekend!

I'm not ready to go back to the weekly show-date format yet, haven't got the time, or the space, but here are a few flyers I picked-up at last weekend's show, with dates of forthcoming shows or events;

Two flyers for two different events, same place, the De Havilland Aircraft Museuem, those important details in text;

Website - https://www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk/

The De Havilland Aircraft Museum
Salisbury Hall
London Colney
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL2 1BU

Tel/Answerphone - 01727 826400

Matt Murphy of Hobby Bunker was at the London show, promoting the third iteration of the Chicago Toy Soldier Show, which he is now organising;

Website - https://chicagotoysoldiershow.com/

Faceplant - https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoToySoldierShow/

Phone - (781) 321 8855
Email - matt@hobbybunker.com

Matthew Murphy, Chairman

Hobby Bunker, Inc.

103 Albion St. Wakefield,

MA 01880

USA

The BMSS show is also in the pipeline, now moved to reading, if I've got the day off, I may mosey over;

Website - https://www.bmssonline.com/annual-show.html

Reading Central Salvation Army Hall

Anstey Road

Reading

RG1 7JR

[Opposite the Hexagon theatre and Oracle shopping Centre.]

Best show in the world! Not long now!

London - Twickenham / Whitton - Plastic Warrior Magazine - Plastic Warrior Show

The Harlington Suite

The Winning Post Hotel

Chertsey Road

Whitton

Twickenham

London

TW2 6LS

UK

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PlasticWarrior?fref=ts

Blog. - http://plasticwarrioreditor.blogspot.com/

eMail - pw.editor3@gmail.com (pw.editor@ntlworld.com)

Tel. - 01483 830 743

10:30hrs - Finish, no early-bird

And I picked this up for anyone who needs it;

One of the few UK retailers left!

Probably had that title before, but the hours draw on, and I want to get this up before I go to bed, for an early start, as it's the London Toy Soldier show in a few hours, and a T is for Two would be a bit over the top for a couple of shelfies, so I added a window bag!

Out looking for Chocolate rabbits (ongoing bit of Easter fun) I also found a couple of bits worth a shelfie, these were nearly purchased, however I managed to stop myself, but they will turn-up in mixed lots in the future, so worth a shot for the archive. The history of Ideal's logo over the last few years is very complicated, but here in the UK, I think these are actually Hasbro sell-through.

But the two Gormiti character figures are non-articulated solids, around 54mm, albeit sort of sci-fi-fantasy. They were for sale in the Poundland rival, Poundstretcher, and at about 4 & 6-quid, quite affordable, the other figures, were printed-sticker flats though.

While this I shot, again for the fact that the horses will turn-up in odd lots, not because we've been looking at show-jumping, which was coincidental, and there were only four crude horses in the truck, no figures or jumps that I could see.

Those horses, I think they may be hollow polyethylene, like some of the BJ Toys or Red Deer stuff, but it wasn't clear and they may well be solids? Branded to Toy Hub and RMS International, they are also around 50/54mm compatible, the truck however, is instantly forgettable.

This was a purchase, the other day somewhere, I can't remember where, but coming after the Schleich blind-bags (I saw in Smyths), and the apparent ex-blind-bag dinosaur I got as clearance somewhere, also 'the other day', it seems they are now using window-bags, so you can see what you're getting, a far more civilised way of doing things.

But back to the show tomorrow, Central London/Camden, so plenty of touristy stuff to do before or after the toy-soldier buying, including Camden Market and the Lock! Details are here;

http://www.toysoldiershow.co.uk/index.php?CONTENT=23

Almost forgot, and probably won’t post for a day or two, as a result, but it's the first Sandown Park toy fair of the season tomorrow, so shake-out the cobwebs and get yourself down to the UK's best show, and see if you can find a 'grail item' or a bargain!

"They're going Ape for toys over at Esher, Surrey, tomorrow!"

(MPC PotA 60mm 'styrene playset figures)

I haven't had that many 'News, Views' this year, just been too busy, but the all important one is in now and it's good news . . . Plastic Warrior's show for 2024 has a confirmed date!

That is all!

Just a couple of quickies;

First, don't forget it's the Autumn Sandown Park Toy Fair tomorrow, it's going to be a lovely day for it, and while the air-con' might struggle to keep the place fully cool once it's full of exhaling, warm bodies, it's never too hot, although it will give the all-day attendees a dry throat! Anyway, get on over and fill your boots with old kid's playthings!

Secondly, I found a few more of Claire's Creations images from this Spring (couldn't find the Lifeguard?), so here they are if you're thinking of dropping her a line with an idea for a figure.

The Guardsman

The king

An old-school Gypsy wagon

A canoe! With a mouse!

This was the online image from which Claire modelled the Horse guard she made for me. I might have a go at sewing-in the red cord which runs round the centre of the cartridge-belt?

I thought it was next week! It's tomorrow!

http://www.toysoldiershow.co.uk/

I'm too busy to blog for a few days, maybe even a week or two, but Rudy Panucci reminded us on Brian's site that the Marx Toy & Train Show, starts tomorrow at the Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum in Wheeling, West Virginia, there'll be all sorts there!

More about it / details on this blog;

Pop Cult Blog

A week later, full show report;

https://popcultblog.com/fun-at-the-marx-toy-train-show

Well, you can't say I haven't been busy! We're only four and-a-bit-days away from the big one, the best Toy Soldier Show in the world, by a country mile, but a couple of things to note;

Peter Evans has pointed out there's a rail strike on Saturday (just fucking pay them, Christ; the amount of money the Tories have shovelled into their own pockets or let Truss piss up a wall!), which will affect travel in the area of the show;

"For those of you planning to come to PW on the 13th

At present, there is a train strike on that day.

The Tube and London overground will be running, National Rail will be affected

From Richmond station, buses 110 and 490 leave from the front of the station and go to Whittham.

Journey takes about 20 mins.

Hope to see many of you there."

To which Brian Carrick added;

"If taking the 490 bus, you will need to change at Twickenham Green and take the H22 to Whitton Station.

There is also a major event on at Twickenham Stadium (date moved due to the Coronation) causing restricted parking in the streets around the venue north of the A316 but no restrictions to the south of it in the streets off of Meadway (TW2 6PW).

The A316 can be crossed by a subway (underpass) from the top of Meadway to Jubilee Avenue, see map:

https://www.bing.com/maps?q=meadway%20twickenham..."

The 'event' is the Army v Navy match . . . now, having in my past been responsible for signage at both Twicker's and The Stoop, I can assure you that The Winning Post can be heaving on an International or Cup Final match day, it shouldn't apply so much to the services match, as many of the audience/supporters will be bussed-in and bussed-out by their units, and probably won't head up to 'our' venue.

But it may get busy nearer kick-off (2pm), there will be some private travel up the M3, from the Aldershot area (home of the Physical Training Corps who like a sports event!) and Portsmouth/Southampton (Navy) so I'd advise sellers to travel early to guarantee a park (but there shouldn't be a shortage in the morning) and buyers to travel early for pedestrian traffic reasons.

And if there are parking problems toward midday, The Stoop, halfway between The Winning Post and Twickenham Stadium (on the other side of the road) opens it's parking for what I believe is a reasonable rate - for London! As does the field between The Stoop and the Hotel, so there won't be any real problems.

See you there, and if you've got a bag, box, tin or tub of 'interesting' junk, bring it along and I'll probably give you money for it! The guy's on the door can point me out!

Show News

As mentioned the other day, it's the London Toy Soldier Show tomorrow;

Haverstock School
24 Haverstock Hill
Chalk Farm
London NW3 2BQ

09:30-16:00hrs for buyers,

Everything else is here

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*********************************************************

Auction News

Lot 4266

While there's a TV/movie related sale at Vectis on Tuesday 28th March

Thornaby Head Office
Vectis Ltd
Fleck Way
Thornaby
TS17 9JZ
UK

01642 750 616

I forgot to mention . . . It's BP Fairs' Sandown Park Toy Pair today, so if you're at a loose-end, mosey-on down to Esher and see if you can grab yourself a bargain, he says; still half-asleep!

Barney's been busy this winter, another release from him reads . . .

"...this week we have an exciting collection of 'Swoppets' from Poole in Dorset, including some superb C15th Knights, some of which have come straight out of a boxed set and are in pristine condition. We also have some nice early Herald ceremonial figures from the Manhattan Collection, including a group of four very early Guardsmen, marching at the slope, all with the "British Made" Zang trademark to their bases..."

As always Barney's stuff is to be found here Herald Toys & Models

Pages

Notes On Content

Followers - Many Thanks

eMail Hugh here;

Useful 'Web' Tools

Blog Archive

Other Peoples Musings

Everything Else Wargames/Modelling

Card and Paper Products

Useful Wikipedia Pages

Non-Toy Soldier Links

About Me

Saturday, December 6, 2025

Saturday, November 15, 2025

Sunday, June 8, 2025

Friday, June 6, 2025

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Saturday, November 30, 2024

Saturday, October 12, 2024

Friday, May 17, 2024

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Monday, April 1, 2024

Friday, March 22, 2024

Friday, February 23, 2024

Monday, November 13, 2023

Friday, September 8, 2023

Friday, June 23, 2023

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Friday, March 24, 2023

Saturday, February 25, 2023

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

My Other Stuff

See if you can find what you're looking for!

Only The Best - My favourite links

Forthcomming Show News

UK Manufacturers

North & South American Dealers

General Modeling Resources (UK)

Commercial sites with forums and/or other resorces.

Other Forums

Notes on Below Index

Click-on Index

Other Sites Of Interest

Copyright (C) Hugh Walter 2009-2025 (as dated)