UK toy fairs and swap meets

Went to Kempton. As Rod said, it's smaller than Sandown but there were more car stalls there, including a couple selling white metal kits and built. Presumably Russel Martin has a connection with JM Toys as they had a massive stall - or is it their way of subsidising the hobby?

Russell is the son of John Martin who set up JM Toys although I believe it has now become RM Toys. The last time I spoke to him, some years ago he had taken over running it but his father kept getting involved. Anyone who knew John Martin would recognise that as being inevitable!

Anyone any experience of the Spring Beaulieu Autojumble as a good (or bad) place to buy or sell models?

Dates this year are 18th/ 19th May.

I'm thinking of going

Anyone any experience of the Spring Beaulieu Autojumble as a good (or bad) place to buy or sell models?

Dates this year are 18th/ 19th May.

I'm thinking of going

Close enough to give it a try Malcolm. I did just one Beaulieu Autojumble, as I recall there were a number of model sellers in a marquee and a few more hardy souls (like me) with pitches out amongst the rusty Austin 7 back axles and ancient petrol pumps. An awful lot of walking is involved though...

Close enough to give it a try Malcolm. I did just one Beaulieu Autojumble, as I recall there were a number of model sellers in a marquee and a few more hardy souls (like me) with pitches out amongst the rusty Austin 7 back axles and ancient petrol pumps. An awful lot of walking is involved though...

I'm familiar with the Boat Jumble which occupies much the same space so am all-too familiar with the walking. I've a couple of hundred models to sell, mostly 1:43rd but also some old (unboxed) Dinkies and am wondering if it's the place to shift them. As has so often been remarked here eBay prices, for a seller, are somewhat hit-and-miss, to say the least.

Understand me - this is strictly a one-off exercise. I am not, repeat not, going into the model business!

The cost of a stand in the covered marquee is silly - £135 - for what I have in mind; the cost of an outdoor pitch (which is what we use at the BJ) is £60, but I'm not sure that my limited stock would sustain two days. They have what they call a Trunk Traders area, a sort of car boot sale, on the Sunday, cost of a pitch is £20 and that might suit me.

As you say: it's just up the road from me while my nearest true toy fair is probably Shepton or Kempton Park

It's Shepton on 7 April. Not sure what the cost of a stand would be. If you want to be in the dry the Exeter gang will happily come along and help carry your stock in and set up.

It's Shepton on 7 April. Not sure what the cost of a stand would be. If you want to be in the dry the Exeter gang will happily come along and help carry your stock in and set up.

Ahhh... rats!

Already booked to do something else that day, otherwise...

How annoying.

There's always Westpoint on 28 April, but probably a bit too far to travel.

I will have a stand at Shepton on Sunday and Westpoint later in the month. See you there!

We shall be along to see you, Rod. Hope its a bit warmer than last time.

Just booked for myself a so-called 'trunk traders' pitch for the Sunday (19th May) of Beaulieu Autojumble.

Exeter Westpoint this Sunday 28 April. I've got my table booked but it's possible that another of the complications which seem to be making 2013 live up to its number may keep me away.

Beaulieu Spring Autojumble for us was a complete wash-out: literally. Having insufficient models to sell to justify the £95-odd for a pitch or £110 (IIRC the rates) for a 10ft x 10ft stall in the Grand Marquee (where you have to be there Saturday and Sunday) I opted for a Trunk Traders pitch (£20) for the Sunday only.



Things started encouragingly enough (the forecast was for possible occasional showers) and



we were not too discouraged when the first occasional shower appeared on cue at 1100, an hour after opening.



Unfortunately it did not occasionally stop until 3.00pm. We eventually gave up and retreated ‘indoors’.



Sold just two models.

I don’t think it was only the rain. There were a couple of model sellers there and one at least did a roaring trade but they were selling either modern ‘collectables’ or battered old Dinkys and Corgis. Most reported to me very quiet sales.

Not really a ‘toy fair’.

The big international one in September might be different but I doubt I’ll be there. Great place, however, if what you’re after is a track rod for an A39: only £35.00.

Sorry to hear it was a bit of a disaster Malcolm, my day at Westpoint a few weeks ago was dreadful, worst ever toyfair, it helps to at least take your stall rent!

Sorry to hear it was a bit of a disaster Malcolm, my day at Westpoint a few weeks ago was dreadful, worst ever toyfair, it helps to at least take your stall rent!

I just covered the rent - but that was it. As my wife said: 'that's ten hours we won't get back...'

Several traders to whom I spoke were no less pessimistic about toy fairs, including even Shepton. It would appear that all this stuff on the telly about Recession may not apply only to other people after all.

I must say: being a seller rarher than a buyer does put a different perspective on the matter.

Won't be at Shepton Mallet on 9th. June due to the Seaton Tramway Classic Vehicle Show. We (Model Garage and Colyton Antiques Centre) are in the former goods shed at Colyton station, now in the car park of the Seaton Tramway Colyton Terminus. Trade stands will be located on the Colyton station platform so if anyone visits please cross the track and come and see us.

The show itself is in the Underfleet car park in Seaton, East Devon. You will be able to buy tickets to take a tram ride to Colyton to marvel at the scenery and birdlife of the Axe estuary and to visit the trade stands and restaurant set up on Colyton station.

http://www.tram.co.uk
http://www.modelgarage.co.uk
http://www.colyton-a...es-centre.co.uk

Anyone in the SW stuck for something to do today see previous post!

Glutton for punishment that I am   Model Garage will be at the Toyfair at Westpoint Exeter on Sunday 1 Sept. Got to be better than last time, surely?

 

Glutton for punishment that I am   Model Garage will be at the Toyfair at Westpoint Exeter on Sunday 1 Sept. Got to be better than last time, surely?

 

How'd it go, Rod?

Not very well thanks Malcolm   but better than last time.

 

Shepton in a couple of weeks, are you going to be there?

 

Shepton in a couple of weeks, are you going to be there?

I very much doubt it, Rod. A few pressing matters closer to home.

 

But good luck.

At Goodwood last week end there were four stalls selling models: RM Toys with a selection from unboxed models at £5 upwards, Diecast Legends who were selling only Spark models, TC Models from the Netherlands and CK Model cars from Germany who both had a fair selection mainly 1:43 plus some 1:18 and both had some lovely but pricey models as well.  A couple of the 'automobilia' stalls had a few models but their price level was such that I didn't look further. This time I didn't see anything I wanted.

Perhaps its time I went back to having a trade stand at Goodwood.

Just to let everyone know, Shepton Mallet toyfair is on this coming Sunday.

A reminder that Sandown Park is next Saturday (16_^th)

Is there a good website with toyfairs listed? For years I used to get a montly newspaper, forget its name, but you had to buy it from a model shop and when my local one closed I rather lost touch, thus all buying is done via the interweb.

Edited by Derwent Motorsport, 13 December 2013 - 12:43.

There is this site which comes courtesy of Diecast Collector magazine.  Model Collector also used to have a site but they appear to have lost interest as it hasn't been updated in ages, which is a shame as they used to include more detail including admission prices.

 

I tend to look at the toyfairs diary in the back of the two magazines in Mr Smith's magazine reading room.  If I have time I'll also look at the model train magazines so I'll know which ones to avoid.  

 

I have also seen a 'newspaper' called something like "Collectors'Gazette" but it appears to cover too broad a spectrum for our purposes.

Edited by D-Type, 05 December 2013 - 13:36.

Collectors' Gazette; I used to stock it but gave up recently because no one buys it any more. I've just tried to find it on the web but can only find people trying to sell subscriptions. It does include a guide to fairs if you can find it on the shelves anywhere, however far too concerned with railways and cheapie diecast. Went downhill, in my view, when the current publishers bought it some years ago and "axed" my column relating to white metal and resin. Axed is probably too strong a word but I was told It would only be included if advertising permitted, struggling to get a date relevant article reviewing new releases ready by the deadline only to find it appeared 2 months later hardly seemed worth it.

 

Reminder to everyone, toyfair at Shepton Mallet on Sunday December 15th.

At Goodwood last week end there were four stalls selling models:

Five, Duncan! You missed Bonhams selling a 90-car Moss collection of 1:43rds for a mere £6,800. Could have been yours for just one more bid...   Look on the Moss thread.

Went to Eastleigh for the first time on Sunday - they had a bit of everything.

 

I plan to have a stall there in March.

Shepton Mallet yesterday, awful day, after a brief resurgence at toy fairs I'm giving up again, why is no one buying? However should any crime have been committed I almost certainly have the fingerprints of everyone present on an Oxford Diecast Bentley Continental box, some more than once. Message to the punters; it's simple Guys, pick up the model, admire it, say to the stall holder "That's nice"; it's the next bit you don't seem to be getting. You put your hand in your pocket; wallet; wife's purse; draw out a piece of folding paper and a bright shiny thing and hand them over. Simple, even I can manage it! 

 

Still it was good to chat to TNFers Tony, Barry and Phil. Barry and Phil get posting, TNF rarely goes in for ritual humiliation. Oh and Barry, I will get over you not buying the Brumm Thinwall Special.... eventually.

Edited by RCH, 16 December 2013 - 08:35.

Hiya Rod. A pleasure to meet you yesterday and always nice to put a face to a name.

A small consolation I'm sure, but many traders were of the same conclusions as yourself,
difficult for folk such as you who do it as a living as opposed to the "the hobby" dealer.

I can't speak for other areas but in the "wess of inglun" a Toy Fair seems to have developed
into purely social event with very little coin changing hand other than at the front door....Phill.

Basically, I think what's happened is that the number of collectors is finite and shrinking as new blood is not coming in.  Most customers, including myself, and most stallholders appear to be of the generation who grew up with Dinky and Corgi Toys and are either collecting the set of cars they would have dreampt of owning as a kid, or, collecting models reflecting an interest, in my case it's racing cars, but it could be buses, trains or aircraft.  Later generations grew up with a variety of toys not the simple cars.  I can see my son's generation collecting something like "He-Man" figures, or early computer games - he was never into collecting toy cars - he played with them but didn't ever want a particular car.

Speaking for myself, my collection is essentially Formula 1 Champions plus 'historically' significant Indianapolis, sports, GT cars - generally this means ones that were going cheap.  As time goes on, the number of gaps I have reduces.  Five years ago I would go to Kempton, Sandown, Crawley or wherever and would come out with two or three cars: two for the collection and one for the 'Significant Others'.  Nowadays I often come away empty handed: as well as my having fewer "wants" the variety of racing cars on offer has reduced significantly.

Toyfair organisers want a full hall of customers and stallholders so they include all toys and this gives the impression (to me) of "All trains, teddy bears, aeroplanes and old Dinkies" - which I am vaguely interested in looking at but not buying. There's even one local fair I no longer attend as it only has two stalls with cars in a hall full of model trains. If an organiser were brave enough to organise a "Cars", "Buses" or "Trains" themed fair, the results might be surprising.  The size would be smaller but the tighter focus should mean more business being done.

 

On a totally different note:

Hhas anybody ever been to the fairs at Stafford or Buxton?  I have relatives up that way and it would be handy to combine a visit with a toy fair.

Edited by D-Type, 17 December 2013 - 22:24.

I did not go to Shepton. Duncan, above, speaks as always good sense. For myself my collecting enthusiasm has tailed off not least because of the prices I now have to pay for the cars - primarily Moss - in which I am interested. I am fully aware of why those prices are as they are - it's just that my collecting hobby is a marginal activity, expenditure on it is marginal expenditure and £100 + for a model car is way on the wrong side of the margin. No doubt if the Bonds or the Lottery (really must buy a ticket) came up trumps the margin would move and there would be a couple more shelves in my Chapel filled with all those hand-built 250Fs and Lister-Jags that currently I peer at (but do not fondle) at the few toy fairs that I do go to.