In the back room Ann Jalili & Kathy Weatherhead of Our Sindy Museum, together with their spouses Graham & Vic, had set up a galloping display of Sindy and her horses with a stable, horse box and carriages as well as several different horses.

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I also noticed a Sindy Brown Owl and two Patchs dressed as Brownies out camping with their large orange tent.

The Sindy display covered all the Sindys from 1963 right though to 1985. This was a real treat for the ladies most of whom had a Sindy at some stage in their youth.

Opposite, Carol Spooner delighted us with here ever growing collection of “Watch with Mother” and 1950s TV Toys.

I spotted a glove puppet of Pussy Cat Willum, and  a hedgehog puppet and yes it was from “Rag Tag and Bobtail”.The was also a Lenny the Lion hot water bottle and Muffin the Mule.

Paul Spooner had his large Tri-ang display and like Carol had added to his collection display in the last year

and I was very impressed with a restored wooded General bus

I also noted a tin fork lift and crane which I had not seen before; however my favourite is still the Double Decker bus.

On the back wall Bob Leggett had filled the space with a collection of shops including a Tri-ang Store, “Ideal Grocery” and a Berwick “Lady Jane” shop.

A Plastic Marx Gramophone kept everyone entertained with a variety of small 78rpm records played using the battery powered turntable. Britains Floral Garden with a Mettoy bungalow and a set of Elastolin farm animals completed the displays in the room.

In the small lobby to the stairs Bob had also set up some boxed displays including Toy Kitchens, Casdon Telephone exchange and the Robot quiz game set up for all to play with.

In the main hall upstairs it was really a big boys’ heaven. Steve Knight, and Marcus and Anthony Waring had set up a triple table display of Airfix, and just about everything was represented.

several well made and painted models were on display with original shop adverts; Steve had made a small diorama with a working helicopter saving a man from the sea. I heard several visitors say the display had inspired them to build a kit.

John Reeves and his granddaughter Anna were showing a 1950s 00 gauge layout with Tri-ang standard grey track and Tri-ang and Trix buildings as well as all sorts of accessories from the 1950s including Master Models, Merit, Crescent and Airfix.

John had set up a track for visitors to operate the trains and despite the size had fitted in a working TPO set which delighted many children. Apart from Tri-ang Trains running there were displays of Trix and Hornby Dublo.

Alongside, Clive Gehle has another lovely display of Lone Star DCMT die cast and rubber toys.

I immediately noticed a mushroom toy money box moulded in the same rubber used for Lone Star buildings. Most of us boys had lone star toys without really knowing it. The variety of the toys  is quite staggering.

In the corner Dave and Karen White had set up a Tri-ang TC Canadian style 00 gauge layout with CN and CP stock as well as ATT buildings.

This was a real treat for Tri-ang TC fans, and was much admired particularly those seeing the Minic motorway cars stopping for the trains.

The front of the stage was like something out of Dr Doolittle with Dave Angell’s collection of Tri-ang sit-on animals; like most of us Dave had added to his collection, and a new ‘Plastic’ Donkey was spotted, and I also noted other collectors bring along their animals to add to the display;  it must be contagious!.

Dave with help from Dale Angell were also running Tri-ang Jump Jockey which as many know, is like Scalextric on the Horse Racecourse with fences; to jump the fences you need to reverse polarity, and it is quite hard to master at the best of times, and when I had a go it took a while to get round.

On display were several sets including a rare French set with betting slips and money.

The last display was by John and Briony Hollands who had set up a lovely French Hornby clockwork layout with several French built accessories. While I was passing a silver three car railcar was moving round at quite a pace, earlier a long goods train had been running without any mishaps. The clockwork motors ran particularly well and I spotted many visitors reminiscing.

The day would not be possible without the help of a very useful group of press ganged volunteers: many thanks to my wife Fiona for putting up with the show, and supplying all the cakes, and helping on the day, Hilary and Wendy for sorting out the lunch, Claire, Hilary, Karen and Dale for doing the teas and coffee, my sons Oli and James  and James’s girlfriend Jess for the early morning bacon rolls and teas. Thanks to Eric Trickle and Graham for helping at the door, and a big thank you to Neil Bowsher for assisting on Saturday and Sunday with setting and clearing up. (We had to transform the back room from an office to a room suitable for displaying!)

Finally thanks to all those who came, without whom the show would not be possible. Over 300 came to the show including many families and several who happened to be in Alresford for the day and were persuaded to come in.

The next show will be on March 11th 2012

Bob Leggett

2011 Report here.......