Toy, Train and Sci-Fi Mega Fair - Newcastle

I have been going to war games shows for over twenty years but on each of those occasions, I have never attended as a simple punter. When I saw a Facebook advert for the Toy, Train and Sci-Fi Mega Fair being held at the Newcastle Eagles Arena on Saturday 6th July, it piqued my interest.

I'll admit it now and say that I am not one for trains or toy collections. Trains never really grabbed me, not like aircraft or military ships do, and toy collections are only something that I might look at from a wargaming point of view. I do like sci-fi though and show me a die-cast aircraft carrier and I'm yours, so to speak. Ahem, anyway, I thought there might be enough to interest me and I'd never been to a show like it before. Since it was local and there was nothing else planned for the day, my good lady and I ventured to deepest, darkest Scotswood Road to find out what the show could offer.

We arrived shortly after ten, missing the queue to get in but finding the room rather busy. The show itself occupied two-thirds of the room, the other third being used for basketball practice. It sounded like it anyway as there was a barrier dividing the two. Lighting wasn't too bad. In fact, it was rather decent and nothing like the horrid orange sodium glare you get at some sports venues (Gateshead, I am looking at you!).

The show is pretty much traders only with a couple including some display tables as well - the Meccano set up was good and the railway table was really good - ok, trains aren't my thing but I can appreciate when a lot of work has gone into something and that work is on show.

Quite a decent venue.

Walking anti-clockwise round the room, the traders here were very much train-heavy on kit. One trader pretty much occupied the right hand wall of the show and if that's your thing, you'd have been in seventh heaven.

A lot of stock of rolling stock...

Choo-Choo's, Sir! Fa'sands of 'em! (A slight exaggeration!)

Moving on brought out the die-cast traders and my only criticism of the trade here. Most traders arranged their stock in neat rows or on top of container lids or in a loose fashion about the table top. All well and good. There were a small number who just had plastic and wooden boxes with stock dumped in them, leaving you to search for anything you might like. It's one way of doing it but it doesn't do the toys any favours and cost one trader a sale. A die-cast aircraft carrier in its box. Nice, I thought, but on closer inspection, it had been kept in with a jumble of other die-cast kit and the box was shredded, the model loose inside and some damage had been taken to the flight deck. No sale there then. Some traders did have some nicely painted toy soldiers that looked the part but for the prices they wanted, would stay put.

Don't ask how much.

Sci-Fi traders took up the rest of the show and it was mostly a mix of Dr Who and Star Wars toys. All I'll say to that is why did my parents let me play with this stuff as a kid? The prices being charged for toys I played with 35 years ago are in many ways silly, but charged they are and I saw some people pay them too.

There was a cake stall for refreshments and a book trader as well. Sadly for me, he dealt in railway books only so that was a dud. The final stand that caught my eye was the one in the picture below:

What in the actual f...? A doll's head in a lamp???

I initially thought it to be steampunk which I have a sneaky liking of, but no. The wares available here were weird and off-putting. I get the idea, but I don't like the look.

Two points remain to be made about this show and they both relate to the attendees (and for those who attend war games shows, you'll know exactly where I am coming from):

• Back packs were a thing here and more than once I received a glancing blow from someone turning around without looking to see if there was anybody near them. I know why people use them but for the love of all that is holy (non-denominational or Cthulhu, it's your call), carry them by hand when in an enclosed space.  
• The unwashed. By that, I mean some of those who attended had not seen a shower or a bath in days. I know it's been rather warm recently so you would expect a bit more attention to personal hygiene but a couple of blokes in there were so bad, I gagged as they passed by. This wasn't fresh, same day sweat. This was sour and cloying, built up over days. I know you can't expect organisers to deal with that issue but it still surprises me that people leave the house in that state. 

So that was the show and a well organised one it was too. I picked up a couple of thoughts for future war games and I'll be turning up next year when they will have the whole hall and up to 30 additional traders. It's something a bit different and I might find something I like next time.