Swapmeets/Toy Fairs


A

Alan Curtis

Member
Went to a toy fair (swapmeet) this morning. Used to frequent these before we moved abroad. Must be seven or eight years since I visited.

Back then, there would be a huge queue awaiting opening time, but this morning at a few minutes to opening there were maybe 15 people! Inside I used to have to shoulder my way to the tables to get a look at offererings, today I had way too much space, enough to feel sorry for the vendors!

I was in and out in ten minutes! Definitely a record. I wonder if it was just this one at this time, or are these events on the decline?
 
It could be any number of factors. Winter is traditionally when events such as these are popular.
I try to attend Timonium whenever possible. Summer shows there are significantly smaller, but just as good.
 
Alan,

Can't really speak for the UK but it could be a number of things, the economy, a decline in the hobby, people preferring new to used, the weather and probably a whole lot of others as well.

The first (and only) one I have been too, reportedly the biggest in our neck of the woods, was similar to what you described with the one you attended. We had a 10 minute wait in the opening cue but then had no trouble getting around or seeing the tables etc. One thing I noticed with the one I went to was the number of people who were no more than casual observers - didn't see too many handing over money.

The most notable thing was the excessive cost of new items, far higher than what you might pay at your LHS or over the internet. The second most noticeable thing was the amount of "junk" (literally) being up for sale. For a supposed Model Train Show, it was more like a Garage Sale. Both those things turned me off buying anything and convinced me (after hearing other similar stories) not to waste my time going to another.

Now that is here in the US, it could be the same in the UK.
 
I went to one today, at the local soccer stadium. It was a 10 minute wait to get in, with plenty of people in the queue. Once inside. there were plenty of stalls, with everything from brand new rolling stock, to old Dinky toys. I go for American locos, and rolling stock, so for me, the pickings are rather thin on the ground, but I did get a rake of four Walthers passenger cars in UP yellow, an 86 foot Athearn boxcar, and an Athearn SD40t-2 in SP colours that I,m going to patch into UP. There were a heck of a lot of people,shoulder to shoulder at times, as this is always a popular venue.

Ron
 
Tony, the term "junk" certainly applied to some of the stuff on offer - and at way inflated prices!

Ron, shoulder to shoulder was how it used to be at ones we frequented, maybe still is at the right venue at the right time. But Sunday's was very sparse, both on items offered and paying punters. Actually felt quite sorry for some of the bored looking vendors!

But as there is very little I need now, don't think I will go to any more. Anything I do want is more readily available at a model railway exhibition, or online.
 
The local show several years ago was like that. The only thing that got my attention was the East Penn Traction club modular layout. A lot of junk and 'custom' layouts were for sale. I spoke with a local train shop guy and he told me they aren't selling much at train shows and most of the inventory gets deeply discounted the last day so they don't have to load it back on the trailer to take it home.
 
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