T is for Thunderbirds Are Gone!

In fact they went just over a year after they started, I'm referring to Thunderbirds Are Go, a magazine which became, quite quickly, a subscription 'partwork', but which failed at the first hurdle - lasting a year!

Blogged by Moonbase at the time, so I held-off on my own purchases, but I'd got in at the start and predicted in a comment over there that it would peter-out after a while, with lower-value gifts and/or Thunderbirds-stickered (or printed) generic novelties, which is pretty much what happened, with a secret-code message booklet, Parker's 'cockney phrase book' "Shall I do the Berkeley, Mairy Pop'uns?!" or a tuppence-worth of vac-form mask, of the Hood's face!

 

But the early issues ran through the vessels in a '1:no constant scale' size model, I think there was a larger T4, but I missed it, and it'll turn-up loose at some point, if there was, I'm absolutely sure about that!

 

Probably the nicest was the T5, Space Station for onanists, which came as a kit of pre-coloured parts with a small sticker-sheet and therefore had a lot of inbuilt value-for-money, easy to build, it would be useful for all that micro-space wargaming some indulge in? "That's not a moon, it's a pocket-money trap!"

The flying Stalwart! Based on the TV reboot, the vehicles aren't quite as bad as the execrable movie, but nevertheless, they ain't the originals either, so not sad to see them die, a story which was told at the time over on Down The Tubes;

 

https://downthetubes.net/dc-thomson-cancels-thunderbirds-are-go-magazine/
 

What I managed by way of a collection, the T1 and T3 are relatively unchanged so why fuck-about with T2, which was everybody's favourite? Except for the big girl's blouses, who liked FAB1! I don't know if there was a FAB1 in the . . . 14 (?) issues!

News, Views Etc . . . Forthcoming Events

It rolls around quickly enough; this Friday malarky! Another bumper crop of shows this weekend, not so many Auctions in the next week, unless you know better . . .

. . . but if you do and you haven't told me about it, it won't be here will it!

One of the 'Midlands Posse' emailed me to point out that it was the Birmingham Toy Soldier Show last weekend and I didn't list it, but there was nothing in my sources and nothing in my eMail; so it didn't get a listing! As it's all metal, and all glossy-mag' Ad's now, I guess they are advertising elsewhere to other 'types'!?

In the meantime; that I know of . . .

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

Toy Fairs

Saturday 13th October 2018

Bristol (North) - Chris Dyer Fairs

BAWA Health & Leisure Centre, 589 Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG
Web. - www.chrisdyerfairs.co.uk
Tel. - 01643 702 757
Mob. - 07966 694 579

10:30 - 15:00

Admission £2.00

Chester - Tony Oaks Toy Fairs

The Cheshire Country Club Sports Club, Plas Newton Lane, Upton, Cheshire, CH2 1PR

Tel. - 01270 652 773

Mob. - 07825 631 323

10:30 - 14:30hrs

Admission £2.00

Free Parking

Nottingham - Townsend Toy & Train Fairs (Malcolm Townsend, evening fair)

Bluecoat Academy, Nottingham, NG8 5GY

Web. - www.tttf.co.uk

Mob. - 07951 072 790

10:00 - 14:00hrs

Admission unknown, accompanied under-16's free

Light refreshments

Free Parking

Plymouth - Events Frontier - 'Devcon' Sci-fi and Comics Convention (day 1 of 2)

Plymouth Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2BJ

Web. - www.eventsfrontier.com

eMail - eventsfrontier@hotmail.com

Mob. - 07508 548 938

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

Sunday 14th October 2018

Coventry - Barry Potter / BP Fairs

The Connexion, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3FL

Web. - www.bpfairs.com

Tel. - 01604 846 688

Mob. - 07966 527 177

10:30 - 15:00hrs

Admission £3, seniors £2.50p, children £1, eraly bird (from 08:00hrs) £6

Free parking

Huntingdon - J&J Fairs

International Indoor Areana, Kings Bush Centre, Wood Green Animal Shelters, London Road, Godmanchester, PE29 2NH

Web. - www.j-jwebbtoyfairs.com

eMail - jandjfairs@virginmedia.com

Tel. - 01522 880 383 (J & J Webb)

10:00 - 14:30hrs

Admission £3, Seniors £2.50p, 1st Child £2

Leigh - Barry Stockton - Train & Toy Collectors fair

Leigh Sports Centre, Sale Way, Leigh, WN12 0HQ

Web. - http://barrystocktonfairs.co.uk/
Tel. - 01513 343 362

Plymouth - Events Frontier - 'Devcon' Sci-fi and Comics Convention (day 1 of 2)

Plymouth Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2BJ

Web. - www.eventsfrontier.com

eMail - eventsfrontier@hotmail.com

Mob. - 07508 548 938

Wincanton - Toytrac - 'Toytrac 2018' Model Farming Show

Wincanton Racecourse, Old Hill, Wincanton, Somerset, BA9 8BJ (venue)
27 Mayflower Court, Highbridge, Somerset TA93BQ, GB (promoter)

Web. - www.toytrac.co.uk

 

Tel. - 01278 785 295

Sponsored by Britains Farm Toys (Tomy)

Can be found on Twitter and The Facebook

Worthing  - SRP Toyfairs

Charmandean Centre, Forest Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 9HS

Web. - http://srptoyfairs1.co.uk/

eMail: srptoys1@hotmail.co.uk

Tel. - 07739 998 012 (Paula or Gerry)

10:00 - 14:00hrs

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

Tuesday 16th October 2018

Wootton Basset - Steven Clements Fairs - Wootton Basset Evening Fair

Memorial Hall, Station Road, Wootton Basset, Wiltshire, SN4 7EN

eMail: clementfairs@aol.com

Tel. - 01380 725 322

Mob. - 07958 101 891

18:30 - 20:30hrs

Café

Free parking

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

Thursday 18th October 2018

Thatcham - Steven Clements (evening fair)

Thatcham Catholic Hall, Bath Road, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG18 3AG

Tel. - 01380 725 322

Mob. - 07958 101 891

eMail: clementfairs@aol.com

18:30 - 20:30hrs

Refreshments,

Free parking

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

Auctions

Reminder - Today

Ledbury - John Goodwin

3-7 New Street, Ledbury, Herefordshire, HR8 2DX

eMail - rupert@johngoodwin.co.uk

Tel. - 07968 694 746 (11th and 12th October only)

Viewing - Thursday 11th October 15:00-19:00hrs and morning of sale from 08:00hrs

Sale starts 10:00hrs - finish.

Trains, ephemera and advertising goods

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

Monday 15th October

Lewis - Wallis and Wallis

West Street Galleries, Lewis, Sussex, BN7 2NJ

Web. - wallisandwallis.co.uk

eMail - toys@wallisandwallis.co.uk

Tel. - 01273 480 208

Fax. - 01273 476 562

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

Tuesday 16th October

Ludlow - Mullock's Specialist Auctioneers and Valuers

Ludlow Racecourse, Bromfield, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 2BT

Mullock's

Web. - www.mulletauctions.co.uk

eMail - reception@mullocks.co.uk

01694 771 771

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

Thursday 18th October

Newbury - Special Auction Services (SAS)

81 Greenham Business Park, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG19 6HW

Web: www.specialauctionservices.com

eMail: mail@specialauctionservices.com

Tel: 01635 580595

Fax: 0871 714 6905

Express Music and Entertainment

(not sure if this is happening, check before travel)

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Thursday 18th  AND  Friday 19th October 2018

Stockton-on-Tees - Vectis (2-day sale)

Fleck Way, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 9JZ

Web. - www.vectis.co.uk

eMail - admin@vectis.co.uk

01642 750 616

Thursday 18th - general toy sale

Friday 19th - trains/model railway sale

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

Other Events

Saturday 13th October 2018

Theydon Bois - North London & Essex Transport Events (NLETE) - Transport Bazaar & Vintage Bus Displays

Theydon Bois Village Hall, Coppice Row, Essex, CMI6 7ER

eMail - nleevents@outlook.com

11:00 - 15:30hrs

Admission £3.00, accompanied children free

Free rides around Epping Forest.

No public car parking, refreshments, stalls etc . . .

============☼============

Saturday 13th AND Sunday 14th October 2018

Milton Keynes - Key Events - The Great Electric Train Show

Arena Milton Keynes, Stadium Way, Milton Keynes, MK1 1ST

Web. - www.greatelectrictrainshow.com

Tel. - 01780 480 404

Sponsored by Hornby Magazine

New venue

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

Thursday 18th October - Tuesday 23rd October 2018

Loughborough - Various Events/Promoters - 'Loogabarooga Festival'

Loughborough, Leicestershire

Web. - www.loogabarooga.co.uk

Highlights include;

- 80 years of the Beano comic

- Comic Art by J.P. Reynolds (at the Charnwood Museum)

- Illustration Workshops

- Public Readings

- Vintage Book Fairs (with an 's'!), and other activities. The umbrella event celebrates illustration in publishing.

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

If you are an event promoter/show curator/auctioneer and you want your toy, model, collectable or popular-/youth-culture type sale/exhibition/event listed here - FOR FREE - or linked to; please eMail me -

maverickatlarge[at]hotmail[dot]com

- stating the date/s of the event, address of event, contact details, opening/viewing times, admission pricing and any other relevant facts/details or features - parking, travel notes, disability access, availability of refreshments, event subject matter &etc.

And please mention any flyer-art or poster-/leaflet-scans but send by separate eMail, in case they go to the 'junk' folder, from where they can be recovered and marked safe, but only if I know they're there!

..........ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ◈◇◆◊☼◊◆◇◈ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ..........

 Random shit off the internet!

DC is for Thompson!

No . . . not Detective Comics but David Coupar Thomson, who took over his father's Charles Alexander & Company, renaming it DC Thompson in 1905, long before the other DC's rise to prominence in the 1930's, although the titles we're looking at here date from the late 1930's.

Of its many titles the most famous to those of us of a certain age and who maybe don't live on the Dundee doorstep are The Dandy and The Beano, and it is to those works of great literary merit we turn today, with help from Brian Berke, Jim (from Sandown), Royal Fail and the good burghers of Dundee!

Although - in Desperate Dan's case it's probably the good burgers of Dundee we should be investigating . . . ?

Minnie the Minx is a female clone of Dennis the Menace, although I don't know which came first, and yes, he predates the other annoying, eponymous clone by decades, she is modelled here for McDonalds Happy Meals in the UK. They both appeared in the Beano

Next to her is a metal Desperate Dan, whose home title was the Dandy . . . Dan-dy . . . geddit! Hay; don't blame this author, it was all puns in British comics! Made by Unicorn Miniatures, we saw their Dan Dare (but dare he eat a cow-pie?) figures, also from Mr. B, at the start of last month.

Minnie's a modern rendition and about 4" tall, while the Unicorn figurine is a tad above the standard 54mm at around 60-mil against the 'berserker', and if you think Dan's looking untroubled by the likelihood of a bayonet-wound, believe me; he's seen far greater dangers off in a trice, indeed I think larger blades have blunted just trying to shave him!

The other Dan in the right-hand image is a plastic figurine of unknown origin, he looks to be very similar to some of the Phidal stuff, whether they've ever tackled UK-specific licences I don't know, and equally he could be a specially commissioned cover-freebie/premium?

The label (dating the figurine (or license) to 2005) suggests the comic's ownership; could he be from the now defunct (or re-purposed) rides at Chessington, or the gift-shop thereof?

We also see a Desperate Dan club badge! There used to be badges for all sorts of kids things, I have Airfix and Corgi badges somewhere, and the Sword Blog (link) regularly passes on news of their badges?

A larger glazed-ceramic Desperate Dan with his 'cow pie' . . . take one whole cow, cover it in pastry, cook it! Simple really and the horns hold the crust up like singing blackbirds! Foreign readers have by this point given-up on the madness - I'm sure; but need to know a Desperate Dan storyline wasn't complete until he'd sat down with a cow-pie with potting-fork and trowel.

The storylines actually often started with his attempts to eat a cow-pie being interrupted, usually by a 'grown-up' giving some kids a hard time!

To the right we see a group shot of Brain's DC characters, with Dennis the Menace and Gnasher (his immaculately well-behaved little dog . . . NOT!) having a bath - as a bubble-bath dispenser, and another McDonalds Happy Meal toy of him causing mischief with a toy spider; a toy of a toy!

While I was awaiting the above to be sent, Jim gave me this in the big box, again I suspect a cover freebie, as it hasn't got any of the 'club' stuff of a send-away, so probably taped to the front of an issue?

Meanwhile a travel piece in the Metro or 'i' suggesting Dundee as a perfect weekend-break showed this, how cool is that; keep your bronze lord-this or nappy-emperor-that, Dundee has Desperate Dan striding across the main square with Dawg!

While Royal Fail put both comics on postage stamps back in 2012!