Arkwright Models    

REVISED DIESEL DATES: Planned diesel weekends on some preserved lines have been revised. 15/16 May is now WEST SOMERSET'S Running Weekend, while their Autumn Diesel Gala is now 24-26 September. The Diesel Gala at BODMIN AND WENFORD is revised to 2/3 October.

SLOUGH TOY FAIR SET TO RETURN: Three Counties Toyfairs have acquired the long established fair operated at The Centre, Slough up until the venue closed for total redevelopment 2 years ago. The completely rebuilt Centre is now open, and Ian Shave's first event is scheduled for 7 November. His nearby Staines show has been going from strength to strength - this extra show will serve the same area.

MORE NEW TRAIN FAIRS: Dedicated "Trains Only" fairs for model railway buffs are all the rage. New ones recently announced are -

YET ANOTHER COLLECTOR'S NEWSPAPER: Last summer, the long established "Collectors Gazette" which had catered for the toy collector for many years was acquired by the Vectis Auctions group. Very soon a rival publication appeared, no doubt aware of some toy traders' preference for an independent title. Against the odds, the new "Collectors Chronicle" has flourished and is on issue number 8. But wait! What's this? Yet another (and strangely familiar) monthly paper is going the rounds of antique and collectors' fairs, already well served by the "Antiques Trade Gazette" whose authoritative technical coverage, and splendid auctions and fairs calendar would be very hard to beat. Sadly, the toy collector is ill-served by all this competition: for various reasons no one paper carries a comprehensive diary of toy fairs - one of the reasons for our own offering.

NEW HORNBY CATALOGUE - Hornby's 1999 railways catalogue is now in the shops. This is the forty-fifth edition, and includes over 80 new products: get your own copy today (price around £5). Hornby's plans for 1999 have already been previewed in "Model Railway Enthusiast", and new items will be reviewed in depth as soon as they are available.

NEW CLUB FOR TRIANG COLLECTORS - For collectors of all Triang toys and models, THE TRIANG SOCIETY has been launched. The products of the prolific Lines Group of companies included Dolls' Houses, Prams, Minic Ships and Frog Model Aircraft and a vast range of other toys, quite apart from their better known ranges: Triang Railways, Minic Motorways and Scalextric. The club will be issuing a quarterly newsletter and we understand a year's membership (with sales and wants facility initially free to members) will cost £15 for UK. Membership enquiries should be made to: Miles Rowland, 109 The Avenue, Sale, Manchester M33 4XZ, or Email at rowland@tri-ang.freeserve.co.uk

INTERNET AUCTIONEER EXPANDS: EBay are expanding into the U K by launching uk.ebay.com and have also announced the takeover of San Francisco auction house Butterfields. Many U K collectors have already been buying through eBay: this can only be easier with a locally based offshoot. The immediate benefit is likely to be in improved transaction security (a point of criticism in the States), and the avoidance of currency exchange problems.

ALAN GODFREY OLD O.S. MAPS - 1999 NEW TITLES Jan to April: £1.95 each

Alan Godfrey's Spring 99 full Catalogue is now available: or check the website at www.alangodfreymaps.co.uk for the very latest information. New maps weekly.

"REFLECTIONS OF A BYGONE AGE" from the Golden Age of picture postcards. In a series of more than 100 titles, a small number are inevitably out of print at any one time - currently awaiting the next reprint are: Wednesbury, Burton/Ashby Light Railway, Lincolnshire Windmills , Mapperley, Carlton. A number of new titles are in preparation for 1999, including:

MILLENNIUM OPEN WEEKEND PLANS - Following the outstanding success of the Toton Open Weekend last August Bank Holiday, EWS and RAIL magazine have announced plans for a grand Millennium Open Weekend at Old Oak Common depot, near Paddington Station, on August 26/27 2000. The working turntable will be used for the display of steam and heritage diesel traction, and there will be many other rail exhibits quite apart from the usual leading trade and society stands. An information pack for exhibitors/traders can be obtained from:
JOLENE LEWIS, RAIL/EWS MILLENNIUM EXHIBITION, APEX HOUSE, OUNDLE ROAD, PETERBOROUGH PE2 9NP.

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