What's in the Van? - 9th February 2023

Nottinghamshire & Lincolnshire

Heading East this morning, no ice to scrape off the windscreen, thankfully. Eastward trips at this time of year are always a bit of a pain as you have the sun in your eyes going and coming back. Early again!

After heading up the M40, across the Coventry by-pass, up the M69, I crossed the M1 and got on to the A46. This is a road that always makes me think of food, there are exits for Melton Mowbray (pork pies) and Colston Bassett (Stilton cheese). My destination was Cropwell Butler, which like Colston Bassett and some of the other places off the A46 sounds a bit like a character in a Jilly Cooper novel. It's amazing the way the mind drifts as the van trundles along.

Peter's Fire Engines

Peter, in Cropwell Butler, is a retired police officer. He has decided to move on his very interesting collection of fire service related vehicles. There  are Franklin Mint, Conrad, Models of Yesteryear, Corgi and a host of other quality makers. I'm looking forward to processing these. There is also a set of the Franklin Mint 1:43 scale US cars from the 50s.

Sue at Markham Moor

My next stop is a piece of fortunate timing. The day before I received a call from Sue, who has been cleaning out her loft, and had found some models collected years before by her husband. Looking at the map I realised it was pretty handy for my planned stops for Thursday so I arranged to call in.

Sue is at Markham Moor on the old Great North Road. Her models were a little eclectic but there is a set of the ever popular Late Yesteryear red box models which includes Stephenson's Rocket and the 100 Ton Scammell. There's also a nice large scale vintage American artic, a Mack I think. I'm not sure if her husband was aware that his models were going...

The third collection of the day was just outside Lincoln. Just by coincidence the podcast I was listening to as I pottered along was about the Battle of Lincoln in 1217. It's a good story.

King John had just died after losing all England's holdings in France and while being chased round the country by the Barons who were trying to get their hands on him. King Louis of France decided that John was so useless that he came over to London and proclaimed himself King of England.

William the Marshall - a truly amazing English knight, was having none of this and engaged the French at Lincoln. He led the charge himself, uphill, on foot, in full armour and at the age of 70. Of course he made mincemeat of the French and sent them packing. The ones that weren't mincemeat by then that is.

Richard's Dad's Buses

I digress. Richard, at Swinderby near Lincoln, had contacted me at the end of 2021 about his late father's collection of buses and we had agreed a price. However he decided at the time that it was just too soon and could not part with them yet. He got back in touch a couple of weeks ago, I dug out my valuation and we agreed to go ahead and do the deal.

Richard's father had put together a nice collection of EFE and OOC buses which will make welcome additions to the Little Wheels on-line store.

With the van loaded up it is time to head back to Global HQ in Kingston Bagpuize

Part of Peter's collection of fire related vehicles back at the warehouse. I see some vintage Corgi & Dinky, some code 3 models and later items too.

What's in the Van Home

2nd February 2023 - Gloucester & Hereford