April 2026 – My Toy Soldiers & Me

I am too old to travel like that (on a whim), I do not fear flying at all do not be silly, but I do not like been treated like cattle at Airports, the delays, the inconfort, the reduced spaces, the lack of good manners of the general public, and enough of that… I only travel if I can drive my car to it.

So, why this Post at all?

Because I am giving you some shots and a link.

Tel el Kebir in glorious 54mm gloss toy soldiers sponsored by the ITSC (International Toy Soldier Club) and REPLICA METAL MODEL SOLDIERS (both of them in fact are Andrew Stevenson creations).

First the pics,

For once I am not modifying the pic… this is how it was! See Renato seated on the far right of the wargames table. The view is from the Egyptian side.

A close up of the Egyptian forces, 12 figures units as in the A GENTLEMANS WAR rules (not used) and fantastic movement trays also by Andrew Stevenson.

The British attack… I guess in real life (who cares about that anyway) it was not at all like that (better read Donals Featherstone classic Tel el Kebir from OSPREY books) but it looks as a lot of fun!

Now, the link to a YouTube where there is an interview of Andre Stevenson (on his Major General outfit -moustache is real-).

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVnObdTkVRI

Interview runs from minute 7:21 to 9:02 (for those of you who are always “on the run”)

Splendid Toy Soldiers, active new original poses or stances in the cherished Old Britains style… BUT BRAND NEW!… no lead rot… no extravagant auction prices… bespoke orders!… Boy! was the find of my late collecting times!…

Curiously enough I have mentioned to Andrew many times the fact that he is doing the Toy Soldiers I (wrongly) asumed andthought Briatins did make when I was a child… and I could not get (no market in Spain, no Internet, no Mail Order, no nothing, this is pure anachronism I am rambling about!). It is funny!… THEY DID NOT EXIST!… can you remember or wish for something that did not exist?… so my NOSTALGIA was fake! LOL

Nonplussed nowadays with my modest collection of them.

Andrew went to the Chicago Toy Soldier Fair last year and will probably repeat the experience… the fact that some boxes of Toy Soldiers (USA Infantry) went from the UK to the USA and back again to the UK because not all of them sold (A thing that eludes me completely!)… made me have the “need” to get them of course (now they are in Andorra… a couple of boxes… and waiting for some reinforcements any day now!). Will add pics of them hereby.

My much travelled toy soldiers! USA Infantry late XIXth

My SIMKIN TIMES collection… more than half are REPLICA… some Dorset Soldiers and “modern” W.BRITAINS Centennial Sets

My Khaki Collectio 99% REPLICA… with some odd bespoke Dorset Soldiers, Paul Watson’s Own and W.Britains Cavalry sets.

ENJOY!

Month: April 2026

SALUTE 53 HIGHLIGHT!