Dear Tony Blair

Sunday, 5 October 2025

Northern Games Day - 1983

As it says on the tin! I remember it well as I was working in the Manchester shop at the time. Can't remember if this was the one where they had Archive Miniatures blistered up and I didn't get any as I'd not get staff discount at the show... they never appeared and everyone swore they didn't have them at the show. Hmmm. Talked to Nevile Stocken about it a few years back and he never knew they had actually cast them as no agreement had been made. One of my holy grails is to pick up some of these! The other one it could have been (or maybe this was both!) is where Bryan turned up with a box of newly cast blisters which were in an awful alloy. Shade of future problems to come for us collectors. Do miss the man, my weekends at BOYL were great fun helping out and chatting to them all. Anyway, I found my old programme so though I'd add it to the rest. Please leave a comment as I'm starting to worry no one reads me any more!

Until next time...

Thursday, 2 October 2025

The Hobbit - Davenport Theatre, May 1987

Doing my usual thing of looking for something and finding an old memory. I have a habit of placing mementoes between book and magazines in my various bookcases and it often costs me a lot of time as I delve into the past! I have vague memories of going to this production however nothing concrete beyond that I was there! This was pre marriage and children etc so it will have been in my 'Apex Beat' days and possibly accompanied by my old mate & roadie, Jason Douglas (where are you now Jason?).

The Davenport Theatre (UK, not the US one which is still going strong) closed down in 1997 when the lease was over and I believe it's now flats or similar... seemingly the fate of everywhere when money is involved of course. Lots of information about the theatre on the link below;

https://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/tag/7691/Davenport-Theatre

Not figure related directly but I'm sure it's of interest. Hope the progam scans are ok. Had to redo them as somehow there was a Playmobil coin on the scanner the first time round!

If you like the blog, please follow it and become a Politico (top left) - it makes me feel like I'm appreciated as does leaving a comment below!

Also, if you feel slightly flush, buying me a coffee is always appreciated...blogging can be thirsty work... https://ko-fi.com/davidwood or even pop over to The Little Soldier Company (banner at the top) as I could certainly do with an order or two as it's very quiet at the moment.

Any thoughts on anything please do leave a comment and/or email me on enquiries@deartonyblair.co.uk, even if it is to just berate me for my penchant for coffee.

Until next time!

Saturday, 20 September 2025

Minifigs - MiniMiniFigs - 5mm 'scale' blocks

Updated 11t April 2026.

I picked up a miscellaneous bunch of old miniatures recently which contained two of these... I had no idea what they were exactly until I was researching further and came across the Wargaming Hermit blog;

https://wargamehermit.blogspot.com/2019/10/minifigs-5mm-miniminifigs-ancients.html

https://wargamehermit.blogspot.com/2017/02/5mm-minifigs-blocks-part-2.html

Lots of images on there of the various types (still no WW2 images found as yet) and, of course, I can only find one of my blocks - possibly 5M 2 French Line Infantry though I could be wrong... they really are very tiny. The range didn't last very long as apparently Neville Dickinson couldn't find anyone to sculpt what he wanted.

Edit - the original sculptor was a Neil Butcher - does anyone have any other details for him?

Anyway, a few close ups of mine... There's nothing on the base... just checked as I'd forgotten to take a pic!

The listings from my 1972 catalogue...

A short article from Wargamer's Newsletter, No.122, May 1972 by Peter Gouldesbrough

Edit; a note from Wargamer's Newsletter (1974 I think, I was looking through so many yesterday) c/o Donald Featherstone;

A few days ago I received a letter from a subscriber most interested in wargaming with the Mini-Minifig 5mm regimental blocks but felt that the range was not sufficiently complete for his purposes. I communicated this information to Neville Dickinson whose reply will no doubt be of interest to other collectors of this scale. "Fortunately Dick Higgs is built like every normal person, having only one pair of hands to design with and only 24 hours a day at his disposal. Command strips have been made and will be in production very shortly while troops for the British Household Cavalry and the French Dragoons already exist as numbers 15N55 and 15N57. British Riflemen are so similar to the British Light Infantry that it would appear pointless for us to make a specific figure but we agree that a separate command strip is necessary. As to the absence of French Light Infantry, authentic information suggests that the only difference in their uniform to that of the French Line is that Line wear white trousers. Currently in production but not yet advertised or listed are Prussian, Austrian and Russian Infantry figures together with some command strips"

As always leave a comment or if you've anything to sell or trade please email me on enquiries@deartonyblair.co.uk

Monday, 15 September 2025

Wargaming Personalities of the 70's

These images are taken from Wargamer's Newsletter No. 145 and 146. I don't own the original images (just the magazines!) and are just posted for awareness. I've added links to some pages where found rather than have me whitter away.

Peter Gilder and Don Featherstone