RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 31, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2012 Well the van is booked so I hope there isn't any trouble with fuel as it won't fit in the car Must organise the crew so they get up! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Fuel strike or not, we have to go ahead now. There are 18 cheesecakes in my freezer and I can't eat them all. Geoff Endacott 18 cheescakes yum! Fuel strike or not, we have to go ahead now. There are 18 cheesecakes in my freezer and I can't eat them all. Geoff Endacott 18 cheescakes yum! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 31, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 31, 2012 Fuel strike or not, we have to go ahead now. There are 18 cheesecakes in my freezer and I can't eat them all. Geoff Endacott I'm sure we can help with that Geoff. Just leave them near stand 41. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 31, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2012 I'm happy to volunteer for cheesecake quality testing Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 31, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2012 You could always donate the left-over cheesecakes to the Taunton Members Day, Geoff... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Nile Posted March 31, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 31, 2012 left-over cheesecakes Not gonna happen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 As I understand it, Sainsbury's in Chippenham still has lots of petrol, but they have nearly run out of cheesecakes. Someone must have been panic buying. Don't tell anyone. I don't want to start a national crisis. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted March 31, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2012 No cheesecakes but we found a garage ta had diesel.many near us either don't have diesel or have no fuel at all. Anyway, the layout transport is now topped up so one tank should get us to Melksham and back. Now sitting in a pub with plenty of beer,zopposite one of the few garages still openin the area. Its busy! Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 There isn't much we can do about the fuel situation but hope for the best. With any luck things will be back to normal by then. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 It has been a nice day for delivering leaflets - and for selling tickets at the Shepton show. I think the publicity team has now passed the 30,000 leaflets delivered & distributed mark. I just hope the weather isn't quite so good on 14 & 15 April. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted April 1, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 1, 2012 As long as its dry early Saturday morning and Sunday evening for unloading and loading plus travelling, it can rain the rest of the time! Nice and sunny when our diverted train came through Melksham today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 The long-range weather forecast is for scattered showers over the weekend of 14 & 15 April. I think that's what's called hedging their bets. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 I thought that I should comment here on the issue of date clashes which has arisen on the Cheltenham thread. The problem is Easter. Cheltenham has moved from its normal dates of the first weekend in April to clash with our normal weekend of the second weekend in April. They did this in order to avoid the Easter weekend but didn't seem to mind clashing with us. Last year Crawley was the third weekend in April. This year it is, like Trainwest, the second. I have already contacted Crawley with a view to avoiding clashes in future, but they are tied to the school holidays which, like Easter, move. If the date of Easter was fixed it would make life much easier, but as it is it can be as early as 22 March or as late as 25 April. Maybe we should move Trainwest back to May. It used to be held in May, but was moved to avoid clashes with Railex, Derby and ExpoEM. (Derby used to be in April but moved to May.) Sometimes you just can't win. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor H Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Hi Geoff, Have you never thought of moving Trainwest back to Sept/Oct time. Not so much because of the Cheltenham clash as they have their second show in October, but more because of Bristol show. I know there's three or four weeks between you, but to have two big shows in the same area in such a short period, probably has some affect on people through the doors. For me they are two big shows, one is better for trade and the other excels with its layout choice, I think you know which one you are . As I say I feel it probably has some affect on both shows and perhaps a later date would help you and possibly improve attendance and possibly more trade. I'm sure you've been over this ground before, but I thought it was worth mentioning. Trevor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 The first Trainwest was in October. We moved to get away from another show which was organised in the same venue one week before us! Trainwest 2013 will be on 13 & 14 April because nearly all of the layouts have been booked. A change of date might be possible for 2014 because it is likely to also involve a change of venue. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 As the topic of future dates seems to be being discussed, here is what I know about the coming years. 2013 Trainwest: 13 & 14 April, Cheltenham 6 & 7 April, Easter Weekend 31 & 31 March, Bristol 3-5 May. 2014 Trainwest 12 & 13 April (provisional), Cheltenham 5 & 6 April, Easter Weekend 19 & 20 April, Bristol 2-4 May. 2015 Trainwest 11 & 12 April (provisional), Cheltenham 11 & 12 April, Easter Weekend 4 & 5 April, Bristol 1-3 May. So we miss Cheltenham next year and in 2014. Maybe there is a case for changing dates before we clash again in 2015. As for the issue of us not having enough specialist trade at Trainwest, wait until you see the list of traders for 2013... Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSG Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Easter is always going to be an issue for spring shows because its variable date means that if you're trying to have a "regular" weekend for the show then a clash is inevitable sooner or later - if not with Easter itself, then with other shows switching date to avoid it. I don't think that a clash between Trainwest and Cheltenham, though, is likely to be a huge problem for either as they're quite different types of show and thus probably have a different core audience. And they're not all that close, either - it's only around 46 miles from Melksham to Cheltenham but it's all on slow roads. The handful of people living in Cirencester and dithering over which show to go to aren't likely to be a deal breaker either way Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2012 Stafford show always used to be on or around Mother's day, and therefore the old fete and fun run. Used to kill attendance when everything coincided and the committee eventually made the brave decision to move the show to a gap in early Feb. Whereas now there's no real issue with show clashes, the weather can be a big variable with snow threatening or arriving now and then. I don't think there ever is a good time for a show, but every time a show moves date you run the risk of loosing trade and punters to conflicts. Who'd be a exhibition manager these days? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor H Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Couldn't Easter not be moved to a later date and end all the confusion, as Chickens can deliver eggs all year round. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Feeling a bit like being part of an ongoing discussion in a pub when everyone leaves to continue the discussion in another pub down the road while you are getting a round in at the bar ..... and still not quite sure why we moved here? I come back to the discussion being more about those who travel some distance to a show rather than the "local" punters. For me Horsham (Crawley) Cheltenham and Melksham are all about the same distance. I regularly attend all three but not every year. I think they are all very similar in what they offer with slight differences in the atmosphere. None of them compete with the likes of Railex or York or Scale4um (Leatherhead). None of them compete with the more "specialist" shows like NG (Sparsholt), ExpoEM, Scale4um - but they do compete with them for available calendar slot. I can see Bristol being a potential problem for many (though Bristol might as well be Bradford or Taunton or Glasgow for me) it is all a question of where you start to draw the catchment circles. But this does not clearly explain why we have so many weekends on the calendar and why so many shows seem to accumulate on a specific date (not even a holiday). As said in the previous "pub" 3 weeks before and even the week after there is nothing. Moving to September or October would not be very good as these two months are also pretty crowded. In the end I think shows on a repeatable date are much better as the punter can plan ahead and I would think it would be easier from an layout manager's perspective. And, as for the weather? Anyone seen the forecast? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 Trainwest is on a repeatable date - the second weekend in April. It's Cheltenham and Crawley which have moved! I know I am biased but I can't think of too many shows which compete with Trainwest as far as the quantity of high quality layouts is concerned. The long range forecast still says scattered showers. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted April 3, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 3, 2012 But this does not clearly explain why we have so many weekends on the calendar and why so many shows seem to accumulate on a specific date Remember that those shows using schools or colleges may have there dates fixed as they can only gain access during holiday time - which takes us back to the issue of the variable date for Easter. Depending when that falls, you could have school holidays two weeks before, two weeks after or a week either side. Some local authorities have already moved to more of a fixed pattern of 5 terms instead of 3 to even it out over the year which means that the long summer holiday has lost a few weeks. As this leaflet points out, we no longer need our children to work on the farm and help bring in the harvest !!! http://www.farnborough.ik.org/attachments/School_Holiday_leaflet.pdf Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted April 3, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 3, 2012 I know I am biased but I can't think of too many shows which compete with Trainwest as far as the quantity of high quality layouts is concerned. Geoff Endacott Based on my 'visitor experience' to Trainwest I think that's a reasonably fair boast statement although some others are catching up and it might need a counting-off in comparison with Railex. However notwithstanding that I reckon Trainwest is well worth the time & cost it takes me to get there so provided fuel is available I shall be going again this year Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I know I am biased but I can't think of too many shows which compete with Trainwest as far as the quantity of high quality layouts is concerned. Bias accepted, but on comparison with Crawley and Cheltenham you are probably correct - and I guess that is why Trainwest picks up the second show to attend spot for me. However, beware of complacency. Trainwest generally wins on layout content with those shows but is way behind shows like Railex when it comes to traders and even layouts. For me it is close if not top of the second league. Perhaps up there alongside Southampton, Basingstoke, Abingdon? I can understand the difficulty in getting the quality modelling trade out of their small workshops, when many of them are cutting back due, often to advancing years and difficulty in managing the cost/benefit of a presence at shows. Remember that those shows using schools or colleges may have there dates fixed as they can only gain access during holiday time Yes, but April 14th/15th is not in the accepted school holiday period. Whereas for the previous 2 weekends these facilities have presumably been empty. But, Geoff is right here to point out that it wasn't Trainwest that moved but both of the other shows. Which is probably why I started the discussion in the other "pub". ... Of course with it over here now it does keep the Trainwest topic "bumped" up in the VNC rather than Cheltenham or, for me, Sparsholt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted April 3, 2012 Author Share Posted April 3, 2012 I am certainly not complacent, which is why next year there will be more specialist trade content at Trainwest. Of course, if I had a bigger hall... Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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