NARROW GAUGE SOUTH 2022 - 23rd April

[PaulRhB]

River Crane Mill

 

 

 

 

 

Hazelcombe

 

 

 

 

East Quay

 

 

 

 

[PaulRhB]

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by PaulRhB

[PaulRhB]

 

Showguide Click here

 

[PatC]

For those of you thinking of visiting the Eastleigh Lakeside Railway  http://www.steamtrain.co.uk/ on Saturday, or indeed using it as part of your journey to Narrow Gauge South, it may be of interest to know that, according to the webpage, rostered motive power is the 1936 built Bullock Pacific No 2006 Edward VIII  http://www.steamtrain.co.uk/locomotives. This is an interesting and historic miniature locomotive in itself, having operated on the Surrey Border & Camberley Railway during its brief existence in 1938/39.

 

Remember, full Narrow Gauge South exhibition details and show guide at http://www.narrowgaugesouth.org.uk/wp/

Edited April 21, 2022 by PatC

[PaulRhB]

Charlie Insley’s Swedish layout

 

[PatC]

We've just been told that N Drive Productions will not be attending Narrow Gauge South as previously announced. 

Edited April 22, 2022 by PatC

[PatC]

The first Narrow Gauge South exhibitors are in the midst of set up as I write these words.

 

An update on the parking situation. The builders moved in to Barton Peveril College this week and started digging up the car park! The upshot is that parking is likely to be more problematic than normal for the venue. Extra parking has been made available on the playing field so please follow directions from college parking marshalls on arrival. There is also public parking on the road along Chestnut Avenue, please park carefully in order to make best use of the available space. Parking restrictions apply on local residential streets.

 

There is also parking at the Eastleigh Lakeside Railway from where you can catch the train to Monks Brook which is just a five minute walk away.

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by PatC

[sumo]

Arrived at the show on foot. Building site. No signage. After twenty minutes trying to find the entrance I almost gave up. I can't easily walk at the moment.

 

Finally found someone to guide me in.

 

Immediately spoke to an organiser who basically gave me short shrift. "Not difficult to find the entrance is it? Do you have a ticket?" 

 

A graduate of the Ratners customer service school. Five official witnesses, none of whom agreed with me enough to speak.

 

 

To add to that the show was very disappointing.

 

£10 entrance, £14 cabs, £18 train from Bexhill. Seven hours travel.

 

The previous show was one of the best ever. Today was my last.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 23, 2022 by sumo
Spelling

[PenrithBeacon]

I visited today too but my travelling experience was a lot better.

A funny show, nobody seemed to care much about it probably because they had not seen each other for ages. I can sympathise. A time for renewing relationships.

I saw a lot of seriously good scenic modelling but also a lot of poor running which was a shame, perhaps next year will be better. 

The expected car parking issue didn't materialise, in fact that was a lot better than any previous visit to this venue.

I didn't stay long and I'm writing this from a fish and chip shop in Swanage. It's very bracing outside!

[PaulRhB]

I’m sorry to hear Sumo had a bad experience but we did have large banners outside on the fence and it was still there at closing time. We could do nothing about the building works as we didn’t know until Pat posted the info above to get waterproof signage to direct around it outside and as they’d double booked the venue our small team of stewards were all inside trying to separate scouts from show visitors. That said the caretaking staff were superb in helping. 
The feedback is good generally online so far on NGRM and Fb so at least others seem to have experienced better performance on layouts which was my impression off the layout I was helping on. 
I know Dovey Valley had some early problems but as Dick had brought it out for a final fling after being ill and then lockdowns it took a bit of warming up but was putting on a good show by lunchtime. 
 

This is a layout that first appeared in 1976 and had reached this stage by 1980 (and featured on the Two Ronnies Xmas special!)

 

A few of the other layouts. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 23, 2022 by PaulRhB

[PaulRhB]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a few from my quick run round the show 

[PatC]

I'm really very sorry to hear that anyone had a negative experience trying to get into Narrow Gauge South. We certainly did our best to direct visitors and several hundred people got in to both the exhibition and the other event at the college with no trouble. We will certainly look into the issues that have been raised.

 

As we explained in a previous thread, the large hole in front of the college came as a surprise to us (and to some of the college staff apparently) and we were advised that parking would be an issue. We were therefore pleasantly surprised to find a huge area on the college playing fields cordoned off as a temporary car park when we arrived early on Saturday morning.

 

I can only say that from the comments and feedback that I received on the day and from what has subsequently appeared on forums and on social media, an awful lot of people enjoyed themselves at Narrow Gauge South.

 

A huge thank you to all those who attended, whether as exhibitor or visitor.

[sumo]

For clarification, I was commenting on signage within the site. I saw the banner!!!

 

After the main entrance there was absolutely no indication of where pedestrians should go. And it is a huge college site. 

 

 

[PaulRhB]

1 hour ago, sumo said:

For clarification, I was commenting on signage within the site. I saw the banner!!!

 

Unfortunately the way to the door is usually obvious as you follow the path but the builders had surprised everyone, including the caretaker, by blocking off the path and hiding the entrance.
The caretaker had relieved the immediate problem by allocating part of the field to the right to replace the car park directly outside the door but that was her hard work that relieved the parking from being chaotic. We will endeavour to have more spare waterproof signs for outdoors next time if they are required but we had used up all the signs indoors where we were expecting to need to direct people. 

 

1 hour ago, sumo said:

After the main entrance there was absolutely no indication of where pedestrians should go. And it is a huge college site. 

 

 

 

Again unfortunately we had no time or facilities at the venue to make up the extra signage as our limited steward team was forced to be stuck in the foyer separating the scout show crowd for the Matinee performance as the College had double booked the site so we had to find an extra eight stewards with no warning to manage four extra doors. This rather over-stretched our limited resources as they all had to get refreshment breaks too. 
 

I can only say we are sorry you were frustrated but we did try to respond as best we could to a surprise change on the hoof. What should have been a two to three hour stint on stewarding turned into a full day for several of our long retired members so they were knackered too and didn’t get around the show either. 
 

I hope the show once you got inside was worth it but so far these are the only two disappointed posts compared to the response on two other fora and Fb so they have been noted and will be discussed at the shakedown I assure you. 
 

Edited April 24, 2022 by PaulRhB

[sumo]

Thanks for the explanation. As you say, hidden entrance. Behind a construction fence and needing a detour. There was a Scout fundraiser and a drama group running at the same time. Chaos.

 

But when I arrived there was nobody about so I couldn't ask anyone.

 

It was also the reaction from the organiser and desk that annoyed me, making out it was my fault or I hadn't made enough effort. 

 

Anyway, thanks for the response. I have put the day down to experience.

Edited April 24, 2022 by sumo

[GNR Dave]

A very enjoyable show. I spent nearly 4 very happy hours wandering round. Big thank-you and well done to all involved.