Guildex 2022 Stafford Showground 3rd & 4th September

[t-b-g]

I am really looking forward to attending Guildex this weekend and thought I would have a look at what was being said about the show on RMWeb. I was a bit surprised to find that there isn't a thread in the exhibitions section, so I thought I would start one.

 

Here is a link to the details from the Gauge O Guild website. Hopefully it will take you to the right place, where you can find all the details.

 

https://www.gaugeoguild.com/events/guild_shows.aspx?id=26

 

I hope to see a few RMWebbers there.

 

Tony Gee

[2ManySpams]

Was just looking myself to see who was going and found nothing posted from GoG. Quite surprised that use isn't made of RMweb for advertising the event, particularly as it's moved venue. 

 

Anyway, hoping to make it over myself at some stage during the weekend. I hope the move works out financially, both for the GoG and traders attending.

[MarcD]

I will be there with W C Boggs and Son in the small layouts section pop round for a chat. 

 

Marc

[bbishop]

I'm taking Blindheim to the small layouts section and may even be next to Marc.  I've started a thread in the German Railways section. 

Bill

[Not Jeremy]

Wild Swan books is all set up, it is a nice spacious venue and there is lots to see, I look forward to seeing lots of people over the weekend!

 

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by Not Jeremy
Picture

[MarcD]

13 hours ago, bbishop said:

I'm taking Blindheim to the small layouts section and may even be next to Marc.  I've started a thread in the German Railways section. 

Bill

You were correct you are next to me.

Marc

[Bartb]

Can someone ask Dapol what is happening about Stroudley coaches please.   Thank you

[Crantock]

If you are coming, load up with cash. Its a disaster zone for trader connectivity.  

[Not Jeremy]

I am very Happy to report that the card machine on the Wild Swan Books stand is connecting impeccably and working perfectly……

[2ManySpams]

On 02/09/2022 at 18:58, Not Jeremy said:

Wild Swan books is all set up, it is a nice spacious venue and there is lots to see, I look forward to seeing lots of people over the weekend!

 

 

 

Nice to see the Bulleid front and left. What's that thing on the right hand display 🤮?

[F-UnitMad]

On 02/09/2022 at 07:49, MarcD said:

I will be there with W C Boggs and Son in the small layouts section pop round for a chat. 

 

Marc

Certainly did although I didn't introduce myself. Interesting to hear your views on Peco Setrack points.

 

I can confirm the Bring-n-buy stand had trouble with it's card reader. Worse than at Telford, they said.

Scorpio were abscent, which my mate @the black knight was a bit miffed about as he has one of their kits but no instructions for it, & wanted to ask them about it.

Enjoyed all the layouts, it was a good mix, and particularly liked the small layouts section. Saw Dapol HEAs in their display case but didn't pester them about when they will be available.

[MarcD]

The whole show had issues with card machine's. At the traders meetingany were scathing over the card payment issue. Amongst other things. 

From a layout point of view there weren't the number of people pushing other out of the way to see anything. I know of a few people who only stayed for a few hours and left. And there was a report of at least one person who couldn't pay by card walking away from the the show before they had for in.

Marc

 

[Crantock]

9 minutes ago, MarcD said:

The whole show had issues with card machine's. At the traders meetingany were scathing over the card payment issue. Amongst other things. 

From a layout point of view there weren't the number of people pushing other out of the way to see anything. I know of a few people who only stayed for a few hours and left. And there was a report of at least one person who couldn't pay by card walking away from the the show before they had for in.

Marc

 

That’s a bit negative. I only stayed for a few hours. I would struggle to make it an all dayer.

 

Th show was good, and I am 4mm, the trade was good.  
 

Am I right it was those with older readers that could not link to the show’s wifi that struggled?  Perhaps an issue with the cottage industry end.

 

That said, the failure to have an on-site cashpoint is clearly one for Stafford Showground to sort.

 

 

[Not Jeremy]

My machine is android based running off the EE network through 4G. All of yesterday and so far today it hasn’t missed a beat, so it can’t all be the fault of the venue can it? 
 

I think it is a great show myself, can’t find anything to complain about……

 

[ELTEL]

As I understand the matter of the cash point has been raised many times with the Showground over the years.

 

It seems that banks are reluctant to install cash machines anymore  and are actually removing them in some locations.

 

Technology has moved on with modern card readers, older card readers seem to struggle with with the newer networks speeds.

 

Terry 

 

[great central]

For what it's worth I found the mobile signal to vary dramatically depending on whereabouts I was in the hall. Going from nothing around the edges to a full 4G in the middle. 

Having arrived shortly after opening as a guest operator/gopher I tried to call from the foyer to have a badge brought out, nothing. Yet once inside I could get onto websites so the signal was pretty good. 

[Not Jeremy]

On 03/09/2022 at 21:01, 2ManySpams said:

 

Nice to see the Bulleid front and left. What's that thing on the right hand display 🤮?

That’s a stretched Beattie - I’m surprised you had to ask….

 

And here we have a "Baby Castle" especially for Old Gringo(!)

 

 

Great to see you yesterday Chris, your building is really something.

 

A great show, I had a good run back which included tea and cake with Old and Mrs Gringo, all in all a top day!

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by Not Jeremy
Just for John

[Phil Parker]

On 03/09/2022 at 23:08, MarcD said:

The whole show had issues with card machine's. At the traders meetingany were scathing over the card payment issue. Amongst other things. 

From a layout point of view there weren't the number of people pushing other out of the way to see anything. I know of a few people who only stayed for a few hours and left. And there was a report of at least one person who couldn't pay by card walking away from the the show before they had for in.

Marc

 

 

For what it's worth, both @AY Mod and my phones connected to the WiFi perfectly on Sunday - although for light use only. I certainly saw a little PDQ machine waving, but they appeared to be older types that may use the mobile network - which is always "interesting" at Stafford. 

 

The "report" from was a tantrum from Facebook by someone who didn't take any money to the show. He claims "no-one" carries cash any more, a claim that would probably fall apart if you actually held a survey of those who attended.

 

 

The cake was good though.

[AY Mod]

23 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

For what it's worth, both @AY Mod and my phones connected to the WiFi perfectly on Sunday - although for light use only. I certainly saw a little PDQ machine waving, but they appeared to be older types that may use the mobile network - which is always "interesting" at Stafford. 

 

Although there was WiFi (which worked) I connected to 4G without problem several times (although I did find one dead spot), it will depend on the network of course (I'm on giffgaff which uses O2).

 

As for that report the bloke obviously left his common sense at home as it sounded he'd got no means to pay for anything except via his phone (ignored comments about cashpoints in the area). How he was going to spend a £1,000 on his phone was beyond me. He just wanted to be a crybaby on Facebook (which hugely backfired) and to keep trotting out an offensive phrase about the desk staff.

 

The customer is not always right (sorry Mr. Selfridge).

 

 

[t-b-g]

I went to a cashpoint on Friday as I hadn't got much at all and considered that not everybody there might have card facilities.

 

If I can work that out and plan accordingly, I would like to think that others could to.

 

I spent both days there as a paying punter and needed both full days to see everything properly. Much of the time was spent catching up with people who haven't been seen for a while. When giving reviews of shows, people discuss layouts, traders, catering, premises etc. but to me, my enjoyment of a show, which I treat nowadays as more of a social outing than anything, is all about who I meet there.

 

I thought venue, catering, traders, demos and layouts were all well up to par but the banter, chatting and social side was superb.

 

I can fully understand the lack of larger layouts. There can't be many on the show circuit nowadays anyway and the sheer amount of work shifting them, for a bunch of modellers of a certain age, must be offputting before you even consider transport costs and the difficulty of older folk hiring vehicles.

 

I never will have a big tail chaser in O gauge but I saw plenty of smaller layouts that made me think that I could do something similar.

 

I attach a few snaps of one of my personal favourites. I also really liked Orford and a few others but this one really struck a chord with me, being pre-grouping (but not as we know it!). Fen Grove. A superb layout, which looks and photographs really well, in a relatively small  space.

 

 

 

 

[2ManySpams]

On 05/09/2022 at 08:35, Not Jeremy said:

That’s a stretched Beattie - I’m surprised you had to ask….

 

And here we have a "Baby Castle" especially for Old Gringo(!)

 

 

Great to see you yesterday Chris, your building is really something.

 

A great show, I had a good run back which included tea and cake with Old and Mrs Gringo, all in all a top day!

 

 

 

Great to see you too Simon, enjoyed the chat. I trust you took the opportunity to leave D63xx cards in various places all over OG's house. 

[Enterprisingwestern]

On 05/09/2022 at 10:19, Phil Parker said:

 

For what it's worth, both @AY Mod and my phones connected to the WiFi perfectly on Sunday - although for light use only. I certainly saw a little PDQ machine waving, but they appeared to be older types that may use the mobile network - which is always "interesting" at Stafford. 

 

The "report" from was a tantrum from Facebook by someone who didn't take any money to the show. He claims "no-one" carries cash any more, a claim that would probably fall apart if you actually held a survey of those who attended.

 

 

The cake was good though.

 

Hope you didn't pay much for the gingerbread man!

 

Mike.