tomstaf Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 If I remember correctly, it snowed on exhibition day in 2010 and I decided not to go then. Perhaps it is time for the Bristol group that organise this show to reconsider when they hold it. January has a high probability of snow. With two large traders pulling out and modellers unsure whether to travel and will it be worth it if they get there, revenues will be down for the organisers and traders alike. I know it's a matter of fitting around the GOG events in Kettering, Halifax and Telford, not forgetting Guildford's Reading show in December, but surely something could be worked out? Check this out... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21062981, Bristol video is no 2 on the left...... Your link isn't as fun. I prefer this one : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-21093665 Cheers Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Well thankfully I only have to go 100 yards to get to the main road, mind you I could not attempt even that short distance on my motorbike, but now I have 4 wheels I shall make the effort tomorrow morning to get to Bristol. All the roads round Oxford look ok and the main roads I could see from my train on the way up to Acton and back last night looked ok. I really do need to get some brass from Eileen's Emporium just hope they make the trip down to Bristol. Oh and I am supposed to do a demo! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Excellent news Brian. I have PM'd you my mobile number so if you need a back up plan call me and I can collect you and blue boxes from parkway station. Just need to get my car out of the icy car park but i hope to do that later today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ELTEL Posted January 19, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 19, 2013 If I remember correctly, it snowed on exhibition day in 2010 and I decided not to go then. Perhaps it is time for the Bristol group that organise this show to reconsider when they hold it. January has a high probability of snow. With two large traders pulling out and modellers unsure whether to travel and will it be worth it if they get there, revenues will be down for the organisers and traders alike. I know it's a matter of fitting around the GOG events in Kettering, Halifax and Telford, not forgetting Guildford's Reading show in December, but surely something could be worked out? Check this out... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21062981, Bristol video is no 2 on the left...... As exhibition manager of a large exhibition for over 20 years it is very difficult to change the annual date of any exhibition. I am not a 0 Gauge modeller but many of the traders, layouts and societies will be attending many multi scale exhibitions throughout the year. Also you have the problem of a suitable venue being available. The weather any time of the year can have a impact on your attendance levels. I can assure you that if there was a easy solution Bristol, Stafford, Leamington,Southampton and many others would not chose a February date as its annual exhibition. So come lets be posative and support all exhibitions wherever possible. Eltel Stafford Railway Circle Exhibition Team Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Excellent news Brian. I have PM'd you my mobile number so if you need a back up plan call me and I can collect you and blue boxes from parkway station. Just need to get my car out of the icy car park but i hope to do that later today. Yes thanks for the phone number. I better remember to take my mobile with me, and the blue boxes! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Just one will do as long as it is the right one. Maroon 52. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TimC Posted January 19, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 19, 2013 Paul and myself are all OK for tomorrow. We are on the Sodbury Vale MRC stand so pop by and say hello. We should have a board off Somerset Lane to show off a few items of stock. Looking forward to a good day at the show! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomstaf Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hi, Just a heads up from one of the people involved in setting up this today: "The roads are all clear and car parking is not a problem at the venue. Anyone coming by rail to Bristol Parkway, will be able to get a vintage bus to the show." Hope that's useful for anyone wondering what the road/parking/snow situation is like. Cheers Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold wenlock Posted January 19, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2013 Good news Tom! I'm looking forward to the show Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Made it safely to a windswept and desolate Travelodge, hoping that there's not much snow overnight and the temperature doesn't drop much as the car park hasn't been gritted. There was certainly a few flakes blowing in the wind but nothing of any significance. Hope to see some of you there tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Does get a tad breezy out by the old Severn Bridge. Hope you get a good nights sleep. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Depends how many vehicles come and go as the sound of wheels crunching the frozen snow in the car park is pretty loud... at least with the old bridge being shut there's not a great deal of "through" traffic for the services. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Compacted snow on the bridge it seems, too much ice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 I seem to recall it was closed a few years due to lumps of ice that had formed above the bridge coming down onto the road - when it's the size of footballs it tends not to do cars much good... but it was a nice drive up from the M4 junction on a totally desolate road, almost like one of those "end of the world" films. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I think the falling ice problem was on the Second Severn Crossing. How are you getting on line, does the place have WiFi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 It does have wifi - if you want to pay for the privilege. I have a wireless dongle thingy which, when plugged into my laptop, enables me to get online, albeit not the fastest connection and data is paid for, by avoiding known picture-heavy threads I can at least keep up with this discussion and the other ongoing discussion on whether joining the guild is worth it. It's been a long day and I've travelled a long way in not good conditions so I'll be off to bed soon anyway, in preparation for our little jaunt in the morning down the road and hope to see a few people I've spoken to in the various threads including yourself. Not sure whether to have breakfast here before we leave, or have something at the venue. Did get a couple of pasties earlier which I could leave on the room's heater overnight as they should be warmed through by the morning? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 And end up with food poisoning. Don't do the pasty thing. Breakfast at the show is ok. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGhostofNigelGresley Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Have you taken your camera ? It would be good for those of us who can't be there to see what we're missing - not necessarily the pasties, was thinking more of the show ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Nevard Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I'm just back from the BOGG 'on a job', a great journey down the M4 and back via Bracknell to Guildford. There are no snow issues part from a little in the car park, but that's no worse than the supermarket. The M4 had little traffic which was a real bonus. If I was going tomorrow I'd not think twice about repeating the journey and enjoying the empty roads as well as the show. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Gladiator loco kits have pulled out & unfortunately I'm going too. My road is just sheet ice and I'm not in the best condition to dig my self out. The main roads are fine it's the first 500 meters that are the issue. pity as I do enjoy the Bristol show. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Just back from the show and whilst there were a few empty tables it did not spoil the show for me. Arrived at the doors opened at 9 to sample the breakfast offerings and was not disappointed. Nice coffee and bacon filled roll at a very reasonable price set me up for the walking, looking, buying and talking ahead. Good to bump into some old friends, new friends who are only names on here. Cromptonnut, hope the two bass reflex speakers I gave you work out OK in your loco. You should notice an increase in sound quality from them over the 40mm speaker you currently have. Brian, as always I envy your abilities and skills with the modelling you do. The Heljan locos look very nice. The 31, 40 and 52 are very impressive. No problem with any of them and look forward to have at least one example of each on my layout. They do look much nice in the flesh so to speak than in photos and listening to others comments they cannot be too bad otherwise the comments would have been negative. I will take some pictures of the working jumpers when I get home next weekend. Can you pass on to me the name of the supplier of paper corridor connections please as talked about. Tim C, you should have brought the rest of the layout, there was room for it and it would have been warmly received as it is very good. So its over for another year. Worth going, even with so many traders not being there. Of course it was. Worth £6 as a member to get in. Why pay £8 when as a member of the guild you get in £2 cheaper. Pays for the bacon roll. Money spent, less than £50 but committed to £**** for a Lionheart 45XX DCC Sound fitted loco that is due out in time for Telford. So not too bad. Now to break the news to the other half Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Just made it home safely - hit the snow around Swindon and remained increasing steadily heavier along the journey. Our road was awful, being ungritted as usual and of course being a hill didn't help, managed to slide into a parking space though. Enjoyed chatting to a few RMWebbers that I found, thanks for the speakers TTG and will have a go once my hands defrost (or maybe I should hold the soldering iron from the wrong end to help things along...) and put a new video up in the next few days. Purchases - a Buzz FNA (nuclear flask wagon), some 'fur' for scenic work, Skytrex culvert to replace the bodged N gauge tunnel mouth I was using, and decided to join up with the guild to see if there is indeed something "for me" in it. Negatives? A pity there were some "no shows" but I guess that's not really the fault of the show organisers. Would have appreciated some signs on the main road (sat nav took us to UWE rather than the conference centre), better signage getting into the venue (we wandered into the traders entrance by mistake) and surprised that there wasn't a "show guide" of some description to show us where things should have been. Although the weather isn't good, some "car park attendants" might have been useful too. But overall, will probably go next year if I can. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Fatadder Posted January 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2013 Really good show despite the numerous gaps due to the weather. I did think the entry to non members was a little high, though I am not surprised given the venue! This year it was cheaper than the combined postage from Finney and Eilieens so made a bit of a saving. There were a couple of truly outstanding layouts, the French narrow gauge and Bleadon, and very good demonstrations, in particular the weathering and being able to ask Malcolm Mitchell questions on loco building. Good to catch up with a few people I hadn't seen in ages as well. All in all a good day out, coming home with a book on Iron Minks with tones of photos and drawings for a whole £2.50 from the GW study group and a tin of GW grey paint along with the Finney Dean goods, and Eilieens bits I had pre ordered. Was very tempted by 7mm scale Broad Gauge..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Good you made it back ok. Was nice chatting with you. Pleased to hear you have joined up so to speak. If you go to all of the Guild shows you will have saved yourself a few quid on entrance fees and I think wives get in for free as well. Wives, who would want to take more than one? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Hi Richard, Sorry did not get chance to speak to you other than to say hello. Will pop around to see you in work to see the book. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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