Scaleforum Attendance and Location

[Brian Harrap]

Has anyone suggested S4um takes place every other year? Would this halve the cost and negate the losses? And give more time for some new inavative layouts to be built? Am I being an old grouch? By the way, due to other commitments I shall not be able to attend in 2015 but will arrange to buy a ticket anyway to help make the numbers up. Have fun, Brian.

[TonyMont]

Hi All,
I have been contemplating adding my thoughts for a while and now seems about right. I have attended both Scaleforums at Aylesbury and several at Leatherhead, so first off Aylesbury is much easier to get to by car and I have never had any problem parking at the venue, this goes for Railex too, I think that the parking and access issues have been blown out of all proportion and have had the effect of putting visitors off. Other members of the Crewe Area group have also mentioned this in conversation.

Keep up the good work Terry and crew.

Regards,
Tony.

[Rod Cameron]

Has anyone suggested S4um takes place every other year? Would this halve the cost and negate the losses? And give more time for some new inavative layouts to be built? Am I being an old grouch? By the way, due to other commitments I shall not be able to attend in 2015 but will arrange to buy a ticket anyway to help make the numbers up. Have fun, Brian.

Interesting idea Brian. Maybe alternating with a smaller bijou wandering exhibition in the intervening years (which could also accommodate the AGM)? Just brainstorming you understand.

[Martin Wynne]

Two posts in the last half-hour on the 7mm Yahoo group to illustrate what the Society is up against in getting non-members to attend:

https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ ... ages/83209

https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ ... ages/83210

Martin.

[grovenor-2685]

Two posts in the last half-hour on the 7mm Yahoo group

They do live in the past don't they, anecdotes from 40 years ago, anyway I thought we were discussing attendance by our own members!
Regards
Keith

[DougN]

I agree with Keith. it seems some people have long memories. Dare I say it is time to quote from the kids film Frozen.."let it go" Now back to how to increase attendance.

[Horsetan]

Two posts in the last half-hour on the 7mm Yahoo group to illustrate what the Society is up against in getting non-members to attend:

https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ ... ages/83209

https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ ... ages/83210
.

As many as that?

[Will L]

Two posts in the last half-hour on the 7mm Yahoo group to illustrate what the Society is up against in getting non-members to attend:

https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ ... ages/83209

https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ ... ages/83210

Martin.

Didn't consider pointing out things may have moved on a bit in the last 40 years?

[Terry Bendall]

Has anyone suggested S4um takes place every other year? Would this halve the cost and negate the losses?

And interesting idea Brian but I don't think it would do very much to help on costs which are broadly similar every year. If the show made a loss every year then yes it would prevent that but as has already been stated, steps are being taken this year to drastically cut the costs and the plan is to cover these even if the numbers through the door remain the same. Of course with all that has been said, we hope that the numbers increase. In any case a show in alternate years would mean that people would get out of the habit of coming.

Am I being an old grouch?

Never!

By the way, due to other commitments I shall not be able to attend in 2015

We will miss you and I think that will mean that this will be the first time for 6 years that no only you will miss but where you have not been an exhibitor. Quite an achievement.

Terry Bendall

[jim s-w]

Didn't consider pointing out things may have moved on a bit in the last 40 years?

Not in the 0 gauge world it seems. The high end 0 gauge stuff still seems to be several decades behind 4mm.

Cheers

Jim

[Brian Harrap]

We will miss you and I think that will mean that this will be the first time for 6 years that no only you will miss but where you have not been an exhibitor. Quite an achievement.

Terry Bendall[/quote]


Thank you Terry, save me an (smallish) exhibitor space (someplace [nowhere is too difficult for me to get to]) in 2016. Brian.

[Steve Carter]

Well done with the flyer for Scaleforum 2015, plenty of information to encourage people to attend!

I like the idea of showing driving times to Stoke Mandeville from various locations but would question some of the times quoted! In my view Lewis Hamilton would struggle assuming he manages to avoid the speed cameras and lawmen of course!

Glad to see the bus is running again between the station and stadium and I hope that this is well supported. Is this being run by a bus service company as there is a fare to pay rather than donations?

Scaleforum 15 is geared up to be yet another enjoyable event with plenty to see and things to learn as well as opportunities to buy your " goodies" from specialist traders. Well done Terry and team.

Scaleforum deserves to be well supported and I look forward to seeing you there

Steve

[Terry Bendall]

I like the idea of showing driving times to Stoke Mandeville from various locations but would question some of the times quoted! In my view Lewis Hamilton would struggle assuming he manages to avoid the speed cameras and lawmen of course!

Thanks for the compliment on the idea Steve. I did try to be realistic with the time, based on my experience of making those trips many times but in any case they are only meant to be a guide not a target.

Glad to see the bus is running again between the station and stadium and I hope that this is well supported. Is this being run by a bus service company as there is a fare to pay rather than donations?

As in the last two years the bus is a coach hired from a local coach hire company. Obviously we get charged for the cost and we need to recoup the cost from those who use it. There is a charge of £2.00 for the return trip and this will be collected from the users as they get off the bus on arrival at the Stadium. Up until now we have relied on donations to cover the cost but this has not been successful so we need to be more formal about things. Not a fare as such but a charge for the users. We can no longer afford to make a loss on this service so if the income does not cover the costs it won't be run again. Use it or loose it!

Scaleforum 15 is geared up to be yet another enjoyable event with plenty to see and things to learn as well as opportunities to buy your " goodies" from specialist traders.

Well we hope so! Details of the rest of the line up will be in the next issue of Scalefour News due to arrive shortly.

Terry Bendall

[Paul Townsend]

Use it or loose it!

Terry Bendall

As in hang loose I presume

[Philip Hall]

I agree with Steve, our flagship event deserves support, and I am looking forward to it as usual. The support for the show (or lack of it) is a concern of course, but such apparent apathy may not be restricted to our field. One of my other passions is shipping, and last weekend the Ocean Liner Society held its annual Ship Show at a very nice hotel in Southampton. It was not as busy as I had expected, and enquiries revealed that only about 10 - 15 % of the membership usually attend. This despite the attraction of all three Cunard liners, and two others, being in port that day.

So we are not alone...

Philip

[Steve Carter]

Thanks for the explanations Terry.

Wow, I'll have to check my insurance policy if I ever cadge a lift from you

Did the Society need any sort of permission to make a "charge" for people using the coach?

All the best

Steve

[Terry Bendall]

Did the Society need any sort of permission to make a "charge" for people using the coach?

No. We have hired a coach to do a job. If an area group were to hire a coach to bring a party to Scaleforum, (Why not? ) those coming would probably be expected to make a contribution to cover the cost. In my book exactly the same thing.

Terry Bendall

[Steve Carter]

Did the Society need any sort of permission to make a "charge" for people using the coach?

No. We have hired a coach to do a job. If an area group were to hire a coach to bring a party to Scaleforum, (Why not? ) those coming would probably be expected to make a contribution to cover the cost. In my book exactly the same thing.

Terry Bendall

I am very familiar with the requirements regarding access contracts and passenger licenses for the GB railways but I don't have any knowledge or experience in the world of road passenger services and I wound not want the Society to get into any bother as we are advertising a bus service with a charge on the flyer that will be public so thanks for clarifying this Terry.

Wouldn't it be fantastic if area groups arranged coaches to Scaleforum? Perhaps several AG's in the same parts of the country could combine and arrange various pick-ups along the way?

Thanks again Terry.

Steve

[DougN]

I can see a group booking for the Melbourne fine scale group.... oh may be not as every one wants to travel to the UK at different times and for different periods! Nice idea though!

[John McAleely]

As noted at the start of this thread, this discussion was broken out from the Scaleforum 2015 thread.

[stephebm]

I was puzzled by the comment in the received today Scalefour News that Scaleforum North is "devoid as it is of the throng that you get a big shows" . if what I and family experienced at the 2014 show is low "throng" then I shall keep away from the big shows (Scaleforum?). I found the car park very nearly full, the aisles narrow, crowded, and the stands packed together. To the extent that I ultimately gave up on what I was expecting to see and purchase.

By contrast and without expectation I went alone to ExpoEm North in the same year and experienced much more of the atmosphere that I had expected at Wakefield; wider aisles, stands with space between etc etc.

I am not having a go at the organisers , I really do appreciate the time and planning it takes, but I need a little more space.

Wigan Model Railway show, which is a large and general show, is another that I feel gives enough space.

Basil

[Terry Bendall]

but I need a little more space.

In which case you will enjoy Scaleforum since we have wide gangways with plenty of room to move with even, should you feel the need, space to stop and have a conversation without feeling that you are impeding the progress of others.

The comment does however show that those who organise exhibitions cannot win. Provide wide gangways and you get criticised that the event lacks intimacy. Work within the constraints of a venue with limited space and that is also wrong.

Terry Bendall

[Philip Hall]

i was delighted with the atmosphere at Scalefour North, as I always am. When Peter and I arrived just after opening time, I thought the layout was about right with a reasonable width of aisle, it wasn't at all crowded and nothing seemed unduly sandwiched together. That impression remained until we left late afternoon. I can't comment about the car park since we travelled by train. I don't recall it being a lot different in those respects to 2014. The previous venue was a bit of a rabbit warren, mind you!

Philip

[Tim V]

And how about the catering at S4N, a cut above other shows...

[David Bigcheeseplant]

For those visitors who may be in the area for the whole weekend and maybe fancy something different on one day just ten miles down the road in Princes Risborough is Kop Hill Climb http://www.kophillclimb.org.uk/ where there is plenty of vintage cars and motor bikes. I normally go but due to being at Scalefourum both days won't be able to make it.

If you have a friend who is more into petrol than points you can plan a lads weekend in the area, then share accommodation, fuel etc and come to Bucks.

David