Scalefour North 2020

[Chris Mitton]

Scalefour North 2020 will be on Saturday and Sunday, 28th and 29th March, at the now traditional venue of Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Wakefield.

As usual, the Bring and Buy will be operating, providing an opportunity for members to pass on surplus stock (in return for a modest commission to the Society). The necessary forms, and the terms and conditions, are now available here.
As last year, members can complete their forms electronically - if your spreadsheet is emailed to bringandbuy@scalefour.org by March 14th, we will send you a list of printed labels for your stock. If you've a long list, this saves you writing everything out twice, and also helps the hard-pressed stand staff by giving them legible labels!

Also as last year, we are able (technology willing!) to accept credit cards on the Bring and Buy, to save you the risk of carrying large wads of cash

Look forward to meeting you all there,
TreasurerChris

[John McAleely]

guide140.jpg (14.94 KiB) Viewed 5182 times

The guide (PDF), and a summary version are now online.

[John Palmer]

The railway industry seemed determined to prevent me from getting to Society events in 2019, and 2020 threatens to be no better. Woe to anyone returning to the West Country from Wakefield on 29 March - the normal journey for me of a little over four hours will be nearly 6 hours in duration that day, of which more than half will be spent sitting on a bus. On Sundays it is now apparently normal for the railway to transform itself into a bus company. Sorry chaps, but unless I can find a more civilised way of getting home that's not for me this year.

[Serjt-Dave]

As we used to say at First Great Western. Transforming Travel. Getting people off the trains and back on the roads!

Sorry you can't make it John.

Dave

[Lindsay G]

'Fraid the Society has scuppered my attendance by holding it in March. It's the good lady's birthday on the 29th. As she's bought tickets for The Who playing in Glasgow on the night of my birthday plus an overnight stay, I don't think it would be quid pro quo for me to swan off to Wakefield the following weekend. Might go down like a Led Zeppelin!

So, one member's plea to revert to April.

Lindsay

[Paul Townsend]

[quote="John Palmer" but unless I can find a more civilised way of getting home that's not for me this year.[/quote]

2 or 3 cars going from Bristol as usual for whole weekend.
I will discuss on Tuesday next and let you know if there is an empty seat on Sunday to return you to Temple Meads.

[John Palmer]

but unless I can find a more civilised way of getting home that's not for me this year.

2 or 3 cars going from Bristol as usual for whole weekend.
I will discuss on Tuesday next and let you know if there is an empty seat on Sunday to return you to Temple Meads.

Many thanks, Paul, but no need as I'm pleased to say I have been able to make alternative travel arrangements via the ECML. Advance first tickets via this route were comparatively cheap, particularly when the value of complimentary accompaniments is taken into account, and should make for a more enjoyable return journey than bumping around the country in a bus from Wakefield to Gloucester - not my idea of a fun Sunday afternoon.

[Paul Willis]

'Fraid the Society has scuppered my attendance by holding it in March. It's the good lady's birthday on the 29th. As she's bought tickets for The Who playing in Glasgow on the night of my birthday plus an overnight stay, I don't think it would be quid pro quo for me to swan off to Wakefield the following weekend. Might go down like a Led Zeppelin!

So, one member's plea to revert to April.

Lindsay,

Blame the Christians... Or more precisely (although without Ray Hammond's permission), the Council of Nicaea which established in 325 AD that Easter would be held on the first Sunday after the first Full Moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox.

As Scalefour North is held in a school, we are dependent on when the school holidays are. And as the Easter holiday wanders around with the Christian calendar, so does Scalefour North... See, what have the Romans ever done for us?

Hopefully you'll be able to attend next year! Seriously jealous about The Who though...

Cheers
Paul Willis
Deputy Chairman

[steamraiser]

I will have a spare seat that would get you back to Bristol.

Gordon

[Enigma]

It's my wife's birthday on the 28th and when I 'booked' my layout for this year I was anticipating the date to be a week later. I think I've got away with it - but it's costing a spa day for her and our daughters!

[kelly]

It's my wife's birthday on the 28th and when I 'booked' my layout for this year I was anticipating the date to be a week later. I think I've got away with it - but it's costing a spa day for her and our daughters!

You will come back to happier wife and daughters at least though as they'll enjoy your wifes birthday treat much more than a railway show.

[Enigma]

It's my wife's birthday on the 28th and when I 'booked' my layout for this year I was anticipating the date to be a week later. I think I've got away with it - but it's costing a spa day for her and our daughters!

You will come back to happier wife and daughters at least though as they'll enjoy your wifes birthday treat much more than a railway show.

Only to a happy wife, the daughters left home years ago

[kelly]

It's my wife's birthday on the 28th and when I 'booked' my layout for this year I was anticipating the date to be a week later. I think I've got away with it - but it's costing a spa day for her and our daughters!

You will come back to happier wife and daughters at least though as they'll enjoy your wifes birthday treat much more than a railway show.

Only to a happy wife, the daughters left home years ago

Still better than a angry wife!

[John Palmer]

I will have a spare seat that would get you back to Bristol.

Gordon

Thanks, Gordon, but as mentioned above I think I now have a satisfactory rail itinerary in place. Actually, it depends on my catching the last train calling at Highbridge on Sunday night, so if I'm delayed on the ECML leg I'll probably end up benighted at Bristol!

Several people have offered assistance in avoiding the prospect of an 'orrid bus ride, and, though I've managed to make my own arrangements to get home, I'm touched by my fellow members' kindness - my thanks for all the offers.

[davebradwell]

John, you obviously haven't bumped around in a Montezuma yet and you may have to dodge a terrible screaming noise at one end of some coaches, although I've only used the bi-modes. Just coffee and a roll at weekends, too.

DaveB

[John Palmer]

Whoops, I'd forgotten that the last time I returned from Wakefield via London it was not in one of the awful Azumas with their rock-hard seating. But we've suffered the GWR variant on long distance services for some time now, so I have a fair idea of what I've let myself in for. The only bright spot in their introduction has been the resultant cascading of 125 sets into some of our Cardiff-Taunton diagrams.

Yes, I'd also forgotten that at weekends the Railway only aspires to the service level of Balham's El Morocco Tea Rooms: "Hot meals are orf, luv."

[Edward45]

Maybe at bit dramatic, but any thoughts on not having the exhibition?

[Paul Willis]

Maybe at bit dramatic, but any thoughts on not having the exhibition?

Odd you should ask, it, but we are already discussing the *options* on the Committee email list.

And I do stress at this point they are only options. We want to establish exactly what the circumstances are, what the risks may be, and so on. Naturally, we will also be heeding all advice from Government and the Chief Medical Officer, if it comes to the point that (say) all gatherings of 100+ are prohibited.

We will keep members informed as soon as there are any developments.

Cheers
Paul Willis
Deputy Chairman

[Paul Willis]

Morning all,

To give you an update on the status of the show. The Committee continues to monitor and discuss the situation.

I’m afraid we can’t give you an absolute assurance that Scalefour North will go ahead because we don’t know what the situation will be in two and a bit weeks’ time. What I can tell you is that we have no plans to cancel the event ourselves; on the other hand, the decision might be taken for us if either the school where we hold it cancels our booking or the government decides in the meantime to ban some or all public gatherings.

The Committee is sorry not to be able to be more definite but we’re in a fluid situation. Naturally, we will be encouraging all attendees at the show to take all recommended precautions - frequent washing of hands, avoiding close personal contact (that means shaking hands), etc.

Rest assured that if we do have to call the whole thing off, we will make an announcement on the Forum, and on the main Society website and Facebook page, as soon as we possibly can.

Best wishes to all of you,
Paul WIllis
Deputy Chairman

[ken kirk]

Thanks Paul. This was discussed at our EMAG meeting last night so I've emailed your post to our gang as not al read the forum.
Many thanks,
Ken Coordinator East Midlands Area Group

[John McAleely]

Unfortunately, Scalefour North 2020 is cancelled.

Full announcement: /forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=6823