Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

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John McAleely
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Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby John McAleely » Thu Mar 19, 2020 10:18 pm

The organisers of Railwells and Scalefour Southwest have asked me to share that the 2020 show is cancelled.

While it is some way off, much of the necessary preparation is now not possible - for example the venue has cancelled all meetings over the next few weeks. This announcement is reflected on our shows page.

I do still plan to publish a 2019 retrospective in the near future.

Terry Bendall
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Terry Bendall » Fri Mar 20, 2020 8:58 am

A great shame since it is one of the best shows around and enjoyed by many Society members and other visitors. Unfortunately unavoidable in the circumstances. :(

Terry Bendall

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Hardwicke
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Hardwicke » Wed Mar 25, 2020 11:59 am

Understandable. I'd like to visit it again one year. Best wishes to everyone involved.
Ordsall Road (BR(E)), Forge Mill Sidings (BR(M)), Kirkcliffe Coking Plant (BR(E)), Swanage (BR (S)) and Heaby (LMS/MR). Acquired Thorneywood (GNR). Still trying to "Keep the Balance".

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Paul Townsend » Wed Mar 25, 2020 2:41 pm

Hardwicke wrote:Understandable. I'd like to visit it again one year. Best wishes to everyone involved.


I got some relief from deadline pressure to work on Dartmouth by this cancellation. I suspect my wife got more relief as it means I am more available for DiY, gardening etc
:(

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Rod Cameron
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Rod Cameron » Wed Mar 25, 2020 5:24 pm

Paul Townsend wrote:I got some relief from deadline pressure to work on Dartmouth by this cancellation. I suspect my wife got more relief as it means I am more available for DiY, gardening etc
:(


You didn't have to tell her just yet Paul :twisted:
Rod

Albert Hall
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Albert Hall » Thu Mar 26, 2020 9:26 pm

A great shame as I'm sure Chris would already have put many man hours into preparations for this year's show.

For myself it ruins my entertainment during set up on Friday afternoon and evening. As chief PAT tester I marvel at some of the electrical equipment offered up as good examples of safe kit. While most passes muster, there is inevitably the odd home made control box which does actually work but is an accident waiting to happen, rickety lighting rigs which could be lethal if you put your fingers in the wrong place and the odd extension lead with a 3-pin plug at both ends.

Last year I was presented with a rusty old H&M Duette with a tatty braided cord and a few screws missing inside the old overheated rubber plug. Having replaced the plug it actually turned out to be completely safe to use. Quality kit from a bygone era! :thumb

The only bit I dread is Roger Sawyer's large collection of soldering irons he brings along for his demonstration stand. Best part of an hour's work when done diligently! :D

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Tony Wilkins
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Tony Wilkins » Fri Mar 27, 2020 1:21 pm

Reminds me of an incident at my first company when one of my colleges build an electrical test trolley. He produced a lead with a plug at each end to connect it to the mains. I asked him to think about what happens if you plug in one end, to which his reply was "Oh dear" and he was the the works nominated safety officer!
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Albert Hall » Fri Mar 27, 2020 4:03 pm

Incredible! And the usual response when you come across one of these is 'I know which end to disconnect first'. :(

Roy

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Martin Wynne
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Martin Wynne » Fri Mar 27, 2020 6:07 pm

Tony Wilkins wrote:I asked him to think about what happens if you plug in one end, to which his reply was "Oh dear" and he was the the works nominated safety officer!

That reminds me of an exhibition held at a school back in the 1970s. One of the stands complained that the hall mains socket which they had been told to use wasn't working. The school's security officer was called, and proceeded to test the socket by jabbing a screwdriver into it. There was a loud bang, and the entire exhibition was plunged into darkness for half an hour.

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Albert Hall
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Albert Hall » Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:40 am

I seem to recall a story that in the early days of the Wales & West show at the Victoria Rooms in Bristol it was discovered that the building was supplied with mains at 110 volts. No idea how that was overcome in short order on the day. Can anyone remember that far back? We are probably talking 1960's. It was a few years later that 'Heckmondwyke' made an appearance there, probably the first time I witnessed P4 in action.

During the 70's my club attended an exhibition in a disused car showroom in Salisbury. Power distribution came from a 'borrowed' mobile army generator with a network of extension leads all around the area to trip over. My experience of this type of generator was that voltage and frequency were regulated manually but of course sensitive electronic equipment was a rarity back then. There was even live steam indoors. To add to the 'rough it' nature of the show overnight accommodation was in a tent in Hudson's Field.

Roy

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Tim V
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Tim V » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:40 am

Ah shows in the 70s.

You never knew what socket you would get at the venue, round pin 5A, round pin 13A, 2/3 pins, used to have to take a supply of extra plugs. Then I found a converter plug - it had all options (I wonder what happened to it?). You just popped out the appropriate pins, screwed them and away you went.
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Noel
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Noel » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:53 am

Tim V wrote:round pin 13A


13A is the current oblong pin standard, Tim; the larger round pin standard was 15A.
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Tim V
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Tim V » Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:17 pm

Well that just slipped out! It was supposed to say round pin 15A!
I don't believe it - a website dedicated to old plugs - and the plug I was referring to!
https://www.plugsocketmuseum.nl/Fitall1.html
Tim V
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David B
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby David B » Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:35 pm

Was this one of your old lash-ups, Tim??

Sockets_G1795.jpg
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Tim V
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Tim V » Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:25 pm

It wasn't me M'lud.
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Albert Hall » Sat Mar 28, 2020 5:05 pm

Interesting! Wouldn't mind betting that with a quick clean up of the dirt it would all pass muster. The only criticism would be a lack of insulating sleeves on the live and neutral pins. This ensures that the circuit is broken before wandering fingers or foreign objects can get under the body and make contact with metal when the plug is being withdrawn from the socket. It is a requirement on new plugs which must comply with The Plugs and Sockets etc (Safety) Regulations 1994 and BS1363. This does not apply retrospectively to old plugs already in use. However that is not to say that they should be reused by refitting to a new lead. It is good practice to replace old plugs like this with new ones to the latest standard but I imagine round pin ones would be a non-starter.

A common situation which is presented for testing is the failure to remove the cardboard label mounted over the pins of a new rewireable plug. It can prevent the pins making good contact in the socket or allow a damp label to track between the pins resulting in overheating and fire. It amuses me to see the look on the owner's face when I tell them that their equipment is a failure just on initial visual inspection. Then the look of relief when I rip the label off and say it's ok now. I don't know why manufacturers put these labels on. They seem to be there to tell the user how to wire it up. If you don't know, you shouldn't even be taking the lid off but I suppose they have to cover themselves.

Roy

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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Steve Carter » Sat Mar 28, 2020 7:27 pm

Would be even more impressive it was all plugged into a ceiling light fitting :idea: :shock:
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby bécasse » Sat Mar 28, 2020 8:27 pm

Albert Hall wrote:I seem to recall a story that in the early days of the Wales & West show at the Victoria Rooms in Bristol it was discovered that the building was supplied with mains at 110 volts. No idea how that was overcome in short order on the day. Can anyone remember that far back? We are probably talking 1960's. It was a few years later that 'Heckmondwyke' made an appearance there, probably the first time I witnessed P4 in action.


Bembridge appeared at the Victoria Rooms well before Heckmondwyke, at a guess in 1972 but it might have been 1973 and, yes, the place still had a 110 volt supply then. Sadly, I can't remember how the problem was overcome either.

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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Albert Hall » Sun Mar 29, 2020 8:21 am

Steve Carter wrote:Would be even more impressive it was all plugged into a ceiling light fitting :idea: :shock:


Ah! Those were the days. I can remember mother ironing with a bayonet plug connected into the light fitting and water running down the flex from the leaky roof. :shock: Obviously it could only be done in daylight and a risk assessor today would say don't do it while it's raining. She survived! :)


I was there at the Vic Rooms early 70's with our club layout Bury Hill, a roundy-roundy in N gauge with handbuilt track. It featured in MRC under Steve Stevens-Stratten's stewardship around that time. I do recall that during set up someone was running round laying out lots of extension leads so maybe they all linked into a conventional supply nearby..

Roy

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Hardwicke
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Re: Scalefour Southwest 2020 Cancelled

Postby Hardwicke » Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:58 pm

Albert Hall wrote:I can remember mother ironing with a bayonet plug connected into the light fitting

Roy

Yup. Got one of those !
Ordsall Road (BR(E)), Forge Mill Sidings (BR(M)), Kirkcliffe Coking Plant (BR(E)), Swanage (BR (S)) and Heaby (LMS/MR). Acquired Thorneywood (GNR). Still trying to "Keep the Balance".


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