Model Boat Mayhem

Shows, Events, Club websites and Club Events => Commercial Events and News => Topic started by: PompeyHistoricDockyard on February 21, 2012, 02:01:16 pm

Title: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: PompeyHistoricDockyard on February 21, 2012, 02:01:16 pm: DONT FORGET

Saturday 31 March & Sunday 1 April
From 10am

Model Boat Weekend at Action Stations and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Action Stations and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard are pleased to welcome the Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team (PMBDT). PMBDT will be showcasing their extensive range of model boats within Action Stations, which includes, lifeboats, vintage and film models. There will also be some exciting model boat displays on the Mast Pond with galleons, submarines and landing crafts. With gun firing and a lively commentary, these displays will be brought to life!

A fantastic fun-filled event for the whole family and it is FREE with a valid ticket!!
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: alan colson on February 21, 2012, 03:05:48 pm: Why are you advertising an event that happened 2 years ago (2010) {:-{
Alan
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Netleyned on February 21, 2012, 03:13:41 pm: It's HISTORIC %% %% %%

Ned
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Welsh Wizard on February 21, 2012, 03:14:26 pm: Alan it is just a simple typo error.................http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/events/event1049.php

Dave
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Colin Bishop on February 21, 2012, 03:33:48 pm: A valid ticket costs £21.50 for all the attractions on the site - you can't just buy a cheaper one for each one. (it is valid for a year though.)

This would seem to mean that you won't get to see the static displays without paying your £21.50 although you might be able to view the water displays in the mast pond depending on whehter they close off the side gangways to non ticket holders.

Colin
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 21, 2012, 04:10:03 pm: At the moment, the plan is for a big static display, upstairs in Action Stations, with 'on the water' displays both days on the Mast Pond. I dont believe there is a 'single ticket' option available at present. However, the big ticket is valid for a year. We are still working on the details of the static side of the display, while the water side activities will feature our usual show of WWII and Napoleonic/Trafalgar stuff. Heres hoping for another early April heatwave :-))
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: deadbeat on February 21, 2012, 04:31:57 pm: I think the original message saying its free with a valid ticket is certainly misleading, its either free or its not. The reality is that I cannot view the static display without spending money - so its not free. Perhaps Trading Standards should be invited to comment.
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Colin Bishop on February 21, 2012, 05:47:28 pm: It has been free in the past when they held the static display at the back of the Purser's store building or the building opposite the mast pond. Most boat modellers in the surrounding area will already be familiar with the dockyard attractions so they will effectively be paying £21.50 just to see the static model display which is usually quite good but probably less so than at most of the model boating shows we attend at less than half the price. And there are no traders either.

A few years back when covering one of the Portsmouth Meet Your Navy events with model boating support, Paul Freshney and I suggested to the Dockyard PR people that a 'proper' model boating event at the dockyard with traders and a pool etc. would be a big draw. I believe that at a subsequent event there were a handful of traders but the idea never seems to have taken off. They have plenty of space available although parking in the area is limited for participants with models to carry around.

The Action Stations building is at the back of the site whereas the previous displays were much more visible. This does seem to be a backward move really.

The single ticket policy has attracted considerable criticism as it as aimed at general visitors who can make more than one visit to get the value from it. On a couple of recent occasions I have wanted to visit the RN Museum to check something while i was down there but not at £21.50 a pop!

Colin
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 21, 2012, 05:52:54 pm: Trading Standards will probably say the following........................."Thats a bit of a grey area, that is." Practical experience. I think the inference is that it wont cost any more, probably a good thing :-)
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 21, 2012, 06:15:35 pm: We consider the Historic Dockyard our third home after Canoe Lake, however, in recent years, due to the financial climate among other things, events have tailed off in the dockyard. Hopefully, this will get model boating back on site, in a small way. Most of our previous visits in recent years have been in support of bigger events, A Festival of Steam, Meet Your Navy, International Festival of the Sea etc, unfortunately going in small, is costing a little more than usual to see us perform! Look at it as a chance to see a premier selection of Historic Ships and Museums, and some model boats, FANTASTICALLY presented model boats mind :-))
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 21, 2012, 06:16:13 pm: And can we change the title please Mr Admin?
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Colin Bishop on February 21, 2012, 06:41:02 pm: Quote
Look at it as a chance to see a premier selection of Historic Ships and Museums, and some model boats, FANTASTICALLY presented model boats mind

That's true if you have never been there before but I suspect many of the potential visitors will have. There are only so many times you want to visit Victory and Warrior etc. and if you are spending a lot of your time looking at the model boat demos and static displays it doesn't leave much time for doing justice to the other attractions anyway. The mast pond is visible from the public areas so a lot of people will see the on the water demos for free. So for many of us it would be £21.50 to see models that we can see together with a lot of other models plus traders at any of the big shows for £5-£8 or so and to me that would not justify visiting Portsmouth.

Don't get me wrong, I love visiting the dockyard and we also go to the Festivals of Steam, Christmas etc. But this event seems to be aimed at giving an extra attraction to the general visiting public rather than being a true model boating event as most of us would understand the term. I think there are usually only three clubs present, or that has been the case on most previous occasions.

Colin
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 21, 2012, 06:52:27 pm: Quote from: Colin Bishop on February 21, 2012, 06:41:02 pm

Don't get me wrong, I love visiting the dockyard and we also go to the Festivals of Steam, Christmas etc. But this event seems to be aimed at giving an extra attraction to the general visiting public rather than being a true model boating event as most of us would understand the term. I think there are usually only three clubs present, or that has been the case on most previous occasions.

Colin

Yes, the event is aimed at the general public, surely not a bad thing. As a recruitment excercise, we hope to encourage youngsters of all ages to give it a go. As an effort to get Model Boating back into the home of the Royal Navy,we have succeeded, As an excercise in seeing if we can boost the gate for the Historic Dockyard, if that comes off we should see the benefits over a longer term, possibly including a 'Proper' Model Boat Show on site some time in the future. Its not cheap, but we are putting our backs into making it a belter of a display.
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: triumphjon on February 21, 2012, 07:46:03 pm: i will wander over to check sometime on wednesday to see if you need to purchase a ticket for all attractions on site , im sure that you were able to purchase tickets for individual attractions last year ! ( i live close enough its a two min walk )
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Colin Bishop on February 21, 2012, 07:53:18 pm: The Dockyard have made several identical posts on the Model Boats Forum so it would seem that they are keen to promote the event among model boaters as well as the general public. As MB Website Editor I have removed the unnecessary duplicates and emailed them (copied to my usual contact there) asking if they wish us to cover the event as on previous Dockyard special occasions. Editor Paul Freshney is always very supportive of the Historic Dockyards and is very happy to allocate space in the magazine.

It would be better if there could be a separate entry charge on the door for anyone without a site ticket but that might pose logistical problems. They would probably get a lot more modellers along that way but of course it is their call.

I'm sure you will put on a great display as usual, the mast pond demos always attract a huge crowd.

Colin
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Colin Bishop on February 21, 2012, 07:57:07 pm: Triumphjon,

Yes you used to be able to purchase single attraction tickets but not anymore. The site ticket is valid for a year though.

Chatham have a similar policy although the situation is a bit different there as there are a lot more individual attractions than at Portsmouth. They only charge £16.50 as against £21.50 at Portsmouth!

Colin
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Rex Hunt on February 21, 2012, 09:38:34 pm: BU**ER!
I am visiting Pompey the following weekend as a guest of the Hermes Association, If I had known before I could have taken a weeks holiday and killed two pigeons with one brick!

Rex
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: gingyer on February 21, 2012, 09:41:44 pm: At Portsmouth do they let you take pictures
They don't at Chatham!!
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Colin Bishop on February 21, 2012, 09:57:06 pm: At Portsmouth you can take photos for personal use but not by flash in some places. You cannot take photos of the Orlop deck on HMS Victory where Nelson died.

I have taken dozens of photos at Chatham without anyone objecting, what problems did you have? was it in a specific area.?

Colin
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: gingyer on February 21, 2012, 10:17:33 pm: Colin
I went today as I am in the area to get a few pics of cavalier.
I was running late but the museum was still open for another 40mins
I explained I just wanted a few quick pics of cavalier
To be told I need to get written permission to take pictures in
The museum. All I was after was a few pics of the main director for a friend.
I explained and showed them it was for my modelling hobby (had a few pics of my
Models in the camera) but still I needed to write and get written permission.
Oh the ladies said it would be doubtful I would get it with out paying a fee

Not very impressed luckily I hadn't paid to go in yet so just left
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Colin Bishop on February 21, 2012, 10:43:24 pm: I don't understand that. Maybe they thought you were taking photos for some sort of publication in which case you very definitely do need permission. Or possibly it was because you might have said you were taking them on behalf of someone else. Seems like there must have been some sort of misunderstanding.

There is no way they could confiscate cameras from all the visitors to the dockyard or stop people taking photos except perhaps in some enclosed areas where flash or tripods might be forbidden. I have visited the place on three occasions and snapped away as much as I liked indoors and outdoors.

Colin
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: gingyer on February 21, 2012, 10:46:59 pm: Colin
I Could understand that but i knew not to saw they
We're for a friend and told them several times they were for
My use only. The answer was still the same no pictures
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Colin Bishop on February 21, 2012, 10:50:27 pm: Sounds like somebody needs some retraining then....

Colin
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: pugwash on February 21, 2012, 11:37:28 pm: Gingyer I don't know if I put this up before but it is what I used for pictures of the director I have just made
174 colour pics of Cavalier

Geoff

http://www.primeportal.net/naval/jon_davies/hms_cavalier/
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: triumphjon on February 22, 2012, 04:33:57 pm: im afraid to say that the dockyard no longer sells tickets for single attractions within the site ,
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Netleyned on February 22, 2012, 04:40:18 pm: Is Warrior included or is this a separate attraction?

Ned
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 22, 2012, 04:51:17 pm: It is an 'all in one' ticket, however I think you can use it more than once to visit the Royal Naval Museum, I think?
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Netleyned on February 22, 2012, 05:00:15 pm: Yeah
Seems to be the way of the world.
Last year I was staying in North Yorkshire .
We visited Beamish and Hartlepool.
Both expensive but they say you can visit as often as you like.
RRS Discovery was the same when we were there the year before.
It's ok if you live reasonably close but has anyone researched the take up
of the free entry?

Ned
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 22, 2012, 05:30:47 pm: Good point, I purchased an all in one ticket for the dockyard in 2005, valid for a year, didn't manage to use it all up and I live a mile and a half from Victory Gate..
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Colin Bishop on February 22, 2012, 05:42:18 pm: Details of the site ticket are set out on the Historic Dockyard website so no need to speculate about it!

Personally I think the site ticket is only really useful to people holidaying in the area who can return within a short space of time. People who are just visiting Portsmouth for the day say from London as part of a visit to the UK will never get their full money's worth because it takes more than a day to see everything properly. So they might just visit Warrior and Victory with an ice cream in between, pop into the Mary Rose museum for a quick look and then run out of time. The site ticket is a good option to have but it should be in addition to single attraction tickets and offer a discount on the total cost of these - which is what they used to do except that there was more limited validity.

You have to show your ticket to get into all the main attractions anyway so I would have thought it would cost very little more to retain a number of ticket options to encourage maximum visitor numbers.

Colin
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: tigertiger on February 22, 2012, 08:41:05 pm: Quote from: unbuiltnautilus on February 21, 2012, 06:16:13 pm
And can we change the title please Mr Admin?

Done
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: Colin Bishop on February 23, 2012, 02:37:01 pm: Here is the news release from the Historic Dockyard which clarifies that the event is aimed primarily at the visiting public although of course all are welcome. The Mast Pond displays will be viewable by the general public and will not require a site ticket. The Dockyard hope that the event will raise the profile of model boating as well as being an added visitor attraction.

Colin

News Release

Model Boat Weekend at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Saturday 31st March and Sunday 1st April – 10am onwards
Free added value event for ticket holders

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is pleased to welcome back the Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team (PMBDT) on Saturday 31st March and Sunday 1st April, as a free added value event for site ticket holders.

There will be a number of lively displays with commentary on the Mast Pond outside Action Stations, with firing galleons, submarines with pyrotechnics and landing crafts throughout this weekend long event, and visitors may even get the chance to operate one for themselves! The Mast Pond is a key archaeological feature of the dockyard dating back to 1665. It is a perfect setting for a display of this kind as it carries its own history, having played many roles in the working dockyard at a time when it was the world centre for mast making.

A number of model boats will also be on display in the Action Stations building open from 10am – 5.30pm. Models include sailing ships, lifeboats, vintage and film models.

PMBDT is a large group of people with many enthusiastic members who will talk and engage with public on the history of the models, how they make them, where else they display and the history of the real life boats. Visit http://www.pmbdt.co.uk for further information.

The ticket for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard includes entrance for 1 year. Tickets cost: adults £23.50, seniors £20.35, children £17.80, students £20.35 and a family ticket costs £69.50 (up to 5 members of the same family with a maximum of 2 adults or seniors). Entrance to the Historic Dockyard is free for those wishing to visit the retailers, cafes and Antiques Storehouse.

For further press information: Melissa Gerbaldi, Press Officer, Tel: 023 9289 4558
Email: [email protected]
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 23, 2012, 02:56:55 pm: Just to add a little to that. Our static display, upstairs at Action Stations will be using most of the available space and covering various themed tables. We have plans to use all 38 of their tables as well as 6 of our own. How often does a club get the oportunity to spread out at an event? We are always confined by the next club, trader or burger bar! At this event we will be presenting the models in the best possible way, avoiding crowding and with many info boards etc. Tables, as mentioned, will be themed, including my 'babies', "Modular Construction Techniques of WWII", ( the seven year olds will love that one!) and "Movie Models"..
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: deadbeat on February 24, 2012, 03:59:42 pm: I think the confusion over the tickets is indicative of the confusion of the administrators in running the Historic Dockyard. I go regularly into the dockyard (not any of the paying sites) the antiques shop is an Aladdins cave and worth visit on its own. I've seen the Warrior and museums lots of times, I've been on Victory umpteen times and spent a week with the Victory team when I was an apprentice in the 60s. So I don't want to go on them again. I've been in Action Stations once and thought it a huge disappointment and a waste of useful space and money.

The PMBDT has some really great models, its a pity more won't be able to see them, including me.

I agree that if there was a separate, reasonable fee (akin to the Midhurst fees), just to see the static display of model boats that would be a huge improvement and attract modellers as well as the general public.
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 24, 2012, 05:29:09 pm: Quote from: deadbeat on February 24, 2012, 03:59:42 pm

The PMBDT has some really great models, its a pity more won't be able to see them, including me.

I agree that if there was a separate, reasonable fee (akin to the Midhurst fees), just to see the static display of model boats that would be a huge improvement and attract modellers as well as the general public.

Thanks for saying that. Hopefully this will lead to other things in the future, that may not be subject to the 'all in one' ticket price, we shall see..
Title: Re: Model Boating Events 2012
Post by: triumphjon on February 24, 2012, 08:11:04 pm: perhaps if this event is well supported by us non members of pmbdt then the dockyard would host an event where all modellers could display models , and include model related traders on site ? ?