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[NFMike]

Wednesday 17 October 2012 to Sunday 21 October 2012

The forum seems to have belched and quite a few posts got expelled, including it seems this subject. So this is a bit of a reincarnation.

I went today (the first) and was a bit disappointed. With an entry fee of near £10 I expected a big show, but it wasn't very large at all - I've been to bigger model rail shows, and indeed the Model Boat Convention I'd say, and paid about half as much to get in. The second hall is in fact a big marquee.

It also seemed trader heavy. At the model shows I've been to I'd say it was usually about 60% models and 40% traders, at this I'd say it was the other way round, if not more so, and since traders are (I think) paying for the privilege it makes the hefty entrance fee even more 'odd'. (Some of the traders were quite interesting of course, but even so.)
On the other hand the food and drink was quite a reasonable price, though as I only had a coffee I can't speak to the quality of the food.

I may be being a touch hard as driving there and back was as pleasant and speedy as getting past Birmingham ever is. Why are we still building new warships when we can't even sort the M6 out?

Anyway, just my thoughts for those who may be thinking of going in the next few days.

This boat model was there - 80kg of Warspite:-

[NFMike]

Oh, one thing caught me out. I had intended to get a few odds and ends of materials from the plentiful suppliers - brass tube, fixings and the like. But I had forgotten that the ME community is still largely imperial, whereas I use metric these days - so there was almost nothing I needed in a usable size. Gaahh!
All I came away with was some slow epoxy from Shop4Glue who had a stand. Back to ebay again.

[red181]

I went sunday, but knew what to expect, it was an engineering show, but was I agree very trader heavy, the Harrogate show earlier this year in my opinion had a lot more to see.

I went with a very specific shopping list, knowing it was trader heavy (attendees where listed on the internet) and I got pretty much everything I wanted, with some very good advice, got some brass and tools etc. Same feelings as Mike really, it was way overpriced to get in, and they wanted extra for a programme! (only 50p, but it was the principal, so I passed on that one)

Next year, if anybody is deliberating which to attend, I would say having visited both, all the traders, and more, are at Harrogate, with a large model engineering display, and  a good collection of model boat clubs. This show needs to be more realistic with the entry fee, and take with you a method of measuring in metric, you need it!