Shouldn't this be under the "Deliberate Mistakes" thread?

Neil, best ask the organisers to paint the red dot on the floor as someone is bound to complain that they could not find the dot

Alternatively

Been to Doncaster today for the setup day.

Looks to be a smart well laid out venue. Seems to be plenty of room to move about between stands.

BTW I'm over on the RH side, against the RC model truck track, next to the Gents in Prostrate Alley.

I have taken a few sets of Myford type and special dividing plates and some of the 33 /34 gears for any Myford with a screwcutting box to cut metric with only one gear change. Only got a few with me so first come, first served.

I went to Doncaster yesterday, show was good, plenty of good models on display. A good venue, lots of chairs and tables upstairs via the escalator out on a large patio area, ideal to rest those weary feet and legs and a breath of cool fresh air. The large catering is much better than at the previous venue. Several people I spoke to didn't realise the aero plane models were upstairs via the escalator. A good clean venue, stick with it, leave the previous one to the farmers. John

I also went yesterday and thought the venue was quite good, but would agree with comments about the parking arrangements. The approach traffic was very heavy, depending on which way you arrived from, but it wasn't helped by the council re-surfacing the road by one of Doncaster's busier roundabouts. I guess that will improve next year.

If you go to the venue, approaching with it on your right, if Car park "A" one your left on your seems full, just drive past the venue and take the next right into the car park on the same side as the racecourse. We has the odd situation where everyone was turning left into car park "A", and being asked to run round and head for the other one. It may not be such an issue on a weekend.

A decent selection of trade stands, though perhaps not as many as I remember from my last visit to Harrogate, but a good selection of club models on display.

Finally, many thanks also to John for demonstrating the end mill grinders and drill grinder. I'm sure the latter will be superb when development has been completed on the split point section. I know have a small selection of perfectly ground cutters, which I must learn how to replicate.

p.s. There are cashpoints in the racecourse, but take enough readies with you, as they charge £2 per withdrawal.

Being brought up locally to Doncaster, with regular visits to family still in the area, but living ten minutes drive from the showground at Harrogate for many years I will throw in my thoughts from half a dozen shows over the past decade and a half.

I walked in on Friday, about a mile from my convenient overnight accommodation, all totally on the flat, compared to parking in the dutch barns at the very bottom of the hill at Harrogate, and slogging up there in the pouring rain a few years ago it was a breeze. Yes Harrogate had car parks next to the halls but not everyone could use them even when arriving early. I've even moved my car in the afternoon and queued for a space in order to shift heavy stuff at Harrogate.

The car parking adjacent to the Doncaster site really shouldn't be a problem, it might be better at the weekend with less park and ride usage to the hospital (the parking issues there are very considerable) No idea of attendence at this show but the site has shows of all descriptions many times a year and also copes with about 30000 on the Saturday at the St Leger without any major problems, some will be on public transport or in coaches but the only additional parking ever used iirc is behind the School for the Deaf over over the road from the venue and that is for half a dozen days a year, maybe all for the racing (Lincoln & St Leger)

There seemed less overall show area than Harrogate, but despite that there was always space to move, with very little waiting . Harrogate was horrendous on the Friday the last I went maybe two or three years ago.

Slightly disappointed at some missing trade stands from major retailers, not that they were ever expected.

Some seating downstairs away from the eating areas would be handy to rest tired legs.

I was in the market place in Doncaster (excellent meat, fish, fruit and veg market btw) very early Friday am, there were lots of promotional posters around, never seen any around Harrogate, just a big sign in a field or two.

The quality of exhibitor models excellent as always, the part completed ones often more interesting, the gas turbine demo great fun, the Bentley engine & grille outstanding as was the horse drawn 'London' coal wagon and the London-Holyhead mail coach.

Some more show space might be useful (marquee?) Better signing of the upstairs area that I discovered by chance wouldn't go amiss either.

I heard the legendary Cherry Hill was also there on Friday.

Edited By Martin 100 on 21/05/2016 13:52:56

Went today. A good exhibition. All things considered, like Harrogate, it is my favourite. Managed to get everything on my shopping list (plus some!). Forgot to look for the red dot at 12, sorry. Here are some random pics:

Sir John was doing a roaring trade – the results are very impressive

A pretty little Rob Roy 'cos that's what's obsessing me at the moment

Finally a selection of ETW engines on the SMEE stand

Cheers,

Rod

Edited By Roderick Jenkins on 21/05/2016 19:15:36

Rod -are you building a Rob Roy? I have started one frames,buffers, horns and axleboxes and axles done trouble is it keeps being shunted to one side because other stuff crops up, nice pics by the way

Mick

Competition results and first photos in ME4536

Diane

Edited By Diane Carney on 22/05/2016 12:20:36

Edited By Diane Carney on 22/05/2016 12:21:10

I found it interesting, but……

Signage for the venue and parking was a total negative. Should have printed off the stand layout above – there was b/a to indicate where to find any one of the exhibitors on that reeeelly sloow set of overhead screens which excruciatingly slowly showedif the exhibitor, one was looking for, existed.

However, the show itself was good. I enjoyed the aeroplanes and boats, particularly.

Would I go again? Probably not. OK for the avid modeller, but not so for a typical '12'' to the foot' scale hobbyist. No, or few, show prices – virtually all were the same as over t'internet – and I would prefer to have things delivered free if I make a large enou

gh purchase, or pay for delivery if I don't.

I was offered a 20% reduction on one new item (after declining the exhoritant asking price) but even then it was still more expensive than buying locally from a specialist. One major supplier moved me along to the third advisor before being told they no longer offered that particular type of cutter. At least they were honest with their information and did not try to market a lesser quality item.

Clearly too shy to approach persons with hands on hips & bags over right shoulders then