Guildford 2016

[Dennis RaynerParticipant @dennisrayner52782]

[Dennis RaynerParticipant @dennisrayner52782]

I have been going to this event since 1978 and have missed only 2 years. I am saddened by the fact that, in contrast to Bristol which seems to go from strength to strength, Guildford seems to be shrinking year on year. Less visitors and less traders. There seemed to me to be less traction engines as well. I normally go on a Saturday but this year I went on the Sunday (today). Some traders had nobody at their stalls (this was at about noon today) so i can see why the number of traders is reducing. For those of us in the South East of England, this is the only 100% ME event of the year (as far as I am aware) so why are we not supporting it?

Next year is the 50th event and I am wondering if it will go on much beyond that?

For the record I have nothing to do with GMES.

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

Totally agree Dennis, I have been a regular visitor to the event for the past 30 odd years. I went this year on Saturday and was very disappointed with the trade stands. Notable missing ones were Blackgates, Polly Models and Camden Books. Home and Workshop were there, in fact they attend nearly all the shows around the country and I would like to thank them for their support of the hobby, not related to them in any way, just a satisfied customer. Axminster Power Tools had a trade stand, they seem very keen to support the hobby, no sign of Warco, they have been missing for a couple of years now. I would like to thank GMES for continuing to put on the show, I am sure it must cost a lot in time and money to stage such an event and it must be very frustrating to see it getting smaller each year.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I used to go there when I lived locally and noticed the fall in traders some years ago. I assume the trade stands have to pay to be there? Perhaps the rates are set to high to earn any income worth the bother of attending.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Was a bit quieter this year than the last two. I always think of Guildford as a family day out as you see far mor young children and their parents there than the other ME shows and if the weather looks a bit offy they will go elsewhere for the day.

I think GMES rates are a lot lower than other shows but there is still teh cost of travel, paying staff and accomodation which has to come out of any gross profit from te htraders.

Dennis as for the only ME show in the South East what about the MEX which will be just a few miles up the A3 later this year.

Edited By JasonB on 03/07/2016 19:26:08

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I used to go every year with my nephews. One now married. Where did the time go.
I seem to remember early on it was just a couple of TE casting suppliers as it was the focus for TE builders and no traders in the outer paddock. I used to pop the boys on a train and dash over to the stand selling old copies of ME for a few minutes at a time.

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

I helped out on the SMEE stands (happily admitting my total ignorance) but it is really aimed at families as well as a display venue for other local ME related societies – there must have been considerably more under 5s than the greyhaired retirees as seen at MEX – it also has I think has a major function in embedding itself into the local civic community (eg the mayor came round and also presented the various prizes) such ’embedding’ allows for the site which is part of the local Stoke park and may well be a way of attracting those who otherwise will not have seen a steam loco before.
It would however be great to see a few more trade stands.

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Read this thread and realised we had not put it on the calender, would have been able to go as well, grade one silly mistake!

Edited By V8Eng on 03/07/2016 20:15:25

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Went on club trip to mid hants rly on Sat. my usual day for Guildford so planned to go today Sunday. Didn’t go as not considered to be worth effort given lack of usual traders. Also wife not very well and I not feeling too good. Feel quite unwell this evening and now thankful that I did have quiet day at home. Will probably now mail order wanted item from absentee Blackgates.

[Dennis RaynerParticipant @dennisrayner52782]

Ah yes – MEX. To be honest I'd forgotten about that. I've been going to it on and off since the early 70s when it was held in the Seymour Halls in London. (It lasted for 10 days then!) Recently it's been more off than on for me but I think i'll give it a go this year if only to sample the new venue. Although I've been to Harrogate and most of the rest south of there, my feeling is that the best exhibition ever was the very first Midlands one at the Granby Halls Leicester.

PS I do recognise that memory can play tricks especially in your 70s!

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Yes, I went on Sunday and it was quiet compared to previous years. There's a bit of a Catch 22 involved I'm afraid – Less Traders = Less Visitors and Less Visitors = Less Trade = Less Traders next year and so on.

However, I enjoyed my day out and saw several very interesting (e.g. simple) spark erosion machines (and thank you Maurice for the excellent explanation) as well as a very nice voice controlled steam launch, whose owner/builder was an absolute mine of information about the West System amongst other things (yes – I managed to find the details via Google on returning home). So it was far from a wasted journey from my point of view – just have to dig out that expensive casting with the broken tap in it now….

Regards,

IanT

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