THE 2016 MODEL ENGINEER EXHIBITION

[Robin KingParticipant @robinking15611]

It's a while since I last visited but they do offer corporate venues on/around the site e.g. the Engine House, so given the engineering 'background' it strikes me as one worth investigating as it might work as a very complementary setting for the exhibition. I might well be wrong!

R

Edited By Robin King on 27/10/2015 19:14:50

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

II think we are hoping for a long term venue and Blists Hill is getting a bit far from all the centres of population (except Brum) although I did have some discussion with the Black Country Living Museum when various folks were testing the water with different venues.

At BH is we could get someone to start with a pile of coke, limestone and iron ore on Friday, and give them the challenge to make it into a fully working traction engine by Sunday

A major concern, addressed with Brooklands, was to find a venue that is a worthy visit for someone interested in engineering to complement the show – making it more appealing to multi-day visitors and also offering a rounded day out for those who want to bring the rest of the family.

Naturally we hope the 'extra interest' of the show will attract people who need a nudge to visit Brooklands and perhaps lead them to an interest in the hobby.

Neil

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Why not come clean and rename it the South East Exhibition. Three and a half hours travelling for me and I'd still only be at Weybridge station. I've never bothered since it left central London, stick to Harrogate (Doncaster) and/or Midlands

Neil if you think BH is a long way from the centres of population I suggest you invest in a map! It's a lot nearer to the conurbations in the North and Midlands than Weybridge is.

Edited By duncan webster on 27/10/2015 19:49:43

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 27/10/2015 19:44:26:

At BH is we could get someone to start with a pile of coke, limestone and iron ore on Friday, and give them the challenge to make it into a fully working traction engine by Sunday

Neil

.

A Sooper Adapt is more likely given the time frame and Blist's Hill is a working Victorian Museum and more in keeping to working to Sooper Adept tolerances of plus or minus a post code.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Maybe you could save them a bit of time Neil and donate a couple of Adepts to be melted down

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by John Stevenson on 27/10/2015 19:56:15:

A Sooper Adapt is more likely given the time frame and Blist's Hill is a working Victorian Museum and more in keeping to working to Sooper Adept tolerances of plus or minus a post code.

Don't knock the Victorian Postcodes. in their days you could arrange dinner by sending a letter in the morning and getting a reply in the afternoon.

Neil

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

"In olden times parcels and letters would be sent abroad on wooden ships manned by iron men.In transit times seasons would change,children would be born and governments overthrown before a package would arrive"

"Royal Mail – proud to keep traditions alive"

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

" and governments overthrown before a package would arrive"

I'm expecting a parcel delivery soon. I would be delighted if this Government were to be overthrown before it arrives

[Stuart BridgerParticipant @stuartbridger82290]

Great venue. Where I gained my core engineering skills, not the museum, but the previous occupier of the site…
It certainly adds value to a days visit as it is a fascinating museum. It also brings back great memories personally albeit with a great regret about the facilities that were lost when BAe closed the site.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

To keep everybody happy and to prevent further discussion I think the show should be held in Appleby Parva

**LINK**

I'm sure they have a village hall

Rod

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Nice one, Rod

That should ensure grumbles from every direction.

MichaelG.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> Appleby Parva

Would suit me, and it might get Reeves to attend

Neil

[Clive IndiaParticipant @cliveindia]

Posted by Roderick Jenkins on 28/10/2015 08:57:02:

To keep everybody happy and to prevent further discussion I think the show should be held in Appleby Parva **LINK** I'm sure they have a village hall. Rod

Nice one.

Interestingly – it was announced only 4 days ago and there is already substantial negativity on this forum – despite the fact nobody knows yet what it will actually be or has actually been!

Give them a chance methinks.

Edited By Clive India on 28/10/2015 09:50:20

[Robin KingParticipant @robinking15611]

Neil, et al

Interesting comments as always.

'..to find a venue that is a worthy visit for someone interested in engineering to visit the show …' – good thinking, but I'd have thought Blists Hill/the Gorge would also fit the bill, but I only mentioned that as an example. The essence of my original question about the possibility of the exhibition being located at different venues year on year was based on accessibility to give everyone a fair chance of it being within striking distance from time to time. That's not based on negativity but plain practicality – there are many of us who are deterred from attending some exhibitions simply by the travelling time/distance/cost involved.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

What most people who have offered up alternative venues haven't realised is that the venue needs a large space to accept the show.

From memory Blist's hill doesn't have such a space, unused. Plus do they charge day visitors extra because the show is on or do they close it to day visitors.

Now the Midlands Motorcycle Museum does have extra space as they rent out halls to earn money.

Handy for M6, M5, and M1 via the M42

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

But then you would need to get the Midlands show to move down here on the years that MEX went there as you would then get the moans like you did with MEX and Ally Pally being in the same area at similar times. You will never win Neil.

 

Edited By JasonB on 28/10/2015 16:23:06

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I'd missed the significance of Appleby Parva, centre of population of UK. Obvious flaw, it's outside the M25, so southerners will either deny it's existence, or be too afraid to attend.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Robin King on 28/10/2015 14:34:41:

The essence of my original question about the possibility of the exhibition being located at different venues year on year was based on accessibility to give everyone a fair chance of it being within striking distance from time to time. That's not based on negativity but plain practicality.

The change of venue has meant a nearly two year gap between shows. Does that illustrate why changing venue every time is impractical?

The other issue is that, for each show on the calendar, there are a core of regularly supporting clubs already geared up to attend. Moving any show means disappointing these clubs and having to find a whole host of new clubs willing to make a considerable investment of time and effort in attending.

Even sticking with a venue, there's a great deal of effort put in by volunteers (thanks Mike & Steve) in supporting the attendance of new clubs and a major change in location would be very hard to cope with.

I suspect that most attendees don't realise just how much the clubs (especially SMEE) put into attending different shows.

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

A separate post, so no-one thinks it aimed specifically at them!

Rather than nit-picking (in jest or otherwise), what would be really useful now that the new venue is sorted and booked, would be some further feedback on what you want to get out of the show.

Neil

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I like to be able to buy stuff at the show to save postage which is getting to be a high proportion of total cost. If I have a tool in mind it is nice to see several versions in the flesh to see if the price reflects quality (a good example of this is for tailstock die holders which may all look the same on the 'net but aren't).
The change of time of year is good for the above to spread the opportunities.

I'd like the food and drink to be comparable to a local pub not one in Park Lane.

I'd like the outside exhibits to be better supported with information and have a contingency plan in case of wind and rain.

If there are exhibits in obscure corners they need really good signs. I meet lots of people who have missed upstairs of downstairs at Sandown.

As a club exhibitor I'd appreciate an exhibitors lounge with free tea and coffee, and the occasional biscuit.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

I'm very pleased that MEX will continue. In my view the Model Engineer Exhibition has an honorable and special place in the model engineering world. It is worth bearing in mind that the magazine, exhibition and the SMEE were all started by Percival Marshall.

It will be a success for me if there are:

Plenty of competition entries

Plenty of traders

Good catering

Space to move

When I first started going in the early 80s there were plenty of young people there, I think attracted by the plastic and aero modelling. Perhaps the show could reflect some of the other craft interests though I'm afraid I'm not convinced that 3D printing has the same attraction.

Rod

[Robin KingParticipant @robinking15611]

Neil,

Thank you for taking the time to provide a comprehensive answer to my original query . Inevitably those of us who are not directly involved in the organisation of such an event are completely unaware of all of the factors that you have had to consider in arranging it, so see it entirely from our own perspective. It was worth the discussion to shed some light on the subject.

Lets hope it's well attended!

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Posted by John Stevenson on 27/10/2015 09:48:07:

Posted by Nicholas Farr on 26/10/2015 22:54:18:

Hi, I personally think the 2016 MEX might just as well have continued at Sandown, as it will be just the same nightmare getting there and home again as it was for me last year. There will be a good chance of me just going to Ally Paly, Doncaster and the Midlands only next year.

Regards Nick.

You can say that about any show depending where you live.

Sandown is rubbish if you live in Scotland for instance. Midland show is far nearer to me than Harrogate but I can get to Harrogate far easier as it's all motor way and not cross country.

Hi John, it's not the distance that's the problem, Sandown and Harrogate are both around the same distance from me, however it takes me 3 hours to get to Harrogate with what I call a reasonable stress free drive, but Sandown takes me 4 Hours plus with what I regard now as an exhausting drive. The problem is the big London car park AKA the M25. The journey home is worse, but these last two years it's being in a constant start/stop crawl for mile after mile and then suddenly becoming a rat race to the next crawl and also having to constantly watch those ever changing variable speed limits. I've no grip with the venues themselves and in fact this new one will be slightly closer, but I'd still have to contend with the M25 as there is no other practical way to go. In contrast the new venue at Doncaster will be in favour for me, as it will save me an hours traveling there and another hour home again. The Midlands show is a fairly easy drive at about 2 1/2 hours and Ally Pally the best one at about 2 hours or so, but I may well go by train this next time as parking there is not getting any better.

Regards Nick.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

It's quite handy living near Oxford, around 1hr to the london shows and the midland show but Harrogate/Doncaster needs an overnight stop but take in a weekend in Yorkshire aswell and eveyone is happy. Bristol is a couple of hours but as son lives there can make it a dual purpose visit. The downside is Oxford is the most unaffordable place in the country to live.

Mike

[Another JohnSParticipant @anotherjohns]

Neil;

further feedback on what you want to get out of the show

– SMEE stands – I really enjoyed that. Bob Bramson took me under his wing for an hour, and others did almost the same. (I asked for the hour from Bob, and it was given)

– Club stands. Especially the varied and smaller locomotives and machinery. I know the trend is to always go bigger, but I liked the 2-1/2 and 3-1/2" gauge models, so a public "thank you" to the clubs who displayed such.

– Trade stands. Last time I picked up items from Tracy Tools (pre-ordered; they had them all sorted out for me)

– I agree with your approach of the 3D printers, etc, but to be honest, I did not have the time to go through.

I did have difficulty navigating the session rooms – eg, I missed your session last time as I did not know there was a room upstairs. Chalk it up to being a novice at the venue, but…

All in all, it was a very enjoyable 2 days that I spent at the last MEX.

John.

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