Warwickshire Show, to go or not.

[LathejackParticipant @lathejack]

Over the last few days I have thought about visiting the Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition, so I booked Thursday off from work just in case I do decide to make the effort to go on any one of the four days the show is on.

I’ve been visiting the model engineering shows every year since the early 1990’s upto 2019, mainly Donington, Harrogate and ending with Doncaster. They were usually the highlight of my year, and the main drain of most of my spare cash.

My main interest there was really the trade stands, particularly the new machine tool dealers, and just about all of my new machines, plus almost all my tooling, was purchased as a result of what I had seen and fiddled with at those shows.

But, for various reasons, quite a few of the main suppliers no longer attend the shows. Chronos, Arceurotrade, Axminster Tools, Warco, Chester, Proops, Rotagrip, and SPG Tools are all sadly not there. Although once or twice I have bumped into Ketan from Arc wandering around, as a visitor I think.

So, for me at least, the shows are not quite as good as those I enjoyed so much not too long ago. But thankfully there still is a show, and there seems to be plenty there. I did visit the Warwickshire Show a couple of times over ten years ago, but one year half way through the first day I left to visit Arceurotrades premises, then the following day I went straight to Arc again and spent all my spare cash there.

Anyway, I’m almost sure I’ll be making the effort to go on one day, it will be a 200 mile round trip for a 5 hour stay at the show to try and experience again the same atmosphere and enjoyment from all the MEX shows I visited in the past, and maybe spend a bit of cash.

I wonder what others think of the Warwickshire Show.

[Andy ChancerParticipant @andychancer17241]

Was planning to go,would’ve been my first time there,but being on sick has severely limited finances sadly.

im reasonably new to model engineering and enjoyed going to Harrogate last year,which is fairly local to me.Hopefully I can make it next year.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I was going to go, but the inefficiency of my local council means that I don’t have a valid railcard. I applied for it nearly a month ago, but they are no doubt not-working-from-home.

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

Well, I’ll be there on Thursday for the third time since covid simply because you never know if it will be the last one given that so many other shows and rallies have disappeared. I book two nights b&b in a Leamington pub and make a short away break of the occasion without SWMBO!

Travelling by train means I can have a few real ales too of an evening. BTW, I can’t understand what a local council has to do with obtaining a railcard, I renew our senior and family railcards online and they come in the post within a few days. I did witness an elderly lady try to present her bus pass to the train ticket inspector on the way down, which I thought was amusing but more serious if she got a fine for travelling on an invalid ticket.

Anyway, here’s to an enjoyable day at the show even though I always come away a little dispirited after seeing some wonderful examples of work which I am not capable of getting even close to in my workshop at home.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Just about to leave should be a good day and as you say Chris it could be the last!!!

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I’ll be going, no machines or tooling on my shopping list so that side does not worry me. Similar driving distance for me at 220miles

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Good thing is there is lots of free parking and they have provided hard driveways over much of it so less likely to get stuck in mud like one or two events.
Last weekend I did the 200 mile round trip to the G1MRA AGM show and it is good to see things in the flesh rather than just on a flat screen.
Maybe check round your club to find a lift share. But be careful who you go with – I have in the past found my chauffeur wanted to leave after only an hour or two.

[Chris Crew]

On Chris Crew Said:

……

Travelling by train means I can have a few real ales too of an evening. BTW, I can’t understand what a local council has to do with obtaining a railcard,…….

With our local council as a geriatric you can have either a bus pass or a senior railcard for free. As local busses don’t go where I want to go I choose the railcard.

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

I’m attending despite a long round trip; I’m doing my best to do anything I can to keep this wonderful hobby alive. I’ve got a pocket full of £7 notes and I’m hoping to come home with goodies, and do a tiny bit towards keeping the small businesses alive whilst seeing some amazing engineering. Seeing Cherry Hill’s engines last year was like seeing a religious relic to me.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Sounds like the chap who asked for change of a £12 note, certainly sir, 3 off £4 or 4 off £3

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

I had no idea some local councils offer free Railcards so you live and learn.

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Going Saturday thankfully only around half hour each way 🙂

H

[VicParticipant @vic]

I too used to go to all the shows in the south many years ago, for similar reasons as the OP. It’s a 266 mile round trip for me, over 5 hours in the car Google maps informs me. I’ll probably not go.

[Graham TitmanParticipant @grahamtitman81812]

Six years ago i was told by 3 different people that persons like myself should not be allowed in . I have mobility problems and used a small mobility scooter i have not been since .I went to the Saint Albans show a couple of times but it was a struggle to get round.

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

Were you crashing into people? Thats the only time I’d have a problem with someone being unleashed with a mobility scooter…. don’t not go just because some people are miserable gits. If they can’t cope with seeing someone disabled getting out and about its not the disabled person thats the problem.

Jon, Amputee.

 

 

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Went today. Bought things I (probably) don’t need, but wanted anyway. Was amused at un-graded steel on sale for Inconel prices. Spent longer than I usually do and did my best to look at all of the exhibits as well as the trade stands. Enjoyed Noel’s lecture.

It’s sad that MMES can claim to be the country’s largest model engineering show, given that it’s smaller than Harrogate, Doncaster, Donnington, Ally pally, Seymore hall or even Bristol MES were. Trouble is that last word:- were.

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

I enjoyed it, some fine examples on display by people whose skill and knowledge I can only dream of. Bought a couple of things I will probably never use but a dealer not usually noted for bargain prices surprisingly accepted my offer. Managed to lose my railcard between the bus stop and Leamington so I am just hoping the ticket inspector on the train tomorrow will accept a sob story and the email that confirms I have ordered a replacement this evening and which has just cost me another tenner, doh! (thank the Lord for smartphones!)

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

I was there today and shall be on the SMEE stand Saturday and Sunday. A great variety of exhibits including the helicopters and the jet engine builders. Many really superb models amongst a huge collection, a couple of astonishingly well executed mill engines particularly caught my attention so lots to see. Machinery apart everything you would reasonably expect to want to buy was on offer (apart from no-one had any neat-cut). Had some great conversations with people including 2 gents in the lunch queue who didn’t know each other at the start but having discovered that they were both appreciated and subsequently worked for Cincinnati in Birmingham wound up swapping emails by the end of lunch.

Lovely day, really good show.

regards Martin

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

a good day just home after a 305 mile trip but good to see some wonderful models and the gorgeous desk clock, well worth it and a shame there is now only one per year of this size.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, I went to the show today, with a round trip of 228 miles. I bought a few things that I wanted, but I also got a Stuart Models catalogue for a fiver, which is in really good condition with 46 clean pages.

It still has a blank order form on the last page, but interestingly, most of the prices have  a purchase price in brackets, which you have to add on in the Pur. Tax column. The popular Stuart No, 10 V&H castings, have a price each of 32/6 + 6/- pur. tax + 4/6 postage, £2.15 in todays money.

Regards Nick.

[Mick BaileyParticipant @mickbailey28509]

£31.95 in today’s money!

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Which means that the casting set has risen in cost by a factor of 4.58 times inflation!!!

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

But the height of the model has also gone up🤣

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

I went yesterday.  Enjoyed the day out. Ker-nackered today as my day started at 0600h and finished long after ten last night (after a later monthly club meeting).  Easy motoring was an advantage (over 200 miles, for about a fiver, was acceptable for the whole day’s motoring 🙂).

[Mick Bailey]

On Mick Bailey Said:

£31.95 in today’s money!

Hi Mick, I’m sure your valuation is correct, but I was pointing out the exact equivalent of what it would have been in todays decimal coinage back then, as many younger people may not know what pounds, shillings and pence were. My father could have bought three of those with one weeks pay back then, but there would have been no money left for food and other bills, and even if he bought one, it would have put a big hole in the weekly household budget.

Regards Nick.

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