Scaleforum 2023: 23-24 September

[Jol Wilkinson]

Jol,

Assuming Andrew is now busy, I can answer that I have been told that they will be open from circa 8:30 on Saturday. Not so sure about Sunday.



Mark

Thanks Mark, I can avoid an overpriced coffee and pain au chocolat at the South Mimms Services on my way there.

Jol

[adrianmc]

The Sandford & Banwell team are looking forward to the weekend - come and say hi.

sandfordandbanwell.jpg

Photograph curtesy of Steve Flint / Railway Modeller

[John Palmer]

Hope all those attending have a splendid weekend and that attendance figures are a big improvement on last year's. Unfortunately I shall not be able to make a contribution to that improvement: presented self at station punctually this a.m. to catch train to High Wycombe, only to be greeted by display telling me it had been cancelled (for want of train crew) - thanks so much, GWR.

[Albert Hall]

That's very disappointing John. It could simply have been down to a shortage of a single driver or train manager. I have to hold my head in shame confessing that I was involved with that organisation for many years although we didn't have the audacity to refer to ourselves as GWR in my time.

I am reminded of the poem:

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the gun was lost.
For want of a gun the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.

Putting it into our context, the extreme consequences of a member of staff blowing out sick could result in the decision for Scaleforum not to go ahead in its present form in future due to poor attendance.

For myself, I am unable to attend this time. SWMBO has put her foot down with a firm hand as we are busy packing up for the next house move back to good old Somerset. Don't know why we left in the first place!

Wishing that it's a very successful and enjoyable weekend for those who are able to make it.

Roy

[Terry Bendall]

I am reminded of the poem:

Almost correct Roy

For Want of a Nail (1629)
"For want of a nail, the shoe was lost;
For want of a shoe, the horse was lost;
For want of a horse, the rider was lost;
For want of a rider, the battle was lost;
For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost,
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail."

Putting it into our context, the extreme consequences of a member of staff blowing out sick could result in the decision for Scaleforum not to go ahead in its present form in future due to poor attendance.

Sadly that is the case and unfortunately there will always be those who have good reasons not to be able to attend. Equally there will be those who could attand but who choose not to. Their choice of course but they miss a good show.

My day was spent at the Stafford exhibition where there were also some good layouts including John Stocks' Kettlewell flying the P4 flag with some very fine Midland Railway stock and tomorrow will be the time me to visit Scaleforum.

Terry Bendall

[Horsetan]

I was surprised to be able to find a space in the car park for the Citroen...

[andrewnummelin]

An excellent day out. Very many thanks to all involved, all your hard work was very much appreciated.

[Bernie]

I was surprised to be able to find a space in the car park for the Citroen...

It is a credit to you, a beautiful example.

[DaveHarris]

In seeing John Palmer's post; whilst i managed to get to High Wycombe, there were plenty of announcements of delays due to 'Technical Problems', 'Shortage of Train Crews'. The return journey was worse. Arrived at Bath to change train to Frome: was greeted by a jam packed platform because 3 London bound trains had been cancelled due to a combination of Technical Fault on the train; Lack of train crew, and a major signalling fault at Bristol. Eventually got on a delayed Portsmouth train to get to Westbury (to get out of the vastly overcrowded platform at Bath), all ok to Westbury. Next Weymouth train was delayed 25 minutes due to a 'technical fault' and turned up 40 minutes late! the driver then decided he needed a break so we were kept waiting another 35 minutes whilst he took a break! This is supposed to be a 21st Century rail network!?........ Thank god our models dont do the above to us, we do at least have some control!

[DaveHarris]

Ohhh, by the way...... great show , please do it all over again next year

[Dave Holt]

Just got back from Scaleforum. Excellent show and thoroughly enjoyable. As always, great to meet up and chat with like minded modellers. Refreshments were super.
A big vote of thanks to everyone involved in organising and participating in great forum.
Dave.

[martin goodall]

Just to second the remarks already posted, this was a really excellent Scaleforum, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We really do owe a huge vote of thanks to the Committee and the organising team.

[And to those of you who didn't go, whatever your reason - you missed a really great weekend.]

[kelly]

Just about to head home from another fantastic weekend.

Well done to all who organise the show, those who help with things like stewarding and other things.

Look forward to next year.

[Albert Hall]

This is supposed to be a 21st Century rail network!?

Unfortunately Dave, this is what a 21st century railway network looks like. Why do we assume that something we describe as 21st century should work perfectly? Time elapsed does not always relate to positive progress.

As one of the Area Operations Managers at Bristol I used to relish days like this. Not for the poor unfortunate travelling public but the minute by minute, hour by hour crises I had to get my teeth stuck into. There were Saturdays when as my relief walked in at 1930 I was juggling so many balls in the air with plan A having gone seriously down the pan I didn't want to let go, book off and go home. It was all still going round in my head thinking about what went well and what could have been managed better when I hit the sack to recharge my batteries for the next 12 hours of fun and games starting at 0730 on Sunday. By that time everything would have calmed down in readiness for it all to kick off again. Like the day when a driver who we considered capable of driving trains at 125 mph couldn't manage the simple task of putting his clock forward by an hour, winding it back instead. Then there was the overrunning Saturday night engineering possession which went badly wrong leaving half the platforms unavailable. Or the depot not having enough rolling stock available for start of service potentially leaving just two cars vice four for a summer Sunday bucket and spade job to Weymouth. And even the verbal abuse encountered when the steam loco for the Torbay Express charter failed its fitness to run exam and was replaced with diesel haulage. On weekends like that you felt like you had well and truly earnt your crust.

Eleven years in the past now since retirement but would I want to go back and play with my big train set again? Never say never!

Looking forward to next year's Scaleforum but I won't be travelling by train!

Roy

[Jol Wilkinson]

This is supposed to be a 21st Century rail network!?

"Unfortunately Dave, this is what a 21st century railway network looks like. Why do we assume that something we describe as 21st century should work perfectly? Time elapsed does not always relate to positive progress."

Roy

Shouldn't that read a 21st century railway network in the UK?

Having travelled fairly often over the years in several European countries including France and Switzerland, I think we do cr*p transport infrastructure better than anyone else.

[BrockleyAndrew]

Thanks to all who organised and volunteered. Special thanks to Steve (Membership) who tirelessly searched out several suitable friendly and helpful contacts to connect me to, Jeremy (stores) for patiently explaining files to me and James (Starting in P4 stand) for his help, positivity and generosity. I diverted SouthWestward on my weekend journey home from The North to SE London and was very glad I added the extra milage.

Excellent show and such a helpful, friendly Society.

Many thanks

Andrew

[Horsetan]

.... think we do cr*p transport infrastructure better than anyone else.

Dunno. The Germans seem to be trying to learn from us....

[Terry Bendall]

Meanwhile, back to the important part of this thread, I had a very enjoyable day at Scaleforum today - for the first time in about 18 years, as a paying visitor rather than doing a bit to help with the organisation. Most of the layouts were not new to me but it is always good to see familar ones again. Of the ones that were new, I was particularly taken by Allan Atherley's Chatsworth Road which was very nicely done.

As many other members have found, a lot of time was spent in taking to other Society members, some of whom I have not seen for a long time. These included several of our Scottish members who had come down to help with stewarding as well as seeing the show and shows the extent to which some members are willing to travel to to support Society events. How nice it would be if other members living a lot closer were able to do the same.
Another familiar face was Michael Godfrey from Australia on holiday in the UK and which somehow just happened to coincide with Scaleforum.
Another good thing was seeing some unfamiliar people helping with stewarding - I hope they enoyed the work.

A good show and congratulations to those who made everything work.

Terry Bendall

[Jeremy Good]

With my Chairman’s hat, on I just wanted to reiterate what I said in the final announcement yesterday at the show.

A big thank you to everyone who was involved in the show. The school’s caretakers/security, the caterers, the stewards (who travelled for far and wide), Angie and Roger who coordinated all the stewards, the team on the Society stand, the layout owners and their crews, the demonstrators and lecturers, the traders and all the visitors both members and non-members. Without any of you the show wouldn’t have happened.

I also want to thank Andrew Ockwell our show organiser and Eileen, his every supportive assistant, for all the hard work that went into pulling it all together before we could open our doors to the public in Saturday. Including dealing with all the issues Premier Inn threw at him a week before the show. Without willing and able volunteers like Andrew and Eileen there is no way the Committee could put on shows like this. Thank you again.

We will try and learn lessons from this year to bring you a bigger and better show in 2024 and look forward to seeing many more of you in High Wycombe then. We will publish dates and initial details after the November Committee.

Thank you all again and please remember this show us put on by our members, for our members. So we hope to see you all and, the 9 new members who joined us over the weekend, next year or, before then, at Scalefour events in Uckfield, Workington, Crewe and Perth which will take place before we reconvene in High Wycombe.

Jeremy

[Julian Roberts]

May I echo the many previous comments thanking everyone for what was a great show, in every sense.

It was difficult to decide which of the layouts to vote as my favourite, all being so interesting in different ways. Do we get to hear here which won the most votes?

[Mark Tatlow]

May I echo the many previous comments thanking everyone for what was a great show, in every sense.

It was difficult to decide which of the layouts to vote as my favourite, all being so interesting in different ways. Do we get to hear here which won the most votes?

It was very tight with three votes separating the top four in the votes.

Joint third - Ecclestone and Parkend Sidings

Second - Eastwood

Winner - Sandford & Banwell

[Paulhb]

A very good day. Five of us came up from Bristol to join several other group members who were helping operate a couple of layouts. Most of the group missed out visiting last year so this year was the first opportunity to sample the new location.

Consensus is very favourable. As with many new design schools the central area was light and airy with plenty of seating and much appreciated refillable tea/coffee on tap. Lots of space between layouts, traders and demonstrators which maintained the airy feel and for me because there were two rooms in addition to the central area the atmosphere was more intimate than being in one large hall. Good to see the return of the lectures; only managed to catch Geoff Haynes painting session which was really useful. Hope the initiative is continued.

So thanks to everyone involved in the organisation and running of the show and looking forward to next year.

Regards Paul

[philchudley]

Hi All

As an operator on Eastwood may I echo the sentiments of others. A great show which I enjoyed being part of.

I must express specific thanks to the Scaleforum stewards who sourced a trolley for us for unloading our van, fantastic. We were able to move our bulky heavy boards into the hall much easier, so thanks again.

Similarly, great organisation at pack up on Sunday, a great place was found for our van to minimise the distance that boards had be carried, again much appreciated.

Phil C

[android]

And I would like to thank all those who took the trouble to travel, some a considerable distance, to visit the show. Many of you have told me you enjoyed it and I hope those I didn't speak to did as well.
Please tell all your friends and acquaintances if you did - amazingly, not everyone looks at this forum!
Thanks again, and see you next year when we already have some great layouts in the mix, and, of course, the same fantastic caterers.
Enjoy all your newly purchased kits & bits
Andrew

[Kingswear1]

I thoroughly enjoyed Scaleforum my first since before lockdown!
Excellent venue, layouts, traders and catering.
Already looking forward to next year!
Many thanks for all the planning and hard work.
Mark