ANYBODY ELSE GO TO WARLEY?

[RailwayRobbo]

I went on Sunday. Thankfully the Northampton to Birmingham service ran as normal.
I arrived at about 10.30 and the Hall seemed almost empty. It did start to fill up after 11 though.
Something I did notice was that there seemed to be a lot of open space between the Traders Stands and Layouts. As usual they weren't using all the Hall space.
It seemed more comfortable getting around the layouts ( In complete contrast with the MK exhibition which was a complete scrum, but I did go on Saturday). I got the feeling that everything had been 'downsized'.
Maybe it's the sign of the times. Anybody else get that feeling?

I'd got 2 locos to pick up from TMC that they'd weathered for me. Yes I'm back in the old routine. I gave the locos to them at the Milton Keynes exhibition to pick up at Warley. I was chatting to the guys on the TMC stand and they said Saturday was similar with a slow start.

Pete

[Byegad]

Some of us, while having had all the jabs, are still vulnerable and still 'being careful' around people. I suspect this equates to quieter shows.

[b308]

I was also there on Sunday, people told me it was busier on Saturday, but not a great deal. The thing I noticed mostly was the lack of "families" compared to earlier years and other shows like Gaydon. Something to do with the expense of getting there I suppose which for many would have been similar to the entry cost! I think the people in the Warley Club are going to have an "interesting" discussion about it in the next few weeks.

[Bufferstop]

Agree with you Pete, we got in just gone 11.00 it was "comfortable". Organisation at the NEC was good the huge queue of foodies waiting for their show to open were marshaled well clear of the doors to Hall 5, mind you the queue to get off the M42 was nearly 2miles and took just over an hour. Who thought it was a good idea to put the entrance right on the Motoryway Junction, they could have a slip road straight into their car park entrance. I think many of the traders stalls were smaller than in previous years with the exception of Squires who had the usual corner, but they'd set up their tills on a separate square block in front of the tables. Had to see ffarquarh in use it's usually stuck up a corner of the Museum at the Tal-y-llyn. Interesting the the Reverend ran his models as the prototypes rather than the characters with faces. Even then it was being operated to a Thomas story!
Mrs W bought some handmade cards from the Loco Ladies stand, couldn't miss them really as they were all wearing bright pink T shirts. Didn't find Pete Waterman, perhaps he doesn't do Sundays as it's his usual operating day in the barn, I've seen his video anyway, it's on YouTube. Had a look at some tools on the Axminster (Proxon) stand, their price means my lathe will still be the drill stand rotated to horizontal. The guy said the smaller lathe was actually prototyped on the larger one, and someone has actually made a micro version of the milling machine using the standard one, but no samples of its output available. I get the impression that they regard their products as a cut above Dremel's offerings. I tend to agree.
Great to see the show back, I'm off to Manchester in a couple of weeks, we can do the Christmas Market and the tram extension out to the Trafford Centre as well. We both decided we miss our regular trips for Mrs W's meetings at the University.

[Bigmet]

Sadly no chance, family duties, so grateful to read reports on various sites.

...Who thought it was a good idea to put the entrance right on the Motorway Junction, they could have a slip road straight into their car park entrance...

Birmingham area all over, a location of no competent road planning effort. I long ago swore I would avoid driving within 30 miles of the centre.

[Bufferstop]

I find the centre is great ATM as my zero emissions Smart gets through the Iron collar around the ring road for free, and there's usually a load of "tight" spaces in the car parks. There's one at the NIA that's almost always empty in an evening and just involves a trip around the first level and reverse into the slot opposite the exit ramp. If I pay in advance, like just as I'm about to leave home we can be out of the venue and into the car whilst they all queue up to curse the ticket machines.