Gauge O Guild - Guildex 7th & 8th September 2024 Bingley Hall on Stafford County Showground

[Pencarrow]

In preparation for the G0G event in two weeks time I've made a start on the project I'll be working on. It's the signal box for Pencarrow.



Why start now? First, in show conditions, it's very difficult to concentrate and focus on deciding how you're going to build something and then marking out the parts accurately. Second, someone sitting, thinking, scratching his head isn't very interesting for the punters...

This is one of three buildings that I have a scale drawing for. I think I bought it from the SRG (can't remember the exact name). The drawing for this building came out as 10mm:1' scale. Probably going on 10 years ago I scanned it, reduced the scale to 7mm and made a quick and dirty mock up from card. I'm working from this rather than the drawings as it's so much easier...

 

[Lancastrian]

As far as I could tell, there was only one person, with one scanner for the ticket barcodes, who then had to find our names on a printed list & cross us off. Rather time consuming, so a queue soon built up.
I know advance tickets aren't 'early entry', but queueing for 15 mins or more did seem a bit much. I heard Jackie Kneeshaw saying into her radio the grief she was getting from further back along the line.

Jordan,

Advance tickets allow you in from 09:30, rather than 10:00.
The entry problems last year will hopefully not occur this year, and there will also be "cloakroom tickets" for partners and children, so the events team can keep track of how many attendees there are in total, rather than a figure based solely on ticket sales.

The Showguide is now available to peruse online:

https://www.gaugeoguild.com/events/2024/Guildex_2024_showguide.pdf

 

[Jordan]

Advance tickets allow you in from 09:30, rather than 10:00.

Thanks, I stand corrected. They certainly didn't get us in early last year - despite queueing early we (as in me & my mate) only got in well after 10am, and we were quite near the front!
Yes let's hope it works better this year.

 

[Eastsidepilot]

I like the fact driving distances are included. However, could I point out there are large concentrations of folk living to the south east of that there London. We would need to add at least another 50 to 70 miles to the London-Stafford distance, never mind actually working our way round the capital Before we can properly head north. Perhaps the list should include places like Canterbury and Ashford?

Unless there is a specific reason for going I don't think it's always worth the time and cost when we live a certain distance from any show. Personally £60.00 in diesel, 6 hours travelling, round trip ( if it's a clear run ! ) is it worth it ? ....I'm taking the better half out for dinner, yep probably £60.00 but we'll enjoy ourselves and it's only down the road

 

[oldravendale]

I suggest that's why there are a few others around the country, Col. Much as we'd love to see you you can try another weekend.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Just a reminder that there is still time for Guild Members to enter something into the modelling competition or Sunday Display with entries closing next weekend.

 

[Eastsidepilot]

Jordan,

Advance tickets allow you in from 09:30, rather than 10:00.
The entry problems last year will hopefully not occur this year, and there will also be "cloakroom tickets" for partners and children, so the events team can keep track of how many attendees there are in total, rather than a figure based solely on ticket sales.

The Showguide is now available to peruse online:

https://www.gaugeoguild.com/events/2024/Guildex_2024_showguide.pdf

Sounds as if it needs an hour instead, start at 9.00 am for the advanced tickets ?

 

[Suddaby]

Hi, I wonder if someone can answer a question? If I come on Saturday and pay for one day entry, can I later in the day pay the difference and convert my ticket to 2 days? I think I will only need one day, but may decide that I need 2 once I've been round the show a while.

Many thanks.

Kevin

 

[Jordan]

Sounds as if it needs an hour instead, start at 9.00 am for the advanced tickets ?

9am layouts & traders might still be setting up!! No it just needs a quicker way of processing the advance tickets. Scanning the barcode should be all that's needed, I'd have thought? Clearly it might not be quite that simple....

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

9am layouts & traders might still be setting up!! No it just needs a quicker way of processing the advance tickets. Scanning the barcode should be all that's needed, I'd have thought? Clearly it might not be quite that simple....

They need a portable gateline... - Then you can scan the QR code on your phone or ticket, or pay contactless at the gate i.e. tap in and out

This is from The Gateline project is just the ticket for this client | DSEC Rail Projects

 

[Rob Pulham]

9am layouts & traders might still be setting up!! No it just needs a quicker way of processing the advance tickets. Scanning the barcode should be all that's needed, I'd have thought? Clearly it might not be quite that simple....

I think that's about it but as ever it's the few who want something for nothing who spoil it for the many. They used to just visually check the advanced ticket but I believe that it was discovered that some visitors were sharing copies of their advanced tickets with others so they got in for free. Hence barcodes were introduced so that it's clear if that particular barcode has already been scanned.

 

[Dan Randall]

I believe that it was discovered that some visitors were sharing copies of their advanced tickets with others so they got in for free.

Unbelievable!…

 

[Richard Gawler]

I believe that it was discovered that some visitors were sharing copies of their advanced tickets with others so they got in for free.

I get "bumped" from time to time at the gates on TfL so I guess it is normal behaviour. Some people are hard up and need the money for food. Anyone who models in 7 mm scale has some money to spare, and for people to make duplicate tickets for a show is surely a disgrace.

I suppose, I can now imagine better who might be contributing to the Guild forum, or reading my article in their magazine, or standing beside me at a show. Though I really don't want to.

Rob I am actually quite angry to read this, but somehow I find it totally believable. Thanks for posting all the same!

 

[Tim Birch]

I get "bumped" from time to time at the gates on TfL so I guess it is normal behaviour. Some people are hard up and need the money for food. Anyone who models in 7 mm scale has some money to spare, and for people to make duplicate tickets for a show is surely a disgrace.

I suppose, I can now imagine better who might be contributing to the Guild forum, or reading my article in their magazine, or standing beside me at a show. Though I really don't want to.

Rob I am actually quite angry to read this, but somehow I find it totally believable. Thanks for posting all the same!

As for behaviour, I was astonished ,when talking to a large scale bookseller at an exhibition, to hear how much stock they have stolen a shows. We like to think that exhibitions are somehow filled by honest well meaning people, but I suppose they are just a cross section of society like anywhere else.

 

[Rob Pulham]

As for behaviour, I was astonished ,when talking to a large scale bookseller at an exhibition, to hear how much stock they have stolen a shows. We like to think that exhibitions are somehow filled by honest well meaning people, but I suppose they are just a cross section of society like anywhere else.

It's really quite a sad indictment of the world we live in.

At Thirsk show a few weeks ago a friend of mine was demonstrating weathering of 4mm wagons. At the many shows he attends, he searches in rummage boxes for cheap wagons and vans to use on his demos and then when he gathers a lot he sells them again fully weathered to fund the next lot.
He had several trays of them at Thirsk and he was selling them for £3 each or four for £10 and even at such give away prices, over the course of the day four of them were stolen.

 

[Rob Pulham]

I get "bumped" from time to time at the gates on TfL so I guess it is normal behaviour. Some people are hard up and need the money for food. Anyone who models in 7 mm scale has some money to spare, and for people to make duplicate tickets for a show is surely a disgrace.

I suppose, I can now imagine better who might be contributing to the Guild forum, or reading my article in their magazine, or standing beside me at a show. Though I really don't want to.

Rob I am actually quite angry to read this, but somehow I find it totally believable. Thanks for posting all the same!

Hi Richard,

You don't have to be a Guild Member to buy advance tickets, so it may not have been members who were 'sharing' their ticket. We will never know.

 

[Jordan]

I seem to recall chat on here some years ago about the sight of 'senior' men complaining vociferously at Guild events - either at the door or the Info stand - about the lack of a discount ticket for over 65s with a few quid off.
Said Complainers were later seen leaving the show carrying selections of large boxes, the total cost of the contents likely running well into four figures... work that behaviour out..??!!

 

[Richard Gawler]

Hi Richard,

You don't have to be a Guild Member to buy advance tickets, so it may not have been members who were 'sharing' their ticket. We will never know.

Rob this is a good point - the activity didn't necessarily reflect on members of the Guild.

Suppose a show gets 1,000 visitors and two of these try to get in for free, that's 1 in 500 fraudsters. I work in a charity shop, and I encounter three or four shoplifting events in a year. A mixture of planned/organised efforts (usually team-based) and some spontaneous efforts. Supposing I see 30 customers on a typical shift and I do 50 shifts in a year, then 30 x 50 = 1,500 . . . and the ratio is again around the 1 in 500 mark.

I will put people who steal from charity shops in the same pigeonhole as show visitors using duplicated tickets (seems fair to me) and I can see they are in much the same proportions. There will alway be people "peripheral" in every activity in life, and if the usual ratio is 0.2% not 1% (as in the Hunter S Thompson books) then this is not so bad.

( I've picked up many of the tricks for shoplifiting over the years but I won't be posting them on a public forum. I do however mange to dissuade a practitioner from time to time )

 

[Lancastrian]

Hi, I wonder if someone can answer a question? If I come on Saturday and pay for one day entry, can I later in the day pay the difference and convert my ticket to 2 days? I think I will only need one day, but may decide that I need 2 once I've been round the show a while.

Many thanks.

Kevin

Kevin,

I'll ask that question for you today and report back.

 

[Eastsidepilot]

I seem to recall chat on here some years ago about the sight of 'senior' men complaining vociferously at Guild events - either at the door or the Info stand - about the lack of a discount ticket for over 65s with a few quid off.
Said Complainers were later seen leaving the show carrying selections of large boxes, the total cost of the contents likely running well into four figures... work that behaviour out..??!!

Judging by the average age at these events I'd say everyone needs a discounted ticket