I got a couple more Stew, as well as yourself.
Unfortunately, because I was sat down for most of my visit to the show, I became a non entity amongst a crowd of people more interested in looking around rather than looking down, so 99% of the time, I just couldn't take any shots to try my new camera out, or very few, I saw very little of the show until about 3 o'clock, when the crowds started to thin out a little. But stew did take a couple with it when his refused to work.
I managed to take a very short vid of some truly magical working model steam boats. Notice the two little steam engines working away on the back shelf.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCJVv8S3W4s[/ame]
These first two shots show those two tiny engines, they mustn't have been more than 8" long overall, but they were just magnificent to watch.
Here are three that Stew took with my camera.
I have no idea what this is.
Stew said that because there was a bit of interest in nodding donkeys, he would take a picky of this one.
And another shot of another radial.
Well it proves that my new camera works in normal, zoom and video, I have now got to get into the shop to see whether it will focus down to the 10mm they reckon it will.
As to the show for myself.
First, great hilarity as we were parked at the traffic lights to the show entrance road, with Stew going bright red, shouting for the car in front to move and the lights to change, plus much bouncing about and rapping fingers on the wheel to try to keep himself from wetting his trousers. He only just made it to a supermarket toilet. A definite candidate for a sprint in the next Olypics.
My turn next.
Inside the show, I noticed a disabled toilet, and me being almost in the same condition as Stew was earlier, I rode my buggy in, right into the disabled cubicle. After missing the bowl and piddling on my shoes a couple of times, I heard a load of females talking. On leaving the cubicle, noticing no stand up urinals, and a couple of surprised women washing their hands, I realised I was in the wrong place. A quick exit as fast as the buggy would go.
At midday, we all meandered separately to the Chester UK stand, where we met not only old friends but new faces as well. we must have spent about an hour making new friends and beating our gums about things we have done and what we will be doing. I was also accosted as I went around the show by a couple of members off the Madmodder forum. If he is reading this, many thanks Andy, for the concern and uplifting chat we had.
I have also received an email off Rich (Firebird), to say that both Julian and himself were both at the show, but unfortunately failed to connect up with us. I have been wanting to meet with this dynamic duo for some time, but it now looks like it will be some time in the future before our paths cross again.
I picked up the casting for the R&B engine while I was there, and believe me, it was some heavy bit of kit, not for me, but my porter Stew, I'm sure I saw his face turn from red to purple as he was trying to carry them. I also picked up a making kit (castings and fittings) for a largish flame licker. I will give a bit of a review of them after I have recovered from my great day out.
So what was my impression of the show itself.
I missed the last one, so I can't compare it to that one, but comparing from the time before, I was a little disappointed about new models on display. There are usually a fair amount of stunning new displays, but they seemed sadly lacking this year, but maybe I shouldn't be expecting too much, some of the great engines we have seen at previous shows must have taken many years to build, maybe no one has finished any this year, yet.
Bogs
. Will be there early Friday just look for the fat guy with the beard drooling over anything shiny or near any espresso machine .
