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Onslow
Hello
Well I thought I should Congratulate The County of Salop Steam Society on a good Rally this weekend, even with the rain we had today it was well attended and think everyone had a good time. Thanks to all involved! I think Davidje and others will have some pics to add... :) Cheers Dave |
Agree Dave, great rally, part one of the exodus completed, Moonraker with living van and cart made it home in 2 hours. I arrived home on the fergie and trailer resembling a drowned rat about 1/2 and hour before. Strategic withdrawal of Burrell and thrashing box will take place tomorrow.
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I have never seen so many people queuing for a rally for so many hours. It was incredible. I have some photo's to post, probably tomorrow. Well done and thanks to everyone who took the trouble to exhibit there. This was at 08:30 am and the picture was the same at noon when we went to the car for a picnic lunch.
http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/tti/14/259_3769.jpg |
Onslow 2014 pictures
Great show but they really need to do something about the queues on the A458 and to pay... Fine if you are exhibiting or know the ropes but no good for Jo Public.
Pictures from Saturday morning are now available here: http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/...ukindexs14.htm It's still got a few rough edges and needs checking carefully. As always more 2014 pictures are available here: http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/.../ukindex14.htm |
Always horrendous for exhibitors to leave the site on Monday evening, wouldn't put up with this anywhere else but Onslow is so good in all other respects that we overlook it.
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Super show, though hard work with the kids, only suggestions/ improvements/ notes, I feel the show has out grown its organisation, the car park field was horrifically rough nearly impassable with pushchair and kids (poached by cattle), the queues to pay were horrific, and had to cross the queue to get through the gate, we also had to queue for hours which wasn't really on certainly the kids were getting difficult, there were folks walking back out it took so long.
as said the traffic though not much could be done, could be improved, was also horrific getting back out! the show once inside was superb, especially the tanner reunion. nice to see some threshing done. |
No problem with traffic as a visitor this year although I agree the queue for the tickets was awful even around midday.
This was the first time for a few years I went as a paying member of the public and to be honest for £12 (with a whopping £1 off if you happen to qualify for 'concessions') I wasn't that impressed. Yes the number of engines was good and I always find the working field interesting, but a lack of a proper 'play pen' like last year meant that unless you like watching engines do not much in particular it was a bit dull. I never used to understand it when the guy I crew for used to say Onslow was boring but now I can see why he didn't bother taking either engine this year. I also can't understand why they park the engines so far away from the working field. If they used the bit that is used for camping and the trade stands then it would make much more sense and flow a lot better. |
Brilliant show. We were lucky with the weather Sat/Sun. Shame about the weather Monday. Only downside id say was the playpen has been moved from next to the Steam engine line up, to the other side of the site in the working field, in a field that was too soft, but this was out of the Organisers control. Brilliant line up of engines, good mix of Showmans Engines, Showmans (Rollers), Real Rollers, Wagons etc. Think they need to get The Wurzels or Busker on in the Beer tent!!
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Regardless of how good this show might be there is NO way I'd queue up in that.
Looks like Russia in the 70's waiting for bread. |
Friends, beer, razor-sharp and completely blunt wit, an extracted Clayton and plenty of sawdust. Great rally and well worth the trip down. Sorry to see the queues but it was heartening to see such a big crowd.
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Clayton
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Great to see "the Bridgnorth Clayton", extracted during the week previous to the rally by a team of T.W.A.T.S and a little brown engine with no roof. A very nice engine I would have loved to take home.
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I understand that the playpen will be back in a sensible position again next year . A lot of fresh thinking and some investment needs to be put into the entry , pay and exit arrangements . In other countries there would have been a riot . But apart from that a magnificent show .
£1 concession is a poor sort of joke . |
I went on Sunday and enjoyed the rally. A little spoilt by the over officious marshals in yellow jackets.
I live next to a road that you can legally do 60 mph on that I can walk within 6" of the traffic if I choose. But at the rally I was waved out of the way 3' away from a car moving from the arena that was stuck in traffic. Please can we have some sensible movement without the hi vis. Mike |
One of the better kept secrets - well actually it was on their website which obviously no-one reads as generally it's crap like all the others - was the availability of tickets in advance online. I bought ours on Saturday morning and was purchaser #90. The result was instant admission on our arrival on site at 09.30 on Sunday. I guess people paying on the day at the time must have had to wait more than an hour. As what sun there was vanished by 11.00, it would have spoiled my day,
Of course, if everybody bought in advance, the entrance gate would be overwhelmed. Last year was my first year and it was not quite as bad, fortunately my brain is not as old as my body and I worked out how to get in and out with minimal hassle. At the time I pointed out that it was a total shambles compared to the rest of the show and i was told that the traffic queues outside were none of their business and there was nothing that could be done about the queues to pay. This is rubbish, whoever is in charge of entry and exit should be voluntarily retired, some fresh thinking is badly needed. |
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I really enjoyed it......
Thank you very much for having me, it is a superb rally from my perspective. |
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queues
i visit this rally every year the problem with the queues on the A5 leading to the A458 are mainly due to some peoples inability to read simple road signs that are put up to make traffic flow easier and people trying to access through the wrong gate,on the way out there are segregation lanes too allow two lanes of traffic,left hand lane for traffic turning left and right for turning right but when i come to leave everyone was in one lane thus causing queues on the rally field,plus some people didnt seem to even notice that the traffic on exit were under traffic lights thus stopping and adding to the queues.frustrating when the organisers do there best and some cant follow what they do.
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Why not a little pro-active information supply via a note in the programme or simply a small leaflet handed to each arrival? If that costs too much time and money then there's a page on the (generally useless) website called 'How to Find the Rally'. It would take 10 minutes at most and cost nothing to include prominently a notice on 'How to Leave the Rally'. I make a point of coming and going using the Welshpool side although it involves a significant diversion. I am sure other regulars have worked this out too but it's unrealistic to expect casual visitors to do the same and if many more people did this then there would be chaos in the surrounding lanes. As for entry, a complete rethink of the site is needed, the entry point has to be moved nearer the by-pass and more entry lanes put in place. |
Interesting to hear constructive comments. Doubtless they will be considered as many of the committee are on here.
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One of the highlights of this show is it's playpen and I for sure really missed it .
The ploughing / cultivating area was the next best thing but considering how far the engines were from this location it probably wasn't practical to have the same amount of engines as last year having a go with the log trailer *cry The threshing display was good to see especially while working . As I love taking photographs at these events it's a bit disappointing when stood around the arena with all the ropes/ fences even though I realise they are there for a reason which makes a playpen a good substitute in my opinion . Still one of the best shows on the calendar thumbsup Dave |
I was told off by an officials son, for movement without a steward. we have had movement for a few years doing what I was with no problem, and the other thing I found odd was whilst being shouted and cursed at, not pleasantly, several tractors with people trains on drove past all without a steward.
I think a lot of the issue last night with getting out was the left hand lane was grass and rather muddy, so anything heavy was wanting to stay on the hard standing, as much as possible, I know we were. |
Dave, In what capacity was the "officials son" telling you off, or if shouting & swearing, just being rude?
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Nice Portable in the working field anybody got more pics?
http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19490 |
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When my then girlfriend was deliberately aimed at and almost run over by a muppet in a disco I decided I'd never do it again. However, with regard to the whole 'steward' situation. Why does Onslow require an army of hi-viz wearing cadets to keep the public clear from being run over (again having done it in the past a thankless task)? Yet despite this the few engine movements I saw on Sunday had little in the way of any 'banksman' whatsoever? I did ask some years ago but never really got a reply other than 'insurance'. If that is the case then how do events like Cerney, Malpas and Welland cope? I don't want to sound negative as I do love Onslow, especially the working field, demonstrations (although a road making one would be nice) and the playpen (when it is roller friendly), but I do feel it needs a bit of a rethink instead of the 'well, we have always done it like that' attitude. Most of my photos were shot on film so I haven't got much to post up but I might do when it get them back from the developer. |
Just to add my comments:- In terms of exhibits this is a great show, the Tanner's Reunion was a master stroke and the working field must be one of the best anywhere, the programme is excellent; well done to all concerned.
In terms of the queue on the road to get in, the queue to pay, the queue to get through the entry gate once paid, the queue to get off the parking field.... . This is nothing new and for it to continue year after year is nothing short of a disgrace. Barry. |
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The comments about the pay gate have got to be spot on. That is simply abusing your supporters and the people who keep you going. |
I agree with Barry, the Tanners Reunion was excellent. Speaking to various people it went down well with many of the punters who were from the border farming community.
For me I have to say I continue to be impressed with the way it is run, no hassle no fuss, I cant say I felt over stewarded, not even when we steam tractor boys were mud plugging at speed in order to get in the ring on the Monday, whats more there were lots of tractors provided by the society for pulling stuck tack out today. Yes I heard the grumbles about the ques, but this year was odd. A forecast that promised a midling day on the sunday and a terrible one on Monday meant that more or less everyone who wanted to visit the show did so on Sunday, you cannot cater for two days punters in one. A show that gets consistently gets so many punters that they are watching the grand parade 5 and 6 deep like they were on Sunday are not doing a lot wrong!. We had a smashing time with some super people. I met so many people that I was beginning to forget who people I had known for years were!. |
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A nice new Marshall Tractor to the county. A very pretty picture. Looks good in the flesh BTW The first crew do not look good in the flesh :D:D:D |
Some more of what Onslow was about for me. A few of us having a stop for some elevenses on the way away today.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...59460867_n.jpg |
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http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19530 http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19531 http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19532 |
Any more pics of the boxes?
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http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19534 http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19535 http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19536 http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19537 |
Nice to have three Marshall tractors together. (Though I am a little biased.)
http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19539 http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19540 About to leave on Monday night. http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=19541 |
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Cracking to see the 3 together, interesting to note the differences. |
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One I took today on the way home. Could have been 100 years ago.
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Short bit of video of the Foster on the sawbench
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