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You should of come and said hello ! Had a great time getting piss wet through on Saturday !! Thats me in your first photo !! :eek:
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I would have liked to have stayed a bit longer and say hello but we were totally drenched and my youngest lad had been stung 3 or 4 times on the chest by a wasp that had been hibernating in his rain coat. With him not feeling well and all being cold and wet we decided to call it a day. Didn't even locate the beer tent to take shelter!
Hope that Sunday was better weather wise. |
Sorry you picked a bad day, David. Sunday was good - the sunny weather was much needed as the Society have ahd mire than their fair share of wet events recently.
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a few from the dry sunday...
http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps85b482df.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...psbf57f88c.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps4a902218.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...pse3b639c5.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps7bc66b27.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps92e0c261.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps00ba1c75.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps0d37558d.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps23245966.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps8ac5138d.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps30f0fbb7.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...psefbd6951.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...psaf033c81.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...psdb9cb2dd.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps93e6173e.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...psf0ece95f.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...psee6ba336.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps333d517b.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...psbf947175.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...psdf4e70b8.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps5e3d8efd.jpg http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps22f14d44.jpg |
In the end we did not attend as we could not go down on Friday, Saturdays weather forecast was bad and Sunday up here in Ivybridge was poor. Stithians is a funny place for the weather, last year we drove for two hours in the rain in Saturday traffic and as soon as I got my umbrella out of the car at the Showground the rain stopped and we had a dry afternoon!
have given WESES a miss and instead will be going to Honiton Hill on Sunday which is both closer and cheaper admission than Stithians. This is the first time that we will have been to Honiton Hill and judging by the engine list we will not be disappointed!! |
That Wallis Advance seems to have a feed pump, and the gauge frame on the opposite side.
Is that a unique feature to that engine? |
There are a few with 2 gauges fitted and I know of 2 with feed pumps but certainly a rarity
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Is it me!
An apology before I start - my comments are just my own opinions but I'd be interested in what others think :eek:
I was disappointed with the 'Cornish Steam and Country Fair' and cannot get on with the venue at Stithians. The site is actually very cramped with the majority of full size steam exhibits crammed into the 'yard' - an area of hard standing. I appreciate this gives some insurance against poor weather but it does nothing to set the engines off and makes it impossible to capture any good photos - something many of the paying public would like to do! The site was chaotic on the Sunday as the roadway around the site became log jammed with tractors and commercial vehicles trying to get to the main show ring. The area through the steam yard in particular is a real bottleneck. I was disappointed too with the working exhibits - there is much less of this since the regrettable move to Stithians. The working area is very much smaller and pushed out of the way and of course because the event is now on a showground we have lost the opportunity for any steam ploughing. This years fair was also a let down - no gallopers, swing boats or any of the rides associated with a proper vintage fair. What little there was could be found at any modern fair! Trade support was lacking too - not one steam related trade stand just lots of stalls selling cheap tack! To me the event has become overrun with commercial vehicles, cars and tractors - certainly much more space and the majority of the event programme was dedicated to these things - this isn't what I expect from a Steam Rally. When you add in motorbike displays, monster trucks etc it all felt like the steam was getting in the way :( I appreciate organisers need to attract as many people as possible to their events but I feel we've lost something very special - that unique day out that celebrated the ingenuity and skill of our forefathers through the application of steam. I'm happy to see such things as heavy horses, working traditional crafts etc as these are in keeping with the era a traditional steam rally seeks to celebrate. There are many other events well suited to providing the trappings of our modern world but our steam rallies shouldn't become this sort of event. I for one will be heading to Bocconoc next year where steam is very definitely the attraction. Mike |
Mike,
I couldn't agree more. This event has no soul. Stef. |
The last year they were at Glenn Carter's ,it seemed to me they got it right, & then they moved!
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Yep, the event has changed a lot since its moved! St Agnes was one of the best rallys in the country, you only had to look at the engines and how far they came from! The site was in a great location, near main roads and as a result very easy to get to! The road run was the best in the country! Loads of people from my area went every year, now none of them go! It was an event that had so much to offer for the enthusiast and the family! Now they seemed set on attracting as many tourist's and family's to come for a day out! In my opinion they have lost the point of the club and why the event was set up! The new event isnt rubbish, its just lost the engines and the character out of what was one of the top four events in the country!
P.s The little Ex Dingles Wallis Advance looks spot on! |
The number of engines attending has declined quite sharply and the admission prices have increased and for a disabled person like myself there is a lot of walking trying to locate the various engines. On top of that, parking is too rigidly controlled, last year I had to park nearly two hundred yards away from the entrance in a blue badge parking area as the marshall wanted to fill the line of cars before opening the next line. The next line would have allowed me to park about ten to fifteen yards away from the paygates. This year at Torbay, I used the blue badge parking and was able to park 20 feet away from the paygate. Out of the various rallies which I have attended in recent years, Stithians provides the worst parking facilities for blue badge holders and, on top of that, depending upon the traffic, it is a hour and a half to two hour drive from Ivybridge as Stithians is tucked away from the main A30. In future years, I will only attend if there is something special which I want to see and photograph. Next year, I too will probably go to Boconnoc.
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I seem to recall this year at least that there was a disabled parking area adjacent to the entrance pay gate
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Tom and Robin
The impression I got, and I may well be wrong was that while the St Agnes site had much going for it as you both note, it turned to sh1t at the slightest bit of rain. It seems as an outsider that one of the factors influencing the move was that after a couple of wet ones the move to Stithians was to a site better suited to poor weather. And to be fair the reports on here seem to suggest that last statement is at least true, horizontal rain on saturday, no problems on sunday. |
In defence of the parking and the parking attendants at the site last year a relation of mine went to the event with their disabled son who is confined to a wheel chair. The driver did not display a blue badge but after explaining the situation to the attendant he could not have been more helpful and after a little wait found them a spot to park in spitting distance of the main gate.
I, like a lot of people, have an opinion on the site and have talked about and discussed these with various members of the committee. That said despite the rain I have just had a thoroghly enjoyable weekend at Stithians. I am sure it takes a huge amount of work to put this event on and credit has to be given to those that give up their time to organise it all, a look at the LSVC website will show what can go wrong when this help is lost. |
The rain on Saturday was dreadful but having seen the forecast most of the locals either came Friday or Monday. The beer and Saturday night entertainment were excellent as was the company.
The site drained very well and the layout gave most exhibitors a downhill run to a hard road, I was not aware of anyone needing a tow out. Yes it was congested on Sunday; but at least there was movement. The members and the committee did a great job and worked hard. I am sure they will learn from this year and make a few tweaks next year. We had a great time and were made very welcome by everyone. Tim |
Hedd, I think your right about the weather situation! I too went to many a wet St Agnes rally! Obviously when they took the risk to move the rally to another site they had this is mind! You cant please everyone at the end of the day! It just seems to have lost a lot of the character of the show and the focus seems to have changed on who they are trying to appeal to! Given all this credit to the committee there is still a show, its not lost forever! With all the engines in the county and all the enthusiasts down there it would be nice to have a show that the whole county can come together at like they use to at St Agnes!
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WESES has probably suffered more with the rising cost of diesel than any other event. If you look at the list of engines that attended in 2005, their last really big year, a good percentage of those engines were from outside Cornwall, and since 2005 diesel has almost doubled in cost. I know there have been a lot of other factors at play, not least the loss of Alan Thomas.
The old site was a great site when the sun shone, a proper old fashioned steam rally site, but when it rained it was not good, as in 2004. |
David 2005, was the best rally ever held on that site! One of the best events I have ever attended! The road run was something else!
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Thank you David for this comment. You are, of course, absolutely right. And it is not only the West of England rally that has suffered, and not only rallies - a well known classic commercial vehicle road run that I have attended as a participant since its inception in 2000 was down to about 25 entries this year. I see a lot of rallies 'from the inside', not as a one day visitor. I have been a WESES member for many years, and one of their commentary team since 2002, when I took over a couple of years after Alan's untimely death. I have never had anything to do with the organisation of the event. I would be the last to claim that Stithians as a venue, or the event is perfect, but what event is? And why, in heaven's name, cite other rallies and state that you are going to attend them next year? What's the point? There was a good atmosphere at this year's event - and I was there from Thursday night to Monday morning - and I stood in the rain on Saturday commentating on miniature traction engines in their arena. A lot of people put a lot of effort into the event - if you can do better, then do it..... (Rant over....)
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WELL SAID JOHN
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Interesting comments about disabled parking as last year there was plenty by the gate but the attendant was adamant that I had to park at the end of a line 200 yards away even when he saw me lifiting my Rollator 4 wheeled walking aid with a seat, out of the boot of my car to be able to walk anywhere. It is true that St Agnes became a mud pit when it rained and Stithians by it's very position drains quite well after heavy rain. Perhaps WESES should consider a more central site for their rallies in future such as the Royal Cornwall Showground at Wadebridge?
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Someone tried holding a rally there before, it failed
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Permanent sites such as this and Stithians have many advantages but the greatest disadvantage is that the show cannot be set out the way it should be. At the latter engines are not allowed on the areas where they should be- either side of the entrance gate. There is no room for the working section to be in the same area as the engine park and the enginemens camping area is in the middle of the show! It is easy to forget that the previous field used by WESES at Tywarnhayle farm was much more weather friendly; the land had not been worked over for years and was much harder. I recall driving engines through puddles of water getting to the parade ring.However the policy of allowing the rally to be overcome by hundreds of non steam vehicles dictated a move to the larger field which had been worked over annually for many years.Even in dry weather this field was soft, one year when we had our ploughing engines working there I found the Fowler making heavy weather of pulling the cultivator out of the field in big wheel at the end of the day.The wheels were leaving ruts 3 or 4inches deep in the unworked part of the field.As I knew there was a move afoot to move the rally into this field I reported this fact but it fell on deaf ears. Charlie D |
Well, we used to plough that field every year for one, didnt we !
Even so , the rallys there had a better atmophere than Stithians I'm afraid. But I must say well done to the committee for trying & carrying on.having dabbled in organising in the past I wouldnt like the job now ,one day of rain is unfortunate & cant be helped. |
For me the number of full size engines present was pretty good, especially given the financial position we're all in these days!
The bigger issue is the direction the society is taking the rally. We are losing the very thing we want to see - steam engines doing what they do best. Although some engines were moving around the Stithians site it was a nightmare for their crews. Everything is so cramped and congested. The working area was small and limited in what could be demonstrated. I feel the scope of the rally had changed for the worse. We've lost context with too many unrelated activities. For example a large area of the site dedicated to 4 x 4 displays and a large area for a motorbike display team. What have these to do with a vintage rally? Similarly I feel there are too many commercial vehicles, cars and tractors for what should primarily be a steam rally. All are beautifully restored and a credit to their owners but they are out of context - many very few years old and certainly not from the era and age of steam. Heavy horses and rural craft displays are great because they are contemporary with the steam age. The fair too missed the point. At a vintage rally this should have rides from that bygone age, not modern rides! I think a return to basics is what's needed no matter where the rally is held. Lastly, what about a site owned by the society? I throw this into the ring without any idea of all the implications of such an idea - I freely admit that :-) Such a site could be developed and landscaped using the very machines so many members own. Possibly the land could then also be used for other events throughout the year. Probably a crazy idea but then there are lots of us crazy folk out there. Mike Sent from my PIPO Max M1 using Tapatalk4 |
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Thank you for all your comments and views, but the reality is that had the event been at the old site over the last four years, I imagine we would now be almost bankrupt as per CTPC.
Three of the last four years at Stithians would have no doubt have been all but cancelled if the event was still at the St Agnes site. The society have done the best they can with limited budgets etc but unfortunately they have no control over the weather. At the end of the day the general public cover the costs, so the society have introduced many other attractions to hopefully entice them to attend and help cover these costs. On a plus point, I believe that those that I have been involved with over the weekend enjoyed it and feedback from the public that I know, and others I don’t know was positive. Personally, I liked the top field at St Agnes, but at the time it was being slagged off for being a static rally with no engine movement other than going in to the ring. I guess this may have been a reason to move to the lower field at the time........... and then the big loses started due to the poor weather conditions. In a perfect world it would it would be where it was, with good weather thrown in. These are changing times, the society, rightly or wrongly is trying to move with them. Some of the comments here do surprise me as I know you are barely old enough to remember the bottom field let alone the top field at St Agnes! Please note, this is my personal view, not the societies. |
Well despite the nay sayers I really enjoyed the weekend and thank you and the team for making us welcome.
I have been to the top field and the bottom at St Agnes and yes they were nice, but only in a dry year. I can see the advantages of the new site...but the shame is, it is off the beaten track so you do not get passing trade so much. Maybe a smaller less ambious rally, but with less dependance on weather is a more sustainable long term solution. Thanks again. Douglas |
Hollowell own their own site too and like Welland they put on a very successful event, although in all reality the rally has probably become too popular for the size of their site. Pickering too, but that is a different story.
We all know the issue with buying your own site, the bank manager is going to want to see income over the last 5 to 10 years and when he sees it declining I don't think it matters how much intellect and vision you have. |
I know the British weather is very fickle, but certain weekends do seem to attract bad rain. Perhaps consider an earlier date in August? Would it be worth looking at the records? My experience of Cornwall is that the inland areas do seen to get bad weather from both directions.
I would love to see the WESES rally successful again, but I haven't warmed to the Stithians site. Tim |
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P.s If it was meant at me! I have been to 15 years of WESES events, both at St Agnes and at Stithians! Not too bad considering I am only 21, and my family have supported them even though we live over 250 miles away! |
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Steve |
And I assume that it is ground restrictions that control the layout of the show at Stithians, and this is what makes it disjointed.
The much reduced working section this year was again at the opposite side of the site to the engine yard and more than anything there is no adequate main ring. The main ring was where the rally happened, the commentator communicated with and entertained the public and exhibitors alike. . On another topic modern PA systems seem to be very loud but directional; at another rally our caravan was in a direct line with a speaker and the volume was annoying to say the least, ten yards either side of the speaker there seemed to be no sound at all. Charlie D |
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