Onslow

[Mine Explorer]

Originally Posted by plateman

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.

The queues usually have dispersed after an hour or so, at which point it's possible to drive straight out. After the rally has actually closed they usually open all the gates they've got to try and get stuff out (obviously doesn't help those exhibitors who start leaving before the end of the rally though). I'm not quite sure how much more the organisers could do? I can understand those travelling long distances wanting to get on the road, but is it better to get worked up and annoyed shuffling forwards in a queue, or to chill out for an hour or two and have something to eat until the mad rush has died down? ....I'm sure the organisers would be only too happy to have some helpers to start getting the fences stacked up if anyone is at a loose end whilst waiting.

Originally Posted by Cvrt0_0

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.

I'm not totally clear why the steam engines would need to be located near the working field? That's predominently for infernal confusion engine tractors.
The ploughers (who live exclusively in the working field) are always over there, as are the couple that work in wood sawing/threshing/crushing arenas. The commercials are near the working field on the bit of site leading up to it - but then that's also sloping ground so unlikely to be welcomed by the steam owners. It would also mean an uphill climb for all the steamers to reach the arena for the parade, not a sensible situation if it can be avoided. The original location for the arena was a little further over until one year when it hissed with rain at just after 2pm... unfortunately in that location all exits from the arena were uphill: The majority of the engines were stuck in the arena unable to get out.

Whilst I agree the working field does feel a bit seperate from the main site, that's always been the case and the organisers have made efforts to merge the two by adding side stalls, exhibits and other things along the corridor between them. Personally I think they're a lot more joined up these days than it was in the early days.

If the exhibitor camping area and public camping area were to be displaced to be taken up by exhibits and fill the triangle between the two sites, then where would the camping go? There are only just so many fields available for the rally to use (and abuse).

Originally Posted by Aveling8727

Think they need to get The Wurzels or Busker on in the Beer tent!!

I think it's a few years ago now, but they have had "The Wurzels" at Onslow. They were a novelty the first year, but after two or three consecutive years they were starting to sound a bit like a broken record playing the same set in the same order each time. ...as for 'Busker - I guess that's a "Marmite" type thing.

I think it better to book some local talent for the entertainment than pay a premium for a novelty act. In the evening the beer tent/entertainment is for the benefit of the exhibitors, which is a rather captive audience. Those who go over to the beer tent will do so irrespective of what the stage act is.

Originally Posted by weider

I understand that the playpen will be back in a sensible position again next year

That's indeed good to hear, none of the orgainsers I've spoken to during or since the rally were aware of that, so you must have a high up source.

Looking at video footage I took from inside the playpen arena last year you can see visitors a couple of rows deep around the outside watching. You don't get that for the main parade at many other events. The sight and sound of the heavy trailers being dragged up the hill was always impressive and the public queues for trailer rides around the arena were never ending.

By comparison this year's effort was pathetic - a soft muddy stubble patch around the outside of the ploughers (such that they could only cultivate in one line), located 4 miles away from the engine line with a convoluted route for the steamers to be able to make their way across to it... shared with tracked military vehicles that would rip the mud up on every corner so there'd be no hope of any roller making it round without getting stuck.

Originally Posted by Tasker Tractor

...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.

There has been a long history stretching back over the 20 years the rally has been at Shrewsbury where for many years there was a total movement ban. For various reasons that has relaxed, but I agree that it can be very frustrating when yellow jacketted wonders start making up their own rules on the spot. It can also be a tad exasperating when some 13 year old cadet starts issuing orders as though they're on their parade ground. It's important to remember that as a member of the public one is also perfectly at will to be deaf and not hear them - especially when they declare it's "unsafe" to walk between two stationary vehicles lined up for the arena. In the same way one takes responsibility for your own actions whilst navigating the public car park, just watch what you're doing on the rally field as well.

A couple of years ago they seemed to stop using the cadets (there used to be thousands of them) and instead used society volunteers. The numbers dropped and the number of chips-on-shoulders also seemed to decrease. I'm aware they were using cadets again this year. I suspect finding volunteers to do that job isn't easy, and in defence of the cadets: They've been told words to the effect of 'keeping people out of the way of vehicles' - they're just doing what they've been paid to do. I just personally wish some would use more common sense, occasional manners, and remember they're NOT in the army barking orders to subordinates. Having said all that, I didn't witness any 'problems' with the cadets on site this year - so experiences clearly vary.

I always remember with amusement some cadets getting in a frenzy when they saw Ray Matthews walk out from the crowd towards "Tommy" as it was moving towards the arena. ...without taking any notice of the cadet (who was getting quite agitated) he waited until the engine slowed and paused before climbing up onto it. The cadet suddenly went quiet and shut up again after seeing the owner get on their engine!

Originally Posted by International Steam

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.

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.

The delays along the A5 and A458 have always been a problem - but then even before the rally moved to that site there were tail backs (and still are on other holidays in the year) as the whole of the West Midlands who have been to the Welsh coast for the weekend all pour out of Wales to go home. Trying to add the population of the rally field into the same traffic jam is just going to make matters worse. There are signs out that try to divert through traffic via. Westbury & Halfway House, but I'm skeptical about how many people use that? It's a good road and no further than using the A5/A458.

As for moving the entrance nearer the bypass - where?
There are only three gates onto the site, all open out onto the A458. The bottom one is used for the public car park, the middle one is the normal estate entrance and is blocked until after the rally has closed, and the top one is the exhibitor's entrance. There aren't any entrances from the dual carriageway and adding anything more would require the land owner to allow brick walls and established hedges to be destroyed.

A good few years ago they did route the exit from the public car park along a private lane/track across the fields that deposited everyone on a narrow lane at Dinthill, but then the traffic is all going to head back to Ford and try and join the A458 again. I'm sure if anyone out there has some magical solution to getting all the rally traffic in and out of the site whilst avoiding the A458 (ie. the only road that runs alongside the estate) then I suspect the organisers would be only too happy to hear it.

I'm not sure about the solution to queuing to pay, but I understand 'Dorset can have huge queues at the pay booths as well. Perhaps once 'Dorset have found the solution Onslow could try copying it?

Originally Posted by buzzy bee

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 have a vague recollection they try to get around the 'steward' problem for the road trains by claiming they're a 'fairground ride' or some such. I'm not personally all that convinced there's a great difference between a tractor and multiple trailers barging through the visitors and any other exhibit moving about, but hey ho.

Going back a good few years when Frank used to do the water with the Scammell. I remember the 'all vehicles must be accompanied by a steward' ruling was not too popular - especically with the stewards who had to walk miles in front of it! By the end of the first day one of the steward's Hi-Viz vests was draped across the front of the radiator and it just crawled around on its own. The stewards had given up!

Stewards aren't a unique "Onslow" problem though, it can be a similar situation at other events and I find it infuriating that many stewards/event organisers have it driven into their thick skulls that steam engines are in some way different to every other road vehicle out there. At the beginning of June I had the knackered-roller at an event held on a show ground with a metalled road network around the site. On the Sunday evening I was making my way towards the gate for the start of the little 3 hour drive home - safety valves feathering and everything 'on song' ready for the run through Shrewsbury and up out of town. Despite there being no other pedestrians in sight, and cars moving around the site freely, some yellow jacketted marshall took it upon himself that my engine needed a steward - so he stepped out and walked along directly infront of me (not the brightest place to walk anyway!). Aware of what he was up to, I didn't slow down... after a short time he clearly became aware of the clattering monster behind him catching up, so he started trying to swot a fly - at least I assume that's what he was doing as he started waving his arm up and down. Eventually he twigged that I was ignoring him and stepped to one side whilst shouting for me to slow down. My response was to point out that the site speed limit was 5mph, and I definately wasn't going that fast. (reference to GPS log data later in the evening confirmed my statement). For some reason he was blind to all the cars moving faster than I was, yet some how felt a steam engine should be doing a fraction of the site speed limit. Having left the site I could then play with the pedestrians, parked cars, buses and lorries as I went past the town centre and up through the suburbs without needing marshalls, hi-viz or someone with little to no knowledge of my engine and its abilities telling me what to do on a deserted rally field.

During the rally marshalls and stewards are a necessary evil so organisers can show they are responding to their duty of care. I just wish some of the chosen stewards could do it politely, with courtesy and learn to switch off when the rally is over! (needless to say, my comments don't apply to all the marshalls and stewards who are sensible already!)

Originally Posted by Cvrt0_0

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?

This year engine owners were told that if they wished to go on the expedition to the 'playpen' then they could "self-steward" through the public areas before reaching the service road around the back. However this itself is a bit of a retrograde step seeing as a few years ago when the playpen was first introduced there was also a relaxation of the "no movement" rule in that engines could move about the site so long as they did it slowly, sensibly, avoided large crowds and you didn't have all the engines trying to move about at the same time - there was no requirement for stewards. In practice most engine movements were to/from the playpen - after all, why shuffle slowly around the public areas when there's a nice large playpen that the engines can be driven about in at will? ...I'm not sure how an engine with a crew of one is suppose to 'self-steward', but seeing as there effectively wasn't a play pen and on Monday it was a mud bath, the situation never arose.

Not really relevant to Onlsow, but of course in the whole never ending "steward" arguments I've yet to ever find anyone able to explain why 'exhibits' need marshalls and stewards, and yet hired security firms can drive about in cars/quads without stewards, the toilet servicing contractors do not need marshalling, any police presence can drive unmarshalled, and the rally organiser's themselves don't need their vehicles/quads etc. stewarding. The best one of all was at Welland a good few years ago when Sherpa pick ups with "Midland Sherpa Spares" branding on the side could be seen driving through the crowded public areas in the middle of the day by children who I'd guess were around 13/14 years old with their mates in the cab and no adults. None of the stewards or event safety officer seemed at all concerned by this, funnily enough.

Originally Posted by General C.R Dewet

One I took today on the way home. Could have been 100 years ago.

From the marks on the road, it looks as if it wasn't the first engine passing that way...