Bristol Model Engineering & Hobbies Exhibition

Been to the Bristol Show this morning (just down the road from me).

As it is close by, I go every year and as a regular there was a period when not much changed from one year to the next, but I am pleased to say I enjoyed it this year as there was much more variety.

Not everything was of interest to me of course but just about everything deserved a place there I thought.

A noticeable absentee who have attended in recent years was Warco and I was told that they also missed the Guildford show which is home ground for them. I wonder if there is a reason?

Thanks and well done Bristol SMEE

Sadly circumstance (largely catching up after a short break) means that I won't be able to get to Bristol myself. I have arranged for an intrepid reporter and photographer to attend and seek out tooling and other items of interest to MEW readers, so those of us unable to go should at least be able to get the flavour of the event.

Neil

Warco had their own open day on 19th July so I expect they found it impossible to justify going to Guildford so close to their day.

I to was at the Bristol exhibition this morning.

I first went when we lived in Barry South Wales in 2005 we now live in north Shropshire.

There were many exhibition and some new stands to see but a number of traders were absent.

I use the exhibition to stock up on tools, materials and collect order I have placed with the likes of Blackgates and Model Engineers Laser.

Although the lack of traders meant I did not get some of the items I wanted the new exhibits well made up for my disappointment.

Steve R

> when we lived in Barry South Wales

My home town! Shwmae butty!

Neil

Oh dear, I do hope Warco's absence is not a taste of things to come. Despite a rather disastrous experience In the past I had with them and two of their 1330 lathes, engineering exhibitions with no more Warco is unthinkable.

They have always had a substantial display of tooling and light and heavy machinery, and it must be a major effort to transport it all to most of the various shows, for which they deserve a lot of credit for making the effort.

Along with the cost of their stand plus staff and accommodation, we are lucky that they and others bother making the effort at all.

I went to the Bristol show on Friday and was rather disappointed; no machinery and few of the big names. I feel this show has been in decline for a few years now and there are too many 'any item £1' stalls and not enough models on display. It is a model engineering show, I want to see models and (relevant) engineering. Not sure i will go next year

As I recall there was only one 'any item a pound' stall to be avoided. There was another selling reasonable quality fasteners in £ bags and they also had some better quality tools including Eclipse brand, so I don't think they come into the £ shop category.

Alas! My intrepid reporters brought back the same news - virtually no tooling on display, just a few T&C grinders.

It's very clear that a lot of model engineers want to see other people's tooling, even if it is functional rather than pretty.

PLEASE! Enter something (whether in competition or as a 'loan' in the Model Engineer Exhibition (or ANY exhibition!)

Seeing what other people do is a great inspiration, and if we don't share our ideas, we will lose half the benefits of all that hard work.

Neil

For what it is worth, my wife and I had a very enjoyable day there on Saturday.

I was able to get all of the items on my list from metal to hand tools and not one came from a £1 stall!

Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the visit was chatting to both the stall holders and those manning the club stands.

All in all a worthwhile 200 mile trip.

John

I too managed to get everything and a little more off my list. What I missed was a lot of the second hand thing as well as the new stuff.

I to travelled over 160+ miles that day. Maybe it is time someone with some vision started a show in the north west but NOT near The Trafford Centre where there is little public transport. If I ever win the lottery that is one of the first things I would do.

Steve R

Went on Sunday not a bad day out, seemed to be less exhibits than previous years, quite a few tool stalls, yes not bad at all only blight on the day was the people on the RDG stall trying to overcharge me.

It was better when the machine vedndors had stalls and you could view and try the machines first hand, they must have lost sales from that.

Dull

I too travelled 190 miles (from West Wales). I can remember Myford having a large stand in recent times, Reeves used to be there, Warco were there last year, Axminster were there, other traders whose name I can't remember also. I didn't get the shopping list but, for example, got bits on line from Warco with no postage charge. I remember far more models on display, I am making Pansy (which must be one of the most common models) but none this year or last. All of this reduces the reasons for going (cheaper shopping, inspiration from other Pansy models, hands on review of machinery)

Is the Midlands show in October better ? - I haven't been there for 15 years

Phil C

Hopefully the organisers of the Bristol show will take note of the comments, I know of someone who contacted them wanting to exhibit a model, did not even get a reply, I doubt he will offer again.

J

Some random photos from the show: