[UK] Dunstable Downs Radio Rally / Car Boot / Flea Market 2017

[KJDS]

More to the point, is there one up here in the civilised North?

I believe that the best Northern event is Blackpool, however the last time Blackpool was civilized someone called Edward was on the thrown.

[grumpydoc]

More to the point, is there one up here in the civilised North?

I believe that the best Northern event is Blackpool, however the last time Blackpool was civilized someone called Edward was on the thrown.

It's held at the Norbreck Castle a large but distinctly shabby hotel at the north end of Blackpool (see Tripadvisor for the full horror stories). As a rally venue it is OK, nothing more. The rally (the last time I went) was also only a shade above OK.

[KJDS]

I really should learn how to spell throne

[CJay]

Yeah, Norbreck is a dive, someone booked a room there for me, the breakfast was an incredible display of tracksuits, hangovers and last order prince and princesses, the last time I went to the rally you could hardly breath it was so packed but that was ~20 years ago.

I've got all of the 'local' rallies in my calendar, I don't think there's anything comparable to Dunstable/Kempton up here though, I'll have to make extra effort to get to Kempton (and hopefully I'll be licensed by then too)

[grumpydoc]

Yeah, Norbreck is a dive, someone booked a room there for me, the breakfast was an incredible display of tracksuits, hangovers and last order prince and princesses, the last time I went to the rally you could hardly breath it was so packed but that was ~20 years ago.

Red Rose used to be OK but the last time I went to the winter one it was carp so haven't bothered since.

I last went to the Norbreck rally in 2012, I think. Judging by the recent tripadvisor comments the hotel has just continued to decay since then - and it was already at a low ebb 5 years ago. I didn't go back which was about 40% down to the rally which was a bit "meh" and 60% down to the venue.

Rugby was good the last time I went but they have a habit of holding it when I'm on holiday so haven't been in a few years and will miss this year as well.

Telford was "small but interesting" when I visited a couple of years ago and I plan to go this year if possible. Hack Green even smaller but also interesting (more ex military stuff). South Gloucestershire was OK but I don't think that it has run recently, Newbury is usually good, McMichael - only went once & wasn't impressed but I think it was just a bad year and I always meant to try it again. Milton Keynes utter carp the one time that I visited & I haven't been back. Wythall was OKish but I have missed the last 2 years.

The daddy of the Midlands rallies was, of course, Elvaston Castle, which very sadly closed its doors in 2008 - http://www.nharg.org.uk/files/The%20Elvaston%20Castle%20Radio%20Rally%20-%20all%20good%20things.pdf

[tggzzz]

I've got all of the 'local' rallies in my calendar, I don't think there's anything comparable to Dunstable/Kempton up here though, I'll have to make extra effort to get to Kempton (and hopefully I'll be licensed by then too)

What about www.nationalhamfest.org.uk near Newark?

Given the number of military bases and auction houses "near" there, I would guess it would be OK.

[Fraser]

I used to go to Longleat, Pickets Lock and somewhere in Wales, I forget where. They were huge events with masses of sellers stalls and a really good day out for a techie. I had not been to a Radio Rally for more than a decade before visiting Dunstable. In comparison to the previously mentioned, Dunstable appeared very 'compact'. As a student I worked in an electronics emporium and we went to such events to sell discrete components, Hameg scopes, C-Scope metal detectors etc. Those were the days

Fraser

[tggzzz]

I used to go to Longleat, Pickets Lock and somewhere in Wales, I forget where. They were huge events with masses of sellers stalls and a really good day out for a techie. I had not been to a Radio Rally for more than a decade before visiting Dunstable. In comparison to the previously mentioned, Dunstable appeared very 'compact'. As a student I worked in an electronics emporium and we went to such events to sell discrete components, Hameg scopes, C-Scope metal detectors etc. Those were the days

"Longleat" is on 25th June, in Frome. It is a smaller than Kempton, with many similar stalls/things. I'll probably go because it isn't far away.

http://westrally.weebly.com/

[CJay]

All on the list, thanks guys.

I managed to get to Hack Green and Telford last year, both tiny but interesting, Telford will be, I think, larger this year as it's got the GQRP convention as well. I'll be at Telford again this year so if you fancy a delicious cup of indeterminate brown hot liquid feel free to say hi...

The other local ones, Red Rose being the nearest, are all up for visits now.

Newark sounds really interesting, that's 'in range'.

The rallies I've been to were a shadow of the ones I remember (Bolton, Southport, Norbreck, Manchester) but to be fair to them, I hadn't visited those ones before last year though we did make an abortive attempt to get to Telford ( turned out the navigator had no idea where Telford was and it was *long* before SatNav was a thing).

[dexters_lab]

had a pretty successful day at Dunstable on Sunday, didn't get a chance to do much wandering around to see anyone though. It was a busy time all day, we left just before 3pm as i hat to get back to see Brian Cox at the Manchester Arena, yes just 24 hours before last nights appalling attack.

We did see Mike fly past at some point in some kind of 'high speed scanning for bargains' mode

The good news though, is i didn't buy a thing!

i think next time we should all arrange to meet at a particular time?