Alton Towers again

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 3:04 pm

Yep people went. 3 people made the meet. (Dragon / Fnord / Me) Another successful UK meeting!

We had a great day at Alton Towers. I have some pictures to post.

Avatar · Post by **Avatar** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 4:04 pm

sorry

i got up way to late on sunday after spending most of the night pulling my hair out as to why my pc was having problems

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 5:17 pm

Pictures from the 3 man meeting

but it was great fun

What the *uck is that ?

pol · Post by **pol** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 5:25 pm

Nice glasses!

Richard Kenward · Post by **Richard Kenward** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 9:35 pm

And I thought there would be pictures of cars and interesting detail pics! How about disclosing who is who in the pictures then guys?

BTW how many 480 owners are in the group and live in the UK...anyone know?

Cheers

Richard

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 9:43 pm

The pictures in the boat things are of Fnord (left) and Dragon (right)
Fnord is always on the left and Dragon on the right in all of the pictures.

The other guy is me.

The last meeting had 13 cars turn up.

Richard Kenward · Post by **Richard Kenward** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 10:01 pm

Dear Martin

Many thanks for the info. Nice to see who you all are! If anyone likes to follow up my suggestion for holding a meeting in Wales, I could put one of our fields at the disposal of members for camping. It's beside a nice little Trout/Salmon river and off the beaten track up a secluded valley outside Abergavenny... BBQ's ?

Cheers

Richard

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 9:26 pm

Richard, Sounds good and you want to do this ?

Richard Kenward · Post by **Richard Kenward** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:06 pm

Dear Martin

Yes I would be quite prepared to make the effort to make this possible but and it's a very big but..... I really do not see any point unless we get the solid committment from a large chunk of UK members.

Proper toilet facilities would be needed and I really do not want to do this without some up front monatory commitment from members to cover the cost.

I feel very fortunate in living and working in such a beautiful and peaceful area, where most of the roads are relatively free of cars traffic hold ups etc. It would be great to be able to make 480 owners welcome here for a enjoyable day/weekend to share experiences and to expore the area. For those not wanting to camp there are many B+B's with the nearest pub in the next valley just a couple of miles away. If you are into hang gliding then you will know the Pandy site just a mile or so from here!

This is border country and easy to get to. Just draw a line from London going west and Abergavenny is the first town just across the Wales/England border. We are 15minutes or so into the hills map ref SO 286 223. This is an eight mile approx dead end valley ending in thousands of areas of forestry and a large resevoir.

This would be a good time of year as there are less visitors about now, but there really is not enough time to do it this year. Good planning is essential to make this happen and the more people who make it the greater the enjoyment for all of us as I am sure you would agree. I am open to suggestions.

Cheers

Richard

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:59 pm

Heh - we should've taken some car pics, it's true =- but we were too busy having a serious amount of fun, besides. martin's car is already shown in recent threads, and Fnords car can be seen in the April '03 meet picture section - My car hasn't changed much since the last lot of pictures on my own website, so if you want to see our cars, they are around already

Shouldve had more pics on the fast rides tho

Ha - you non-committing UK wasters (

) missed another GREAT meet...

C6REW · Post by **C6REW** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 9:44 pm

Hi All,

Not been around lately too much going on.

Sorry I was unable to even get near Alton Towers. Looks as though the three of you had a great time.

Gaz you must have had your hair dyed! Never seen it that colour before!

Will try to log on and could be interested in Abergavenny Richard. Nearly lost my licence there when trying out the BMW's pulling power up a hill. Ooops!

Regards

Chris

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 9:55 pm

Welcome ack to the group, Chris - we've all been wondering were you've been mate...

Richard Kenward · Post by **Richard Kenward** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 10:14 pm

Dear Chris

Welcome! There seems to have been a distinct lack of interest in my suggestions but thanks for giving it the thumbs up.

Perhaps most UK members are not really interested in get togethers prefering to keep contact through this site and leaving it at that. What do you all think? I was wondering how many many memners there are in the UK....being too lazy to go through the membership list.

As someone who would like to meet up with other 480 owners from time to time, I would make the effort but really would want the turnout to be in the dozens rather than two or three. It would be so much more worthwhile and interesting.

Cheers

Richard

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 10:36 pm

Well the anwer to this is basically in the history:

Northern Meet late 2002/early 2003 (cant remember when) - present: dragon, fnord, joey

Southern meet, April 2003. Present: 15 or so?

Alton Towers meet, October 2003: Present: dragon, fnord, martinholmes

Get the point? UK peeps SUCK at dedication and attendence - you will NEVER get dozens attending anything at all. Sorry to anyone that disagrees, but the evidence is there... Basically, people put other things they are doing ahead of a meet, they are not prepared to rearrange around a meet... *shrug*

But this isn't a UK thing, the last europe meet got cancelled too through lack of interest...

It pains me to say it, but people definately prefer the ease and relative anominity of the Internet...

The trick to get more attendence than 3, it to plan well ahead, plan a real event, plan it to be more than a day meet, i.e. organise an entire weekend, and organise definate things to do other than look at cars ( BBQ, Bouncy castle et al)

Oh yeah, you also have to CONTINUALLY nag people to keep it in the front of their minds...

C6REW · Post by **C6REW** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 10:37 pm

Hi Richard,

Just wrote this and computer when funny. So hope this is not repeated.

As someone who organised the last UK meet, check out the meetings section 2003 Chirton in May. I can tell you there is no lack of interest just a bunch of fun loving 480 owners.

All it takes (I think everyone will agree who came) is a little organisation to set the ball in motion and that is the bit I put together. The rest came from the members.

Sounds like you have the location all you need is a date and I think you will get a lot of interest. If I can be of any help send me an email to chris@swi.org.uk. As a matter of interest if I had not been too busy building a jacuzzi and bar in the back garden we would have organised a meet in Caerphilly. Sadly it did not come off, but the jacuzzi is great. Maybe another meet in Chirton hmmm!

Always passing through the Abergavenny area as I do a lot of work with Welsh Water. Give me a shout and we can meet up.

Regards

Chris

C6REW · Post by **C6REW** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 10:41 pm

Hi Gaz,

Thanks for the welcome. It is good to be back hopefully I can spend a little time on the internet in the future.

I see you have broadband from another thread. It is a nightmare here in Wiltshire there is no good news on when we will get connected.

Regards

Chris

Richard Kenward · Post by **Richard Kenward** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 11:47 pm

Dear Gaz and Chris

Thanks for relating your experiences with regard to organising meetings. Yes it is an effort to make the time available to drive many miles and with every poorly attended event, the greater the chance of a less than worthwhile day. We need to make sure that success is guaranteed the next time.

My suggestion that this would be an ideal place to use as a venue does mean that because it's near to the river (Welsh Water responsibility) that I would have to lay on portable loos. This would in any case be desirable unles it was just a handfull of the lads!

I suggest that we should base it on a weekend event, have a charge per visitor for one day or the weekend payable one month in advance. This would cover the basic cost of providing 'the facilities' could include whatever to team felt would make the event really go, and ensure both the committment well in advance and the desire to be there. It would mean that those coming knew that it was going to be a winner.

Any surplus, and I do not want to be out of pocket, could be in the form of a distribution after the event or put towards the next knees-up wherever or whenever that was.

As you say Gaz planning is crucial, so perhaps we should carry on tossing ideas around for a while and then formulate some really positive plans.

BTW my phone number is XXXXXXXXXXXXX pm me for my number (Coyote1980) and I welcome calls at any time of day and even as you may gather in the evenings too. Chris do get in touch next time you are passing by Abergavenny...perhaps you visit the Welsh Water site here in your travels?

Cheers

Richard

Edit: removed the phone number, it's best not to have your phone number visible like this on the internet...

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 5:12 pm

I would be intrested in another meet! CREW/Richard/Gaz, Your all right about getting the cash a month in advance because then people should make it (hey it cost them)

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 5:22 pm

I'm ALWAYS up for meets

BTW: The Southern meetin was an MEGA SUCCESS - so dont think that few people == bad meet - Chris' meet was fabtastic because it had cars, beer, place to stay, BBQ, bouncy castle, good company - cliched though it is,sometimes less is more

But deffo advertise it at least 6 weeks ahead, and it may well be an idea to at least get a deposit in advance, if not the full whack, Chris was very generous in that he provided a lot out of his own pocket, but the initial idea would be that if there was any money left over, this would be added to a raffle on the day (since no meeting should be made to profit) - this was a grand idea, and the raffle idea still went ahead as Chris, DBS and others donated gifts to be raffled, and it worked very well (even though I never won anything

Keep it fairly simple, yet with a number of different activities, well announced well ahead of time and in an accessible place, and people ought to come. When were you thinking of? A November 480 fireworks meet would be good. Also making it a family event where 480ers can bring parters and sprogs is always a winner

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 5:40 pm

Fireworks would be cool ! and if people can brings kids then I agree more would come!

Volvo 480 Club Europe

Alton Towers again

GAZ'S HAIR

UK MEET