Bristol Show 2019 at Shepton Mallett

[Colin Sparrow]

Just a reminder that the Bristol Show near Shepton Mallett in Somerset is next weekend.

Les and Carol are running the GRA stand as usual.

A word to the wise - if you're planning to arrive on Saturday morning: The showground is on the western side of the A371, south of Shepton Mallett itself. If you're arriving from the north the traffic queues can be horrendous. It is definitely worth making a diversion so that you approach the showground from the south.

[Colin Sparrow]

Sadly the disruption caused by the snow in the south and west means that the GRA stand will be a shadow of its usual self. That's if any bikes make it there or if our organisers make it to the site.

Morton's are going ahead with the show - although I shudder to think what the snow-covered meadow public car park will be like by the end of the weekend.

[Dogsbody]

Cancelled according to VJMC Facebook page, new date 23/4 Feb . Dogsbody

[Dogsbody]

VMCC website

The MRC have decided to pull out:

"We have made the decision to cancel as we are unable to get to the showground today in safety. Weather conditions in the Shepton Mallet area are very bad with some A roads closed. As a riders club many of our display bikes were to be ridden in and the ones being delivered are from the SW where it is even worse. Jem reports that in locally in Timsbury there is 3-6" of snow and it would be difficult to get out of his drive drive let alone out of the village. It is still snowing and the forecast is freezing temperatures overnight." Dogsbody

[Colin Sparrow]

Just to confirm that Les has received an email from Mortons (the show organisers) that they made the decision to cancel this weekend's Bristol Show at midday today.

They have confirmed that they have managed to reschedule for the weekend of the 23rd and 24th February.

[Keo]

Hi Colin, I have an exhibit available if you're short of bikes on the stand, all be it a non-original Silverstone....

[Colin Sparrow]

Hi Paul,

I'm not the stand organiser, and I'm afraid I won't be there. Prior commitments this weekend.

Les Yarde and Carol Thatcher run the Shepton display. Please PM me if you would like their contact details.

[cray]

Thought Shepton was a bit disappointing today. I admit its been a few years or so since I last visited, but the lack of trade stands and very little in the way of auto jumble tat err sorry desirable parts was noticeable imo. The balcony only had a few stands and was not worth the effort of climbing the stairs to confirm what I originally thought.
Plenty of spanners on sale in the other halls though!! Had a few discussions with other visitors and we all seem to agree that perhaps Classic Biking has had it's zenith, very sad.
As I left there was still a healthy queue to get in though and of course the weather was glorious. Also the overriding stink of piss, I do beg your pardon, urine was a bit less than other years, I considered that a bit of bonus!
Having said that all the various club displays was of course, as always, very well stocked with shiny and some not so shiny exhibits, usual models and some not so usual, can't fault any of them for lack of effort and I applaud all of them for, what must be a mammoth task to arrange and organise.
I thought the exhibits on our GRA display had quite a varied and interesting mix. Did like the rear number plate on the TFS Ranger very tidy. Who supplied that I wonder?

Colin

[John Wakefield]

Thought Shepton was a bit disappointing today. I admit its been a few years or so since I last visited, but the lack of trade stands and very little in the way of auto jumble tat err sorry desirable parts was noticeable imo. The balcony only had a few stands and was not worth the effort of climbing the stairs to confirm what I originally thought.
Plenty of spanners on sale in the other halls though!! Had a few discussions with other visitors and we all seem to agree that perhaps Classic Biking has had it's zenith, very sad.
As I left there was still a healthy queue to get in though and of course the weather was glorious. Also the overriding stink of piss, I do beg your pardon, urine was a bit less than other years, I considered that a bit of bonus!
Having said that all the various club displays was of course, as always, very well stocked with shiny and some not so shiny exhibits, usual models and some not so usual, can't fault any of them for lack of effort and I applaud all of them for, what must be a mammoth task to arrange and organise.
I thought the exhibits on our GRA display had quite a varied and interesting mix. Did like the rear number plate on the TFS Ranger very tidy. Who supplied that I wonder?

Colin

Yes Colin I think you have summed up the situation with regards to these Mortons/Carol Nash classic shows. They have had their day. They become the haven for ageing bikers who no longer ride but still wanted to keep in touch with the old bike movement, that has lead to a new breed of non riding motorcyclist who just restore bikes to show, and of course the 'investor'
As for the autojumble (at least for British bikes) all the good stuff has long gone, leaving the trash and bits that no one wants or needs, thus leading to the influx of tat and pattern new parts.
Prices of bikes & spares have risen out of all proportions, so any younger members who were thinking of getting on the 'classic ladder' cant afford restored bikes, or afford to restore a rusty wreck due to parts for these now also reaching ridiculous prices, long gone are the days when you could pick up a 9E or 32A engine for £20. Further more many people these days do not have the skill to restore bikes themselves, schools dont teach life skills like metalwork any more and few lads leave school to take up an engineering apprenticeship. Words fail me sometimes at some of the questions being asked on forums/ facebook etc regards how to sort out a problem with a bike or what grade of oil to be used etc etc. In the old days you bought a handbook or manual and got on with the job and learnt new skills in doing it.
On top of this many younger riders dont bother with a motorcycle driving licence these days, due to the high cost and time required to get through the test. Very few use a motorcycles as an every day means of transport as when we started riding. Those dedicated ones who do take the training and test then turn to modern machines, and there still seems to be a good following for Harleys and other big crusiers . So motorcycling itself is not dead, just the classic scene, which of course has a moving time line, younger riders want bikes from their youth and are not interested in the older stuff made before they were born. Where this leave the future of Greeves and the GRA your guess is as good as mine.

[tony]

Good number of visitors to the Greeves stand,
and some new members signed up.

[AndyB]

Good number of visitors to the Greeves stand,
and some new members signed up.

Excellent! Was sorry not to get there this time, due to flu, as it's my favourite show.
Do you know who has the paperwork for the new members?
AndyB

[mayfield]

Well done to all of our exhibitors who came together to form our GRA display. With the difficulties that a rescheduled date presents the GRA stand seemed as busy as previous years, Thanks from Les.& Carol.

[Mike Norris]

I think the criticism of the show is very unreasonable. A lot of traders had prior commitments for this rescheduled show and we should be grateful that it was rearranged at such very short notice.
Also the comment that people are loosing interest in such shows were clearly not at Telford the previous weekend. It was very busy. For the members who do not attend the shows for whatever reason should refrain from decrying them. In particular OUR stand was very busy. Just because you are not interested in the big shows for goodness sake stop being critical. Something else these shows are places where you meet friends by coincidence. Over the last 2 weekends I met a lot of friends and was given very helpful information on the GRA stand.

[johnrunnacles]

Just wanted to say Well done, Carol and Les in pulling off another successful exhibition against the odds, and Well said, Mike. It is positivity that breeds enthusiasm, and visitors to this Forum, especially that part which is in the Public domain, need to read of our positive enthusiasm for our little part of the classic bike movement.

[John Wakefield]

Mike, this is an open forum and therefore things like this need to be aired, it keeps the forum alive. I was not being critical of the club stand but in these shows generally. There may have been a good turn out of the public but from what I have heard the age group was 50 plus, thus confirming that there is no interest in old bikes by the younger generation. You like me Mike (and many other members) are now pensioners so wont be around for many more years.
This situation is not just motorcycles but across all forms of vintage and classics (cars, Commercials and steam). In many cases younger members are buying old vehicles but transforming them into fun vehicles, 'hotrods & bobbers' etc. As far as the GRA stand is concerned its good that there is interest in our bikes, BUT are these members who are joining up young guys who are going to get involved with running the club? OR just joining for a rear to get info about there bike
Sorry if it offends you Mike but we have to face up to the facts.