This page was last updated on 20/04/08

Dealing with advanced ticket applications has its ups and downs and I would like to share some of them with you.  Not all of them are from this year & I am not setting out to embarrass anyone, just to share with you these little gems.  Remember if you recognise yourself then the chances are no one else will.

2007 This query arrived amongst the myriad of other emails

I see you list charges for Children aged 6-18, but it doesn't explicitly say 5 and under free - can you confirm this is the case?

Being a bit frazzled trying to deal with the pile of mail I decided to see whether any of the organising team could pen a suitable response.  There were a couple and here is the most considered one

There are costs associated with children and these costs start before the birth of the child. 
Where those children are planned then the costs can be planned for too.

It is our experience and we have consulted widely on this amongst associates who are parents, that the ongoing costs of a child are often whilst under the age of 5 years than after that age. We cannot confirm that this, but suspect that once a child starts these costs become more predictable, however, we cannot say even thereafter a child is free. On this basis we definitely cannot confirm that children under 5 are free.

We however, support families during this 'expensive' stage of a child's development and make no charge for entrance to our exhibition for children under the age of 6 years.

2007    Does us a power of good to think 
that this man has a once a year visit across the Irish Sea - to visit our show

2006 Is this, I ask myself, the Chinese year of the pedant?

As a matter of principle I have never indicated the gender of the recipients of our mailout, so all those who have amended the mailing label with Mr, Mrs, Lord, Lady or whatever will not have the pleasure of seeing that amendment in print.

Again as a matter of principle I only use one initial, so if you were fortunate ? enough to be named after the football world cup winning side, don't expect to see all those initials - G as in Gordon Banks (1) will have to suffice.

Yes I know that email addresses are in lower case, but if you had tried to read my handwriting together with a fair smattering of other applicants who went to the Trained Spider School of Handwriting, you would understand why capitals are preferable.

2006 One other thing I have a problem getting my head round is why someone should fill in an application form, lovingly enter the email address and then say that they do not approve us keeping their personal information for our own use - particularly from one man who for the past 3 years has had a reminder - using his information previously held!!  Hey ho, next year he will not be getting a reminder.

2005 Had a customer ask if he can return the advanced tickets that he has purchased.  He's just remembered that he is exhibiting a layout at the show, so he's going to get in with an exhibitors pass.  Hope he remembers which show and which weekend.

2005 Snip from an incoming email from across the pond; Terry will again be very welcome

"Once again my wife and I are planning a trip to the UK to see the show of shows at the NEC."

2005 Proof at last that it is a real model railway exhibition.  In two days dealt with advanced ticket applications from Messrs Fairburn, Webb, Robinson, Johnson, Jones, Hawkesworth and no doubt others that may be coming under a pseudonym.

2005 You may have noticed that this year we are collecting email addresses so that we can remind you of what is going on re the future shows.  On the printable pdf form we explain that the info is for in-house use only, so can someone explain why anyone should fill in their email address and then tell us we cannot retain it for future use - confused!!

2004 There is a rumour going around part of the Surrey stockbroker belt that we are opening earlier for the advanced tickets under orders from the NEC.  Sorry chaps, but WE decided to open a bit earlier to give a bit more advantage to all YOU who support us by buying your tickets in advance. So chaps, next time you want to start a rumour, drop me a line and I will give you the inside information.

2004 They say it is a small world - have just sold two tickets to someone who lives local.  His opening gambit was "Have you still got my dad's trophy?"  The answer was yes we still have the John Kettle trophy.  John was one time treasurer who sadly died in the mid 70's - here was his son Adrian.  Who knows maybe he will join Warley MRC and one day win his dad's trophy.

2004 Just dealt with an apologetic application where the person cited old age as their problem.  I find this an ageist attitude - and besides that's the excuse I always use

2004 Feel I very nearly won the round - just sent a ticket to Mornington Road

2003 In the week up to the cut-off date I dealt with 597 postal applications - mostly on the day of receipt.  The phone call from the lady in the Liverpool area thanking me for the prompt service was much appreciated.

2003 This is a real gem:- Application form for advanced tickets sent to another address.  Inside a sealed stamped envelope addressed to the advanced tickets address.  Inside application form and cheque, but no return envelope.

2003 The following is from a visitor who not only visited the show, but featured it on one of his web pages

To see more about his visit to Birmingham, follow the link http://my.core.com/~jcnash/tours_03.html 

One of the fun things is when a well known name appears on an application form

Will Simon Smith bring his amazing dancing bear? - because he has not purchased a ticket for him.

Steve Gibbons will not get all his band in with only one ticket

Will R Moore come as The Saint or 007

With two Richard Greene's attending will either of them be dressed as Robin Hood

Look out for Harry Lime - one society has booked an extra ticket for the "Third Man"

Will David Essex sing for us

Now a few of the odd ball, humerous or otherwise requests and messages

Any year Please send 30 tickets, enclosing an envelope slightly larger than the postage stamp.

2002 The dates are most inconvenient, please send a 2-day ticket and accommodation leaflet.  Had they been convenient would he/she have come for more than 2 days?

2002 Please do not reply to this address, it is a surprise for my husband.

2002 You sent the form to my old address!! I have been left from there for 10 months.  Must renew my crystal ball.

2002 Then there was the one with only a cheque enclosed.  Definitely must renew my crystal ball.

Every year Or the many where the self seal reply envelope has been carefully folded - and sealed

2003 Well done those who re-use the original mail out envelopes as their return envelope, except the one who covered the address with a blank label!

Then there are the applications without a ticket request - ok until the amount can be arrived at two different ways.

2002 I don't know why you sent me an application form as I picked one up at York

2004 From across the pond "Once again my wife and I are planning a trip to the UK to see the show of shows" at the NEC

Of all the cheques not signed or even not enclosed, requests so to do has produced a 100% return rate - well done all you honest modellers out there.

2005 A letter saying that October is to be preferred and then explaining why it must be a specific weekend in 2006 - ah that it was that easy

Finally, just to show that we are all fallible:

My banking of two cheques, when one of them should have been destroyed

My sending out a second lot of tickets after finding a "lost" cheque and application that had been dealt with in May

Yes we know that the early edition 2004 application forms had 2003 dates on them - though why one applicant changed all the 2004 dates to 2005 is lost on me.

And of course the post cards sent out in 2006 had no December dates on them - but if you are this far down the page you know when it is!!  One of these years we will get it completely right.