CEF Live in Brum

[kerching]

Anybody going tomorrow?
I've got a quiet day, local branch is running a Free Coach, so I thought 'why not'
I shall be wearing my usual Camo shorts......so,if you spot me come and say hello. I don't bite ( much) and shall be on my best behaviour. Warning.....my 'best' isn't that good. Unfortunately my fluffy kitten T shirt is in the wash

 

[Andy™]

i can think of better places than birmingham to go to on a free coach

 

[mort2376]

I'm there. I'll look out for you.

You trying to get the free Wago case ? Lol

 

[kerching]

I'm there. I'll look out for you.

You trying to get the free Wago case ? Lol

Are you getting the coach from Deepdale?

Those cases will be gone long before I get there

 

[kerching]

i can think of better places than birmingham to go to on a free coach

Cynical

 

[mort2376]

Are you getting the coach from Deepdale?

No I'm driving down. That way if its cr@p I can leave when I want lol

 

[kerching]

I did think that. However leaving here at 8 and leaving there at 3:30 doesn't seeem bad, no driving stress and I can have a kip if needs be. Enjoy the case, I've got no chance even though I use 100s of the things!

 

[mort2376]

Pity its not my team but still looks good on the Dewalt stand.

 

[mort2376]

ABB had to go for the electric version. Doesn't look as classy as the F1 one

 

[Sharpend]

Sorry to say but putting on the DeWalt stand has devalued it

 

[UNG]

Been today it's not that big a show took just over 3 hours to get there having left at 6:15 with the hope of getting there early enough to get to the Wago stand get one of the freebies and that failed
The traffic around Birmingham was close to gridlock and took over an hour to do the last 25 miles, HS2 work is causing chaos round the NEC with closed roads and construction traffic
The show registration is a nightmare it's very slow and there are big queues at times, if you are buying anything the collection point is just as bad
So the very very early bird just might get the Wago's

 

[kerching]

Quite enjoyed it. Coach there and coach back made it much better.
Saw who I wanted to see. Avoided that mockney gobshite off DIY SOS.
Pitched my idea to Malcolm the MD of ElectroRod
Quite taken with their IR camera addon for phone...coupled with the £50 off voucher it may be the next purchase
Nice chat with Adam from Joint Tech fame
Voucher for three free instrument calibrations ( any )
Free food
As much tea coffee etc as you could drink ( handy having a toilet on the coach due to the bladder cancer issue)
I'd hate to have the bill for all the coaches, never mind the venue cost
All in all a good day
I'd go again, my fellow travellers may wish differently due to my alleged/apparent snoring

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

The traffic around Birmingham was close to gridlock and took over an hour to do the last 25 miles, HS2 work is causing chaos round the NEC with closed roads and construction traffic

Didn't go... didn't intend to go...
But living about 13miles the "other" side of Birmingham....
(with some quite regular trips up to Sheffield visit daughter & some grandchildren..
using the M42 / A42 link round to the M1..)

HS2 work is only part of the problem....

As there are also major improvement works to improve the M42 Junction 6, where it joins the A45 (Coventry Road), as that gets one-helluva lot of traffic.... because it connects to both the NEC and Birmingham Airport!!! (The improvement works I think also involve some link or connection to junction 5 where it joins the A41).

Plus if you are approaching the NEC from the south..
There are major central reservation replacement works from Armco barriers to low concrete walls...
resulting in narrow lanes with 50mph limits.. which are ongoing for a long time!!!!!!!!!!!!

Basically its best to just avoid the M42 NEC / Airport side of Birmingham for the foreseeable future!!

 

[mort2376]

I thought the show was better than the elex one at Harrogate and Bolton.

Yes CEF have thrown a large sum of money at the event but there were some good deals to be had.

Pity when they ran out of stock they wouldn't allow you to pay there and collect at your local branch !!!

Asking Wago to only bring 50 of the test probes to the event seems short sighted as they ran out in about an hour.

Was it worth it. In my opinion yes others may think otherwise but you can't please everyone.

 

[kerching]

Got there late....never saw test probes. Pity as I use an obscene amount of Wagos. I'd go next year if the coach is running

 

[UNG]

HS2 work is only part of the problem....

As there are also major improvement works to improve the M42 Junction 6, where it joins the A45 (Coventry Road), as that gets one-helluva lot of traffic.... because it connects to both the NEC and Birmingham Airport!!! (The improvement works I think also involve some link or connection to junction 5 where it joins the A41).

The M42 junction improvement is a very minor part of the problem unless junction 6 is a lot bigger than it looks on the map, while the HS2 project is much wider spread and is even increasing the amount of chaos that the M6 normally suffers from and like most large widely spread construction sites seems to suffer from a lack of workers doing anything.
With the environment at the forefront of a lot of things these days I do wonder how the environmental impact of the construction of HS2 has been assessed especially with all the inconvienenced queuing traffic in the areas surrounding it

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

The M42 junction improvement is a very minor part of the problem unless junction 6 is a lot bigger than it looks on the map, while the HS2 project is much wider spread and is even increasing the amount of chaos that the M6 normally suffers from and like most large widely spread construction sites seems to suffer from a lack of workers doing anything.
With the environment at the forefront of a lot of things these days I do wonder how the environmental impact of the construction of HS2 has been assessed especially with all the inconvienenced queuing traffic in the areas surrounding it

The improvements around Jnc 6 are not that minor.. (due to be ongoing till Spring 2024...)
https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/west-midlands/m42-junction-6/
Basically if you are trying to approach the NEC / B-ham airport from North or South of the M6/M42 junction there is an abundance of construction work ongoing supposed to make it easier!

As I said.. best avoid NEC area if possible!

 

[brummydave]

I thought the show was better than the elex one at Harrogate and Bolton.

Yes CEF have thrown a large sum of money at the event but there were some good deals to be had.

Pity when they ran out of stock they wouldn't allow you to pay there and collect at your local branch !!!

Asking Wago to only bring 50 of the test probes to the event seems short sighted as they ran out in about an hour.

Was it worth it. In my opinion yes others may think otherwise but you can't please everyone.

Might depend on the stand. Scruffs said they will honour show deals at branch, gave me a business card just in case of admin trouble

 

[kerching]

Apparently the show cost £2.6M

 

[Andy™]

Apparently the show cost £2.6M

that's their inflated price. RRP would be around £650k