National Modelmakers Festivals

[Nightflyer]

I wonder if anyone like myself used to go to the National Modelmakers festivals that used to be held since I think 1977 through to 1997 or possibly later? If there are it would be great to share and possibly capture the history and some of the memories on here.

I was lucky that as a teenager at the time my family started going to these in 1978, and in their day were great, and if I remember rightly were organised originally through MAP.

When I went in 1978 it was for a week at Pontin's Brean Sands, and covered everything from flying, cars, boats, trains, wargaming, Scalextric, engineering, and a host of arts and crafts to entertain all. For 1979 until 1983 this became a two week event there and there was also an event in May held at Primrose Valley, and Hemsby originally. Brean Sands was always at the end of September/ beginning of October and returned to a week long event from 1983.

I know Brean provided a great location for modellers to have fun, make life long friends with and also share with, learn and help others, and also take up additional hobbies. There were flyers, who ended up taking boats, and/or cars with them, and tehse friendships were always renewed annually at the festival or at other events during the year such as at the Model Engineer Exhibition, or at Sandown Park, or other shows, or even when shopping or on holiday elsewhere.

I for one have many memories from these events, as I am sure do others, and also sadly memories of those who are no longer with us who lived for and loved their hobby. I am also eternally grateful to those organisers who helped make these events such a success and provided so much fun.

[John Tee]

I went to Pontins at Brean For many years and then had a break for a few years. When I started again it had moved up the road to Brean Leisure park where it still exists. There is flying from the beach or at the rear of the caravan site, not been too good for the last few years as the field provided has been a bit tight for landing if the wind is in the wrong direction. Hopefully this year we will be moved to where we used to fly- much better. Plenty of hills for soaring and the dunes give good lift if the wind direction is right. Getting more boats now and last year there were R/C trucks.The dates have moved around a bit. Started on Saturday, moved to Friday and then to Monday now back to Friday start in early September. Great fun with a wide variety of models.

The camp staff are helpful but don't always understand what model aircraft need in a flying site. The beach is a council recognised flying site. The only down side is that there used to be a discount for beach parking but now we have to pay full price. Was £4 a day last year, not sure if you had to repay if you left and went back later say after a minor repair that could not be done on the beach so added cost to the holiday.

Only went to Hemsby once and got the impression that the local camp management didn't want us there.

John

Edited By John Tee on 17/02/2017 21:56:00

[Nightflyer]

Hi John, that is good to hear it still carries on at the Leisure Park. I know I did some fast electrics one year from there. Yes I went every year from 1978 through to 1997 except for 1981. I know Hemsby was dropped for Primrose Valley but I never went to those sites for the festival. To be honest from what I was told Pontins were only interested in their bar takings and felt we were not hardened drinkers unlike the darts or country and western weeks.

There was some great stories from the events. I remember in 79 a group of flyers got cut off on the beach when the tide came in and had to leave 6 cars to the sea. But some great entertainment including ic indoor helicopter flying in the ballroom and also some rc combat in 80 on the beach which I recall out of the 5 models only 2 survived.

[John Tee]

Our group from the Horsham (West Sussex) club used to fly right down the road in a very rough field near the Birdworld at the base of Brean Down all day, go back to Pontins and cook our evening meal, spend the next 2 hours being deafended. In the nightclub ( I was already hard of hearing and the music hurt my ears) and then take over the ballroom for electric car racing until about 2 am. Fall I to bed and then be down the flying field just after 10 am the next day. Needed a holiday after all that. Was only in my thirties then in the eighties and had more stamina then.

John

[Nightflyer]

Hi John, I liked your comments yes indeed I was in my late teens and early twenties in the 80's. As you say it was anything but a holiday, all action fun.

First time we went in 78 was to have a break as both my fathers parents had died. Ended coming home in a packed car full of round the pole gear, some indoor models and a few aircraft kits. Subsequent years saw us taking aircraft, boats (scale, fast electrics, yacht), and cars electric stockcars, and ic ones. It was a case of up early for car racing, then flying, and then boating in the evening. If it was not a night for midnight team racing then it would be midnight boating outside on the boating lake or in later years the indoor swimming pool, kept warm with the aid of a hip flask or two.

One of the funniest moments was when Len Mount was going to fly an ic helicopter indoors (a first at the time) in the ballroom and the room had a bout 300 guys in to watch and not only watched the helicopter but the lead singer of the band and a bluecoat when the curtain was pulled aside to find the lights on the stage!

We must have met if you used to fly near Brean Down. My dad and myself were in the Hastings club at the time and a few of us went every year for some years.

[John Tee]

One of the facilities missing these days is that there are no traders on site so if parts are required it is a trip to Weston Super Mare. There were 3 model shops at one time but there is now only one, small but well stocked. I remember Pontins had a row of chalets given over trading, Jim Davis from Brum, crafts for the ladies boating bits and steam and engineering. Surprised no one else has memories of the "good old days". I think it was Graham Ashby (pevious editor of the mag said he went in the early days and Ernie (surname forgotten) who did the repairs and ran the shop for Fleet Control Systems came for a few years - my first propo system.

Used to be able to use Apex lake in Berrow for yachting but last time I went there it was surrounde by new houses although I gather there is a still a boat club using the lake.

Today there are several well known flyers from the show circuit come down, a very friendly group of modellers as you would expect.

John

Edited By John Tee on 20/02/2017 22:37:37

Edited By John Tee on 20/02/2017 22:38:15

[Nightflyer]

Yes 'Traders Row' was always a popular stop daily and as you say they covered abroad spectrum of modelling and arts and crafts needs. The traders themselves were very helpful, and aside from them having one or two scheduled trips during the event to pick up stock from their shops to top things up or bring things down I know of a few occasions when one or two were known to make a special trip to help out a modeller in dire need of something. I always ended up buying a few goodies for myself for winter building projects.

Apex lake is still used as you say locally, but the area has changed in recent times.

Some of the known names I know of included the likes of Phil Ramsey, Ricky Shaw, John Binks (I think went one year), 'Big' Jim Davis and his family, Roy Lever, Ian Peacock (loved his sessions on airbrushing and spraying), Ted Galbraith, of course numerous known Elmbridge club members in part because they helped organise for a while, Len Mount, Vic Smeed, and others.

Mind you aside from Traders Row the Engineering workshop was also very very useful - especially if you needed to fabricate something urgently.

Then of course there was all the talks covering things engineering, model flying, painting, fibre glassing, covering models, a guy from Solarfilm gave a very good talk one year in particular, amongst other talks or film shows.

[MaxG]

These carried on with the Model Aviators Association as I believe just holidays for flyers.

Try looking at : http://www.modelaviatorsassociation.co.uk/index.html

There is one near Filey (In Yorkshire for those who don't know) in May this year.

HTH

Maxg

[Nightflyer]

I was at Filey back about 5 years ago. Weather was quite nice if variable that particular week.