Busfest thoughts

[Davydomes]

Yep - Agree with a lot of the observations. I still really enjoyed it though and got a few good buys. My main gripe was the main act. Dr & The Medics. They where just like a pub band to me. I walked out by the 4th song. Best band I saw was called (I think) The Andy Ritchie Band. Located at that little floor level stage that I can't remember the name of :roll:

 

[gas1man]

We have done this show 3 years in a row. Not any more unfortunately. Arrived very early one year, managed to amble around trying to find stuff for the bus,
only to see and hear one trader buying all the stuff from one chap . Yes he has the cash to splash but then took all the stuff to his stall and increased the price by more than double. :shock:

Just that put me off a little and then when I questioned him he turned round a said "if you don't like it you can
F.....R.....Off. Was a fairly large trader and was very taken aback. No I wont name and shame he just will not get
any of my hard earned cash.
I am sure this is done and hey business is business I agree, but that sort of mark up?

I still want to attend a few shows but will be rather picky from now on.

J & P

 

[Analog]

Essentially, yes. It is still for Type 2 vans, it's just there are only 2 generations of aircooled vans out of the 6 that exist now

...3/6..... :msn4:

 

[Clem]

Essentially, yes. It is still for Type 2 vans, it's just there are only 2 generations of aircooled vans out of the 6 that exist now

...3/6..... :msn4:

2.2/6 at a push :lol:

 

[SiDev]

I've been going to shows for around 20 years and an awful lot has changed, mostly in the last few years actually, and it seems that the air cooled guys are being forgotten, it's a real shame. I prefer the family shows as I have 2 young boys, but also you are less likely to get some pissed-up bell end in a wanky T4 banging out shitty drum and bass through his cheap Halfords sub-box next to you for the weekend. I've yet to do a European show but EBI is on the list for next year along with Ninove, I've heard only good things.

 

[Analog]

Essentially, yes. It is still for Type 2 vans, it's just there are only 2 generations of aircooled vans out of the 6 that exist now

...3/6..... :msn4:

2.2/6 at a push :lol:

:lol:

 

[monkeyvanwestybike]

If I remember correctly The original show
Was ran by The Type2 owners club and called vanfest?
And was for Type 2 vans
And then there was some sort of internal politics problem

Essentially, yes. It is still for Type 2 vans, it's just there are only 2 generations of aircooled vans out of the 6 that exist now

It does say it's "The World's Largest VW Transporter Festival", and the last time I looked it said Transporter on the back of my T6.

Yeah Wig
I suppose technically your right it does
But
No way I would rock up to a classic BMW meet that had been running for years with my E61

 

[Clem]

20 years ago. Spot the water cooled buses!

 

[Bookie]

It was our first visit this year. Went on the Saturday but didn't take the bus, 500 mile round trip in a day, in the rain, with two young kids wouldn't have been fun. As we only has a day I went through the exhibitor list and went straight to the people I wanted to see - All things timber, bromsgrove trimmers and glawning. So that was good. Apart from the synchro show the fire thing was a bit slow. Could do so much more for the kids in that area. Next time definitely avoiding the fun fair £2 per child!!! Could have bought a piece of pottery for them to paint for that cost.
Still we got an 8m pole with a penguin sock and a VW flag for next time we camp.
Oh and by the way, no one likes shitty halfords sub boxes. But I do love drum and bass - maybe not if I was trying to get kids to sleep at 10pm on a campsite though!!! [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH][SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH]


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[SiDev]

There's good drum and bass, and shitty drum and bass. It's shitty drum and bass, through a crap sound system, at stupid-o'clock that gets me! I'm more a few beers (quite a few), fire on, chatting with a bit of Hendrix in the background kind of bloke. Must be getting old.... :lol:

 

[creationblue]

Well I have to say I love it, the more the merrier I say, vintage/new there is room for everyone. Nice to see more Earlybayers turning up this year, they increased our pitch to the size it used to be, we had, music, a fire, great company, great buses. Me and Bundy could have bought the dodgems in what we spent but the kids loved it as did I 8)

 

[kiwisteve]

I was there for the entire weekend and wasnt that impressed. I probably wont bother going again as previously mentioned it felt like a car boot or Sunday market. 'Traders' selling fruit and veg, and non stick saucepans?? More tat than I could possibly know what to do with and over priced buses all over the place. And not just aircooled stuff. Someone was trying to sell a Y reg T4 for £16K!!!!!

 

[marcher]

Can't remember anything that happened before about 5ish on Saturday evening......
Got told off by a trader for making rude words out of his letters display.
It was cold Saturday night.
That's about it.

WTF did you get up to :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[monkeyvanwestybike]

Can't remember anything that happened before about 5ish on Saturday evening......
Got told off by a trader for making rude words out of his letters display.
It was cold Saturday night.
That's about it.

WTF did you get up to :lol: :lol: :lol:

Must of gone off with the T fivers and they applied him with cider and stuff!
arty0041:

 

[ozziedog]

Well I have to say I love it, the more the merrier I say, vintage/new there is room for everyone. Nice to see more Earlybayers turning up this year, they increased our pitch to the size it used to be, we had, music, a fire, great company, great buses. Me and Bundy could have bought the dodgems in what we spent but the kids loved it as did I 8)

All the ones that camped down with our lot at the Early Bay bit had a great time apart from Wig who has no idea where he went or what he got up to, I remember seeing him (I think) in the early hours and he was non compesmentos so I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary :lol: . I know he didn't greet the new day with too much enthusiasm but I'm sure he was up before lunch (maybe) :roll:
Camp fire on, check, snacks and plenty to eat, check, lots of friends new and old, check, plenty of nice cold Stella's , Hhhmmm, :? M , check, talking baloney, check, Bob Marley on in the back ground, check 8) , not too far from the loos, double check, had a great time, Check! :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, Camp with the Early Bay lot, check :mrgreen:

 

[marcher]

He left us and had to walk back to his van one eye'd :lol: :lol:

 

[Clem]

'Traders' selling fruit and veg, and non stick saucepans?? More tat than I could possibly know what to do with and over priced buses all over the place. And not just aircooled stuff. Someone was trying to sell a Y reg T4 for £16K!!!!!

As well as the food traders, it seems there are a lot of market traders who get to trade there at any event so yeah, the fruit and veg, saucepan and other tat stalls fill out the showground.
Thats not a problem as such as the showground is big enough, but you do hear tales of traders being refused plots due to space * or those not attending due to cost * and when you see empty halls and thinly spaced out areas of the showground it does beg the question - why?

* To clarify, I have no personal experience myself of either situation, just what I've heard/read.

I do really like Busfest, and I really hope it doesn't go the way of BVF which went from a massive popular event to dead due, in part, to a failure to evolve and change properly. I really think the show needs a shake up, a shuffle about, a few fresh ideas and also a pointed attempt to tempt back the aircooled owners to embrace the heritage of the event

My only real complaint of the weekend was the comedian in the Teme Hall. He was bad, but that was a side issue - we left when he started telling plainly racist jokes. He even tried to justify himself with the old 'Im not racist' chestnut. Completely unacceptable.

 

[vinvan]

2014/15 busfest was ace, this year not bad but could be a lot better, Got to the show nice an early 8.45, we where in the fourth line of vehicles ( mostly T5s) only got in 10.45 the parking field got full so a jobsworth copper told the crew to let people in who had just arrived because the road outside was getting blocked, THEN he starts stopping the queue to let people and kids cross the road,
"what a balloon head" the people who had been there for hours were not impressed
Had a word with one of the crew (nice lad) told me they can't let people in because the insurance only starts at 10am (are the organisers a bit stupid surely they know that people are going to turn up earlier)
saying that we could see loads of tents already pitched, so the insurance thing is bollocks.
As for the show lots of stalls selling tac, very high prices for van bits (when are traders going to learn that people just won't pay knowing they are getting ripped off ) found a few bits some EB deluxe seat backs not bad condition £35 for the set (result) the guy who imports from the US had a set not as good nick wanted an astounding £160, two years ago bought two opening quarter lights from the same guy £35 each (he had loads) which was reasonable, this year £95 each
The main act on Saturday night Doctor & the Medics (RUBBISH) walked out after 2 songs, and as for the "ZOMBIES" didn't see any until Saturday night (only then think i saw one going for a pee)
well ive had my rave
will still go next year because we meet lots of like minded people and see some great buses, (and it's an excuse to get drunk and have some fun)
So come on Busfest organisers pull your finger out, lets have something new and original, Here's a suggestion why not put the word out on the forums for some ideas (but you wont)

Vinvan

 

[Nathan]

Been every year since 2002 and we love this show. It's a massive trip for us from the Lake District but we go with good friends and always have a good time.
I think the Internet is probably one of the biggest factors in changing what's sold at the shows. I'm not bothered what people show up in unless it's a massive caravan with a generator running all weekend!were all there for the same thing. A good time!

 

[ozziedog]

Been every year since 2002 and we love this show. It's a massive trip for us from the Lake District but we go with good friends and always have a good time.
I think the Internet is probably one of the biggest factors in changing what's sold at the shows. I'm not bothered what people show up in unless it's a massive caravan with a generator running all weekend!were all there for the same thing. A good time!

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Perfect :mrgreen: