Netley Marsh revisited
Well it’s been a while since I put
fingertips to keyboard, so this is a catchup on all things Alexander since
Adlington Carnival, only a few weeks ago now but seems like an age.
The first important development is that the
stage trailer is now safe and legal. I
had been worried about the axles as they really weren’t to a high enough spec.
Although I have not had the trailer weighed recently, my feeling was that it
was heavier the two tonne rating it came with, so the ‘can do’ guys at Chester
Trailer Centre did their magic and it now is rated at over three tonnes so
ample room for moderate expansion. New
axles and new heavier, chunkier tyres and tows a dream! One less thing for me to worry about. The down side is that the old electric mover
which allowed me to finally manipulate it into tight pitches where the lorry
could not go will have to be replaced as the previous one does not fit the new
tyres. I’ve booked the job in for next
week. Vast expense but I had a new
booking at Beamish Museum for four days in September so my thought is that will
pay for it!
My weekend off was rare and most enjoyable.
A rare opportunity for me to relax, reflect and catch up on myself
mid-season. It’s been a classic season
so far. Not without its dramas (my ankle
is now fully recovered) and some lovely new events the memory of which I will
savour over winter nights. And meeting old friends from all.
My return to Netley Marsh Steam Rally the
following weekend was typical of the best.
I hadn’t been there for a couple of years as the event had clashed with
Welland Steam Rally. For a number of
reasons I had gone off Welland. I didn’t
like the monster banging machine, the ‘Sonic Cannon’ which they trundled into
the arena at the end of each day. The
noise terrified all the dogs on the site, mine included, which meant that we
had to take a two mile walk away from the event to escape it at the end of
every afternoon, and even then it could be heard and my two became scared and
unworkable.
But more significantly, the people at
Welland had an entirely different attitude to me and to the event and I wasn’t
sure why. Until someone told me that the Welland Steam Rally was run on a ‘for
profit’ basis. Major difference. Netley
Marsh is organised by volunteers for charity (as are most of the other steam rallies I
attend). It showed, and it’s odd but it
filtered down to every level of both events.
At Welland it felt as though I was there just to do a job. I had no real
feeling of welcome or pleasure when I met up with the organisers and no-one from
their organisers said anything to me about the shows. Good or Bad. I don’t think they even watched them.
An amazing contrast then this time at
Netley Marsh. Those in charge made me
feel really welcome. They returned
several times during the set up to ask whether everything was OK and there was
real warmth from many people about my being there again, and this carried on
through the weekend and it made the event a great and memorable success. It was lovely to be back and I have already
confirmed the booking for next year.
Now of course there were people at Welland
who enjoyed the shows and spoke to me afterwards, but they were visitors or
stall holders who knew me. At Netley it
was the organisers who made the event such a great success I believe because
the warmth and enthusiasm for the event was not linked to the amount of money
they had to make from it. It’s amazing
how leadership attitude can filter down so obviously, and not just in
corporations and big organisations.
A week later and I’m at another place whose
volunteers really make it work, but I will save the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
for a blog of its very own.
All the best from a road near you,
Mr Alexander