RetroFest at Steam Museum in Swindon - end of May

[Timbucus]

It is early days for the site with details on who is attending but, around 40 exhibitors already apparently will make this an interesting event I am sure. I have said I will take the Karen Orton collection of homebrew along - some repairs now needed so hopefully can get them done before then!

https://www.retrofest.uk/

[SiriusHardware]

Oh Dear, a museum I've been wanting to go to for ages anyway (since it focuses on my other main nerdy interest).

We are already committed to a number of things around that time though, so I'll have to see if I can get planning permission.

[G6Tanuki]

If you do choose to attend, be aware that there are some not-so-obvious bus lanes in the parking areas for the Outlet Centre, with camera enforcement. Get in the wrong lane and your visit could easily turn out to be unwelcomely more expensive than you expected.

[ortek_service]

Thanks for the info - rather closer to Tim, this time!

Chris & I had also got an email from the organiser about this new event , planned for Sat 31st May / Sun 1st Jun
- As we had previously exhibited at the RCF and had been interested in also exhibiting at this new event (that was originally-planned at the rather-closer to us Sports Connexion Centre at Ryton-on-Dunsmore Nr. Coventry during the annual RetroTech (Ex NVCF) BVWS event there - On Sun 11 May this year).

I think I've only ever passed through Swindon once - recalling managing to get across its famous 'Magic Roundabout' without getting too confused!

[Phil__G]

Is this "as well as" or "instead of" the Ryton-on-Dunsmoor event Tim?

[Phil__G]

I'd asked Tony for a table at Sports Connexion but havent heard anything from him about relocating or confirmation of table space, he tried a couple of times to add me to some discord server or other but couldnt get it to work

[ortek_service]

Chris tells me that he'd heard from Tony J that this is instead of the originally-planned event at RetroTech - Due to Parking issues?
(Where it could be difficult to get an on-site space sometimes at RetroTech even - especially if a sports event was also being held! - just for the RetroTech alone, compared to the previous Warwickshire Exhibition Centre venue for that, which now cost too-much for organisers to hire).

Not sure what parking's like at the Swindon venue? (The Cambridge Museums, inc. 'Museum of Technology' didn't have much on-site, but usually could find somewhere quite-close)

[ChrisOddy]

Parking shouldn't be a problem in Swindon as there's a great big shopping outlet next door !

[ortek_service]

Originally Posted by ChrisOddy

Parking shouldn't be a problem in Swindon as there's a great big shopping outlet next door !

But presumably 'Customers Only' (if they follow you on cameras) / Can only park there for 2-3hrs max? like many of these now are.

[a_snufkin]

Ooh, sort of local.
Nearest parking is £2.50 for 5 hours, £12 for longer:
https://www.mcarthurglen.com/en/outlets/uk/designer-outlet-swindon/plan-your-visit/

Mind that if the main car park is full then to get to the west car park you have to do a big loop out to Great Western Way (B4006) and come in via Paddington Drive, past the Bridgemead Sainsbury. Don't try and cut through on the (to be fair, pretty clearly signed) bus lane.

Council run Bristol Street car park (SN1 5EQ) isn't too far away and there's an underpass nearby that saves having to walk through the outlet.
https://www.swindon.gov.uk/directory_record/23325/bristol_street_car_park

Since trains and beer seem to often go together, the Glue Pot pub is also nearby and pretty decent.

Museum of Computing is near the Wyvern Theatre, other side of the town centre, probably about a mile away.

[GMB]

Whenever I have been to STEAM they gave me a ticket that gets you out of the nearby parking for free.

[HereBeDragons]

Hi all, my ears were burning! I'm Tony, organiser of RetroFest so I thought I'd come say hi. Phil, I'll drop you an email shortly. For visitors, here's the parking info - https://www.steam-museum.org.uk/visit/parking/ - but in summary, it's £2.50 for 5 hours at the retail park but does jump to £12 if you stay longer. There's details of alternative park on the STEAM site linked about. Exhibitors, it's slightly different, I'll be in touch about that. Any other questions, please ask!

[G6Tanuki]

From memory, if you spend more than a certain amount at a shop in the Designer Outlet Village, you get a voucher that lets you out of the car park for free.

A great opportunity, while you are spodding around looking at computers and old trains, your inamorato/inamorata can indulge in a bit of retail therapy to refresh his/her spring-and-summer-2025 wardrobe.

[ChrisOddy]

Might be cheaper to pay for the parking !!

[Red to black]

Originally Posted by ChrisOddy

Might be cheaper to pay for the parking !!

Probably correct there Chris!

[ortek_service]

Originally Posted by a_snufkin

Ooh, sort of local.
Nearest parking is £2.50 for 5 hours, £12 for longer:
https://www.mcarthurglen.com/en/outlets/uk/designer-outlet-swindon/plan-your-visit/

Mind that if the main car park is full then to get to the west car park you have to do a big loop out to Great Western Way (B4006) and come in via Paddington Drive, past the Bridgemead Sainsbury. Don't try and cut through on the (to be fair, pretty clearly signed) bus lane.

Council run Bristol Street car park (SN1 5EQ) isn't too far away and there's an underpass nearby that saves having to walk through the outlet.
https://www.swindon.gov.uk/directory_record/23325/bristol_street_car_park
>>
>>

Well if you're there <5hrs, the Council one: https://www.swindon.gov.uk/directory_record/23325/bristol_street_car_park
is half the price of the 'Designer Outlet' (Maybe why they charge more than often free conventional retail parks!) on Sat/Sun.

But as soon as you stay>5hr, the charge rockets to >10x that! / >20x that if staying >12hrs! (Illogically both much-more than staying for 24hrs on a weekday):

Saturday and Sunday all day
Up to 5 hours - £1.30
5 to 12 hours - £14.70
12+ hours - £29.40

[Phil__G]

Originally Posted by HereBeDragons

There's details of alternative park on the STEAM site linked about. Exhibitors, it's slightly different, I'll be in touch about that.

Any update on the exhibitor parking please Tony? I'm rather worried about city centre car parks with too-small bays - dinted doors and scrape-and-runs have cost me a fortune in the past.
Cheers
Phil

[GMB]

Has STEAM stopped issuing free parking tickets for the parking machines?

I have been to STEAM for events several times over the years and have never had to pay for parking. So has anyone checked?

[ortek_service]

Thanks for the further-info. Did you park in the Retail car park or the Council one to use these free tickets?

Free parking may well still be the case, for exhibitors at least as Tony said things are rather different for them.
Although he did give parking cost for visitors to it, so it seemed they don't free parking for this.

As most of us haven't been there yet, then we're not aware of quite how things will be - particularly for those exhibiting.

[GMB]

I was unaware that there were different kinds of car-parks. I parked in the "obvious" big one as I arrived that is vaguely near the NT building. STEAM is a bit of a walk past NT.

STEAM used to give out the free parking payment tickets for anyone visiting - but you did have to remember to ask for it! But the last time this was definitely true was OCT 2023.

UPDATE: I see from their website that they are not offering free parking for public events, but they do for visiting the museum (if you use the correct CP - see STEAM website) and I guess they also do for private events (what I have previous been there for).