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| My second train, arriving at Smethwick Galton Bridge station. |
Welcome at last to the first part of my report on UK PonyCon 2024. Even though I have to do this in a slightly kludgey way while I don't have a proper computer available, I hope these blogs won't look too terrible! Before I go any further, though, I'll say that I had a great time at the convention and that even though I will mention a few grumbles along the way, I thought it was a roaring success overall.
Unlike last year, this time around I was fortunate enough to be able to attend for the full long weekend, ie travelling up on Friday and returning on Monday. Better yet, for the first time in three years there were no public transport strikes to contend with!¹ TrainCon was happening again. As I usually do, I wore last year's UKPC T-shirt on the trip, but I noticed nobody who was certainly going my way.
¹ At one point the Nottingham trams were on strike, but the dispute was resolved before UKPC weekend.
Given the sometimes ridiculous prices of Nottingham hotels during the weekend of both UK PonyCon and the Goose Fair (listed in order of importance, yes) I'd again chosen to base myself in Derby. I'd done this twice before, so I knew exactly what I was doing. [That'd be a first, then! —Ed] Normally Travelodge has a 3pm check-in, but I found it well worth paying the extra tenner to check in at midday.
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| My luxurious room in the Travelodge. Isn't it fancy? |
Having done the minimum of unpacking and had a quick splash under the shower, I walked back to the station I'd just left. Derby's road system includes an enormous roundabout in an awkward place for pedestrians, but oh well. Many of the Worcester Shires people who attend UKPC, plus a few guests, gather on the Friday evening in the Roebuck Inn pub in central Nottingham, and I wasn't going to miss that.
But first, something new: pre-registration! Last year there were enormous queues for registration on Saturday morning, and with an even bigger attendance expected this time it was clear something had to be done. So, anyone with a ticket valid for Saturday could grab their badges in advance at the Hilton. Me being me, I walked straight past it, but fortunately Frost was passing and told me where to go.¹
¹ In a manner of speaking.
Pre-reg itself was very efficient – I was in and out in less than ten minutes – and I hope it's retained in future. With my Bronze Sponsor badge around my neck, something of a strange experience on a Friday, I headed across the city centre to the Roebuck. Last year we'd had to squash into rather cramped and very noisy booths upstairs, so I'd had the bright idea of getting to the pub early to grab a better space.
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| The first hour of the Roebuck pre-meet. Not shown: cider. |
This was a good plan in theory. In practice, I got there way too early and ended up sitting alone for well over an hour, with only a pint of cider to console me. It was probably the least enjoyable period of my entire con weekend, and I certainly won't be doing it this way again if I come to UKPC next year! I'll probably revert to what I did in 2022 and have a coffee somewhere first.
Still, eventually a few people did start trickling in, and from then on things improved significantly, apart from a bizarre interlude when a guy started loudly preaching by the bar and had to be escorted out. The space I'd chosen was not in fact ideal, as it had two tables with a large gap between them, meaning it was very hard to speak to anyone at the other one. My fish and chips (with baked beans, since the Roebuck had contrived to run out of mushy peas...) was perfectly okay, at least.
Despite the pre-meet's slightly iffy beginnings, I did get a few hours of nice conviviality. I didn't know everyone there particularly well, but the majority were long-standing friends. I think I probably left about nine in order to board the tram back to the station. As regular readers know, Nottingham at night isn't always my favourite place, but I had no issues and I was back at the hotel in Derby by a bit after ten.
Next time: Saturday part one, featuring (happy) tears, Meegan and toast.
I'd forgotten your frustrations at being stuck in an empty Roebuck for a while, so taken up I was with the opposite problem! But relative to some past Fridays for you, sounds like a largely stress-free one, always glad to hear.
ReplyDeleteEven though I have to do this in a slightly kludgey way while I don't have a proper computer available, I hope these blogs won't look too terrible!
Nothing seems out of place compared to past one thus far. Now just maintain that for six more parts. :P
Better yet, for the first time in three years there were no public transport strikes to contend with!
The weekend went so well I totally forgot this is a thing we've had to deal with! I suppose, me staying in a nearby hotel and only using the train on the Friday and Monday, it was easy to slip me by, despite all the effort on Zen's part preparing everyone for it. But this is unambiguously a good thing.
Normally Travelodge has a 3pm check-in, but I found it well worth paying the extra tenner to check in at midday.
Maybe not in hindsight with all that buffer time in the Roebuck, eh? Hindsight 20/20 and all that.
The space I'd chosen was not in fact ideal, as it had two tables with a large gap between them, meaning it was very hard to speak to anyone at the other one.
Yeah, even in the mere hour I was there, I noticed that effectively separated the lifers of our group from the newcomers (one small regret I have for the weekend is still barely getting introduced to most of them).
I think I probably left about eight
Not without time-travelling, as I didn't get there until half-eight myself! I think it was nearly nine by the time you left, we passed each other on you taking a quick detour to the bog on your way out.
Thanks very much for reading, Mike! I've just been reading your own piece over on Fimfiction as it happens, so I'll make a few comments there myself in a while.
DeleteActually, I'm hoping to copy these over to Fimfiction myself, albeit in a fairly crude way. I don't want to do that at nearly the same time as your post goes up, this, so I'll leave that until tomorrow. :)
Maybe not in hindsight with all that buffer time in the Roebuck, eh? Hindsight 20/20 and all that.
I think the early check-in itself was a very good thing, and if I go next year and it's in Nottingham again, I'll do it again. The issue was my own over-enthusiasm! What I did in 2022 worked much better.
Yeah, even in the mere hour I was there, I noticed that effectively separated the lifers of our group from the newcomers (one small regret I have for the weekend is still barely getting introduced to most of them).
Another reason I'll change my schedule next year: someone else can get the blame for the table layout! ;) But I agree with your regret. I suppose with the huge attendance this year, that was more likely than ever.
Not without time-travelling, as I didn't get there until half-eight myself!
Yep, a faulty memory on my part there. Changed to nine. :)