34 replies to this topic

[denis007]

all the guests that I talked to were very nice, talkative and friendly. I truly enjoyed being there with them this sunday. I think that it was probably the best Autographica I attended in years. The guests were great!

The atmosphere was warm, friendly and the hotel was very easy to find as opposed to last year. It was definitely a beter choice.

I was a bit disappointed by the fact that Honor Blackman did not accept for me to take a photo with her, especially since there was no sign displayed. But in the end, I am quite happy I could talk to her and that I could get her autograph. She was very chatty and I enjoyed being in her presence at Autographica. She is a wonderful, warm and kind lady.

[Count Fooku]

All in all I thought this was an excellent weekend.

I did wonder Friday night if I had been a bit extravagent booking a room for two nights but by Saturday I was glad I did. It was useful to be able to take the larger/bulkier items I had down to the signing room then be able to drop them back off in my room as soon as they were done without having to wait till 3pm to check into a room. It was also useful to be able to leave things up there during the photoshoots rather than having to bother about bag collections etc.

The guests were a great bunch this year, everyone I met was friendly and chatty which is what I think sets Autographica apart from other events.

I thought the addition of the shuttle astronauts worked really well. They were a great bunch to meet, very friendly and chatty, especially Tom Jones who really seemed to make the effort with everyone who went to see him. I have to say I was a bit sceptical when Showmasters first mentioned about bringing Shuttle astronauts over, and my preference remains for the MGA era to attend the shows while they still can, but if this weekend was representative of what we might see in the future then I think this could be a very positive thing.

It was also great to see Edgar Mitchell make the trip over here. I have to admit after all the cancellations (for very understandable reasons), I had started to worry he might not make it over here again but he seemed in good spirits and gave an excellent talk Saturday afternoon. I was pleased to be able to add an in-person autograph from him to my collection.

The talks were really good as well, I went to the Edgar Mitchell one on Saturday, then Rich Graham, Jerry Bostick and Tom Jones on Sunday. All very interesting and well presented.

Photoshoots came out well, especially the group astronaut picture. I don't know how difficult this was to arrange from a financial/logistical point of view but this is something I would really like to see again at other shows in the future.

Decent selection of items for sale on the dealer stands, the 15 photos for £10 deal was very good and as always The Space Station had a great display. I was very tempted by a number of items but had to pass after seeing the state my wallet was in by Sunday morning!

I think Dave, Jason and Paul deserve a huge amount of credit for putting on such a good show against what can't be easy times financially. Very much looking forward to Birmingham next year.

[yahweh70]

Probably the most sparse Autographica I've done, both in footfall, and my personal budget.

Because I'd been persuaded to keep up the Dinner attendance record, it meant my plans for an Ed Mitchell sig on my canvas had to be foregone.

My sig collection was added to with Kenneth Cope, who was pretty sprightly, and opinionated.. and the freebie with the weekend pass, Jo Lancaster. That was Saturday.

Sunday, after a pretty good nights sleep (I'd had 2 bad nights previously), and the comp brekkie, it was Susan Hampshire on a Danish poster for Those Daring Young Men in their Jaunty Jalopies.. or as it was known on the board.. Monte Carlo or Bust.

Memories of which Lana Wood shots were in my collection made me ponder which to add to the collection. Not having any of Ms Danning, made me go, after paying parking, for a Ms Danning pic.

Did I say sparse? Timing of bank dealings could have made it so much better. Every STS guy/gal, Ed, probably the Thunderbirds, Mr Madoc.. Bruce..

[runningambassador]

Good to be back at the Radisson, I remember the last time I was there I had the Micra - that seems an age, that was when Gloria Hendry, Trina Parks and Carole Ashby were there, to name a few - anybody remember that? I certainly see that they haven't changed the wallpaper since then!

I must say that Susan Hampshire was the most wonderful and sincerest lady I have met in a long time. I went down primarily for her on Sunday, and she was such a fantastic lady - I am glad to have seen her - thank you Miss Hampshire. The photoshoots and attendance were a little sparse, I'm wondering if it was too close after a certain event at Earl's Court, and people were feeling the pinch? That may ccount for some of the sparseness alluded to, but I was still aiming to attend regardless.

The organisation was up to its high standards and indeed the water and refreshments were an added bonus, I don't remember this from previous trips.

After the photo shoot with Michael Jayston I went for a big run round Heathrow's terminals rather than hanging around for the pics to come back - got heavily lost for an hour and half but finally returned, coming back past the hotel down the road where the previous autographica was held when Tany Roberts and Linda Gray attended - I knew it looked familiar. After a towel down in the toilets - thanks for the towels Radisson - I hung about for the pics and chomped my way through a big mac and fries! After such efforts on the road, boy did I need it.

I then saw how the whole of the show finishes, which I have never done before, seeing Kenny Baker wandering around the lounge area and Shane Rimmer setting off with his wife as he exited the lift. The papers with the guests names were strewn around in the rooms with Lana Wood's name and others on it.

All in all it was worth going to see Susan and Ed Mitchell. On the way home had to have a kip in back seat at Oxford though, so looking forward to Birmingham and maybe Gene Cernan, or Jane Seymour?

www.markdabbsrunningambassador.co.uk

[yellowmarlin]

How was the hotel?  Layout and such like.

[Count Fooku]

Hotel was OK for me, they had a small room off to the side of the lobby with PCs for free internet access which was quite useful across the weekend.

Food and drink prices were quite high but it's an airport hotel so there are never going to be any bargains on that side of things. Handy McDonalds next door though and an OK pub just down the road which did OK food for reasonable prices. There was also a petrol station opposite the pub and a general store and italian restaurant down a side road near the petrol station.

The show layout was the same as previous Autographicas, some guests and dealers in one room at the top of the main stairs, other guests just down the corridor, then the remainder of the guests in the atrium with another dealer room across from there. Photoshoots down a side corridor and the lecture room a bit further down from there.

The rooms were nice, reasonable size and all the usual facilities, only real downside was the lack of TV channels in the rooms, essentially just BBC1 annd 2, ITV, C4 and C5 with a load of foreign channels.

[yellowmarlin]

So no real problems then?  Thanks.

[APOLLO 16]

Leacroft, on Oct 15 2011, 08:36 PM, said:

A very enjoyable day at Autographica.

Lovely and relaxed, chilled atmosphere.
None of the ridiculous sci-fi fan rugby scrums, that i, personally cannot abide.
Great guests.
Attentive, polite and helpful staff and volunteers.
Beautiful, high quality Hotel. Perfect location for this event.

Thank you to the fantastic Astronauts. So classy and courteous.
Thank you Showmasters.
Already looking forward to Autographica 2012...bring it on.

I second that 100% Thank you all at autographica it was brill   see you next year.

[JacknDaniel]

I'd also like to add that I enjoyed this very much. I don't usually do Autographica, but I wanted to meet people such as Honor Blackman, Stephen Greif, Michael Jayston, and Michael Cochrane, as well as get photo shoots with several of the Doctor Who people.

I was very impressed with the hotel, and my room, all of the staff were very friendly. The event itself was very quiet, but it definitely helped make it a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. I met everyone with ease, and had a great time. All of the crew that I met, including the lady on the reg desk, Nick in the photo shoot area, and everyone else that I had dealings with throughout the weekend, were very friendly, and accomodating. Was also nice to have a brief chat with Too Tall Stuart

All in all a very pleasant experience

[timelord81r]

just 2 shoots for me, very small one for me this one, due to finances and some of the cxls.

but gotta say it was a great event, the hotel 10 times better than the thistle from what I saw.

all the guests seemed nice

michael cochrane was on fine form chatting up all the bond girls lol

im just sad I had to miss eds talk cos it clashed with michaels shoot.

would of loved to do the group astronauts but I couldnt afford the ticket that it came with in the end.

the honor thing, perhaps she doesnt like flashes too much, im sure the rival event I met her at earlier in the year she didnt do table pics cos of this, but she did like autographica do the photo shoot! might not be down to SM that one.

crew were great as always

I just went on the saturday, in the morning it seemed v busy, more so than the last autographica, but by the late afternoon had become more quiet

it does seem a vey long wait till the next one, is it oct 2012? I know its down to buzzs dates but alot can happen in a year.

Edited by timelord81r, 17 October 2011 - 07:33 PM.

[shearwater]

Fabulous weekend!
Friday and Saturday nights were both terrific: dinner in the Brasserie Friday, 'The Pheasant' on Saturday (Highly recommended!) My room was first class: so was breakfast!
The guests were outstanding: uber-approachable, accomodating and chatty: loved Rich Graham's wife and even had a photo with HB!
So well done Dave, Jason & Paul: no complaints from me except that the weekend seemed to fly by! Roll on A18!

Edited by shearwater, 17 October 2011 - 08:43 PM.

[spocks-brain]

As always, I really enjoyed my Autographica weekend. Relaxed and welcoming atmosphere - always the best show for that - and great guests.

Very nice to meet Ed Mitchell again. He was the very first guest that I ever met at an Autographica, at Northampton ten years ago.

The Thunderbird guests, Rodney Bewes and Johnny Johnson were all stand outs for me too. Hope to see them back again.

timelord81r, on Oct 17 2011, 08:32 PM, said:

it does seem a vey long wait till the next one, is it oct 2012? I know its down to buzzs dates but alot can happen in a year.

Yes, next years show is 19-21 October in Birmingham.
I know exactly what you mean. I much preferred the two shows a year format. There are so many guests who will only agree to do Autographica rather than any of the other shows, and of course age is a big factor. I like to meet as many of the older stars as possible.

Very much looking forward to the next one though and hopefully they'll be a chance to bring some Hollywood legends to that one again.

Thanks to Dave, Paul and Jason for yet again putting on a welcoming show. My 16th Autographica - only missed the first one - and they always leave me with many happy memories.

[prendy9160]

I have still to miss an Autographica show, this was the first dinner i have ever missed but went on Sunday.
I spoke to a couple of freinds that i have met and they said itb was the most relaxed show ever.
I was there only for an hour on Sunday to the Shuttl and other astros, it was so quite it was unreal.
I just hope next year at Birmingham Dave can pull some more big guests out of the hat, i know that Aldrin/carpenter will be attending but cant see alot of people paying £225 or more for an autograph if these money squeze is to go on.

prendy9160, on Oct 18 2011, 11:28 AM, said:

I have still to miss an Autographica show, this was the first dinner i have ever missed but went on Sunday.
I spoke to a couple of freinds that i have met and they said itb was the most relaxed show ever.
I was there only for an hour on Sunday to the Shuttl and other astros, it was so quite it was unreal.
I just hope next year at Birmingham Dave can pull some more big guests out of the hat, i know that Aldrin/carpenter will be attending but cant see alot of people paying £225 or more for an autograph if these money squeze is to go on.

[kel]

Bad Dog, on Oct 16 2011, 10:02 PM, said:

Donkey, on Oct 16 2011, 03:55 PM, said:

The checking of wristbands was non existent. After the ease to get in free last time, this really should have been tightened.

Hi

We were able to check wrist bands and passes as people approached signing tables and photo shoots with very little problem.  I only had to ask 3 seperate people to see them when they were not visible.  At each morning briefing all crew were reminded of this and it certainly was one of our priotiries this weekend.  

Thanks
Mara

In agreement with Mara. We did check and the majority could be seen very easily and therefore no need to ask - although I did for about 4.

Kirstie

[JacknDaniel]

I also heard a couple of people trying to meet a guest, and obviously didn't have a wristband, because they were asked to go downstairs and buy an entrance ticket accordingly