There has been some very valid feedback after each rally event this season which has highlighted some pitfalls each event has. Issues have ranged from venue size (Durham), public awareness (Tyne Tees Run) to dull shuttle routes (Metrocentre).
I'd like to suggest a new event which may alleviate some of these - a rally held at the Northern Echo Arena (ex Darlington FC Stadium). The principle of a stadium hosting a rally is successful at the popular POPS running day in Stoke-on-Trent.
It's a great location for accessibility; not only for the great selection of buses present in the North East already, but the short distance from the A1 and A66 would make the event appealing to preservationists form Yorkshire and Cumbria.
To discuss the site itself, I imagine access would be fairly easy to arrange - the stadium is vastly underused and it's likely the Rugby Club who now operate the site would engage the positive PR. I've attached below how I would see the site being used:
The yellow area indicates the amble visitor parking - this area is also well segregated from buses thus favouring photography and is sensible for safety, segregated entrances for buses and cars could be possible.
The pink area shows there is more than enough space for stalls and refreshment stands The area may indeed be too much space, but it will serve as a welcoming reception area as people walk from the car park. The ample space lends itself to the possibility of inviting food vans and eBay sellers to the event.
The green area is where I would suggest static displays are held - I estimate there is room for at least 20 buses to be parked reasonably well spaced to make for good photography. Once all the displays are parked there will be no vehicle movement during the day, which lends itself to safety in this area.
The red area would be a good place to park vehicles which will be used in shuttle runs. We've learned it is sensible to segregate static and shuttle buses during the day and the Darlington site is excellent for this. There is still room in this area to park buses in a 'V' format (as per M'boro bus station), and house around 20 buses. The central 'road' can be marshaled to clear pedestrians before buses move.
When I attended the POPS rally, I noticed what appeared to be a 'holding pen' where vehicles due to be used in shuttles within the next 15 minutes moved to so any preparations for service could be made and the bus could depart on time. I would suggest this area is fenced off from general visitors due to the volume of vehicle movements in this area. This would be a key area for preservationist drivers to communicate with a traffic controller to ensure smooth running of services. In terms of bus stops, I would say the best solution would be have a loading only stop after the holding pen and an alighting stop just before the pen; thus enforcing a one-way flow of vehicles through the site.
For shuttles, I would suggest the following routes:
Rally site - Railway Station - Tubwell Row - Rally site
This route could run every 15 minutes, taking 20 minutes as a round trip and covering 2.9 miles. It's a rather simple route along Neasham Road with a loop in the Town Centre. As a key feature of this route, I would like to suggest drivers may 'pre-volunteer' to operate inbound services from the station and Town Centre on their way to the rally site in the morning to help transport those arriving by public transport in the morning.
Rally Site - Durham Tees Valley Airport - Rally Site
This route could run every 30 minutes, taking 30 minutes as a round trip (inclusive of 5 min photo stop at the airport) - covering 10.8 miles. This route would be suitable for bus owners who would prefer the more open roads of the A66/A67 and enthusiasts who enjoy some engine thrash! There is, of course, some crossover on interests for many at the airport some some may choose to hop off there and observe whatever aircraft may be around before getting the next shuttle back.
Rally Site - Railway Station - Head of Steam/North Road - Shildon Locomotion
More of a special excursion, but ideally 4 return journeys taking 30 minutes each way. Again, this touches on the crossover of interests many enthusiasts have with the railway and this route could be a big pull for those visiting out of the region who could visit other attractions on the same day. There is also then the possibility to promote the event via the two museums.
It's been mentioned on several occasions that these events need to get into the 21st century; so my next suggestion may seem radical. Although a published timetable would naturally for sale so the proceeds could be donated to operating vehicle owners - sometimes things go wrong and vehicles can't operate. In this case, I would suggest the rally control would operate a live twitter feed which could, in turn, appear on Facebook and their own website. This way every can check in with updates, cancelations and substitutions rather than the current system of hearsay and rumours.
Eg.
'13:00 Rally Site-T'well Row: UTN501Y replaced by SHN80L'
I would also ideally place a visible marshal at Tubwell Row and the Rail Station who would guide visitors and sell programmes/timetables.
In conclusion, this is just a pipe dream. I have few contacts and no influence in the preservation and rally scene so this is purely a representation of how I think things could improve. In general, marketing and promotion of these events needs improving, embracing social media. The rally scene needs to be opened up to a wider audience to survive and thrive - buses could be attracted from a wider area and more members of the public should be introduced to our hobby. Openness and inclusion, including cross-generation co-operation, can only be a good thing.
