Lets save some time if you don’t like or attend truck shows, then please move on to another topic- for those that did attend a show THIS year can you consider a couple questions.
What did the show(s) you attended do right?
Where did the show(s) you attended go wrong?
We don’t want to identify individual shows, just get an idea of what was good or bad
and finally what was missing from all of the shows you attended that you would like to see at truck shows next year
Please note your comments may be used in an anonymised form in print or a research document made available to truck show organisers
I’d like to see more real working trucks. Cleaned, but not polished within an inch of their live. Like my own truck?
Nobody believes the hype around the show trucks… “it works every day down the quarry…” oh really??
I wish a certain truck show organiser would tell Lizard Lick Towing to [zb] off back from whence they came, I didn’t attend this year because I’m sick to death of the same old format and the same old nobodies pretending to be celebrities in the trucking community/scene.
At least it wasn’t that 2watt Mark Dixon I suppose.
Hard standing would be great, so the spectators don’t have to fight through the mud.
If a show is on Sunday, nobody should leave until the end, many times after 2-3 o’clock people packed their stuff, and move away, causing havoc, and an empty field for the paying spectators.
I am pleased that there are more and more classics on the shows, makes it a lot more interesting, you only want to see so many V8 and spotlights.
I think the truckfest franchise has gone too commercial, and forgotten it’s roots. Same faces win every year, but it’s got to the point where the same trucks get highly commended too. The judging categories need a massive overhaul
Truckfest has got too expensive £80 for four of us last year with too pensioners
Bin off the silly American celebrity’s and make it a more affordable price.
Went to an independent show on a cattle market in North Yorkshire earlier in the year,think it was £8 to get in,not massive like truckfest but a more chilled out and better show,the organiser deserves a lot of credit.
Also the constant blowing of air horns at truckfest does my nut it.
Some smaller shows now have a no blowing of air horns policy and I think it’s a good move and doesn’t upset residents near by.
Stopped attending a few years back due to most of what’s already been said.
The cost and everything it’s not far short of a circus with the markets and fairground stuff.
Everything’s getting compacted into smaller and smaller spaces.
Predictions on the 2017 winners please.
Punchy Dan:
i always avoid shows that charge you to exhibit your lorry , the organises should make their money from public entry fees .
Well that explains it. I thought you avoided shows because you drive a foden
Cheeky ,I don’t see it like that though ,I see it as a low Milage lorry ,■■■■■■■ powered ,and there’s nothing I can’t get for it and nothing I can’t repair or change my self ,I’d sooner run my Erf much better than any Foden .
Last year was the first show I attended with my lorry. I work for myself and run my own motor that works mostly 6 days a week and doesn’t sit in a yard being polished everyday. I try my hardest to keep on top of my unit being clean and touch the tanks, tyres and alloy wheels at least 3-4 days a week when I have a spare hour or so to kill. It passes time and I take a little bit of pride. I’m not one for buying light bars of any kind, apart from the 3 LED lights I purchased for the middle bottom of my grill and the 2 LED beacon lights in the grill also. I find it finishes it off nicely without spending hundreds of pounds… (i do that on fuel ). So like I was saying I went to Malvern truckshow last year which was the first time I’ve been to in a lorry and enjoyed it thoroughly. I know a few people that also do what I do and keep on top of their units and take a bit of pride. Getting complete hammered on the Friday night and Saturday night is totally worth it and It was a good laugh. Also… if you drink enough on the Saturday night you physically can’t leave early on the Sunday I’m only thinking about the Sunday folk honestly.
Now I’ve got my new DAF I’ve looked after it just like my (old) Volvo and will continue to also. Same goes if I ever decide to pack in working for myself and running my own unit and sod off to a company. I’d try and take as much pride as possible in whatever I drive.
Personally I found nothing wrong with Malvern truckfest in itself, however feedback to take I’d say get rid of Lizard lick and the rest of them… Also… tell the bloody commentator to take his hi-viz off, he looks like agency
I went to the Retro Show at Gaydon. My first show in the UK. Chatted with lots of truck owners and they were all very friendly. Good weather made it a good day-out. Only criticism would be that it was too cramped. I like to take photographs and a lot of the trucks were just too close together. Lined-up back to front would have been better than side by side but i realize that needs a lot more space.
This a picture of the indoor truck show at Dallas, Texas. The trucks are displayed on a grid system with plenty of room to walk round them but no wide aisles.
I did one near Malaga a few years back in my old F12, polished tanks, durabrite alcoas, sunvisor and basic spec paint, factory white cab with blue chassis, side deflectors and marker lights. It didnt win but got commended. Many others had 16 plus spotlights , train air horns, led markers like a xmas tree and murals ect…its not always more is better…
This year managed 1 which was an independent & all for charity (NET Gosforth Park Newcastle ) most of the lorries were working ok some did have nice paint jobs but on the main just plain nice turned out & polished but not to the max
On the friday night there was a convoy form Washington services with police presence
Not too many stalls but the ones that were there were all related to the job we do ( cleaning products cab curtains etc )
Long time since been to a truckfest or other too many stalls selling what we don’t want or need bit like a car boot sale far too expensive & the same old in the main arena people you have never heard of that have no interest in lorries they are there as they are being paid far too much for far too little
Never attended one as i fail to see why the likes of coronation street personality’s and worse joey Essex have anything to do with the haulage industry i might be more interested if people from the industry attended maybe even a VOSA stand so drivers can get information relative to the job they do day in day out and has been said more working trucks and representatives from larger haulage company’s
I was going to go to my first ever show this year. Its something I am not desperate to do because 30+ years of driving I see enough lorries every day. But I thought I’d give it ago as I had a weekend with nothing planned for a change. I looked at the web site to get the address and then saw the entrance fee of (if I remember rightly) £19.00 per person… I didn’t go! It would have been three adults and a child so not only did they loose the entrance money but also anything we would have spent.
I went 2 shows this year Peterborough which is the same every year I could tell you where every single stand will before we get there but we still enjoy it and will always go the other show we went was at nuneaton small but a very good show just enough for us and a great weekend
Irvinestown Lady of the lake,family oriented and not a money making racket at a gate.Most of the orginisers are local business people who have a vested interest to make sure everyone is happy to comeback year after year.It is the finishing weekend of a local festival that starts on a Friday night,with a drive around the local town as a truck light show.Some trucks stay for the weekend,some arrive on the Saturday for the trucker dance (music layed on).Then on the Sunday the trucks do a parade of the town and go for a tour of Lough Erne,lots of events and music run along side for spectators at the same time.Overnight parking and security in the town.It is well run and supported 300 odd lorrys most years. Almost all working trucks,but a lot of prizes for all classes of truck,lots of videos on YouTube covering a lot of it .Just a flavour of it. youtu.be/5QmBGp62ngs
Rikki-UK:
What did the show(s) you attended do right?
Sensible admission price. A family of four shouldn’t pay more than £30 in entrance fees.
Good variety of sensibly priced food and drink stalls that weren’t charging hilarious prices.
No “celebrity” guests.
No judging.
Past and present vehicles mixed together.
Rikki-UK:
Where did the show(s) you attended go wrong?
Boring arena commentary from some yokel. If you must waffle about Foden Alphas, know what you’re talking about Mr Straw-Hat.
Craft tents. Homemade soap and greetings cards have no place at a vehicle show.
Most stalls were little more than obsessive hoarders of charity shop quality stock.
Stationary “putt putt” engines.
). So like I was saying I went to Malvern truckshow last year which was the first time I’ve been to in a lorry and enjoyed it thoroughly. I know a few people that also do what I do and keep on top of their units and take a bit of pride. Getting complete hammered on the Friday night and Saturday night is totally worth it and It was a good laugh. Also… if you drink enough on the Saturday night you physically can’t leave early on the Sunday 
I’m only thinking about the Sunday folk honestly.
