So which was better Billing or Newark?

[beast5680]

with all the hype leading up to these events which one did you go to and what did you think? was Billing better organised or was it the same old same old? did newark live up to expectations?
i couldnt go this year as i had stuff on which conflicted

[Mud-muncher1]

Billing was good as always, infact i think it was better this year as the stands wasn't all cramped together as they have been in previous years and there was a definate a greater increase of security about with some local bobbies walking about too

[cominsa]

We went to Newark on Saturday, it had everything that we wanted, even the weather held out. We stayed there longer at the show than we did at any of the other shows. Didn't try the off road course however everyone that did seemed to have fun (and lots of mud). Fly past by a Lancaster and Spitfires was cool.   :clap:

[ben-dent]

billing was great and we had some evening entertainment, mud-muncher will stick up some pics of us playing, my truck did well :dance:

[ragerover]

went to newark .... utter crap 2 hours to get there and 1 hour to walk around a lot of stalls selling tat id say 20% not even landy related wish id went to billing

oh well you pays your money and all that

billing for me next year

[MudRat]

Did Billing Friday and saturday and Newark Sunday, My view is that there wasn't much in it, lots of companies had a stand at each show, Newark was spread out, Billing was more compact, Out of preference, I enjoyed Billing a bit more, but not much in it really, next year Newark will be on the weekend after Billing. Off road wise, the Billing course is better, the Newark course was MUDDY!

Final scores: Billing 7/10 Newark 6/10 

[Tiki Al]

Went to billing on saturday and had a great day, loads to see and do. Got some goodies for my 90 and sunburnt all in one :)  never had a bad time there   

[Mark Y]

I found it amusing traveling down to Kent this afternoon, kept seeing landies with foreign plates heading for the ferries with the backs full of goodies from the shows, the only odd one was a jeep and the back was full of off road stuff and boxes and boxes of corn flakes

[Bob696]

I have been to Billing for the past 5 years. Went to Newark this year.

I wont go to Billing again tbh even if Newark was to never happen. I would just be thinking "if only this was at Newark".

A couple of things of note:
Even after heavy rain the only thing you had to contend with was wet grass. The only puddles were on the hard standing.
Security was good without being over the top 'armed camp' type. One guy nicked a van and he didnt even get off the carpark.
BIG club spaces allocated. In future years, if the show expands, there is no reason for changing as there was about 2-3 times as much space again available.
I spoke to 5 traders and every single one was happy as they had broken even early on. One trader who does all the shows as a loss leader just to get their name out there made a profit for the first time at a show.
The drunken party animals (the sort that think its fun to bang on the side of your van at 4am and puke outside your tent) must have all gone to Billing and long may that continue.

[The Fat Controller]

i can't say which was better due to my motor tribe having tantrums and some of them spitting their dummies out.
in english speak this means....
thursday evening swmbo's white sled decided that it didn't want to turn off and thought it better if it stayed running.it turned out to be the plastic plug behind the ignition barrel.diesels are different to petrols(more wires)but the parts are interchangable.it took most of friday to dismantle and rectify.
saturday started at an auction of vintage vehicles at cheffins,didn't buy as no space to park a goddess.saturday evening took the commando out for fuel,fine on the way out for the first 5 miles and then all that could be reached was 35 mph,new points and condenser ordered.the reason for the fuel run was to take the commando to newark for the six wheel appeal group.a quick phone call and they were happy with a TACR2a.
sunday,newark show.had a great time,got invited to assist putting out a real fire,the call went out,a real fire needing assistance and can any pumps attend,
one fire show 2 pumps attending,both tacr2's supplied by the six wheel appeal.what a day getting asked to use the toys for real.
i don't mind where i go but i can be swayed if i'm allowed to play with 250 gallons of water every couple of hours.
i admit it,i'm still a child just my toys are bigger to carry my extra weight. :D :D :D

[Kasper King]

Disappointed! I had a long shopping list of things to buy but, a lot of the traders had either cancelled, not turned up or had come with a very limited amount of stock, so I ended up with just a shackle, and this is the wrong one. Discounting my camping fee I spent less than £30 all weekend! I spoke to a lot of people and I found out I was not the only one disappointed by this low turnout.

Certainly there was a lot less people there than in previous years so that made getting to see the events in the main ring a lot better, it also made checking out the various trade stands a lot easier as there was not the normal crush.
Camping at Grange Farm was less crowded than normal, the facilities were spot on, as per normal, with no waiting for the showers or loos. The louts and drunks seemed to have given it a miss this year as well, so quiet nights for all.
If the date for Newark is changed to the following weekend I will give then both a shot and see whats what.

[POTASH]

i went billing from wendesday till today, the security was good this year you had to show wrist band every time you went out to the shop and they were always walking round the camping fields

[clbarclay]

I went to billing on sunday and it was OK, but not good value. I did spectate the off road track there for a little while and IMHO it look rather boring, but other people seem happy to pay to drive round it.

I could have spent a fair bit of money on a few things I wanted, but apart from a Bowmotor being about £60 cheaper than normal (which I decided could wait a year before I needed one), there wasn't much I would call a bargin. There rarely is at these shows in my experiance, as there is relativerly a captive audiance of people at a show that have gone with the intention of buying something so they will.

Apart from the Croatia challange trucks on Outback Imports stand, there wasn't much of general interest for me at the show. Was it just me or was there not the number of club standads at the show compared to last year?

Going with friends and get some small spares that wern't worth posting justified going, but £14 did seem expensive and next time I will definatly take a rucksake with food in, becuse the like the lack of bargins the average punters dosn't have much buying power.

[bastynitch]

a group of us went to Billing (always go every year) for the day on saturday--fabulous 4x4 vehicles on display as always!
brilliant weather enhancing the sun tan  lol-
great stands all round-  spent the night partying to bon jovi, ub40- met many freindly faces' :dance: :clap:
my friend gordy spent his time posing around in his newly polished vitara- parking it by all the muddy 4x4s  lol (what i would give to put a bucket of mud over that car!!!  )PMSL
 :D the only off roading it does is up a kerb lol
billing is great - loads of fun will deffo go back next year  :dance: ;)

[bilge rat]

went to billing on sat , really enjoyed it . went round the o/road course fun as ever security was good . everyone freindly . thumbs up from me..alan

[landroverkeith]

I was at billing all day sunday and had a great time, got a fair few bits ive been meaning to buy for the past few years and some bits that were just spur of the moment  :-k as for the stands yes they were spaced out a lot more than usual but i liked that because as someones already said it meant you could have a mooch around the stalls without someones rucksack smacking ya in the ear every 5 seconds. Security was everywhere this year and a fairly large police presance it seemed, with a car patroling and several bobbys to be seen, To me Billing is the show of the year as its on my door step and ive been going since i was a lad just wish i had camped over to make the whole thing

[lurch_917]

i went to billing on sunday found there to be half the amont of trade stands as last year. got some good deals then got back to my car and found someone had backed into the front smashing the bridge solinoid pack off my 3 week old winch, cost another 50 quid to get the parts to repair it . i dont know why people are complaining about the entry price was'nt it 20 quid last year ?? 

[woody]

went to newark had a great time, though the show could have been bigger
bought awinch bumper for the disco for £157 thought it was a good deal

wanted rock/tree sliders and a snorkle but either couldnt find them or could find them at a decent price

bought a couple of service kits at £7.50 each

enjoyed it but didnt bother with the demonstrations