The Lotus Grand Tourers

The Resto Show is only 7 weeks away - time to put the call out for volunteers to man our stand.

We will get 10 exhibitor wristbands per day (2 per car plus two for the organiser). Priority goes to those who are bringing cars, but there will be enough for additional volunteers to help on the stand too. While it's always a pleasure to see familiar faces, I'd encourage anyone who hasn't come along before to give this a try, it's a great show and it's nice to get in for free! While you'll be expected to spend some time on our stand chatting to visitors, there's plenty of opportunity to wander around and take in the rest of the show too.

Let me know below if you are interested, and which days you are able / would prefer to attend. We shouldn't need any additional help on Thursday (set-up day), I'm sure those bringing cars will be enough to get everything assembled, so this is for show days Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For those bringing cars, please let me know if you want a second pass for any/all days:

• Andy (and I believe Roddy?) bringing (what's left of) the former Press Car Elite
• "The83Boy" with his Onyx Green Elite
• Alan with his Eclat/Excel prototype
• Me with my '90 Excel SE

First bit of admin - here are the details for cars being delivered on a trailer. Display cars arriving at the NEC under their own steam do not need to follow this procedure, they just need to get a pass (I'll sort those out later...) and drive in, no need to book with Voyage Control this year.


Delivering to the Venue

The NEC operates a traffic marshalling system via an electronic system - Voyage Control.

Voyage Control is in operation on both Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 March.

Club stands can arrive on either day: 1000 - 1800 hrs on Wednesday 19 March and 0800 - 1900 hrs on Thursday 20 March

All exhibitors must use Voyage Control for all delivery vehicles needing to access the halls. This is a key tool for managing traffic flows around the NEC site, which ultimately benefits everyone. This system is designed to encourage people to unload and then move their vehicles to the outer car parks, so that space adjacent to the halls is quickly available for others to unload. This keeps the need to hold vehicles in the lorry parks to a minimum. Voyage Control will charge you if you overstay your allotted time slots.

The exception to this rule is self-driven display vehicles. We will be using a Self-Driven Display Vehicle Access Passes for clubs and exhibitors who are are physically driving their display car to the VE Doors and into the halls.

All exhibitors booking into Voyage Control should use the show name: PC Resto.

You will then be asked to choose which type of delivery you are making from 3 options:

Display vehicles (not self-driven vehicles) - use this if you wish to unloading a display vehicle from a trailer/transporter as close to your stand as possible.


How do I access Voyage Control?

Book via www.voyagecontrol.com/necbirmingham, or the Voyage Control app which you can download onto your smart phone from the playstore or apple app store. Once you have logged in the system will ask you to chose an event - you should book in via one of the 3 delivery types.

What do I need to book with Voyage Control

1. First set up an account with Voyage Control. The Stand Manager, or if you wish, each individual owner / driver, can do this and you will only need to do this once.

2. Use the correct PC Resto Voyage Control event

If you are unloading a display vehicle - use PC Resto Display vehicles (not self-driven vehicles)

3. You will need a debit or credit card (this does not need to be your personal card) which will be held in your account securely. This is similar to the sytem used by hotels - no funds will be taken from your account unless you do not comply with the NEC requirements.

4. You will need an address (this does not need to be your personal address) which will be held in your account securely.

5. You will need the registration number/s of the vehicle/s you are booking in. If you are delivering a display car on a trailer please use the tow vehicle registration.

6. You will need the drivers name, mobile number and email address for each vehicle you are booking in.

7. Pick a delivery day (either Wednesday or Thursday) and a time slot that works for your arrivals. These are not unlimited, and you may not get the exact time slot you want as it gets closer to the event, so don't leave this until the last minute.

Once you have completed your booking you will be emailed a pass with the details on that you have submitted to show to the traffic marshalls on arrival.

If you arrive earlier or later than your booking the traffic staff will accomodate you as soon as possible.

NB - if any of your details change, you can access your account at any time to change your vehicle or driver details or time slots.

Arriving at the NEC

All vehicles should follow the PC Resto roadway signage to N12.
Show your Voyage Control booking to the traffic marshall.
You will be marshalled forwards into the inner area to a suitable VE cargo door as soon as space becomes available.
Once delivery is complete you can then park (if required) in the NEC outer car parks. Please note all vehicles are parked at the owner’s risk. During build up please leave your Voyage Control pass in your windscreen so that the NEC can identify you as an exhibitor. During open you will need to display an NEC Car Parking Pass.
We endeavour to allow access to a suitable VE cargo door for unloading on your arrival; however, we reserve the right to delay access to the inner area if necessary.

Delays & Overstaying your timeslot

Delivery vehicles wishing to unload are allocated time slots, dependent on the size of the vehicle:
• Car or small van = 1 hour
• Transit Van / Lorry = 2 hours
• Artic = 3 hours

Vehicles need to unload and leave the inner area within the allocated time. The NEC has the right to charge a fee if you overstay your time.

What happens if I do not book in via Voyage Control?

You will need to do this on arrival at N12, before you are given access to the Inner Area. This may cause a significant delay.

Need help?

For further assistance booking in using the Voyage Control system, please click here for the NEC Voyage Control User Guide or contact Dani in the NEC Traffic Dept on 0121 767 2389.

If you encounter any problems on site during your delivery that mean that you are unable to complete within your allocated time (e.g. delayed access, being blocked in etc.), please speak to the Organisers Office either in person at Hall 4 or via phone (the phone number will be issued in the pre show information), where a member of the traffic team will be based. Doing this via the Organisers Office means we are able to track your request and will provide a trail if you are then subsequently charged for overstaying. If any issue is not reported through the Organisers Office we may not be able to assisit you at a later date.

Count me in Richard.
Pretty flexible. Finalise days nearer the time.
Tony

Only delivering, and if needed collecting, the 'Penthouse Model' this time. Back to Kent in between.


Thanks Andy

N.B. if a car is to be left overnight on Sunday, for collection on Monday, the Organisers Office will need to be notified during the show. I'm happy to do that if you won't be there, Andy. The car will need to be removed by 11:00am.

Hi Richard, thanks for the heads up on that, assuming there is time enough for that notification to be made? let's wait to see if the future custodian is determined first, as they may want to take themselves on the Sunday?

I realise perhaps that is 'off topic' but I'm trying to push that decision along as really don't want to get it loaded onto my trailer on the Monday morning and not know what I'm doing with it then.....

Thanks again for all the information. I'll talk to Roddy about the application for access for it's arrival.

Andy

If a new custodian is identified, but they can't take the car immediately after the show, I may be able to house it temporarily at my parents' farm in Suffolk (in a secure-ish dry barn). If its future is undecided, I can't ask my father to house it indefinitely.

I appreciate your concern about not knowing where you will take it, and we really don't know how likely it is that someone will step forward before or at the show. I'm trying to pump up some publicity - it's a good story - but who knows if that will come to anything.

If we don't have any takers, can we return it to Graham Atkin? It is still his, after all. Alternatively, could we take it to LotusBits - at least that is not far from the NEC? It would be a shame to let Mike strip it, but that would still be preferable to binning it.

Richard - have you put any info on the Lotus remembered Facebook group - both with details of the fact we are displaying a piece of their history, that a new owner is wanted and details of our discount code for anyone wanting to attend.

You may well get some folks remembering the car and coming up with stories about it.

Good thought Alan - I was planning to do just that (and on Lotus Owners), just hadn't got round to it yet! Lotus Remembered may be the strongest option.

I did already post our discount code there, with only a very brief mention of the stand line-up , but another post with more detail and photos of the Penthouse Model is definitely worth it.

Gents I have just written a write up on a separate topic but was unable to load a couple of pictures. Regarding where the car goes after the show and its future, you can rest assured that I am onto it!

I got a mailing about the show today which included the section below.


“Club news hot off the Press​ - Lotus restoration in action!
Step into the world of Lotus history at the Classic Car & Restoration Show! Witness a lineup of iconic models, including a 1974 Elite press car—straight from the hedge, foliage intact! Watch live restoration demos as the Eclat/Excel prototype undergoes a carburettor transplant, an ’81 Elite gets an interior refresh, and a ’90 Excel receives long-overdue repairs. A true showcase of classic car care and revival!”

Plus a couple of pictures.

TrevorK wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2025 20:21 I got a mailing about the show today which included the section below.


“Club news hot off the Press​ - Lotus restoration in action!
Step into the world of Lotus history at the Classic Car & Restoration Show! Witness a lineup of iconic models, including a 1974 Elite press car—straight from the hedge, foliage intact! Watch live restoration demos as the Eclat/Excel prototype undergoes a carburettor transplant, an ’81 Elite gets an interior refresh, and a ’90 Excel receives long-overdue repairs. A true showcase of classic car care and revival!”

Plus a couple of pictures.

That should get the punters flooding to our stand.

Many thanks for all the offers to help - both those who willingly muck in time after time, and a few fresher faces we are glad to welcome. We should now have all we need, and this uses our full wristband allocation. (If anyone drops out I may raise the call again!).

Schedule is: That's 32 in total; we get 30 wristbands (2 per car plus 2 extra, per day), plus an extra two for putting out a club news article.

Andy Webber will be bringing the Press Car restoration Elite, but not coming to any of the show days.

I will collect all the wristbands on Thursday, and hand them out to those who are there that day. Everyone else, give me a call when you arrive and I'll meet you at the door with your wristbands (I'll PM and give you my 'phone number, those who don't have it already).

Could all volunteers let me know if, and which days, they may need a car park pass?

We have up to 12 volunteers each day, but only 4 car park passes, so these unfortunately have to be rationed. If it is possible to travel in another way, or car-share, that will help.

I won't need any, I'll be either getting in by train or cadging a lift.

Cheers, Richard

Many thanks to the volunteers for the Resto Show.

At this link is a document with some useful info, some relevant to all volunteers, some just to those bringing cars.

Please let me know if you can access this successfully!