GWTS is an event that is ticketed via www.gwts.co.uk online. All persons attending the venue for the event in any capacity will be ticketed through the software and issued with a wristband.

Access and egress to the site for the public for non emergency purposes will be through one large doorway as shown on the attached plan. All tickets sold on the day will be through the software to monitor numbers. 

Access for artists, traders and show team will be through a smaller door, signposted near the main show entrance.

Access and egress will not be permitted through any other route except in emergencies.

GWTS is utilising six internal spaces, two large external area

The external area linking Hawksworth Hall and Great Western Hall will be covered with a marquee. This will provide shelter for any extremes of weather. The marquee will be supplied and erected by Steam Museums recommended supplier who will provide method statements and a risk assessment at the time. 

Using the suggested floor space of 0.5 square metres per person, discounting the space taken up by the booths, tables and stands, capacity for the entire space would be 2730 people.

This doesn’t include 500 square metres set aside for crowd movement, fire control etc. Northants Fire Service host an online capacity calculator which further defines the capacity of an area by its use. Using this useful tool capacity (which includes the space used for tables and booths) is 1330 people for the entire area. The same system indicates there are sufficient fire escapes in each hall for the capacity.

To ensure a safe event public access tickets will be limited to 1000 for each day. This is a cumulative number for the day not a limit for the event space at any time. As the event is 9 hours long each day the actual number on site will be far below this at most times. This is assuming all tickets sell. This will ensure that attending numbers do not exceed fire regulations and are manageable at all times.

The bar and food vendors are the most likely to cause queueing. These facilities have been placed in a location that doesn’t impede travel to other areas of GWTS and where queues will have the least impact.

The queue at the entrance to GWTS is through the main lobby of Steam and in a location where there is no impact to Steam customers or staff. Queue lengths will be monitored by the Steward Supervisor and ETMs at the entrance. Any time this queue reaches into the entrance lobby of Steam, ETMs will direct the queue out of the nearest Steam entrance and along the building towards the railway line to avoid interference with Steam operations and keep the queue away from traffic. 

During the opening period the OM will monitor the queue and deploy additional ETMs as required.

The competition aspect does not work in a way to attract crowds, there are no concerns about crowds congregating in specific locations at a specific time other than above. The OM and ETMs will monitor crowd build up across the site at all times paying particular attention to the bar and food areas. Should crowds be deemed excessive the OM will deploy ETMs limited access to the area until the crowd has reduced to an acceptable size.