Official meets are arranged currently three times a year, roughly mid-March, mid-July, and mid-November, each on a Saturday. The venues for these are usually pub function rooms, with those pubs being in places with easy transportation links. The July meets are in London, the November ones are in Derby. However, the March meet “floats” around the country - we've had Bristol, York, Newcastle, Peterborough and Wakefield so far for the “floating” venue. Depending on the venue, a buffet lunch is provided, or you order a la carte. There may be a small charge (see below).
The timings of the meet is usually noon until 6pm but depends on the venue.
After the meet there is often a meal - usually curry but at the March 2010 meet two groups separated; one went for Chinese the other Indian. We gather again at another pub for more drinks. You are responsible for your own food and drink costs, and it's entirely optional whether you attend. However, please indicate your intentions on the sign-up form so we can book tables appropriately.
As many people arrive the day before the event and travel back the day after, we often have get-togethers - just a social gathering in a pub on the Friday night, and occasionally an event on the Sunday morning like a visit to a signal box or steam railway. Again, you are responsible for your own costs.
Unofficial meets can be arranged on an ad-hoc basis but it would be polite to let us know if you are planning a public event. You cannot call it a “SimSig meet”, for example, if it hasn't been sanctioned by us. Please discuss in the forum section for meets if you would like to arrange one and then we can take the discussions from there.
Meets involve numerous laptops networked together around the room and usually copious amounts of beer drunk. Guests bring their own laptops where possible so there are fifteen or more laptops for everybody to use. If you are not able to bring a laptop then you are welcome to use other people's laptops who have kindly allowed this to happen. In fact most meets have a rotation system to ensure everybody who wants to play is able to, with workstation/desk allocation assigned by random to prevent hogging of the more popular workstations/desks.
Participation in the multiplayer games is not at all mandatory and indeed several people turn up just for the company.
The age for drinking in the UK is 18 years old, and those under 25 (or look under 25) are likely to need to show proof of age. People between the ages of 16 and 18 are allowed on licensed premises but may not purchase or consume alcoholic drink. Venues may have a Childrens' Certificate which allows people younger than 16 to enter the premises but SimSig does not check whether such a certificate is in place for the venue used for the meet. As a general rule SimSig applies a policy that only people at the age of 16 or over may attend meets (those between the ages of 16 and 18 needing to be accompanied by a responsible adult). We cannot chaperone or otherwise take care of minors; those wishing to attend a meet who are in the 16 to 18 age range should make their own arrangements with a responsible adult before signing up to attend the meet.
Sign up to the event using the links on the left side of your browser page. This gives us a rough idea of how many people to expect and plan accordingly. There are some options you need to answer which again help in planning.
Some events require a modest entrance fee. This covers a range of items depending on the venue. If a buffet lunch is provided then it will include the cost of the buffet (so you will not need to pay separately). We've had problems in the past where not everyone has paid for the buffet yet eaten some anyway, so the only fair way is to make everybody pay. Other costs SimSig may incur at the venue include room hire, use of equipment such as projectors, printing media, and suchlike. SimSig only intend to break even with these charges, not to make a profit.
Entrance fees are collected from you when you collect your namebadge, or can sometimes be made (or even required) in advance. See the meet details linked below.
Donations to SimSig are welcome at the meet. Please ask a meet organiser for the details on the day.
Maps will be provided for each meet. See the listings below for each event.
Some recommendations or suggestions will be provided for each meet. See the listings below for each event. SimSig cannot guarantee the quality of such establishments, and you are responsible for your own costs.
Yourself, money (for drinks and/or food if appropriate), and ID (if you look young enough to need it).
If you offered to bring additional equipment when you signed up then please endeavour to do so:
Neither SimSig nor the venue can take responsibility for your personal effects. Respect other people's belongings. Keep liquids away from laptops. Keep cables tidy and make sure fire exits and fire routes are not blocked. The rule of thumb for fire routes is to ensure a one metre pathway, clear of any chairs, bags, coats, cables, or any other obstacles.
Although in a large group meet it is fairly safe to leave your laptop while you go for a drink or go to the toilet, always take your wallet and phone with you, or indeed anything else which is easy to steal.
While it is great to have a laugh and get merry, do not get so drunk as to cause an embarrassment to yourself or to SimSig, or forget your way home, or worse. You are responsible for your own actions. Anybody seen to be, or reasonably suspected of, doing anything illegal at a meet will be asked to leave.
As events tend to be indoors, and the law in the UK is no smoking indoors, smoking is not permitted inside the venues. It is rarely a problem to go outside for a smoke if you must.
Occasionally we are lucky enough to visit a real life, working signalbox. The nature of these events mean that pre-registration is usually required and visitors need to be aware of the Signalbox Visit Rules to ensure a trouble-free visit.
| March | July | November | |
| 2006 | Bristol, Knights Templar | London, Artillery Arms | Derby, Station Inn |
| 2007 | Bristol, Railway Club | London, Artillery Arms | Derby, Station Inn |
| 2008 | Peterborough, Brewery Tap | London, Artillery Arms | Derby, Station Inn |
| 2009 | York, Brewery Visitors Cen | London, Artillery Arms | Derby, Station Inn |
| 2010 | Peterborough, Brewery Tap | London, Railway Tavern | Derby, Station Inn |
| 2011 | Wakefield, Henry Boons | London, Railway Tavern | Derby, Brunswick Inn |
| 2012 | London, Railway Tavern | Newcastle, Bridge Hotel | Derby x 2, Brunswick Inn |
| 2013 | Bristol, Stag & Hounds | London, Railway Tavern | Derby, TBC, provisionally Brunswick Inn |
Last meet:
Provisional programme
| March | July | November | |
| 2013 | Bristol, Stag & Hounds | London, Railway Tavern | Derby, TBC, provisionally Brunswick Inn |
| 2014 | Birmingham, TBC | London, TBC, provisionally Railway Tavern | Derby, TBC, provisionally Brunswick Inn |
| 2015 | Manchester, TBC | London, TBC, provisionally Railway Tavern | Derby, TBC, provisionally Brunswick Inn |
Each year we rotate the venues slightly, usually in March. Sometimes we're in need of a bigger venue if the previous venue closes, changes, or is unable to cope with the ever-increasing numbers of SimSig visitors. With that in mind, there is a research page noting suitable and unsuitable locations. See also venue_requirements to see what a venue should offer.