RAILEX 2017 27 & 28 May

[Clearwater]

Absolutely, my daughter loved Denton Brook - she particularly liked the moving yard gate with an animated gate attendant pushing it! She also liked the "real" tide on Tollesbury Quay - we went back to it a few times just to see it in different states of in/out.

yes, my son liked the attendent and the tides at Tollesbury as well. He even liked, and I think it was them, the sign saying the sky had been forgotten!

[Enterprisingwestern]

I tend to book layouts 2-3 year in advance and I did feel when we set up on Friday most were high. When I do book a layout I have to get the first slot a layout which can be a few years away So really until setting up is finished I don't get to see how the hall looks. Normally I feel some layouts are too tall while others are way too low, but I need to work with what I can book and what the builder has constructed the model too.

 

Until a few weeks back I had no idea there was a watery theme on the layouts.

 

Right, that's that sorted then.

In future only layouts with hydraulic rams as baseboard supports with the facility for the viewer to dial in their preferred height will be allowed.

Alternatively, layouts of common heights will be grouped together behind screens and punters will pay a reduced charge to see the ones which suit their stature.

 

Mike.

, and, no, I am not joking, what a spurious complaint to make.

[kernowtim]

From a personal view I didn't have any issues with layout height, I'm 5'9" layouts seemed to be running well and there was a good selection of traders from kits and bits , rtr to secondhand overpriced tat!!

Would have liked to see more diesel and electric outline, preferably in 7mm though

[chrisf]

I attended on Sunday.  There was plenty of room for circulation and seats in the hall for resting weary bones were a welcome amenity to supplement the apparently reduced accommodation in the refreshment area.  Many and varied were the conversations with Rmwebbers and other friends though I am aware of some who were there that I did not spot.  The shopping was done by 10.10 am, or so I thought.  Much later I remembered one item and discovered two others.  Such is life.

 

What a fine selection of layouts, as usual for this show.  Pempoul attracted a good crowd throughout the day.  It is in a class of its own and I look forward to meeting its successor.  I admire Sidmouth for a number of reasons, not least the sheer determination of its creator in producing such a fine creation single- handed.  Despite some unwanted gymnastics of stock on the day it is a fine ambassador for P4.  Tollesbury Quay still has the 'wow' factor for me on second viewing.  It is difficult to describe atmosphere but this layout has it in spades.  As for Horfield, I understand that it may nor be on the circuit for much longer.  If true, this would be very sad.  I was impressed with it on the first of several previous sightings for a number of reasons, not least the realistic depth of the cutting in which the station was situated.  As a breed we modellers are not nearly so good at capturing height as we are with length and width.  Previously some aspects of the stock have let the layout down but as time has passed the shortcomings have been largely addressed.  Who could fail to be impressed with the lengthy freight hauled by an asthmatic loco and assisted in rear by a banker which drops off the back of the train as it reaches the station?

 

Well done to David and team for another first rate show.

 

Chris

[John of York61]

Just to give you a grin on the height 'issue'....when we were setting up on Friday (Leeman Road), the Sidmouth team next door asked "do you mind if we fit a little extension to the fiddle yard?"

No problem-it went under the end of my layout!

[Penlan]

Layout height will always be a problem, be it for the day-long operators or the transient viewers.

My layout track level was 3' 4" when I acquired it, we soon added 3" to make the track level 3' 7", that made all the difference to our 'operating session' backs (we are between 5' 8" and 6' tall), and in my opinion a better side view of the stock for the 'average' viewer.  

Perhaps size doesn't matter, but an extra 3" can bring a smile to the face, so I'm told.  

 

Where I'm a Steward in a Gallery, they went wild a few years ago and fitted all the painting detail plaques low, around 3' above floor level.  Ok for the wheelchair visitors, though there are not many, but the very many complaints we had from elderly visitors re. their backs in bending down to read the plaques.....   They are now pitched at 5' height.
For those who may find that height inconvenient, there's a printed leaflet with full descriptions of each item available at the entrance.
However they have chosen to ignore my comments that the lights above paintings reflects off the glass fronted paintings (watercolours) into the eyes of those people who are confined to wheelchairs, etc.,  

Well you can't expect to win all round, whatever you do.

Edited May 30, 2017 by Penlan

[Chris Knight]

Great videos - thanks for sharing them. I'm sorry I missed what looks to have been a great show.

 

Just one question - is there a reason why so few operators seemed capable of bringing locomotives to a realistic stop? There are so many examples in the videos where locos stop dead from 10mph or more. And it's across all scales that were represented at the show, with the 3mm Sentinel and the Pannier tank on Horfield at the extreme end of the scale.

 

Is it simply operator fatigue (tired/bored of running a shunting sequence for the umpteenth time)? Or is it a DCC thing, where CVs don't allow for a speed below a certain level? Or a DC thing, where the control simply isn't smooth enough? It is so widespread across both videos that the handful of layouts that did it well (e.g. the delightful Harlyn Pier) really stand out for me. Any ideas?

 

David

Yes David, a smacked bum for our driver of the pannier on the Horfield video section, I think he forgot the signal was "on" and suddenly anchored up!  He duly was shown a

yellow card.

[Steve_Neill]

Great videos - thanks for sharing them. I'm sorry I missed what looks to have been a great show.

 

Just one question - is there a reason why so few operators seemed capable of bringing locomotives to a realistic stop? There are so many examples in the videos where locos stop dead from 10mph or more. And it's across all scales that were represented at the show, with the 3mm Sentinel and the Pannier tank on Horfield at the extreme end of the scale.

 

Is it simply operator fatigue (tired/bored of running a shunting sequence for the umpteenth time)? Or is it a DCC thing, where CVs don't allow for a speed below a certain level? Or a DC thing, where the control simply isn't smooth enough? It is so widespread across both videos that the handful of layouts that did it well (e.g. the delightful Harlyn Pier) really stand out for me. Any ideas?

 

David

 

Hi,

 

Generally layouts are operated by humans, so errors creep in, particularly after a few hours of operating. I actually think ALL layouts will have had at least a couple of hiccups of varying degrees, we just forgive our favourite layouts quicker! New operators unused to loco characteristics are also a feature. For ourselves, we decided to re-enact a rail accident on the Sunday.... no-one was watching to appreciate it at the time... pity!!

 

 

Looking at video of shunting in yards during the late 50s, subtly buffering up was not a common practise!! Locos appeared to get stopped abruptly on a regular basis, slamming into a rake of buffered up stock.

[Penlan]

Generally layouts are operated by humans, so errors creep in, particularly after a few hours of operating. .......New operators unused to loco characteristics are also a feature.

Not just the new or the occasional operator, gets tired... 

I wonder how many owners operate their own layout at home, or in a club for 7 - 8 hours in a session,

and even, possibly, without a hic-cup.

I think I could count those on one digit, if that many.

 

Edited May 30, 2017 by Penlan

[lmsforever]

Today our wonderful local paper carried an article about Railex mostly the photos were of youngsters looking across barriers and a very hazy view of a layout. No mention of what layouts were there just a bland comment about model train layouts, where do these journos come from, the article conveyed no idea of the effort by modellers to present  exhibits to the public.Mark you the paper is on its last legs and deserves to disappear its not evem printed in town and has not got an office here now.

[Horsetan]

Layout height will always be a problem, be it for the day-long operators or the transient viewers.

My layout track level was 3' 4" when I acquired it, we soon added 3" to make the track level 3' 7", that made all the difference to our 'operating session' backs (we are between 5' 8" and 6' tall), and in my opinion a better side view of the stock for the 'average' viewer.  

Perhaps size doesn't matter, but an extra 3" can bring a smile to the face, so I'm told.  

 

Where I'm a Steward in a Gallery, they went wild a few years ago and fitted all the painting detail plaques low, around 3' above floor level.  Ok for the wheelchair visitors, though there are not many, but the very many complaints we had from elderly visitors re. their backs in bending down to read the plaques.....   They are now pitched at 5' height.

For those who may find that height inconvenient, there's a printed leaflet with full descriptions of each item available at the entrance.

However they have chosen to ignore my comments that the lights above paintings reflects off the glass fronted paintings (watercolours) into the eyes of those people who are confined to wheelchairs, etc.,  

Well you can't expect to win all round, whatever you do.

Maybe this is a chance to install mobile viewing platforms (multi-tier?) at shows. Then you can sit or stand at the height you want.

 

Then again, maybe people will bring their own drones with cameras to get a better look....

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Today our wonderful local paper carried an article about Railex mostly the photos were of youngsters looking across barriers and a very hazy view of a layout. No mention of what layouts were there just a bland comment about model train layouts, where do these journos come from, the article conveyed no idea of the effort by modellers to present  exhibits to the public.Mark you the paper is on its last legs and deserves to disappear its not evem printed in town and has not got an office here now.

 

The paper tried to contact me on Tuesday for a few words on my Landline for a few words, although I didn't pick the message up to contact them till I got home by which time the paper had gone to press. I did see the photographer walking around over the weekend. Better something than nothing although the publicity we need is a write up before the show to get people in.

 

Most of Railex 2018 is in place but I would be interested in what people would like to see, I try to introduce new stuff each year and the layouts I can invite are finite, so am never going to please everyone each year with the mix of period, region or scale.

 

 

David

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Most of Railex 2018 is in place but I would be interested in what people would like to see, I try to introduce new stuff each year

 

Pole dancers.

 

Mike.

[chris p bacon]

Pole dancers.

 

Mike.

How far apart are the Poles ?

[ANT]

Hello

 

I have just been supplied details that a review of Railex 2017 has been posted on Letsgoloco by Mike Whatton, who visited the show, and was suitably impressed, as were his colleagues Peter Bennett & Dave Carr .

 

The review can be found here: http://letsgoloco.co.uk/railex-2017/

 

Thanks

SEEYA
ANT

Edited June 1, 2017 by ANT

[lmsforever]

David The Herald has always been awkward about prepublicity  I went in to see the editor once and explained about Railex and his comment was we don't do that ,take out an advert . Seems as though they have not changed.

[Horsetan]

How far apart are the Poles ?

 

Find some with marital difficulties.

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Pole dancers.

 

Mike.

 

Or any eastern European dancers!

[t-b-g]

Not just the new or the occasional operator, gets tired... 

I wonder how many owners operate their own layout at home, or in a club for 7 - 8 hours in a session,

and even, possibly, without a hic-cup.

I think I could count those on one digit, if that many.

 

That is a very valid point. Been there, worn the t shirt etc. Exhibiting is hard work. The level of concentration needed on anything other than the simplest layout is not to be underestimated. Hopefully most layouts bring along enough operators to give people a break but that is not always possible and I have known some poor sods do two days or more solo.

 

There are also some fine modellers who either struggle with, or just plain don't like running trains and can make it seem more difficult than it really is. I have had long running sessions at home, especially when we have visitors but even then our marathon sessions have tea and meal breaks. Imagine the outcry at a show. There were no trains running and the crew were sitting behind the layout drinking tea.

 

So I cut most people a degree of slack in that department.

 

There are also some who treat a show as a weekend "away with the gang" and who pay little or no attention to the paying audience. Or who have a layout that could provide some operational entertainment but just run trains round because that is what they think people want to see. Or who just crawl a loco or two up and down the layout dead slow because they are too lazy to do any more. They are the ones I have a problem with!

[Jol Wilkinson]

Or who have a layout that could provide some operational entertainment but just run trains round because that is what they think people want to see. Or who just crawl a loco or two up and down the layout dead slow because they are too lazy to do any more. 

 

Tony,

 

I believe it tends to depend on the show and the audience it attracts. Families and many modellers just want to see trains running, something we found at shows like the CMRA St Albans (now Stevenage) show. At a show like Railex there are more knowledgeable visitors to whom complex movements/operations are interesting.  I would also suggest that a regular stream of trains going past are more interesting to most folks than the most accurately modeled small industrial shunting layout.

 

Over the years it has been my observation that layouts like Stoke Summit, Horfield, Fencehouses, Holiday Haunts and Gresley Beat to name just a few, attract the most interest. Of course there are exceptions to that at most shows where "high profile" layouts, such as Geoff William's Aylesbury at Railex in 2016, also attract a lot of attention. That's probably down to the amount of pre-show publicity they get.

 

Jol

[johnb]

David The Herald has always been awkward about prepublicity  I went in to see the editor once and explained about Railex and his comment was we don't do that ,take out an advert . Seems as though they have not changed.

So are some other papers, seems to be a rigid policy on the same and similar events. Although with some others the response is, 'take out an ad and although we're not really supposed to do it we'll do put something in the editorial areas'. Often has resulted as a decent piece about the club/society with a one liner at the bottom mentioning the show.

 

John

[Kelly]

Some press is better than none at all. As mentioned better before the show, but I understand why they would want an advertisement taking out as especially the local papers, are dependent on that revenue to keep going so they're going to stick rigidly to that line unless maybe it was a charity event.

[t-b-g]

Tony,

 

I believe it tends to depend on the show and the audience it attracts. Families and many modellers just want to see trains running, something we found at shows like the CMRA St Albans (now Stevenage) show. At a show like Railex there are more knowledgeable visitors to whom complex movements/operations are interesting.  I would also suggest that a regular stream of trains going past are more interesting to most folks than the most accurately modeled small industrial shunting layout.

 

Over the years it has been my observation that layouts like Stoke Summit, Horfield, Fencehouses, Holiday Haunts and Gresley Beat to name just a few, attract the most interest. Of course there are exceptions to that at most shows where "high profile" layouts, such as Geoff William's Aylesbury at Railex in 2016, also attract a lot of attention. That's probably down to the amount of pre-show publicity they get.

 

Jol

 

It is quite right that different people want different things from a show, which is why the best ones have a variety, carefully selected by an exhibition manager who has a feel for such things.

 

I don't have any problem with something like Stoke Summit. It has no operational potential other than running a succession of trains, so it looks and feels right.

 

It is the ones which look as though they have been designed to allow some interesting moves but then don't do any that leave me a bit cold.

[Redkiterail]

my videos of my show are here:
part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCd7BIyffcA
part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WLJRQOJAuk

Edited June 10, 2017 by Redkiterail

[Penlan]

A few layouts I have been associated with over the years have had the local press looking for a 'typical' photo to locally advertise the show.

It always seems to involve a 'standard' male with a kid, one or other pointing a finger at something,

but Hey Ho, it's for the local community, however much we, or I, think it's naff.