Expo-ng 2016

[Baldwin30762]

Hi Guys 

 

Just a reminder in case you may have forgotten about it but expo-ng is coming up at the end of the month http://expong.org/

 

Saturday 29th October 2016 ~ 10:00am to 5:00pm

Narrow gauge model railway exhibition at the White Oak Leisure Centre, Hilda May Avenue, Swanley, Kent, England. BR8 7BT

 

Regards

 

Colin

[PenrithBeacon]

Just got back, thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Regards

[decauville1126]

Just got back, thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Regards

 

Agree. Another well-organised and patronised show by the Greenwich Gang with an excellent array of layouts and traders, not to mention competition entries. Something for everyone in a very convivial atmosphere.

[Pacific231G]

I agree. This ExpoNG is an excellent show and this year was no exception. We always enjoy taking the SNCF Society stand there and there are always layouts from the other side of the Channel.

 

(I really hope Brexit doesn't end up killing off this cross channel exchange if people start having to get carnets for their layouts along with the other bureaucratic nonsense that used to put up artificial barriers to sharing our hobby) 

 

There was a lot of creativity in the entry for this year's David Brewer Challenge  "Tuning Fork" layouts and I was slightly kicking myself for not developing an idea I'd had.

I tried to photograph as many as possible of the entires but am pretty sure that I missed at least a couple of them. I must apologise as this was certainly no reflection on their quality. For the rest my rather hurried photography won't have done them justice either; I was really just using the camera to take notes for myself for future referencen but thought others might also be interested to see them.

 

I didn't actually hear the announcement of which of the "tuning forks" won the David Brewer Challenge so does anyone know?

 

 

 

Adventfahrt - Eduard Kompast

Beta Cables - Stuart Brewer

Boston Lodge- John Deacon

Castle Works Shed- Andi Nethercoat

Creag Dhubh Summit-Ted Polet

Farrall Sidings- Bob Hughes

Letter to Goathorn- Peter Hollins

Lester Tin Mine Engine- Richard Doe

Little Wandon - Danny Fig

Lost River Logging- Peter Smith

Priory Waterworkds- Chris Seago

Ranters Wharf- Roy Jamson

The Shed- Derek Harris

Westonzoyland pumping station- Toby Hollins-Jones

Weydon Lane -The Sandpit - John Spurling

[BG John]

Creag Dhubh Summit by Ted Polet won, and the scrapyard one you didn't photograph was runner up.

 

It seems that they may have to cut down on the continental layouts due to the cost of getting them there, rather than anything to do with cutting Europe adrift from the UK.

 

I wasn't there, but this is from reports on the NGRM Online Forum.

[Baldwin30762]

We are glad that those that got there enjoyed themselves, we would love to continue to bring French, Dutch and any other layout to Swanley, but the truth is that it is getting expensive to do that and the hall hire never gets any cheaper, the outgoings are getting to a point where we shall have to raise the entry fee for the first time in three years.

 

As far as we know we shall still be at Swanley next year, but there is still talk about redeveloping the site at some stage, when this will happen we don't know but as money is tight in the public sector it may not happen just yet.

 

While I am on here does anyone have any feed back they would like to give to the group, as we are already mulling over next years show.

 

We would like to hear from anyone who might be planning to build an Industrial narrow gauge railway layout based on the likes of Ashover, Sittingbourne etc, it can be in any scale up to 16mm if you like and it is not limited to any size as this is not for the new challenge but for an exhibition sized layout.

 

regards

 

Colin   

[ciderdrinker]

Excellent show - although worth stating, a few of us witnessed some exhibitors trying to get a layout out of the venue via a fire door, which was actually locked around 11am when the venue was full.  It was in a narrow corridor between the exhibition hall and two smaller rooms and a bottleneck at the best of times.   100% venues responsibility, but worth the club talking to them about it as if witnessed by a visitor who was in the fire service, think they may have had something stronger to say on it.  

[Phil Traxson]

Excellent show - although worth stating, a few of us witnessed some exhibitors trying to get a layout out of the venue via a fire door, which was actually locked around 11am when the venue was full.  It was in a narrow corridor between the exhibition hall and two smaller rooms and a bottleneck at the best of times.   100% venues responsibility, but worth the club talking to them about it as if witnessed by a visitor who was in the fire service, think they may have had something stronger to say on it.  

Just a point to check. There is a difference between a fire door and a fire exit, the former is kept closed at all times except when actually in use for entry or egress and is to prevent the spread of fire should the worst happen. The latter is what it says and is not locked from the inside to allow for easy exit in case of fire. Both types exist in the centre and are easily confused by the general public. 

 

Phil T.

[rue_d_etropal]

I find it worrying that the public might be confused about fire doors and fire exits. Presumably they are well marked, should something happen.

With respect to continental layouts, it is easier to get from continent to Swanley than from up here in Lancashire. Cost of accomdation would be the same and cross channel could be done in a day on a cheap day retur if not stopping overnight.

I will get down eventually, especially if there is a challenge I like and one I could take on train/coach. Nothing too easy, just compact and either fits is bag or suitcase.

[PenrithBeacon]

I don't think a fire door should be locked. Closed yes, but not locked.

 

The purpose of a fire door is hinder the spread of a fire when a room is unoccupied, not to hinder the escape of those who are in the room.

[cnw6847]

It was an excellent show with a great selection of layouts and trade stands.

There were a good number of challenge entries and It proved a popular room with visitors.

 

Heres a photo of the challenge runner up, The Scrapman Commeth by Pete Wilson

 

 

 

 

[Loconuts]

1. FIRE-DOOR

1) A fire-door is normally an Internal Door.

2) Has compressed fire-proof material (rock-wool) between the door’s steel plates.

3) Protects an escape route through a building in a fire situation

4) Compartmentalizes a fire, to stop flames and smoke spreading from one section of the building to another. Examples of locations where a fire-door can be installed include stairwells, where they protect the stairs from corridors opening on to them; kitchens/catering facilities, storage areas that house combustible materials such as paper and boiler rooms.

5) MUST REMAIN CLOSED WHEN THERE IS FIRE preferably with special Fire-Proof Door Closer.

6) Depending on location, may have push-bars like fire-exit doors

Fire-proof Door Closer ensures that during fire, the door is kept tightly held onto its frame thus stopping smoke and even fire from spreading to other places.

1. FIRE-EXIT DOOR

1) A fire exit door is often an External door and hence, under normal conditions, should also be a security door.

2) Allows un-hindered escape into a place of safety while stopping un-authorized access from the outside when closed

3) Should open in the direction of traffic flow.

4) For a public escape, the door should always remain open

5) For private buildings, companies or institutions, a push-bar from inside is highly recommended

6) An alarm system can be installed so that during an emergency situation, or whenever a push-bar is pushed and the door opens, an alarm system is activated.

[russianlayout]

Hiya, just looked at this forum as bought a 009 layout at this show and just bought the Kato chassis and a brass kit online and was going to ask for some basic advice, however think the incident many of you saw may have been me and some of the organisers trying to open the fire exit to take the layout   which was next to the fire exit out to my van.   They gave up in the end and carried it around the front.   This was around noon not 11am, but can confirm it was a fire exit out to the car park and it was locked.  I own a theatre and know the difference as we have to keep all such exits fully unlocked but closed at all times.  If others were trying to get out around 11am also, then I think you have good cause to speak to the venue and look at getting some hire fee back,  End of day it is their job not yours to check such things, and surprised the venue didn't check the doors at the fire wardens meeting, they seem to make exhibition managers attend nowadays.  Am surprised the organisers I was with didn't report it, or maybe they did after we stopped trying to force it open and I had left with my new layout. 

 

Right back to the Kato Chassis,  013   paid £20 for it, should arrive soon, silly question time - word from the 00 gauge boys is stay away from 009 as the locos stop working often, surely if using a N gauge chassis, does this mean more reliable?