Another week has past since my last post about the show. The last seven days seem to have been spent with some kind of measuring implement or another in my hand. So here is the latest.

The show

This week I have raided the school's P.E store and blown the cobwebs off the long athletics tape measure that is only usually dragged out for the summer sporting events. I have measured the basic dimensions of the main hall and used this to create a "show plan" grid on my computer using scale "1 foot squares".

Whilst my class were enjoying / enduring a session in the hall learning "first aid" from a visitor I was busy hunting for plug sockets and adding these to the plan. It beat getting bandaged up anyway!

I have also started to measure the two long corridors in the school which are wide enough for some of the smaller layouts offered so far!

November may seem a long way off, but I want to keep on top of things. Taking a little and often approach I hope to keep things ticking over and avoid a mad rush at the end of the year. With that in mind I have started to place some of the layouts on the floor plan already. Three of the seven layouts confirmed have been, provisonally, allocated space in the hall. The other four are all smaller layouts and should go in the corridors or a smaller room once I have finished the measuring up. I am sure the staff think I'm mad. Not a day seems to go by without me measuring up some part of the school!

So 7 layouts confirmed so far! As it stands I am waiting on confirmation from three others who have previously expressed an interest. I have another exhibitior definitely coming after chatting to him at Mansfield. All I need to do is decide which of his show layouts I want. Even if all of these confirm I still think I could fit three or four more layouts in, possibly more so I will be continuing to keep an eye out during future shows.

I also have a couple of other exhibitors on the possibles list and need to speak to them to confirm space. These include some practical demonstrations and at least one static diorama.

As for trade stands I have two confirmed and contacted another today. I also have three others still to get back to me. Everyone stocks different stuff so it should give me a good range of products available if they all agree to come, and it will put some money in the kitty too!

As someone who often distracts himself from the school paper work by messing around on dtp programmes, I have already made a start on designing a show guide. Some layout owners have kindly sent me some stuff and that has gone in already, photographs and all. I have sold one piece of advertising space and will be trying to sell more nearer the time.

Phew! It's only when I sat down to write this blog that I realise just how much I have done this week! I really had better get back to writing those school reports!!!

Just before I do I had better update on

The layout

My kind father took the baseboard away last weekend to begin work on the supports for underneath, allowing the board to be raised to accomodate the point motors. The supports have now been fitted and he is adding the side and backboards this week before he returns the boards to me. I will upload a photo once this has been done.

Whilst at the Mansfield show I did purchase a couple of tunnel portals for each end of the layout and some ballast. I also bought a Gaugemaster backscene print. This was not quite in the plan, but I couldn't resist it.

More updates soon!