Eaton

After much deliberation the group have reluctantly come to the conclusion that the 2022 Exhibition would indeed be our final venture. In the end it was the uncertainties that became to much for our small group to contemplate. Anticipated problems with the trade support, with hotel accommodation, with local advertising and predicting visitor numbers made budgeting for 2023 a nightmare, and that is before random events like a rail strike are thrown into the mix. Even with the generous assistance of Culcheth Models it became obvious that a rethink would have to be undertaken before we could proceed with any confidence. This would involve a smaller exhibition operating on a much reduced budget and this was something that we didn't wish to do. Since the Wigan & District Model Railway Society disbanded in 2006 and we decided to continue to hold an annual exhibition I think we have gained a reputation for quality. 2022 was our fifteenth exhibition and personally, and I may be a little biased, but I think it was the best exhibition we have held and it was such a shame that not enough visitors came to enjoy it.

If it goes ahead it will be on the same weekend.

I can confirm that discussions are underway with a third party concerning the possible resurrection of the Wigan 2023 Exhibition. Whilst there is still much to be discussed there is now hope for the future. As more details emerge I will provide updates.

I don't think downsizing would have been the answer as it was the multiple problems that finally broke the camel's back. Diminishing trade support, lack of suitable local hotel accommodation and difficulties with local advertising and then on top of these a rail strike all contributed to a less than enjoyable weekend. I think we demonstrated the type of exhibition that we wished to hold and when you feel that you can no longer achieve this then it seems the right time to call it a day.

Now that the dust has settled and after due reflection we have come to the decision that Wigan 2022 will be our last exhibition and as a consequence there will be no October show in 2023. This has not been a hasty decision but one that we have been considering for some time given that we are no longer the spring chickens we once were. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the layout teams and traders who have attended Wigan over the years as without their support we would not have been able to make Wigan the show it was. We would also like to thank the loyal team who helped us with the logistics of presenting such a large undertaking as without you we would have been unable to survive for so long. THANK YOU ALL!!

If I mistakenly gave the impression that it was the cost of layouts, demonstrators and exhibits that was a problem, then this is not the case. These expenses are known and agreed upon beforehand. The imponderable is the number of visitors through the door. The lack of them has a direct effect on the profitability of the venture both for us and our trade support. In particular it becomes a problem for next year as it seems that quality layouts are not a significant draw to attract the required numbers in themselves. So the big question is were do we go from here. The problem with the tea making facilities was that two of our tea urns gave up the ghost, again all I can do is apologize.

Thank you for your interest and comments. Most of the points you raise are very valid and many are under consideration. A smaller show in terms of layouts is almost inevitable in order to keep costs under control. However this year the total would have been under 30 without the contribution from the OO9 Society who provided their layouts for exhibition at a very generous cost. So we maybe are looking at 25 in 2023. How do we continue to attract layouts previously unseen in the North West and of exceptional quality, that is the big question as they may not come cheap. Obviously we would have to trim costs. Having the exhibition in one hall would not save us money as the Centre rents the venue at a fixed rate regardless of whether we use one or both Halls. Demonstrations we see as an important part of the show as they promote the hobby and give advise to future participants. The Society Stands in most cases are revenue earners as they take adverts in the Guidebook. The free Guidebook is something we may consider and we may well have to charge for it next year. As to a family discount, I would have thought that free entry for children should be enough of an incentive. When all things are considered there are only two major revenue streams, trade stand rentals and paying customers. Unfortunately both of these seem to be contracting which contributes to a budgeting nightmare, as someone has already said 'Who would be an Exhibition Manager'. Trying to gauge the success or otherwise of the trade participation is always difficult but I would be very surprised if this years exhibition contributed to an increase in traders next year. I was speaking to our Exhibition Manager this morning and he was more than a little disheartened as he felt that 2022 was in layout terms the best exhibition he had produced. That it did not produce the required attendance he found perplexing. He did except that there were circumstances that did not help, the rail strike, the fact that we could not gain permission to put our banners up in the Grand Arcade and by the Fire Station at Saddle Junction but even so he was not a Happy Bunny. As you can imagine there are some big decisions that lie ahead.

We have no option but to provide an enjoyable experience for our invited layout owners and operators. If we fail to do so, then why would they come to Wigan. That this years offering fell short is a considerable concern. We do not want to be in a position of invitations being refused on these grounds. How do we generate the income to make sure this doesn't happen next year is the very big question. I am sure a further increase in admission price would not be a popular move! Any solutions would be very welcome.

I'm very pleased that people found the exhibition to be of high quality as that was the very reason that we organised the event. It was the reason why, many years ago we raised the admission price to £10. This was to give us the funds to bring layouts to Wigan from the far reaches of the country, layouts that other wise would not be seen in Wigan and the surrounding area. In those early days there was no need for us to embark on the 'penny pinching' that is now sadly becoming the norm. We are now in the position of either protecting the quality of the invited layouts or cutting back on the quality of our invited guests experience. Rest assured it is, for us, and unpleasant position to be in. There are some interesting discussions and meeting ahead.

Our problem concerning the catering was a result of the hotel that we have previously used for over a decade becoming a hostel and as a consequence no longer available to us. This meant that we had to find a replacement that would accommodate all our guests at a reasonable cost in Wigan. Easy one would have thought, but alas not so. It proved to be an impossible task both from a financial point of view and also location wise. Hence the extra distance to the accommodation and the attempt to trim costs with an alternative breakfast. We are well aware that this proved to be an unsatisfactory solution and again we can only apologize. Rest assured it will not happen again.

Still on the topic of food and refreshment, did anyone notice the roaring trade centred around 'Sweets of Yesteryear', aka The Fudge Man. I suspect that for a certain section of our client group he is more important than the model trains.

On the subject of 'healthy food' and after a discussion with our Exhibition Manager we are considering reviewing our catering arrangement to play upon our Wigan culinary heritage. We suspect that many visitors may not be aware of Wigan's close association with the 'Pie'. Please do not confuse the Wigan Pie with those small dainty things one sometimes sees when on holiday. A Wigan Pie is best defined as a meal within a crust. As a consequence there is a pie for all occasions which would make our catering a lot simpler as we would provide a breakfast pie and a dinnertime pie. Needless to say there are vegetarian pie options. Following the meal we would provide a palette cleansing 'Uncle Joe's Mint Ball, another famous Wigan delicacy.

Can I say on behalf of the 'Group' a big thank you to all the exhibitors, traders and visitors that supported our exhibition over the weekend. I have it on good authority that in terms of the standard of layouts that this was one of the best exhibitions we have produced. The fact that I have to take someone else's word for this is simply because I had so little time to see the exhibition for myself. This is also true of other members of the 'Group', we were considerably overstretched to say the least. That it was hard work is something of an understatement. We can only apologize to the James Street group if we failed to provide them with an enjoyable experience, this was certainly not our intention. Rest assured that your comments were noted and lessons will be learnt. There is a certain irony in the fact that the Rail Industry should have a negative impact on an exhibition that celebrates our railway history and prevented our loyal Scottish supporters from attending this weekend. Such is life.

As it would appear that few if any trains will be running over the exhibition weekend which would mean that the free vintage bus from Wigan Northwestern Station may not be needed. Car Parking on the other hand certainly will. Luckily surrounding the Sports Centre is a large free car park within easy walking distance of the Exhibition. If you look back to Woodenheads post of Page 3 you will see its location. Follow the Brown Signs for Robin Park and the DW Stadium and you will be in the right area.

Yes, that's the one.

Regarding CAR PARKING, there is a large car park about 300 yards away from the venues front door. As both Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors are not playing at the DW Stadium over the exhibition weekend the car park is free.

Advance Tickets can be obtained from www.wiganfrm.org.uk

Please note that 'Newhaven Harbour' has been removed from the list due to a shortage of exhibition manpower. I presume it will reappear next year.

Please see update to the layout list with the inclusion of Old Oak Yard. A rather unusual layout as it portrays a 15 inch narrow gauge estate railway.