Huw Griffiths

Round here, there's nothing until 0908 from Newport (allegedly 1052 into Paddington) - or 1045 plus a change from Cwmbran (1309 into Paddington). Good luck trying to see any of the Ally Pally show with those times - and they still expect us mere passengers to gratefully stump out more than 80 quid, just as far as Paddington! Somehow, I think not. With "un"fares set at these extortionate levels, the only way it could possibly be worth my while is if I get a full day at Ally Pally - from the moment they open the doors to the moment they "invite us to take up cycling". If last year was anything to go by, I could imagine one person making sure we heard them telling us to leave. Some people might remember previous years' shows - when, on arrival, visitors were greeted by this cheerful young guy in a suit, building up excitement amongst people in the queues by telling us about the show we'd soon be able to experience - he was great. Last year, he seemed to have been replaced by an officious woman, with a big mouth and an even bigger loudhailer. She seemed determined to use both - constantly barking out orders at waiting show visitors - "kettled" in a corridor, or still in the lobby - who had nowhere to go, even if any of us actually wished to act on her instructions. Towards the end of the Saturday, she also did a tour of the show - getting right in our faces to "remind" us what time the show was due to end (as if we didn't already know - as if most of us don't already have watches). In case you hadn't already guessed, I found "Quiet Karen"* somewhat irritating ... . * I haven't got a clue what her name is. All I know is that I quickly got fed up of the sight - and particularly the sound - of her. I used to like "Ally Pally" ... . At least the lack of trains means that I won't have to run that gauntlet this year. Also, my pocket CD player and headphones won't get a workout. What a shame ... . Yes - really stressing some of us out. (As the people who run this site already know, I've got lots of stuff outside RMweb tearing me apart at the moment - stuff I can't discuss here. I really don't need more stress right now.) Actually, I suspect that the unions etc might even not be aware of model train shows. I reckon they're more interested in the last day of the 6 Nations Rugby - that's right - 18th March.

From some of my posts, it probably shows that I live in a "new town". Cwmbran was designated as a "new town" after the war - prior to that, it was just a number of villages. Most of the roads in Cwmbran didn't exist when the railways were built - so, where they needed to cross railway lines, they needed to be threaded over and under the lines - generally using Cwmbran Develeopment Corporation standard concrete designs. In fact, some main roads in Cwmbran actually used old railway alignments. Ultimately though, Cwmbran is one of those places where the railways often came first (or just disappeared). I'm sure I would have seen a very different picture if I'd looked somewhere like Cardiff. Sorry about the confusion.

Too right - a lot of their websites seem to feature "local" news from the other end of the country. Meanwhile, the "Cwmbran magistrates heard today" style reports also seem to be a thing of the past - and have been for years. When I was in 6th form (about 40 years ago), I'd see those reports every day in the South Wales Argus - and they would be "today" (very occasionally "yesterday") - they'd also be reliable and accurate. Fast forward to late 2012. I was observing proceedings at Cwmbran Magistrates Court ("observing" definitely being the operative term - I've never been in trouble with the law). At the time, a "DJ" (District Judge - Magistrates Court; sometimes abbreviated to "DJ MC") visited Cwmbran 2 days each week. Tuesdays were normally reserved for proceedings against juveniles - the public weren't allowed in. On Wednesdays, the public were allowed in - and typically saw people suspected of serious offences being "processed". Within the courthouse, Wednesdays attracted the rather grisly nickname of "DV Wednesdays", with "DV" being short for "domestic violence". Of course the judge, or magistrates, did hear other cases as well - often drink driving, or drugs related. (Variety is the spice of life ... .) One Wednesday morning, some guy appeared before the judge - and pleaded guilty to various offences. There then followed the usual parade of a CPS lawyer detailing the offences, followed by a defence lawyer going through a well rehearsed "butter wouldn't melt" routine. The judge didn't like what he was hearing - and made it clear that he was seriously considering a custodial sentence - but had to wait until a later date before sentencing (protocols called for various reports to be completed first). A few days later, an account appeared in the Argus - and it was "Grimm". It started with " ... Cwmbran magistrates heard" (no mention of which day) - from there, the "report" went downhill. Despite being told the judge's name, the "reporter" still got his name wrong. (I suspect that she still doesn't know that, at the time, this judge was a Sentencing Council member - and has since been promoted to Circuit Judge.) The "reporter" also didn't take too much notice of what the judge said - claiming that he'd specifically ruled out prison. The following week, during a break between cases, some CPS lawyers were chatting with me - like me, they had a job recognising the case referred to in the "newspaper report" - and they commented that this sort of thing was nothing new. Somehow, I doubt if newspaper budgets - or reporting - would have improved in recent years. At the end of 2021, staff at certain local bus depots were on strike, for a number of weeks on and off. On a couple of these days, a reporter turned up with a tablet / smartphone - and interviewed some of the people manning picket lines. The reports found their way around - and were a damning indictment of the large bus company concerned - and its local subsidiary. What struck me as even more damning was the fact that "middle management" could also be seen on the picket lines, with one of their number speaking to the press in less than flattering terms about his employer. Meanwhile, a press release appeared in a local paper and on its website - its placement paid for by the large bus company in question - and treated as if it were all undisputed, established facts - with no public comments allowed. Unfortunately, a number of claims in the press release had already been totally debunked. After a while, this "article" / press release mysteriously vanished from the paper's website. You might wonder why I'm mentioning these. Well, if standards (and presumably budgets) have dropped this far, I can't see many local papers sending reporters to local hobby shows.

Thinking a bit more about this, if a situation like this looked like happening in real life, I suspect that the first thoughts would be to try and move the road, the railway line, or both - probably in that order - in an effort to avoid building any bridge at all. If a bridge were unavoidable, they'd aim for 1 road to cross the railway line once, if possible - or separate bridges for separate roads / railway lines - something which might be needed at junctions. Ultimately, bridges and other civil engineering structures are often likely to be expensive and disruptive to build (and maintain) - we might like them on layouts, as scenic breaks - in the real world, I suspect they'd be more likely to be avoided if possible. Of course, it's your layout - so "Rule 1" applies ... . By the way, that book is rather good - but it's possible to "go to town" with actually building model bridges.

Does this need to be 1 bridge - or could there be a road junction somewhere in the middle? It just strikes me that one road - crossing the same stretch of line twice in this sort of distance - wouldn't be encountered very often - unless the road is actually 2 roads. As for the "GWR pattern" or "BR pattern", I suspect that a lot of railway bridges crossing over railway lines would have been more likely to be built by (or for) local council highways departments - the exceptions often being for railway lines being rerouted, rebuilt or upgraded (eg for electrification). Of course, I don't pretend to be an expert.

Wow! Well what else can I say? Excellent comments - and as for the photos / examples ... ! Turning first to layouts - there are likely to be limited opportunities for interesting track formations in the sort of space many of us are likely to have at home. The late Carl Arendt's microlayout site showed this. However, a number of contributors there came up with some very clever schemes to maximise the use of every square millimetre. (Some of these people are - or were - also members of this site.) Despite the potential limitations, I'm often drawn to smaller layouts. This might be because it's probably all I'd be able to aspire to - or it might be because I'm interested in seeing how people have addressed the challenge of being "space starved". Alternatively, it might be because I find it hard to get excited about what seems like one train an hour - running along a single track - through hectares of green fields. I get the idea that a lot of stretches of real railway are probably like this - and a vast area of greenery might look pretty in a magazine - but this won't make me want to buy a magazine and it almost certainly won't get my attention at a show. Sorry guys - probably not for me. I like to see trains moving - but perhaps not attempting a new speed record on a "tail chaser" - so I guess this rules out "Mallard" or a HST at "full stretch" style offerings. For some reason, I'm also not exactly a fan of "trains" with faces on them - sorry Th*m*s! What does this leave that I'm likely to spend time looking at? Probably more than you might imagine, actually. I've mentioned in the past that my earliest memory is of travelling on a Blackpool tram. That was 55 years ago - I've been fascinated by trams ever since (although I particularly like single deck articulated tramcars and LRVs). As for trains, narrow gauge often interests me, because it looks different to what I'd otherwise see. For some time, I've also been thinking of building some freelance NG conversions - especially passenger railcars, small Diesel or electric locos and coaches. I don't know if I'll ever build them. I can remember seeing "Rivendell" at a Cardiff show - and keeping on returning to the layout. I can also recall "Lavernock Light Railway" having a similar effect on me at Barry & Penarth open days. Neither of these layouts are enormous - neither have particularly large train rosters - chances are that neither would have kept manufaturers of track and signals in business for very long - but these layouts just interested me (and still would). I guess I just liked what I saw. As for "standard gauge", I like smaller steam locos (Panniers etc) and railmotors. However, the fact that I'm a member of DEMU probably says all you need to know about my main interests - that's right - Diesel (or gasoline) engined and electric - mainly (but not solely) stuff I might be able to remember seeing in operation. (I quite like stuff from the "rail blue" and "sectorisation" eras.) Of course, this doesn't stop me being interested in earlier stuff - like GWR "razor edge" railcars (especially the 2 car sets) - and some pioneer railcars. Yes - I like "passenger" stuff - especially railcars and multiple units. Saying that, I'm not a fan of trains running aimlessly along the same line for days on end. I like to see some variety - passing loops - sidings - stuff like that. I probably wouldn't complain about watching even a relatively basic depot scene for a while. However, this wasn't what prompted me to ask what draws our attention. In a recent Zoom meeting of a MERG "Special Interest Group", one guy commented about how "operations" seem to feature prominently in layouts in some countries - but not so much in others (and even less in UK shows and particularly magazines - where scenery / layout descriptions and reviews of models some of us can't afford fill more pages than some of us might like). OK - the fact that I'm a member of MERG might suggest that I'm interested in some technical stuff - how to do various things etc - but you might be surprised to learn that I don't "do" DCC (and I don't think I'm alone). Some people might remember MERG show stands of the past - with various kits for sale to their members. A few years ago, there was a conscious decision to stop kit sales at shows (they've got a very efficient, volunteer-run, online order facility). These days, their displays are more likely to feature completed kits actually doing things - some of them involve DCC - a lot don't. You're also just as likely to see (externally sourced) Arduino or Raspberry Pi boards being used to control stuff. Incidentally, when I joined MERG, kits didn't feature in my decision. (I eventually bought some - about a year after I joined - and they're great!) It's 35 years since I finished my Electrical & Electronic Engineering HND - and I hadn't used most of what I learnt for quite a few years. I rather like the idea of an electronics club for railway modellers (but also actively encouraging "non-experts" to get involved). In other words, I saw an opportunity to revisit some of the electronics stuff I was struggling to remember.

AKA "airliner view" - or "fly by view" - reputed to be very popular amongst show visitors passing show layouts that don't hold their interest - layouts reputed to have been booked / advertised on a basis of either "number of layouts at the show" or "layouts by the metre" (allegedly). I've been rather interested by the talk about different light - different colours - and those colours being more or less vivid in the foreground and background - also how playing around with this stuff can improve or impair the perspective of distance. I seem to recall Phil Parker doing a simple demo about this - essentially using an "export" photo plank and several lengths of LED lighting tape, which could be switched on / off and dimmed. Although there wasn't a lot to this demo, it held my interest because it offered the chance to see the very noticeable effect on a layout of straightforward changes. In a sense, this brings me (back?) to some potential discussion topics regarding show layouts: What ignites / destroys your interest in show layouts? Are you still (have you ever been) interested in expansive scenery on layouts (at shows / in magazines / in TV and videos) - or would you prefer an emphasis on other topics (eg operation, animations, technical aspects, interesting locos and rolling stock)? I wonder what various people think.

"Some of the comments in the tw*tter feed are disgusting." Certainly hateful - towards both cyclists and car drivers. As for "foot slipped on the loud pedal" type suggestions, I doubt it - some of the paperwork afterwards might be rather tedious - also, it might lead to the wrong person being locked up ... .

Charming. These comments sound terrible, don't they? Anyone who hadn't met (and chatted with) Simon at various shows could easily be forgiven for getting a very negative impression, based on these comments. Thankfully, I know the reality is rather different. Of course, none of what I'm saying amounts to a "dig for victory" campaign. I've never resorted to that sort of nonsense - and I never would. I leave that garbage to other people. What's appeared in this thread is tame, compared with some of the unwarranted opprobrium I encountered on another thread - a week and a half after jokingly referencing a "detail, detail, detail" quote from a TV series, in response to what could reasonably be described as "comical vagueness" in other people's posts. My post was actually much tamer than other people's posts in the same thread - posts which have still gone unremarked - not that minor facts like these appear to matter to some people. Never mind the "due process" of even a kangaroo court - some posts in the thread concerned seemed (to me at least) to have more in common with a Bill of Attainder. I made it abundantly clear in my post that I was prepared to go to extreme lengths to attend the event talked about in the thread concerned (but couldn't get there on time, due to the limitations of public transport). Despite this, I was repeatedly (and publicly) falsely accused of undermining the event and its organiser - and even of casting doubt on the event happening. I still can't work out how any reasonable person who'd read what I actually said could ever have reached this conclusion. Some other people posting in the thread did take the trouble to read what I'd actually said. They could see that the accusations were ludicrous - and pointed this out to other people in the thread - but this didn't stop the accusations being thrown in my direction. It also didn't stop me being subjected to a "pile-on" - whilst a number of people made it abundantly clear that I would not be welcome at the event. (As if I'd even want to be there after those "pleasantries" ... .) Don't worry - I know my place - I also know where it is not. Since then, I have also been publicly criticised for daring to object to the unwarranted abuse I received. (Really. Did anyone expect me to lie down on the floor - with a sign saying "welcome", inviting people to walk over me, like a proper doormat? I know I'm placid, but ... .) Despite all of this, I've made it clear that I still want the event concerned to be a success. I want people to go to the event and enjoy themselves. The best bit is that nobody will have to put up with me being there. That's right - the event now comes with added Schadenfreude. What more could anyone want? Not much, really - except for news which will delight some people. As a result of that episode, I'm now seriously considering my future in the hobby. Since when has it mattered that I run Zoom sessions for two hobby related societies? (I'm a fully paid-up member of both - and I've manned society stands at shows.) I was also considering joining further societies. Well, I was ... . Of course, none of this really matters. Let's face it - I've only been into model railways since 1972 - so perhaps I don't really belong in the hobby, after all ... ! Anyway, I'll shut up and "get back in my box".

I was just waiting for someone to mention Douglas Jardine ... .

Sometimes (but not always), the sort of traders at a show might offer a clue to a show's previous track record with regard to layouts, demos etc. For example, if some of the "big boys" - or specialists - consider it worth their while to be at a show, this might suggest that, as I heard one guy comment at a show last year: "They don't invite rubbish here." In turn, this might point to a possibility of there usually being something worth going to see. On the other hand, "trade support" either unspecified or consisting merely of one "bring up and buy" merchant - and "that's your lot" - might suggest something different. (Incidentally, I quite liked your description of the sort of trader I would not travel far to see.)

I suspect you might be on to something there.

For all we know, they might need some kettles to keep the tea pot topped up ... . Seriously though, if I were an exhibition manager, I'd be keen to get repeat visitors - not just this year, but also next year and the year after. I'd be honest about what's on offer - also say if it's for a recognised good cause. You'd be surprised how accommodating some visitors can be if faced with honesty. You'd also be surprised how far news travels if a "non-event" gets misrepresented as "the greatest show on earth". Some potential visitors have good memories, too - I should know. Some people here might have heard Mozart's "Die Leyerer" (which could be roughly translated along the lines of "The Hurdy-Gurdy Men"). It starts off with a big fanfare - then we get introduced to the "main event" and this droning sound - and the whole spectacle starts to sound more like a sad sideshow. Of course, Mozart was a very intelligent guy - and rather skilled at wrapping up unpalatable (but honest) commentary and sometimes criticism to sound like good music. Most people have heard the last movement of "A Musical Joke" (aka the "Horse of the Year Show" theme), complete with loads of deliberately "wrong" notes - a wind-up at the expense of some of his mates (you've guessed it - other composers). The other movements are positively brutal, leading to some interesting speculation about which composer was being "sent up" when. Anyway, a minority of shows I've attended have been rather like "Die Leyerer" - the big fanfare - then the realisation that there's nothing there but a pathetic sideshow. I've never gone to those shows again - but I might have, if the organisers had been more honest and treated me with something resembling respect. If they'd done what one trader did a while back - run a small show for charity using whatever he could persuade local clubs and "lone wolf" modellers to bring - and been honest about it, I'd have made a point of being there (and again, if there was a show the following year). If I'd had a decent layout - or a usable demo - that would also have found its way there. If people do stuff like that - basically set out to do the right thing in a sensible way - I'll go out of my way to back them and help them in any way I can. I certainly won't undermine them - I never have and I never will. Whatever some people might like to pretend, I'm really one of the "good guys". (Deep down, I suspect that most of us are.) Realise this - and don't muck me about - and you'll find I'm one of the most loyal friends you'll ever get. Treat me with contempt - and you'll realise you've made a big mistake - but by then it will be too late to do anything about it. (Somehow, I suspect this is true of most people here.) What has this got to do with show websites? Well, it's really simple - just be honest with us! Hardly Rocket science, is it?

Excuse me? As I've previously mentioned, getting to just about any show involves me in a lot of time, effort and cost. I've attended lots of events over the years - including "village hall" shows and "open days" / "members' days". However, there are limits to how much time and money I can throw at events so, sometimes, I need to "make a call". Over the years, I haven't just supported exhibitions as a "punter". I've also helped to man society stands - I'll do more in future - and this isn't always exciting. It also costs money to get to these events (you can often forget about expenses). There have been a number of shows at which the organisers etc have been genuinely surprised at just how far I've been prepared to travel - even more surprised when they've learnt this travel has been by public transport. I make the effort to get to events. I also make the effort to get on with the people running them. If it's obvious that my efforts won't be repaid - even in part - then a certain "call" becomes inevitable. Unfortunate - but unavoidable. Like anyone else, I need to draw the line somewhere. I certainly don't need lectures about making the effort to attend as many shows as possible. Selfish? Definitely not. Not even close, in fact.

I hope nobody minds if I add my views to this thread. (For various reasons, I'm scared of putting my head above the parapet right now ... .) If I go to any show, it almost invariably involves spending significant amounts of time and money, travelling by public transport * - often (but not always) over significant distances. (* Even my most local show - an O gauge event, which used to be at the opposite end of Newport - involved at least 3 buses, run by at least 2 operators, in either direction. It goes without saying that these buses didn't link up properly - in terms of timing and stopping places. For example, in Newport, I needed to get between 2 different bus stations.) You might be wondering how this is relevant to model railway shows. Well, with any show being likely to involve quite a bit of effort to get there, I want to be reasonably confident before I set out, that there's some point in me going. I don't want to spend hours travelling to an event billed as "the show to end all shows", only to be greeted by a couple of circles of track (one of which features garishly painted locos with faces on the front) - a "bring up and buy" stall - and not much else. Please note that I'm not attacking events billed as "members' days", "open days", "village hall shows" or anything like that. I've attended a number of these - they've delivered exactly what's promised, often accompanied by a friendly welcome and interesting conversations. I've enjoyed them - and I'd often go again the following year. My issue is with events whose organisers have "over promised / under delivered" - with visitors being led to expect large halls packed with "wall to wall" interest - only to walk out 5 minutes after arrival wondering where all the missing, interesting, stuff has been hidden. If I'm trying to decide about a show, I'll generally check out the website. If it says (eg) "a certain number of layouts", I'd like to know which layouts - and be able to glean some idea if they're worth seeing. As for traders, I'd like to know which ones. I'm not too worried about the size of the layouts - what setting - what sort of trains - what era - what country - but I want them to have something interesting on them. I'll often do an internet search about layouts I'm not familiar with - if no information is easily available anywhere, I won't see them as a "selling point" for the show. The same goes for traders - they don't need to be the biggest traders, with the widest ranges - but I'm not looking for jerks and I'm not looking for overpriced tat. Meanwhile, I'll check if it's feasible for me to get to these shows by public transport - how far I've got to walk - sort out directions - stuff like that. I don't have access to a car - and I've never been able to get lifts to / from shows - so I work everything out, based on using public transport. Once I've checked out all this stuff, I'll generally make a decision and follow it through. If it's still difficult to make a decision, I'll think about the people running the event. I've often made observations along the lines of: "Most people are grate. A minority just do." Well, some clubs, organisers etc always go out of their way to make people feel welcome - and I feel like I'm amongst friends. I'm happy to go out of my way on their behalf - even if I know I'll only see the same few layouts as last year and probably not much else. With a minority, I don't get the same feeling. If attendance looks like going to extreme lengths - only to be greeted by someone looking at me like they've just trodden in something brown and distinctly unpleasant, or offering benedictions along the lines of "Piper Oscar"* - I'd really prefer not to be there. (* Other, equally "friendly" greetings are also available. This one's a bit like another one starting with "Foxtrot", but with a slight difference. The individuals concerned certainly wish me to "go forth" - but they probably don't wish me to do much else. I'm more than capable of taking the hint.) Anyway, returning to show websites, I sometimes use them as "tie breakers", if I'm unsure whether to attend shows.

Yes - over the years, I've encountered more than enough shows like that. Strangely enough, I don't tend to go them the following year - can't possibly think why ... .

Interesting point about a paint-based crack detection system - if only because I sometimes use a variant of this idea when I mark white plastikard for cutting, drilling etc. In my case, I'm cutting up white plastic. I scratch / score / scribe cutting lines etc into the surface - use a chisel tip marker along these lines - and, a few minutes later, I use a pencil eraser or a tissue soaked in solvent to remove any ink that hasn't settled into these lines. What I'm left with are clear, scored lines in the surface of the plastikard - these are the lines I cut (and file) down to. Actually, it would also be possible to replace the marker pen (or second can of paint) with a rag soaked in something like paint, grease etc - the basic principle is the same.

I'd be very surprised if they hadn't even glanced at it. OK - I'm sure they'd obtain permission before climbing over anything there with a tape measure - but I'd be surprised if permission would be refused. To think I'd been wondering when we'd see an articulated tramcar find its way there ... .

Not just Avanti. In my part of the world, it's GWR - the cheapest return* is also in the 80 - 90 quid region - assuming, of course, that they're not on strike (for "Warley", loads of TOCs weren't running on the Saturday - on the Sunday, I couldn't get there until late lunchtime). * Apparently, there might be "special offer" singles, adding up to the 40 - 50 quid region - if I commit to specific trains a couple of months in advance. Still not cheap - and past experience suggests that, if they're on strike, I'd be on my own and they'd make no efforts to get me there when the show's on! Please note that I'm not commenting about workers' right to go on strike. My issue is that I can't commit - months in advance - to trains that operators don't commit to running - certainly not if the operators don't commit to providing acceptable alternatives if this happens. Ultimately, uncertainty over public transport is one reason why I also wouldn't be able to commit this far in advance to a "golden ticket" which needs to be used on a specific date. I'd like to stress that I've been to the "Ally Pally" show in the past - and I hope to go in future. Whether I'm able to get there this year remains to be seen.

It was indeed tongue-in-cheek. The reference to wool doesn't need much explaining. A number of people have posted humourous comments along the lines of "can't confirm or deny" / "might or might not" etc. This was just more of the same. Thanks - that's exactly what I meant. Many thanks, gentlemen - thanks for reading my comments correctly - thanks for the support. I can only apologise that it was possible for my comments to be read in any derogatory way - this certainly wasn't my intention. I've never set out to attack the event - or anyone making the effort to make it happen. Anyone who knows me also knows that I've never even considered doing stuff like that - and I never would. In fact, I would have really liked to have been able to attend the event. Unfortunately, I now know that I wouldn't be able to, even if I had access to transport. Although I can't be there, I hope everyone enjoys the event.

Cue somebody getting out a soldering iron to shorten the wires and redo the solder joints? Seriously though, the key issue is likely to be the components and PCBs. If they can somehow be shoehorned into the available space, I'm sure someone will find a way of doing the wiring. If the parts don't fit into the available space, it won't happen. It would be interesting to see if anyone at Hornby has made this work - and been filmed doing the work. If they have, they might be in a position to put footage of this somewhere on the web.

Not necessarily. As I've got an electronics background (and I'm a member of MERG), I'd be more than happy to add any "sound and light show" stuff myself. As for the serviceable basic secondhand, finding what you want seems to be a bit of a lottery - and it probably always will be. I sometimes wonder how many markets RailRoad (and similar) caters for: "Train set" - people who want something tough, "cheap & cheerful" and, above all, affordable "for younger relatives" to run on an oval of track. Bright colours probably help - prototype fidelity might not even be an afterthought. "Cut & shut brigade" - people like me are more interested in how easy it would be to modify / adapt various offerings into what we really want (but will probably never see RTR at prices we can afford). Some of us would probably prefer unpainted - possibly even not glued together, as this would make dismantling so much easier. Both of these groups are likely to be "price sensitive". Chances are that many of us in the second group quietly hope there'll be enough people in the first group for our "donor models" to be affordable. Manufacturers willing to cater for these markets would also help. I'm not convinced that lots of us were opposed to the concept of "design clever". Certainly for me, the real issue was the pricing (which might have been related to production quantities) - and a perception of "stripped out" products at premium prices.

As I didn't get chance to see the first episode - and didn't find out about any repeat until after the event - I'll probably wait for the channel to repeat the series (going by Yeaterday's track record, probably not very long). In all honesty though, I quite enjoyed Monday evening's repeat of World War Weird ... . As for next Monday's airing of episode 2, I won't be watching the TV then - not "sour grapes" - just got something else planned. I'm not too worried - I regard programmes like this as "wallpaper TV" - if they're on, fine - if not, well you get the general idea. No offence intended towards SK, or anyone else. Now if some Freeview network were to bring back GMRC - or anything else in which people actually do some m*d*l m*k*ng (I get the impression that some people do so little of this that it might as well be swearing), I'd probably be watching from start to finish ... .

Yes and no. They'd want to maximize the value of their investment - quite likely "sweat some assets" - stuff like that. However, to get a return on investments, they'd probably expect to need to sell something - which would mean persuading punters to part with some hard-earned "folding stuff" - in other words, offering something that at least someone might conceivably wish to buy, at a price they'd actually be prepared to pay. (Yes, right.) There might also be an element of ensuring that the shops that have stuck with them, despite everything, actually get what they order (and have some chance of being able to sell). Well, there might be - that doesn't automatically mean that there's actually going to be ... . We don't want to enter the realms of total fantasy, do we?

It's all starting to sound distinctly wooly. For some reason, I'm reminded of the Hornby Show - which might (or might not) appear on Yesterday, on a date yet to be finalized. You could almost imagine SK saying something along the lines of "detail, detail, detail". That's right - lack of details doesn't get me on the edge of my seat - but this might have something to do with me, unfortunately, having no sensible way of getting to and from this event by public transport. Whether this leads to me being involved with DEMU or MERG Zoom calls that evening remains to be seen ... .