Warley National Model Railway Exhibition 25th/26th November 2017

[Nick G]

Don't think there was a "returns sales stand" - if there was I missed it.

 

 

 

It was right at the back of the hall. No bargains anymore though it seems to have gone expensive! 

[Chris M]

Don't think there was a "returns sales stand" - if there was I missed it. Most of the bargains I saw were on the Ellis Clarke stand.

Edit: DJ Models were selling NQP (Not Quite Perfect) returned 02's and Beattie WT's for £50 a pop - in need of some attention it seems. Cheaper than rrp prices on 71's and J94's too.

You missed it. It was at the far end of the hall just past Garden Railway Specialists. You couldn’t actually see anything of the stand because there were so many people in front of it.

[Ron Ron Ron]

It was right at the back of the hall. No bargains anymore though it seems to have gone expensive! 

 

 

I don't think that's a recent change.

I recall it not having much in the way of real bargains, many years ago.

People scrambling and pushing to buy faulty and repaired returns, with no warranty, for similar prices that the box shifter's charge for brand new, warrantied items.

 

 

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Edited November 25, 2017 by Ron Ron Ron

[rob D2]

I made it ....

It was pretty good

[chrisd]

I don't think that's a recent change.

I recall it not having much in the way of real bargains, many years ago.

People scrambling and pushing to buy faulty and repaired returns, with no warranty, for similar prices that the box shifter's charge for brand new, warrantied items.

 

 

.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought that. Having spent 15 minutes politely waiting my turn at the front, I was genuinely shocked at the marked prices. I know they tend to offer more discount when it actually comes to the crux, but wouldn’t it be better to just start at a decent enough price for what are, after all, supposed to be less than perfect offerings?

[royaloak]

.

 

Why not just give the child away instead ?

 

.

Please dont tempt me!

[BobM]

Quite, and I think that is says something on the level of intolerance in today's 'it's all about me' society that it is even necessary to write it about a model railway show. ​I live out of the country and sometimes wonder whether I should pay air fares, hotels, and food, on top of the admission to visit my first show in over 30 years, But then I read a lot of what people say on here about exhibitions and think perhaps not.

 

Hi....

I live out in the countryside, inhaling all sorts of smells all of the time, to which some I have (to borrow a commercial phrase) become  'nose blind' too....travelling into town it is noticeable that some urban areas are by comparison 'delightfully fragrant'....!

 

It would be nice to think that please can we place to one side in the future all this 'schoolboy' toilet' nonsense and concentrate on the grown up exchange of views pertaining only to the show and its merits.....(rant over).....

 

Have just returned from the NEC and have had a very good experience.....arrived at 0835 and the queues were forming well before that but, well managed safely and courteously too.....

Show in my humble view, good from all aspects that were of interest to myself....

Very busy seemingly, especially early on......went quieter after 1500 and much easier to view all the layouts in the final two hours, decided to do all the traders firstly, comfort and food breaks in between.....

 

So good one guys...well done to all....

 

Regards as always...

Bob

Edited November 25, 2017 by BobM

[F-UnitMad]

Heljan says their cad designers are getting ready for a challenge ...

They're going to make an accurate model, at last.??

[locoholic]

Were there any layouts at Warley this year? I'm going tomorrow, and wondered what was worth looking out for. Having bought an H class, an Ivatt Princess Coronation pacific, several Birdcage coaches and a GW railcar in the last few weeks I was hoping not to spent too much at Warley!

[Signaller69]

It was right at the back of the hall. No bargains anymore though it seems to have gone expensive!

[Clearwater]

Were there any layouts at Warley this year? I'm going tomorrow, and wondered what was worth looking out for. Having bought an H class, an Ivatt Princess Coronation pacific, several Birdcage coaches and a GW railcar in the last few weeks I was hoping not to spent too much at Warley!

Yes. As ever, it’s the layouts that you don’t expect that hold your attention. We loved the large Dutch(?!) layout with its nighttime tent /tunnel at one end. Also, Saltdean is glorious

 

David

Edited November 25, 2017 by Clearwater

[James Makin]

Don't think there was a "returns sales stand" - if there was I missed it. Most of the bargains I saw were on the Ellis Clarke stand.

 

I’d love to give a shoutout to Ellis Clarke Trains - for several years now they’ve been showering us with relative bargains, be it at the Ally Pally, Warley and other shows in between. Far too many traders have the same old ‘tat’ up for sale at prohibitively high prices, and nothing really moves - with Ellis Clark, each item has a reasonable price, minus a couple more pounds on that - basically swapmeet prices. At each show I’ve been to, clearly the turnover is high - by about 3pm their Bachmann stock was basically cleared out!

 

What I didn’t realise also - the real guy himself, Ellis was on the stand - just assumed previously it was some trading name, and he appeared about the same age as me too. Ellis, if you get to read this - you’ve been helping me fill my stock cupboards for years - you’re an absolute ledge!

 

Cheers,

James

[Kelly]

Were there any layouts at Warley this year? I'm going tomorrow, and wondered what was worth looking out for. Having bought an H class, an Ivatt Princess Coronation pacific, several Birdcage coaches and a GW railcar in the last few weeks I was hoping not to spent too much at Warley!

 

Plenty of layouts of all sizes and scales and eras.

 

Mostyn is a personal favourite and Kineton is worth a look too.

 

Was there today on the DEMU stand, and had an enjoyable day. Going back again tomorrow so I can get a look around and talk to people about various DEMU related items.

[Signaller69]

It was right at the back of the hall. No bargains anymore though it seems to have gone expensive!

Cheers Nick, no rolling stock I'm after at the moment anyway, money was spent elsewhere stocking up on modelling bits and pieces. Probably plenty I forgot as it was!

[RedgateModels]

Were there any layouts at Warley this year? I'm going tomorrow, and wondered what was worth looking out for. Having bought an H class, an Ivatt Princess Coronation pacific, several Birdcage coaches and a GW railcar in the last few weeks I was hoping not to spent too much at Warley!

There's around 90

[richard brown]

Here are my highlights from the show

 

 

Richard

Trains in the Attic

[Willie Whizz]

I made it ....

It was pretty good

I didn't.  Never found it (nor the alleged Hornby equivalent there was supposed to be).  Must have been very 'cunningly concealed', that's all I can say ...

[96701]

Yes, there were layouts there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[melmerby]

Anyone know what the situation with the Bachmann Sales stand has been like?

Rubbish.

 

A few years ago they were virtually given them away (especially at the end of the show because they didn't want to take stock back.

Now, as has been mentioned, very modest discounts off the RRP

No thanks!

 

keith

[Ron Ron Ron]

...Now, as has been mentioned, very modest discounts off the RRP...

 

 

It has been like that for years, going back 10 years or more.

 

I remember one year umm'ing and arr'ing over a couple of returns locos, finally deciding to give it a miss.

5 minutes later, I saw the same two locos, brand new, on a large box shifters stand, for only £5 more each.

I asked if there was anything off for buying a couple of locos. Nothing doing. So I asked what about if I bought a couple more (it was 2 more locos I was going to buy anyway) and he knocked off a tenner.

That was back around 2006 or 2007, as my lad was with me and he was only 14 or 15 at the time.

 

OK, there are usually a few genuine bargains, but most stuff isn't from my own observation.

 

 

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[Phil Parker]

Just a thought…  reading the last few posts, I find it sad that such a degree of consumerism has taken hold.

 

Lots of 'look what I bought'  type of comments, yet hardly one on what I (obviously naïvely) presumed the exhibition was principally about - a display of railway modelling.

Fair point. FWIW the time on the BRM stand flew by in a blur of questions and chat followed by some filming (more chat) with Andy Y. Thanks to everyone who stopped by.

 

The little I saw of the show looked good but I'm hoping to get in early tomorrow and get a better look.

 

Oh, and I did spend some money.

[RJS1977]

Sorry to say I won't be there (again) though I had an invite from Jamie, as I had a chance to operate on Lancaster Green Ayre, and even that had to take a back seat to jobs domestic.  Free admission, some food provided, hotel provided at Warley is really a dream ticket, but it isn't going to happen for me, regrettably.  I do wish all the exhibitors well, and trust that the layouts operate as intended, and that the great hand from the sky does not need to appear too often, and that there is a gremin proof filter on the doors of the exhibition hall so that the electrics and so on do not fail.

 

As to the costs of attending - it does seem eye watering in a big way - particulary if you come by car - admission over 25 quid, parking another 20, and food apparently around a tenner - and that's before you visit any traders. 

 

It is a biggie, and there are layouts that I'd love to see, so I'll reserve judgement on that value for money.

 

Admission's £16.

[adb968008]

I got the weekend ticket, with the plan being to spend today hunting stalls for models, and tomorrow farming ideas from layouts.

There’s a lot of very good layouts but I stuck to my plan and ended the day lugging a massive red Russian shopping bag around my heels full of stuff.

 

I started with the Bachmann returns stand, and found it a mixed bag of stuff.

This year some prices were higher, some are the same.

Example prices I noted were cl40’s £110, compounds £85, Stanier 2-6-0’s £120, they were still available at days end, but flip side I saw LYR 2-4-2T and V1s for £60 and some coaches were selling 2 for £30, and diesels sub £100 disappeared fast.

 

I took 3 class 47’s away with me for less than £90 each, 45575 Madras for £100

 

I think last year the selection was better, but i’m Not sure i’d Measure that as a good thing or a bad...after all returns is returns..fewer returns = better quality, even if it means less for Warley.

 

A funny point, was several people complaining at a lack of birdcages as returns... they e barely released them yet.

Edited November 25, 2017 by adb968008

[Gilbert]

^{As with many shows for me the cost of getting there is far greater than the admission - Warley is £36 rail vs. £16 for the ticket.}

^{I'm off to Manchester next weekend as I can also fit in a family visit in Liverpool. It's down to personal choice.}

^{I sometime go to Ally Pally, Nottingham, Stoke Mandevile, York and Telford  by rail which costs a lot but for me it is preferable to driving which I do every work day and can be fun depending on what I see on the way (RHTT at BNS today). I had a good day at the NEC - saw what I wanted to; bought what I knew I could get, found a few bargains courtesty of Anoraks Anonymous(US) and Ellis Clark(for normal people) plus a few books  and met up with a few mates. Chuck in the pasty at BNS (once I'd negotiated the weird Barrier  issues) and it was a good day out.. Mostyn was good to see again and I enjoyed many of the other layouts as well}

^Chris

[Blandford1969]

We had a good day on the SVR stand as quite a few others have commented. Traders from the Bike show also commented they were busier today than previously. We still have loads of good value second hand (brand new engines) from Bachmann, Kernow, Hornby etc and some engine kits in support of the Charitable Trust. Come along and say hello.