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Bristol Model Railway Exhibition 28th, 29th and 30th April


40F
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To be held at

 

THE THORNBURY LEISURE CENTRE

ALVASTON HILL

THORNBURY

BRISTOL BS35 3JB

 

FRIDAY 28TH         1.00PM    TO 7.00PM

SATURDAY 29TH   10.00AM TO 6.30PM

SUNDAY 30TH        10.00AM TO 5.00PM  

 

47 TRADE STANDS 36 LAYOUTS

Edited by 40F
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To be held at

 

THE THORNBURY LEISURE CENTRE

ALVASTON HILL

THORNBURY

BRISTOL BS35 3JB

 

FRIDAY 28TH         1.00PM    TO 7.00PM

SATURDAY 29TH   10.00AM TO 6.30PM

SUNDAY 30TH        10.00AM TO 5.00PM  

 

47 TRADE STANDS 36 LAYOUTS

 

A bit more detail and/or a weblink would be appreciated.

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hi, is there a bus service on the sunday between Bristol Parkway station and the show?  thanks

 

 

 First Bus operate route 77 Parkway to Thornbury but there is no Sunday service and services 78 and 79 operate from the City Centre

Edited by 40F
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There is no bus organised by the show. The 77 from Bristol Parkway is an hourly service, leaving at 5 to the hour. Going home, the 77 leaves Thornbury on the hour, so a couple of minutes past for the Leisure Centre.

The 78/79 leave Bristol Bus Station at 25 and 50 past the hour and returns at various times, but roughly every ½ hour.

https://www.firstgroup.com/bristol-bath-and-west/plan-journey/timetables/?day=1&source_id=2&service=78/79&routeid=17760651&operator=3&source=sp

Sunday is one per hour.

Edited by JZ
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28th -30th April saw the 49th Annual Bristol Model Railway Exhibition, held at Thornbury Leisure Centre. This years line-up featured no less than 36 layouts in a variety of gauges over the space of 3 halls, along with a huge selection of Demo's, Societies and Trade Stands, as well as show sponsor Bachmann, along with their Roadshow Stand. 
Filmed on Saturday 29th April, we take a look at just some of the superb layouts on display. 
Hope you enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X9XzaAd_n8

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I went Friday afternoon. The exhibition is again laid out over 3 halls which adds capacity with the usual wide range of Traders and layouts. Nothing stood out particularly either as good or bad. Despite this I cannot help but feel the exhibition is stuck in a time warp looking and feeling much the same as it has for a number of years. (I guess some would say the same about me!) There is nothing wrong with this per se but it gives an air of staleness which is not evident at Warley for example. How one addresses this I do not profess to know but I think it needs change in some way to move forward.

 

I spent time listening to Legomans updated sounds and invested in a V4 chip loaded with the new class 37 with slippage feature. This is fantastic, I spent a good 30 minutes playing with the feature which is so realistic and great fun. By a distance, Legoman are leading the sound market at present. On the downside it was not really practical to hear or contrast the earthmover speakers given the surrounding noise and poor acoustics of the hall; just as well really as I might have spent a lot of money had I heard them perform!

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I went Friday afternoon. The exhibition is again laid out over 3 halls which adds capacity with the usual wide range of Traders and layouts. Nothing stood out particularly either as good or bad. Despite this I cannot help but feel the exhibition is stuck in a time warp looking and feeling much the same as it has for a number of years. (I guess some would say the same about me!) There is nothing wrong with this per se but it gives an air of staleness which is not evident at Warley for example. How one addresses this I do not profess to know but I think it needs change in some way to move forward.

 

 

 

Agree with this. I normally go for the 60 mile trip 'down the road' for this one but its been virtually the same the last 3 years at least and I just didnt feel inspired. Went to York this Easter having missed the last 2 and left with a similar feeling of deja vu though the York venue benefits from a better venue - relatively light and airy. Tricky things model shows - dont want to demoralize those who put so much effort in to organise but I'm more likely to be drawn by 'something new' than a annual repeat of the same show. 

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Popped in after work on Saturday. Most layouts I had seen before, but my main purpose for going was the trade stands. Picked up a few things to act as loads from the Langley 'odds' bin, Wanted some Keen Systems buckeyes, but someone had bought a load before me and left only 3 packs. Also picked up a couple of wagon kits and some odds and ends from 247 Developments. Left after an hour, partly due to being knackered after getting up at 02:30 for work and partly through having seen everything new. I thought that numbers were down on previous years, something to do with the perceived staleness there? Or the fact that there was no bus provided from Bristol Parkway? I got a 77 from Parkway just before 2pm and there was only one other going to the exhibition, coming back there were only 3 or 4 others.

 

Now debating whether I'll go to another show this year, I normally do Woking, but it looks uninspiring this year. Coupled to the fact that it coincides with Frome Cheese Show and I'm booked to work both days anyway. As I am for Warley.

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As a first-timer (with a layout) at this show I feel I should make a few comments.

 

With Hawthorn Dene and The Bridge from Nottinghamshire, and the big new Soar Valley O-gauge layout Charnwood Forest, plus Ynysybwl Fach, which I remember seeing at York a lot more years ago than I care to remember and which didn't appear to have many recent plaques (unless they are just well hidden) I think there were quite a good proportion of layouts there that haven't been before, or that haven't been recently.  But that is just the impression of an visitor.  One thing we did notice was that a number of visitors here (as at all shows) walk straight past N-gauge layouts without stopping.  Still, you can't account for prejudice.

 

Certainly we were looked after well, though the Doubletree by Hilton deserves an award for the most disorganised large hotel breakfast based on their performance on Saturday morning.

 

Opening hours are long, and I spent most of today recovering having got home just after 9pm (actually earlier than expected due to the M5, M69 and A46 North of Leicester being quiet).

 

post-13358-0-87412300-1493674515_thumb.jpg

post-13358-0-56033000-1493674665_thumb.jpg

 

So, on behalf of the Hawthorn Dene team very many thanks for inviting us and best wishes for the future.

 

Les

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One thing we did notice was that a number of visitors here (as at all shows) walk straight past N-gauge layouts without stopping.  Still, you can't account for prejudice.

 

 

 

Les

Not just N. I've noticed over the years that Continental and US layouts will get the same treatment. Me? Well I tend to pay little more than a glance at the large scale, non-scenic layouts. The railway in the countryside is my thing, though the Tri-ang TT ensemble raised a smile, as it was with this that my interest started. As I said earlier, only a couple of the layouts I had not seen before and though I love the likes of Westford, I had seen it on more occasions that I can remember, so I was not willing to fight my way to the front to admire it again. Plus, some bloke on an electric mobility scooter thought it was OK to run people down rather than ask, because he wanted to be at the front. I think he was following me, because on more than one time did he barge me out the way.

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We've been there (with a diiferent layout) for the last three years or so, this time with our German O layout 'Klinkerhofen'. However, the layouts have been either European or American and we too suffer from being blanked by some spectators because of that. We are either ignored completely or get a glare and a muttered "Oh, it's foreign,"

 

We enjoyed the weekend but I agree that the hours are long. Thanks to Dave and John and colleagues for looking after us.

 

Another award for the layout was welcome.

 

Getting ready to go to Derby now with another "foreign" layout. See you the there?

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One thing we did notice was that a number of visitors here (as at all shows) walk straight past N-gauge layouts without stopping. Still, you can't account for prejudice.

 

Well if they just walk past maybe they've seen it before? Some people are so narrowly focused they will ignore a layout if it doesn't match their theme, period or Scale thinking it can have no relevance, their loss ;) When I've been short on time I've skipped layouts I've seen before just to see the stuff new to me :)

I only have an issue with those that feel they have to make a loud comment deliberately loud enough for you to hear, just plain rude.

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Having thought last years shows was better than the previous few years I had hoped to attend on Saturday.

I travelled by train from Weston intending to get the 77 from Parkway, but at Temple Meads found trains were on stop

due to a points failure at Parkway, this meant a missed bus connection, so I gave up and made other plans.

 

With reference punters who walk by layouts, I am guilty at times.

Had I got to the show I had 3 hours to see 36 layouts, that is 5 minutes per layout, and not allowing time to visit the trade stands.

If I find a layout I really like I will spend 30 minutes, possibly more if the operators are in a chatty mood.

If I meet an old friend I will stop to chat. All of which means I will prioritise the layouts I spend time at, and continental/n gauge ones are normally missed out.

 

edit - but at a smaller local show with maybe 12-15 layouts I might still spend about 3 hours at the show,

so will then spend perhaps 5 to 10 minutes at all of them

 

cheers

Edited by Rivercider
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Well if they just walk past maybe they've seen it before? Some people are so narrowly focused they will ignore a layout if it doesn't match their theme, period or Scale thinking it can have no relevance, their loss ;) When I've been short on time I've skipped layouts I've seen before just to see the stuff new to me :)

I only have an issue with those that feel they have to make a loud comment deliberately loud enough for you to hear, just plain rude.

With attending layouts nowadays well advertised in advance, I tend to head for what I'm really interested in first and explore more later if I have time. I may I walk past initially but that doesn't mean I won't be back. 

 

As for comments, the only audible ones should be the complimentary sort. I have occasionally (twice, ever) had a quiet word with a layout builder when I have spotted a howler and the information was well received in both cases.

 

John

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Now debating whether I'll go to another show this year, I normally do Woking, but it looks uninspiring this year. Coupled to the fact that it coincides with Frome Cheese Show and I'm booked to work both days anyway. As I am for Warley.

Come on over to the MMRG Warminster show on June 17 in the civic Centre, Warminster. We have a great line up of layouts, demonstrators and traders.

 

Jerry

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This was the first model railway show I'd been to for a while. A short hop for us over the border from Wales. I went with my son, daughter and brother and his two young sons.  Apologies to anyone nearly knocked over by a fast-moving, newly mobile toddler on Saturday afternoon! 

 

We all had an enjoyable time and a special mention/thank you must go to Jim, helping out on Hawthorn Dene, for the way he engaged with and entertained my 11 year old son and helped to make it his most enjoyable show so far. 

 

Simon

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