TINGS 2018

[Robert Shrives]

Hi All,

 

Again time to shout out about TINGS , weekend 8/9 Sept  

 

http://www.ngaugeshow.co.uk/

 

says it all.

 

 

Good mix of large and small plus modular European . Traders to suit the scale plus books this year.

 

Great restaurant - good prices and good portions ! - suits me well .....

 

As ever presence from Dapol and Bachmann  - the other traders well worth the look and thanks to N soc ,2mm FSA and DEMU for stands .

 

A great showpiece weekend for all the good thinks from the box and  hand crafted masterpeices .

 

 

I am sure the N gauge Forum members will arrange the annual photo call.   

 

And hoping not to ruin it I am stewarding so hope to say hello to my fellow modellers, see you soon.

 

Robert  

[arran]

HI All

 

Looking forward to this years show and im back trading again with =C=Rail= after a long break.

 

We will have decorated samples of the next secret model which is in production now.

 

The pocket wagon is also in tooling In case your wondering.

 

Legoman sounds will be on the same stand with sound fitted locos getting demonstrated and sound chips and re-blow service.

 

Regards Arran

[The_Cuckoo]

Hi Arran, will you have c-rail paints available to buy at the show?

[arran]

Hi Arran, will you have c-rail paints available to buy at the show?

yes u will have what’s left which is the most of them

 

Regards Arran

[charliepetty]

Legomanbiffo/DCKits will be there, with the new demonstration layout and N Gauge 'Sound' locos & units.    Reblows available after 1pm on Saturday.

 

Charlie

[Robert Shrives]

Well its build up day today, so hope to see a few friends today and looking forward to a busy Sat and Sunday . N gauge Forum guys having a team photo again to promote forum.    Well its over 10 years of shows so its now a regular calendar spot so hope to see you over the weekend.

 

Several announcements from traders, loads of models to view, great restaurant - overlooks the hall so you get a "grandstand view", free carpark and entrance  £10.50.

 

I expect to be on welcome host or gate line and hall stewarding all weekend so say hello!

 

Robert  

[MGR Hooper!]

Can't attend...too far to travel (half way around the world).

 

But I will be interested to see what RevolutioN, Dapol and =C=Rail= have to show off! Hope someone can post pictures of these stands.

[MGR Hooper!]

HI All

 

Looking forward to this years show and im back trading again with =C=Rail= after a long break.

 

We will have decorated samples of the next secret model which is in production now.

 

The pocket wagon is also in tooling In case your wondering.

 

Legoman sounds will be on the same stand with sound fitted locos getting demonstrated and sound chips and re-blow service.

 

Regards Arran

The pocket wagon looks really good. Can't wait to see this secret model.

[Colossus]

Very much looking forward to the show. A luxurious full day there for me tomorrow and still time for a few hours in the fleshpots of Leamington Spa before a train back down into Marylebone. Good luck to all exhibitors and organisers.

[Dragonboy]

I spent a very enjoyable time at TINGS today and enjoyed some very fine exhibits as always although admittedly my preference for pre BR layouts is rarely catered for these days but the only downside for me was that I usually pick up modelling supplies and consumables when at shows and there wasn't anyone there this year where I could get cutting mats,knife blades, plasticard or plastruct mouldings or even a new tool which I didn't know existed but once seen instantly became that must have item. My only consolation was found on the way out with a stop at TMC's stand where a loco jumped out of the cabinet at me. My grump is a very very minor one but it would be nice if a trader could be sourced to fill the breach next year as there has usually been one such stall there in previous years. And as always the breakfast was first class! Thanks to everyone for the effort put in to a great day out.

[Robert Shrives]

Hi 

 

Well all done and dusted for 2018.  Saturday was brilliant with a vibrancy not seen for a couple of years - a big buzz all day in the hall.

 

Sunday still had good queues before "kick off " but folk just kept coming . I know not everybody can get to the show but hopefully some pictures will be put up shortly.

 

I got out of the hall 18.15 tonight with tables, chairs, barriers and electrics all put away  a real team effort - hall to be set up for car auctions on Monday !   It was good to hear about enjoying the show and leaving with "plunder" to smuggle in to homes across the country.

 

As ever a big thanks to all who came, operated layouts and did trade , plus the show "team."- including  the hard working - if not over worked caterers.   Thanks also to visitors on Saturday in the Morning who ended up mixing it up with the many folk using the kids gym on the exhibition site  - I did see a few envious dads with kids for the gym who having found about the trains were clearly under orders !

 

Best Layouts - For me  BallyKeale - Irish Rail in N - 3 d prints and kits, great to see something cutting new ground.

Hatch End for one the best fiddle yard in the show - so clean and tidy with space between tracks and well organised - the scenic  side it fed was brilliant as well, WCML with OLE in the blue grey era - it does not get much better he says with deep rose tinted specs on !

Titheridge jn with blue westerns to the fore was a recall of my spotting days so up there in the top layouts.

 

To be fair to everybody all were excellent all offered inspiration in many ways and perhaps "naughty" to single out layouts.

 

Traders seemed happy ( it is hard to tell sometimes ! ) but the gaps on stands gave it away - a big thanks to all who got involved.

 

Yes as it happens the lack of a "tiddly bits " supplier was noted. One gap of having a book seller has been filled and I am sure the overview /round meeting (other names available!) will pick up on it- One of the problems is of course many folk are more than happy to run RTR and the numbers of "hardened" creators of small useful bits made from not much larger bits of stuff are a very small percentage of the hobby and even smaller in N /2mm - no pun intended  so it makes it hard to be profitable at  a show - I would love to see a specialist track, transfer, paint and nameplate suppliers at the show but range and likely sales I think would preclude it.

 

Well here is to 2019 , which will be the 13th show - IIRC you only get 13 years for murder ... happy modelling

 

If any of the RM webers who visited can post pictures it would be good to see the bits I missed !! and show folk around the globe who could not make it this year feel included,

thanks

Robert        

[grahame]

I went along to TINGS on the Sunday which I understand was significantly quieter than the Saturday. I had mixed feelings about the show.

 

On a positive side was the attendance of the manufacturers and the opportunity to see some of the latest developments and to purchase some (I picked up my pre-ordered CargoWaggon twin-set wagons from RT). However, there were some obvious missing ones like Peco. And it was disappointing that there was no tool shop and/or modelling supplies trader/retailer (for bits and pieces, glues, plasticard, mount-board, evergreen strip, plastruct, milliput, brass strip, wire, tube, etc.,). I was hoping to purchase some handrail knobs but N Brass Loco had sold out on the Saturday and I couldn't see any other stand that was likely to sell them. Still, I was able to get some Redutex and I was quite taken by the vast range of small 3D printed detailing items on the DM Toys stand that included an N gauge grand piano.

 

Also a big positive was the café food. The steak and kidney pie was up to it's usual high standard and well worth the money.

 

On the layout front the disappointment was that many had previously been at TINGS in recent years, although I appreciate that there is a limited finite supply of new N gauge layouts but I understand that some potential new ones were turned down as being too expensive for requiring van hire and long travel distances. With regards to quality there was fair mix of standards. However, some of the beginner type ones were quite poorly finished - there is no reason why the standard of execution and running can't be relatively high even if the ambition, space, knowledge and fidelity is limited.  And far too many layouts did not have any integral lighting meaning the viewing experience of them was poor and dim. Also many were rather similar in terms of track plan and style, and, as a result, looked rather formulaic (unfortunately rather train set-ish rather than a model railway layout) and consequently lacked much interest.

 

It also seemed to me that too many relied on RTR stock - it would have been nice to see some kit built, converted and scratch-built locos and trains. One layout that stood out for me in this respect was Burshaw North Western with a prototype HST, various overhead EMUs, class 17 'Claytons', class 23 'Baby Deltics' and a class 28 'Metrovick' co-bo. The other was probably Hatch End.

 

G.

[Bomag]

Given that TINGs is a speciality show I would not go to buy pasticard etc. I have no problem if there is a retailer for this as long as it does not replace some of the smaller suppliers where seeing things in the flesh is the main draw.

 

I agree that some of the layouts were a bit rough around the edges - both in terms of quality and reliability. However, there were plenty of kit and converted stock. The problem was that some of them would have been good 15 years ago when built but they have been overtaken by the improvement in RTR.

 

My favourite layout was Atlantic Road, - good track, good scenery, good stock and most importantly very well operated.

 

I missed last year as I had a cold and did not want to inflict it on others, it's a pity others did not do the same this year.

[Chris M]

In N gauge there will be fewer layouts with kit or scratch built stock than in larger scales purely because of its size. I am happy to scracthbuild locos in G scale but there is no way I would even try in N. I know it can be done but there are very few modellers capable of building models in N that are anywhere near as detailed as locos from Farish or Dapol. 3D printing is of course one way of creating unique highly detailed models in N but I haven’t found anything suitable for me to have a go at yet.

I’ll be taking a layout to TINGS in 2019 all being well. This will feature mostly proprietary locos and stock but all will be gently weathered to take off the plastic look. Some locos are repaints and some wagons are from kits. All stock will be correct for the location and year. For me running correct trains is far more important than building my own stock. Some layouts just run random trains which is ok if they want to. TINGS is all about N gauge so it’s probably right that it includes a wide spectrum of layout types.

I guess Squires tools isn’t there because they go to Swindon Steam Museum Exhibition which is on the same weekend. Have Peco ever been to TINGS? They don’t seem to be going to many shows at the moment.

[grahame]

In N gauge there will be fewer layouts with kit or scratch built stock than in larger scales purely because of its size. I am happy to scracthbuild locos in G scale but there is no way I would even try in N. I know it can be done but there are very few modellers capable of building models in N that are anywhere near as detailed as locos from Farish or Dapol.

There are plenty of loco and stock kits in N gauge (the NGS has a big range of wagons, BHE and N Brass Loco offer loco kits and check out Langley and P&D Marsh for extensive white metal ranges) so it is quite possible and straightforward to build stock in N/2mm. And scratch/kit building is not a competition to match the details of Farish and Dapol. Besides generally one makes models of stock for fun and enjoyment and usually of things not available RTR so there is nothing commercially to compare with and match regarding the details and finish.

 

Judging by some of the old stock I saw running at TINGS (with basic moulded bodies and wine gum wheels with pizza cutter flanges) I don't think everyone is massively concerned with lots of details. It's easy to match a self build model with some of those. And some kits, like Peco wagons, are very easy to assemble.

 

G

Edited September 12, 2018 by grahame

[Gareth Collier]

In N gauge there will be fewer layouts with kit or scratch built stock than in larger scales purely because of its size. I am happy to scracthbuild locos in G scale but there is no way I would even try in N. I know it can be done but there are very few modellers capable of building models in N that are anywhere near as detailed as locos from Farish or Dapol.

In some ways it is even easier to scratch build locos in N than the larger scales. Due to its size there are far more details you can leave off for the simple reason you would barely be able to see them whereas in the larger scales you would need to include them. I am all for getting things as accurate as possible but it does seem you can get away in N with slightly off wheelbases and wheel diameters and can certainly simplify lining.

Too many people are too quick to dismiss something as too hard or can't be done without actually trying.