The London Festival of railway Modelling

[Mallard60022]

1 hour ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

I'm wondering whether the rucksack problem is mainly at the large shows.

 

Nah, it is a panic buying container strategy for you know what.

P

Edited March 25, 2019 by Mallard60022

[Steamport Southport]

6 minutes ago, Andymsa said:

 

Im sorry I see your point but how many would disregard it. Just like speed limits on roads many respect but many more don't.

 

You start out being polite. If the problem persists year on year, then you apply a ban if it's getting out of hand.

 

Eventually the message will hopefully get through that some of them are sometimes being antisocial.

 

 

 

Jason

[Geoff Endacott]

I first put up the polite request poster at Trainwest 2010. I haven't found that rucksacks have been much of a problem since then.

 

We often find that people are happy to leave large bags at reception because it's easier than lugging them around the show.

 

Trainwest is a friendly show. I aim to keep it that way.

 

Geoff Endacott

[sanspareil]

Busy show and had a good time. I notice how with modern times that some of the busiest retail stalls from the off are now those selling 2nd hand etc models. I noticed one of the bigger box shifters Invicta was seemingly absent?

 

A couple of points of personal note layout wise:

-Lots of micro layouts (as is common at shows now) but also a few very very large layouts.

-Did I miss them or were there not any Modern Image type layouts?

-I dont think there were any standard OO 'tail chaser/loop (action) type layouts of any genre this year? Nearest being Thornbury Hill for OO action.

 

Happy to be corrected if I missed them.

 

Personally not the best LFORM for me layout type wise this year, but appreciate everyone has their own preferences and you cant please everyone each year. I will be back next year.

Edited March 26, 2019 by sanspareil

[Clive Mortimore]

9 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

See my post re Martial Arts.

P

Wot, you and martial arts with that gammy leg of yours?

[Clive Mortimore]

14 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

Saturday morning. Nice and busy.

 

Cor blimey, at least six people around Pig Lane. 

[sb67]

Really enjoyed myself on Sunday, there seemed to be quieter than previous years but there were some fine layouts on show, Lower Exbury, Pig Lane, Oldshaw, Lymebrook Yard to name but a few. I came away with loads of ideas and a coupe of bargains and it was good to catch up with a few people. Well done to all involved.

Steve.

[Mallard60022]

7 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Wot, you and martial arts with that gammy leg of yours?

Yup, except it is only basic Self Defence so I can thrash somebody unpleasant with my stick or clout them in the goolies with my good knee. Doesn't matter if I then fall over if they are down and more or less out. Unsuspecting backpackers or belly trundlers at exhibitions have no chance when I develop the stealth attack as well.

Yo

[Mallard60022]

7 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Cor blimey, at least six people around Pig Lane. 

Could you show us where it is dear boy?

P

[Clive Mortimore]

40 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Could you show us where it is dear boy?

P

I hope Phil P doesn't mind me using part of his photo.

[Phil Parker]

1 hour ago, sb67 said:

Really enjoyed myself on Sunday, there seemed to be quieter than previous years

 

Early indications (we don't have all the numbers yet) were that it was a record attendance. Pre-booked tickets were well up and Saturday never got anything like quiet.

 

Most of the aisles were reasonably generous which made it pleasant to move about. I was charging around the hall most of the weekend and there were very few occasions when I couldn't get through. 

 

I nearly came a cropper on some stupid wheely bags which are far more hazardous than rucksacks since they are around knee height and therefore difficult to see.  To be fair, these things blight normal life outside shows. 

[Phil Parker]

13 hours ago, bourneagain said:

Perhaps a solution to the ongoing saga of these large rucksacks that there should be a maximum size of rucksack allowed inside the venue. Only those rucksacks that is able to pass through a fixed cut-out slot on a display stand outside the venue, similar to that found by an airport check-in desk, will be allowed inside the venue.

 

Queue loads of arguments on here about the "approved" size of rucksack and should they be measured when empty or full. Having been on the receiving end of  threats on here when I made a joke about shoving rucksacks in crowd from someone who aggressively argued that he "needed" to carry several at once, I'd suggest that if a rucksack approval service  is to be run at some shows, it will need manning by suitably trains and armed stewards capable of prising said backpack from its owners dead fingers. 

 

11 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

Eventually the message will hopefully get through that some of them are sometimes being antisocial

 

It won't. It really won't. Not to the hard core.

[pirouets]

14 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Nah, it is a panic buying container strategy for you know what.

P

 

Oohhhh, containers gives me an idea. Could up i upgrade from a drag bag to a container? How about one of these? as I would have to push surely much safer and I could add a horn :-)

( I bought enough to fill a small 20cm plastic bag at the weekend if your wondering )

 

[Clive Mortimore]

47 minutes ago, pirouets said:

 

Oohhhh, containers gives me an idea. Could up i upgrade from a drag bag to a container? How about one of these? as I would have to push surely much safer and I could add a horn :-)

( I bought enough to fill a small 20cm plastic bag at the weekend if your wondering )

 

I think the one of the best if not funniest in a way was at Warley a few years ago.  A chap was pushing his partner/wife/girlfriend who happened to be a wheelchair user. She could just about see over the pile of boxes he plonked on her lap. 

[Vecchio]

Had a good time on Sunday. Was not too crowded and still some good stuff at the second hand shops (unfortunately ). And yes, also I use a rucksack, living almost two hours away from the show you need something for storage of jackets and to return goodies... 

[Ron Ron Ron]

Guilty as charged m’lud.

I lightly caught a couple of people with my modestly sized rucksack, before remembering to carry it rather than wear it in the most crowded parts of the show.

It was

only a slight contact, but enough for me to apologise to the victims, one of who was rudely pushing his way through the crowd.

 

The wheeled suitcases and bags looked to be a much worst menace though.

 

Ron

 

Edited March 26, 2019 by Ron Ron Ron

[Pacific231G]

21 hours ago, That Model Railway Guy said:

Hi all,

 

Have just put together a quick little video using some of the better shots I managed to get over the weekend. Posting here in case it's of interest to anyone 

 

 

Thanks for this. It's good to see video of a model railway exhibition that's actually well filmed and edited. Nice steady shots, good avoidance of the zoom and most shots held for a decent period. On what did you film it and were you using a monopod?  

[sb67]

7 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

 

Most of the aisles were reasonably generous which made it pleasant to move about. I was charging around the hall most of the weekend and there were very few occasions when I couldn't get through. 

 

It did feel like there was more space and it was a lot easier to move around, I didn't notice any major blockages even around the 'busier' layouts. 

Steve.

 

[jetmorgan]

33 minutes ago, sb67 said:

It did feel like there was more space and it was a lot easier to move around, I didn't notice any major blockages even around the 'busier' layouts. 

Steve.

 

I've always found that the years that I have been to the London Fest they have got mostly right and the one year that I went to Warley (2015 I think) that they got wrong. Warley didn't even fill up the whole building they were in and it was easier to get around by going behind all the stands and layouts as the aisles seemed too crowded.

[woodenhead]

7 minutes ago, jetmorgan said:

I've always found that the years that I have been to the London Fest they have got mostly right and the one year that I went to Warley (2015 I think) that they got wrong. Warley didn't even fill up the whole building they were in and it was easier to get around by going behind all the stands and layouts as the aisles seemed too crowded.

Warley pays by the area it occupies i imagine so that spare space wasn't really spare at all.

 

The answer at Warley is start at the back and work towards the entrance.

[Pacific231G]

7 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

 

Queue loads of arguments on here about the "approved" size of rucksack and should they be measured when empty or full. Having been on the receiving end of  threats on here when I made a joke about shoving rucksacks in crowd from someone who aggressively argued that he "needed" to carry several at once, I'd suggest that if a rucksack approval service  is to be run at some shows, it will need manning by suitably trains and armed stewards capable of prising said backpack from its owners dead fingers. 

 

 

 

Just for fun I looked for visible rucksacks on Phil's high angle photo of the Saturday morning crowd. With his permission, this is what I found. Faces are  pixellated to protect the guilty  (though mostly so I could play with the pixellation tool)

 

I could obviously only make out those in near and mid shot. Though I've probably missed one or two there are rather fewer than I'd expected, most of them fairly small, and I can't see any of the dreaded wheeled bags. My recollection of Warley is of far more weaponised rucksacks.

 

Unless anyone knows differently, this has to be the most magnificent space used for a major model exhibition anywhere  (The model engineers use it too) and I really do think it helps to give a positive image of the hobby.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 26, 2019 by Pacific231G

[That Model Railway Guy]

3 hours ago, Pacific231G said:

Thanks for this. It's good to see video of a model railway exhibition that's actually well filmed and edited. Nice steady shots, good avoidance of the zoom and most shots held for a decent period. On what did you film it and were you using a monopod?  

 

Thanks for watching. I shot everything using my iPhone (which is about 5 years old now and has seen much better days) and a steady hand. That said I do run a small production company so I've had a bit of practice. Glad you enjoyed it.

[woodenhead]

15 minutes ago, Pacific231G said:

Just for fun I looked for visible rucksacks on Phil's high angle photo of the Saturday morning crowd. With his permission, this is what I found. Faces are  pixellated to protect the guilty  (though mostly so I could play with the pixellation tool)

 

I could obviously only make out those in near and mid shot. Though I've probably missed one or two there are rather fewer than I'd expected, most of them fairly small, and I can't see any of the dreaded wheeled bags. My recollection of Warley is of far more weaponised rucksacks.

 

Unless anyone knows differently, this has to be the most magnificent space used for a major model exhibition anywhere  (The model engineers use it too) and I really do think it helps to give a positive image of the hobby.

 

 

 

 

Note that most rucksacks are at or approaching the Dapol stand - Dapol who always bring lots of items to sell at excellent prices.

 

So if anyone is to blame it's Dapol and their damn well organised sale stand - Bachmann take note - lots of space, no shoving and you can see what there actually is there without wondering 'what else do they have in the back of the van?'

[bourneagain]

The one area of improvement for this year’s event was the amount of available seating that was provided. I was especially impressed by the rows of tables and chairs along the corridor leading to the Palm Court; a first, I believe? Although there`s been many comments (inc mine) re rucksacks, there has not been any adverse comments about the lack of seating, as has been in past years.

[298]

I still can't find either the Mouse or Wally.