Permenant exhibitions and visitor attractions

[a98087]

To put a different twist in things, there is a bar in Prague that delivers beer using lgb and piko g scale trains.

 

Link here https://vytopna.cz/#. There’s a Few videos on YouTube and the web

 

There’s also the food rollercoaster at Alton towers, but that’s not quite a model railway

 

The main thing is these two examples generate revenue first, with the train or food rollercoaster as an extra selling point, with your it/ computer experience in it, you might be able to make a money earning business.

 

Obviously nether are cheap to set up, but has potential if you want a cost covering or money making business

 

 

Dan

[Ian_M]

Thanks again for your replies, both negative ones and helpful ones.

 

I think it's worth saying that only some model shops are closing. Those that are well run, adapting to the times and providing good service seem to be doing OK.

[AMJ]

I think that Paul above has got a possible idea.

 

Locate your idea at a visitor attraction that has a good footfall and it's an additional pull for the visiting public.

 

As you are York area I wonder if there would be space at Murton Park?  There are a few layouts on the show circuit with links to the Derwent Valley and or Cadbury's that if they were retired might be ideal exhibits in this site.  

 

Staffing might be an idea to go a bit like the Colorado Model museum that has trained none paid staff to operate and chat to visitors.  https://www.cmrm.org

[HonestTom]

The problem with a model shop in York is that it would be competing with the excellent Monk Bar Models. Other model shops in York have come and gone, none have lasted the course. I'm not sure that the city has sufficient trade to support more than one.

 

I know of two others - one has virtually no railway stuff, being mostly RC and aircraft, and the other is a little way out of centre. I wasn't particularly impressed by either, particularly the latter, which seemed a little bit "off."

[Neil]

If the other is Cutty Black models then it was closed the last time I visited, possibly for good if the online report I read was correct.

[luckymucklebackit]

There used to be a massive layout at New Lanark, last time I looked at the website there was no mention of it, so I assume it has been dismantled as well

 

Jim

[Sir TophamHatt]

I'm sure there is/was a model railway display at Trago Mills near Newton Abbot.

In fact, the person who ran it/runs it is here.

 

Thinking about using an established preserved railway might be a good start though, rather than a whole building by yourself.

Edited January 9, 2019 by Sir TophamHatt

[Wheatley]

I know of two others - one has virtually no railway stuff, being mostly RC and aircraft, and the other is a little way out of centre. I wasn't particularly impressed by either, particularly the latter, which seemed a little bit "off."

[Wheatley]

If the "other" was near Walmgate then I think it's closed. Monk Bar and P&S (RC shop) don't duplicate much apart from plastic kits and paint, both have their specialisms.

Edited January 9, 2019 by Wheatley

[ForestPines]

I think there have been two permanent model railways in York. York Model Railway, which originally opened as Rail Riders World, and another which I only have vague memories of but which was located roughly somewhere around Parliament St or Coney St. It must have closed in the mid-80s.

 

Further north there's a National Trust property on the outskirts of Middlesbrough that has several layouts: there's an EM gauge Corfe Castle and an OO model of a local stretch of the ECML

[Ian_M]

I think there have been two permanent model railways in York. York Model Railway, which originally opened as Rail Riders World, and another which I only have vague memories of but which was located roughly somewhere around Parliament St or Coney St. It must have closed in the mid-80s.

 

 

I've not heard of a more central one before. Would love to know more.

Further north there's a National Trust property on the outskirts of Middlesbrough that has several layouts: there's an EM gauge Corfe Castle and an OO model of a local stretch of the ECML

Nice!

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ormesby-hall/features/all-aboard-for-our-model-railway-show-weekend

[Neil]

I think there have been two permanent model railways in York. York Model Railway, which originally opened as Rail Riders World, and another which I only have vague memories of but which was located roughly somewhere around Parliament St or Coney St. It must have closed in the mid-80s.

 

Further north there's a National Trust property on the outskirts of Middlesbrough that has several layouts: there's an EM gauge Corfe Castle and an OO model of a local stretch of the ECML

 

I suspect you may be thinking of John Bevan's O gauge layout on permanent display at Skeldergate in a building that later became a gym and now looks to be apartments (from streetview). Before that it had a spell in Leak and Thorpes in Coney Street during the miners strike, three day week and power cuts. It may only have been there for the run up to Christmas.

[Liam2987]

I'm sure there is/was a model railway display at Trago Mills near Newton Abbot.

In fact, the person who ran it/runs it is here.

 

Thinking about using an established preserved railway might be a good start though, rather than a whole building by yourself.

 

We're still here!

[PatB]

Although not specifically model railway, it might be instructive to consider the brave but doomed Oakhill Manor venture back c1980. An attempt to run an ambitious miniature railway and model display on a year-round, normal business hours basis. It folded fairly quickly, although I seem to remember enjoying my one visit on a bleak and windswept day.

 

Even in the heyday of the seaside model railway attraction it's worth remembering that the successful ventures were pretty big affairs with lots of what has been referred to as the WOW factor. They represented substantial upfront investments (Bassett-Lowke and Hornby Dublo equipment were never cheap) and it's doubtful if any really paid their way for more than a few years. And that was when they represented an aspirational dream for many of those who paid their 6d or whatever for admittance. With the reduction of the public's exposure to/interest in toy trains, such a venture would be quite a brave move (although I'd wish anyone attempting it all the luck in the world, because I, for one, miss such things).

 

All that said, how about turning the idea around and exploring the possibility of a mobile exhibition that would spend a week or two at each venue over the course of the season? I've no idea how the commercial side of things would work, or publicity, or dealing with the various local authorities, or what you'd use as venues (local halls, one of those modern, semi-rigid marquees, large truck with custom built body, I dunno). Constant mobility and limited man-hours for moving and maintenance would probably preclude anything too fine-scale or delicate, but G-scale or 16mm narrow gauge could probably be made to work reliably, whilst looking fairly impressive. These days even Gauge 3 might be feasible, but your budget would need to be comparable to that of the Bassett-Lowke seaside  empires of yore. Don't underestimate the work involved though. I know from running a market stall (and any regular exhibitor will confirm) that moving a large, heavy pile of delicate stuff even once a week is quite a substantial and nerve-racking task.Doing it every week (or even two), though feasible, may become unattractive fairly quickly.

[Joseph_Pestell]

When I was a child, we visited a rather good model railway display in Germany that was housed in a large trailer. Could be the way to go as it would avoid a lot of the costs involved with property.

 

Park the trailer for the operating season at a preserved railway and then move it to other suitable venues e.g. Xmas fairs during the winter.

 

Finding locos and stock that are robust enough to stand the wear and tear will be a challenge.

 

As an IT person, you may be able to do some short-term contracts when not busy with the layout display???

Edited January 18, 2019 by Joseph_Pestell

[Mike Storey]

Funny how no-one has mentioned Bekonscot, probably the most successful and long lasting, which has combined a model railway with a model village, and a host of other novelties. Always worth a re-visit, appeals to families and enthusiasts alike, and seems to run on a shoe-string.

 

A Northern version of that could be the USP you are seeking.

[PatB]

 

Finding locos and stock that are robust enough to stand the wear and tear will be a challenge.

 

 

 

As I touched upon, LGB (or other G scale) would probably be OK. Some of the heftier SM32 stuff (kit or r-t-r), US 3-rail 0 gauge, vintage Dublo or Triang maybe (old, but there's lots about, it's easy to fix and spares/donors are readily available). Vintage British tinplate probably has the robustness, but anything other than clockwork Hornby 0-4-0s seems very expensive and I doubt if the spares situation would sustain full-time display running. I think anything vaguely fine scale could be ruled out without a significant staff (like, say, Pecorama has).  Not that that's necessarily a problem. Go to a non-specialist exhibition and it's the large-scale tailchasers and vintage/retro tinplate that have five deep crowds of the general public around them.

[Joseph_Pestell]

As I touched upon, LGB (or other G scale) would probably be OK. Some of the heftier SM32 stuff (kit or r-t-r), US 3-rail 0 gauge, vintage Dublo or Triang maybe (old, but there's lots about, it's easy to fix and spares/donors are readily available). Vintage British tinplate probably has the robustness, but anything other than clockwork Hornby 0-4-0s seems very expensive and I doubt if the spares situation would sustain full-time display running. I think anything vaguely fine scale could be ruled out without a significant staff (like, say, Pecorama has).  Not that that's necessarily a problem. Go to a non-specialist exhibition and it's the large-scale tailchasers and vintage/retro tinplate that have five deep crowds of the general public around them.

 

I am inclined to agree that H-D would be the way to go. The average visitor is not going to be that bothered about high detail on models and the H-D stuff is easy to repair.

[Satan's Goldfish]

I've visited Wroxham a couple of times, as well as the operating layouts it has good collection of static items, not just model railways. I know it's got to aim at the tourist market to succeed, but my biggest gripe from an enthusiast perspective (and I had the same issue with York when I visited that many years ago (I mentioned it to my dad at the time, he's not an enthusiast but he agreed)) is that given the huge amount of space at these locations, why are the trains run so short? They have the space and scenery to be able go operate prototypical length trains but seem to be stuck at train set lengths. But that's just my 10 pence worth! The Japanese n gauge at wroxham using mostly Kato parts I can an actually lose quite a lot of time watching.

[Liam2987]

I've visited Wroxham a couple of times, as well as the operating layouts it has good collection of static items, not just model railways. I know it's got to aim at the tourist market to succeed, but my biggest gripe from an enthusiast perspective (and I had the same issue with York when I visited that many years ago (I mentioned it to my dad at the time, he's not an enthusiast but he agreed)) is that given the huge amount of space at these locations, why are the trains run so short? They have the space and scenery to be able go operate prototypical length trains but seem to be stuck at train set lengths. But that's just my 10 pence worth! The Japanese n gauge at wroxham using mostly Kato parts I can an actually lose quite a lot of time watching.

The cost mostly. We all know that prices have skyrocketed needlessly. It's one of the reasons that most of the engines I run on the model railway I run for the public belong to me. It's easier for me to just buy what I want second hand (engine wise and older stuff that you can actually service) than the newer stuff which can fail out of the box. As for running prototypical length trains, it's something I strive for but can't always do because I don't have the rolling stock unless I buy it myself.    

[Fenman]

... We all know that prices have skyrocketed needlessly. ...

I’m not sure I *do* know that. It’s a bold assertion.

 

Paul

[ForestPines]

I suspect you may be thinking of John Bevan's O gauge layout on permanent display at Skeldergate in a building that later became a gym and now looks to be apartments (from streetview). Before that it had a spell in Leak and Thorpes in Coney Street during the miners strike, three day week and power cuts. It may only have been there for the run up to Christmas.

O Gauge sounds about right.

 

I do remember it was one of the places at which Rail Riders members could claim a sticker to add to their wall frieze! I think the sticker showed a hand holding a model loco