TINGS 2021- a go go !!!

[Chris M]

Speaking as someone who has, many years ago, managed the trade exhibitors side of a large show the last thing I would want to be doing is deciding which traders should be allowed to attend. It would be a sure way of making enemies for life.

[Chris M]

I couldn’t attend due to other commitments which is a shame. Well done to the organisers for going ahead and putting on an exhibition. I think the layouts at TINGS have always covered a spectrum of standards and that is a good thing.

It’s a shame about the lack of specialists but that is a problem for all exhibitions. The reasons have been explained above.

It is true that the TINGS organisers quite inexplicably don’t provide drinks or food for layout exhibitors. I’m happy to take my own lunch and add a bit onto expenses to pay for tea and coffee during the weekend. 

[Robert Shrives]

Phil`s  phot must be early afternoon  Sunday - Sophie is holding up a roof support and you can see around the stand.  Given the non mandatory nature of wearing masks  and as always been the case throughout the pandemic no real state sourced effective policing of mask wearing - correctly even on public transport. I was pleased to see visitors taking it seriously and a good smattering of sunflower lanyard exemptors  on site.  One I spoke to had hearing problems and so a mask meant no lip reading so it was mask off to make for successful comms. - The world is far from perfect.  

As the front of house  greeter on Saturday I was suggesting folk queue at distances they felt safe, no issues and certainly lots of space once doors opening there was some closing up by 700 very excited folk after a two year gap.... I explained to one parent with an excited child that he was not alone with several hundred excited "children at   heart" ahead waiting the off !  

 

The wider aisles, increased seating areas along with thanks to the weather use of the roadside paddock - 50 seats at 1m spacing  available did help a lot but does mean crowding comparisons to judge visitor levels hard but a guarded success pending final bills. The happiest person on site was the paramedic both days spent time being mobile looking for "trade"  but failed to find anything beyond the odd scratch. Restaurant offered a reduced menu but was always busy and even found recruiting staff back hard as several regulars now in other employment.    I did clear a few tables both days but even nothing to report as exciting for the hard working crew.  

 

Traders were generally of the view that with 99% being double jabbed and themselves double jabbed along with a deep stands and ability to step back plus some used visors as a gesture towards avoiding airborne spray. It was acknowledged that wearing masks and hall noise levels would make comms hard so it as risk assessment decision to trade, all left pleased with the welcome return of the show and expectations for 10/11 Sept 2022 . 

 

My friends on site duties all enjoyed a hassle free weekend so a good successful show and a big thanks goes to everybody who came along and thanks to those who thought about coming  but did not for all the reasons that abound , you were missed- see you in 2022.   Just one year I will bring a layout and see the show from behind the barriers !

 

Robert  

 

    

[mercig studios]

I visited 'Scale Model World' show in Telford a few years ago and that was a real eye opener. 

 

It was a genuinely international show with traders from as far away as South Korea and Japan. There were many European small traders with interesting products that I have never seen before. It would be interesting to know if they have a different philosophy to the way they treat their traders as opposed to the model rail world. 

 

They also did a fantastic job of giving space to modelling clubs from all over Europe with a really kid friendly approach. Just simple small things like selections of sweets on each stand that they gave out were great small gestures that got kids involved with the stands and the models on display.

 

Now I know it is a bit like comparing apples to oranges but I couldn't help feeling that this is what our premier show, Warley should be more like.

 

M

[LWMRSNews]

 So some good news from TINGS! The numbers may have been down but the good people who attended put their hands into their pockets to support our fund raising efforts for the local Myton Hospice group. By the end of the show we had sold or taken pre-orders for 80% of the wagons produced. Thanks also due to the traders who made a contribution in recognition of the club providing a test track for visitors to check their second hand purchases. We did spend quite a bit of time resetting DCC decoders back to default address 003!

If you want to secure an example of the remaining 'N' gauge wagons you can email your requirements to myton-wagon@lwmrs.co.uk.

You will be able to collect at Gaydon at the end of October where we will also have the 'OO' version available.

With thanks to Phil Parker of Warners for providing the image and also to Avril and the Meridienne Exhibitions  team for supporting our fund raising efforts.

 

Edited September 13, 2021 by LWMRSNews
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[LWMRSNews]

23 minutes ago, Robert Shrives said:

The happiest person on site was the paramedic both days spent time being mobile looking for "trade"  but failed to find anything beyond the odd scratch.

    

One of our members on the stand was stung by a wasp outside and got the full treatment - he was relieved of the swelling and pain and very appreciative of the attention!!!

[Robert Shrives]

Hi 

As some will know I "luckily" sit in both TINGS and Warley Camps  so I enjoy the postings on this thread comparing the apples and pears !   I too have seen the Scale Model world shows and the support from international suppliers we have perhaps in the model railway world not embraced all that is out their in the active hobbies market place, advancing electronics and military weathering techniques apart.  Who remembers the Brighton Model world shows? I recall comments about Warley not being specialist enough and seeing visitors red penning stands for attention and striking off others - and being around a day long show in 90 minutes, departing happy, broke

 and clutching a selection of "designer labled bags" of goodies. But missed all the wider hobby gives if you want to look.

While  I act as a "Minion" at shows and am happily ignorant of many of the costs  ( aware of yes but not able to numerate) the stand costs argument is an active one, but compare four years ago or so I was on Build up at the NEC for the Grand design show - a  3X2 m bare stand in a shell scheme box was £11K so the trader commented but he expected to sell nothing but it was to get the name placed and looked forward to 6 months profitable trading - he was selling granite worktops IIRC.   

Warley set up the traders village with support from MRJ mag and we have suitable signage - the tables were at reduce price and got many small traders in one area rather than being lost and unfindable in hall 5.  I guess a similar "experience" could work at TINGS if a sponsor came forward to subsidise table,space and underwrite expenses, a leading modelling magazine or web modelling experience  provider  would seem likely "volunteers."    

I will leave it at that as I have some parkside chassis sides to fit to the Dapol grain wagons on the bench wondering where I have gone.

Thanks

Robert           

[gedlee]

Hi All

 

I have been to every TINGS, bar one, since it started and I thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. I thought the range and quality of the layouts was good and there seemed to be the usual mix of traders. It was great to catch up with old friends after such a long time. I think Pauline and Avril are to be congratulated on putting together such a successful show considering the current climate. Rewarding too, that visitors were only 25% down on previous years.

I have put together a short video of our modular layout, that we exhibited, for those who were unable to visit.

All the Best,

Ged.

 

[ELTEL]

On 13/09/2021 at 12:57, TheQ said:

The problem with Warley is the parking, that adds another £16 to the cost..

Car share £4 each

Or perhaps a visit to the Stafford Exhibition next February 2022 Adults £12.00  Children free with a paying adult and free parking for over 2000 cars 

 

Terry 

[Chris M]

For the Warley show , park at one of the stations along the line for free and then catch the train for a stop or two. This is a much cheaper option than paying NEC car park charges. 

[fluff]

On 13/09/2021 at 07:35, fezza said:

It was an enjoyable event but the content was a bit limited for something which brands itself as the main N gauge show in the country. If small traders are being deterred by high stall prices this is something that needs to be looked at. 

 

I also thought the overall number and quality of the layouts wasn't the best. Brinklow, Meldon Yard and the Japanese terminus were absolutely outstanding and worth the entrance fee alone but the rest didn't really rise above average.   Maybe some older layout builders  aren't yet willing to attend indoor events?

 

The scrums around second hand stalls were very unfortunate. There is really no point wearing masks if you are going to wrestle with a dozen strangers for twenty minutes for a couple of quid off a broken coach body.

 

Still, it's good to have exhibitions back!

 

 

[fluff]

As the purveyor of the Japanese terminus (Ishinaka) I’m glad you enjoyed it