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How many exhibitions?


MarkSG
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Now that we are, tentatively, returning to some semblence of normality, and exhibitions are making a welcome return to the calendar, I was just wondering how many exhibitions people normally go to in any given year?

 

By way of comparison, my personal calendar typically includes Stafford, Cheltenham (twice, as it's a bi-annual event), Railex, Warley, Redditch and Leamington. I don't necessarily go to all of them, because there will be clashes of dates with other things, but in most years I'd go to four or five out of that seven. Of those, Stafford is the one I'm most certain of going to (in fact, I don't think I've missed any since I discovered it in, I think, 2003), while Redditch and Leamington are the most variable (not because of any lack of quality, but simply because they seem to be the worst for diary clashes). And, maybe every two or three years or so, I'll find I have an excuse to visit an "out of area" exhibition such as Wigan or Manchester, if I can combine it with another reason to be in that locality.

 

So what about the rest of you? What's your typical exhibition schedule in a normal year?

 

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Stevenage 

Define 

Doncaster 

Alley Palley 

York

S4 North

Railex

Larkrail / Warminster 

Scaleforum 

GETs

Leeds

Warley

Manchester

 

These are my main shows in rough order to attend, I do sometimes do more if helping out on trade stands. Some of the above aren’t yearly eg Larkrail. I tend not to have an out of area criteria, if it’s of interest I’ll travel. One still on the bucketlist is Railwells

Edited by PMP
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For me exhibitions are a bit of a "wait and see what winter brings" regarding Covid case numbers, re introductions of restrictions / lockdowns etc,

 

I don't quite think we are out of the woods yet.

 

Brit15

 

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Normally the main ones for me are:

Pontefract

Doncaster

York

Leeds

Wakefield

DEMU

Plus we normally end up at some others within striking distance, such as Preston or Newcastle, or if one is near a preserved line to combine the two, especially if it co incides with a diesel running day.

 

Pre covid, we also did a fair few toy fairs too mixed in with the exhibitions but I found these were going down hill a bit and you'd see the same stuff from the same sellers wherever you went!

 

I don't think I have checked to see if any mention of the Leeds or Wakefield exhibitions are on as yet but I'd like to attend one before the end of the year. 

 

I think a lot of it will be wait and see like Apollo says.

Cheers

James

 

 

 

Edited by jessy1692
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If I recall correctly, in 2019, I attended:

 

Stevenage

Basingstoke

Alexandra Palace

Epsom

Expo EM South (Bracknell)

Railex (Aylesbury)

Kettering - only time I visited and I recall it was the weekend Roy Jackson passed away

Woking

Scaleforum (Aylesbury)

Swansea - because I was helping to exhibit Harton Gill

Expo EM North (Wakefield) - if this was the year South Pelaw was there - only time I attended that show

Shipley (might have been 2018) - have only gone to this one occasionally as it's a long way

Farnham

GETS (MK)

Uckfield

Tolworth

Warley NEC

 

The Stevenage show is not returning as the venue is no longer suitable. Not sure how many others will return next year. Epsom and Tolworth are very much the local shows.

 

In some years, I have also attended Peterborough or Doncaster and have also gone to a few others on a one-off basis such as Spalding. I would also normally go where Harton Gill went as I usually helped with the layout.

 

This year, I'm planning to go to GETS, GBMRS (Gaydon) and Farnham. Possibly also Folkestone. I would probably have gone to Uckfield but for a diary clash.

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2 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

Perhaps it is time for @AY Mod to rerun the survey again to see if people's thoughts have changed over the last few months. 

 

I don't think too much will have changed in the last 9 weeks since I last ran it given the consistency in numbers and trends over the previous two similar surveys. 

 

There's enough data in there to answer the OP rather than less representative personal lists of shows. 

The

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6 hours ago, APOLLO said:

For me exhibitions are a bit of a "wait and see what winter brings" regarding Covid case numbers, re introductions of restrictions / lockdowns etc,

 

That's why I'm specifically asking what  your ormal (ie, not Covid-affected) schedule would be :)

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4 minutes ago, MarkSG said:

 

That's why I'm specifically asking what  your ormal (ie, not Covid-affected) schedule would be :)

 

No indoor events of any kind since Covid kicked off around March last year. Occasional visits to Pub about the only "event" other than shopping. I have attended one outdoor event a few weeks ago, the Classic car show at Tatton park, being outside and spaced over a large area (no crowds) I felt OK.

 

As I said, for me, re Exhibitions (etc) it's still a wait and see thing.

 

Brit15

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Normally about four or five.

 

Unfortunately most exhibitions are at weekends so sometimes other commitments get in the way. But I had planned on going to more when all this kicked off. I especially wanted to try a few of the specialist shows.

 

I had to miss the recent Liverpool show as I went to the ELR, but I'm trying to get to the Warrington one, and Manchester in December if it's on.

 

 

Jason

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Pre-Covid, as that's what the OP asked, for me was, in no particular order,

CMRA- Stevenage (previously St. Albans)

Ally Pally 

Railex- Aylesbury

Reading (7mm trade show)

Kettering

Guildex

and some local events as well, as a club we're involved with a museum open day

(Stevenage), a mini exhibition at the Howard Centre (with another local club) and

our local Village day (Datchworth).

Hopefully, most will continue, the CMRA are looking for another venue. 

 

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I was a 4 or 5 a year man most years.

The shows I would make an effort to attend were in no particular order

 

Stafford, but often clashed with work

 

Wakefield, Friday night, gives a whole weekend for other stuff.

 

Shipley, again clashed with work too many times

 

Warley with the club stand

 

Cheltenham, at least one of them, not too far and nice cosy feel

 

And occasionally 

Chatham, a nice to have if it dropped on the right weekend

 

Others were attended on an ad hoc basis, especially if I was not going alone or was at a loose end.

 

In my days of being an exhibition manager, 40 odd a year was normal and sometimes 3 or 4 in a day.

You would never know what gems you might find at any show you went too regardless of size or reputation 

 

Andy

 

 

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Pre covid it was rare for me to go to more than 3 exhibitions a year. Weekends are precious family time so I don't tend to be able to travel far. There are a few more local shows but they often have the same layouts.

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Hadn’t realised how variable my attendance is until I looked back through past diaries. 25 in 2019, 19 in 2018, 2015 must have been a bumper year with 32.

 

These ranged in size from Warley to Wrec-rail and locations from Glasgow to Crawley and Bristol. Where there’s an opportunity, two shows in a day make it a worthwhile day (have done three several times and I think five in a weekend is the record!)
 

Have been to Northampton and Cotgrave in recent weeks, both well run and in well ventilated venues, both deserved greater patronage but I can understand the reticence at the moment.

 

From the diary as it currently stands, I have six further shows through to the end of the year, including Manchester for the first time in 39 years, the rest are all smaller club shows, as are most at the moment and deserve support.

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