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Is Three Times A Month More Than Enough?


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Well I did it for two days last week and two days this week and I'm going to do it for two days next week! My wife lets me do it but she won't join in. She has been along to watch me doing it tho!

 

Now calm down at the back. I'm talking about exhibitions.

 

Are there any other like minded people that also regularly go away like this or is this a tad excessive?

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I was going to say - three times a month sounds heavenly!

 

*Getting coat

 

 

Speaking seriously, if it's something you enjoy and can afford to do - I can't see why three times a month is a bad. I myself get to about three shows a year, if that, sadly, due to the propensity of being a penniless graduate with no current job and an English degree :lol:

 

But no - if it's something you enjoy, and can afford, why not? :)

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I guess it depends what else you do in your 'spare' time.

 

I work about 50 hours a week, play rugby on a Saturday from Sep to April, go to church every Sunday and have 5 kids....

 

... so 3 times a year is pushing it for me.

 

I normally try to go to Manchester (where I live), Hull (where my parents live) and York (normally free Easter weekend).

 

In a few years, when I am too old to play rugby and the kids have left home then perhaps I might try to go to a few more

 

Enjoy it whilst you can....it might not last

 

Regards

 

Andrew

 

 

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Ally Pally was the only one I ever went to, now I do Railex in Aylesbury too (David Cheeseplant's 'do'). Peterborough as well last year, not sure on this year, might do my first ever trip to Warley instead.

 

But generally that's about it. So 3 or 4 times a year at most. One side effect I do notice is that I'm not really up on the exhibition 'scene' as a result of not attending many, so when people talk about 'I can't wait to see Little Hampton again, it's a great layout' or 'That chap is a right pain in the bum at exhibitions, remember his antics at the Hull show?' I've little idea what they're referring to, so it can occasionally feel like a whole sector of the hobby is passing you by.

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I was going to say - three times a month sounds heavenly!

 

*Getting coat

Simon! If you think that at your age - imagine how I feel in my 60s! Get your act together man, now!

 

In my yoof, there were two annual shows in London, one at Easter, one late August Bonk Holiday. For a few years in the '60s my home town of Dorking also put on a rather good show, too, even if the nearest I got to exhibiting was as part of Reigate Model Car Racing Club (blushes!). My last visit to a show was Brighton in Feb 2008, and I aim to improve on that poor frequency when I can!

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Hi,

 

I have exhibited Hythe Parkway on 3 consecutive weekends in Febuary this year, and with an operating crew of only 2 on a 2 man layout, it is tiring!

 

I have attend exhibitions as a punter on 3 weekends back to back, put we go on saturday and that's when SWMBO is out, so she doesn't care!

 

Simon

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If we are talking about exhibiting then, sadly, it is a one fat round zero these days. Time and work sort of preclude it both in finding time and enthusiasm to be bothered to complete a layout and the night/day life to actually ave 2 days at a weekend to be able.

 

I guess these days I just prefer to take the easy way out and admire the efforts and achievements of others focusing the personal time on more singular tasks of kit building.

 

But if we are talking about visiting exhibitions then I try to get to about 30 a year (not far off 3 times a month. The main limiting factor is the number of available shows and the distance from base camp. But this year has been a really bad year for shows, either there just are not so many on the calendar down here, they are clashing on dates in 3s and even 4s, or they have just fallen foul of work/holiday trips.

 

As always it seems that the shows peak in January, May and September with big gaps in other months.

 

Perhaps there are less folk prepared, able, invited to exhibit for as much as 2/3 times a month as I also get the feeling (no evidence to support it) that the "same" layouts are appearing more often at the same shows. Sometimes it can feel like you are following the same layout round the country - non always a bad thing with some layouts and their welcoming and inspirational operators.

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I sometimes think of myself as semi-professional exhibitor :wacko: usually managing 20+ weekends per year :drink_mini:

With that level of commitment I very rarely go to exhibitions as a paying punter.

A personal record for exhibiting with various Hull MRS layouts was 12 weekends without a break :crazy_mini:

 

Can anyone beat that?

 

Mal

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Just to clarify a point I think Alan is talking about exhibiting on three occasions in one month not just visiting exhibitions!

 

Not many people do that Alan it must be said.

 

 

Thanks for pointing that out Graham. Exhibitions can be likened to buses. You wait for ages and three come along at once. Having done Mickleover and Kirkby in Ashfield (Elizabethan) there's Wirksworth this weekend. With these exhibitions in close proximity to each other you tend to see the same 'punters' turning up. I enjoy showing a layout and as long as I keep getting invited then I'll attend. But, how long before over exposure sets in?

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I enjoy showing a layout and as long as I keep getting invited then I'll attend. But, how long before over exposure sets in?

From the punter's perspective not very long I'm afraid.

One layout especially springs to my mind (I will not name it) I must have seen it at at least 20 shows over the last few years and I still see it listed on some upcoming shows.

Now the layout itself is very good and I have nothing but praise for the standard of both layout and stock, the operator is always friendly and willing to answer (what seems to me the same old questions from those newly inquiring faces as well as a greeting for those repeat onlookers.

The trouble is that this familiarity is not really helpful and I wonder if the operator also tires.

The layout is starting to show signs of fatigue and is certainly past its best - shouldn't this be the time to move on?

 

I still admire the guy's stamina for enduring that much travel and lost weekends.

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It's worth remembering that for many of the small/medium club shows the vast majority of visitors are local and will only ever see layouts at their local show. Unfortunately for the enthusiasts (such as members of RMweb) repetition does set in.

 

For example, the Hull MRS layout Barrowfleet is still going to shows after 50+ invites over 19 years and is capable of delighting new audiences who have never seen it before, although regular punters have seen it many times and only give the layout a passing glance.

 

The whole subject is an ongoing problem for exhibition managers balancing the best layouts at their show for both enthusiasts and local casual visitors.

 

Mal

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Thanks for pointing that out Graham. Exhibitions can be likened to buses. You wait for ages and three come along at once. Having done Mickleover and Kirkby in Ashfield (Elizabethan) there's Wirksworth this weekend. With these exhibitions in close proximity to each other you tend to see the same 'punters' turning up. I enjoy showing a layout and as long as I keep getting invited then I'll attend. But, how long before over exposure sets in?

 

Several years ago I used to visit a reasonable number of shows, after a while it became apparent that in the main I was seeing the same layouts over and over again. To stop this I cut down on the number of shows that I visited, a lot. It put me right off. I ended up only going for the trade stands. I then worked out that I could purchase what I wanted via mail order / phone or internet (or even by visiting the local shop) and end up having more to spend as I had not only saved the entrance fee (The normally equalled the cost of entry) but also the cost of getting there. All this from seeing the same layouts too many times.

 

The only "show" I have now visited for the last couple of years is the RM meet in Taunton

 

 

 

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I cut down on the number of shows that I visited, a lot. It put me right off. I ended up only going for the trade stands.

 

I guess there can be more reasons to go to a show than to be the first to see a new superlative layout appear on the expo circuit.

 

It can be a great pleasure when that happens even seeing an old layout one hasn't seen for some time. But then the possibility to discuss new projects with the trade, or (in days gone by) rummage through the junk boxes for 10p items plays its part. The occasional opportunity to act as stand-in operator / have-a-go on a familiar layout. Sometimes it is just the social aspect of catching-up on old friends, fellow RMWebbers, etc.

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I've been exhibiting at shows quite a bit over the last five years, probably six to eight a year on average, but I do have two layouts. However one is, to use Kenton's words, definitely showing signs of fatigue and it is the scenics that have inevitably suffered. I do feel that it has had its day and since it came back from the last I have been considering its future. It has four more bookings over the next eighteen months and I will not be accepting any additional shows as I do want to keep it as presentable as possible for those bookings. By the time it does its last show it will be nearly seven years old and I will have had enormous pleasure in toting it around.

 

I don't tire of exhibiting at shows, although I have at times been out on successive weekends, but that's the way shows fall. I do enjoy talking to people (too much some would say) and although the questions can be similar they are rarely boring and some interesting discussions can often result.

 

Now the emphasis is on the armchair modelling phase for it's successor, I'm currently looking at plans and maps to decide a location, although the era and stock will remain much the same.

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I guess there can be more reasons to go to a show than to be the first to see a new superlative layout appear on the expo circuit.

 

It can be a great pleasure when that happens even seeing an old layout one hasn't seen for some time. But then the possibility to discuss new projects with the trade, or (in days gone by) rummage through the junk boxes for 10p items plays its part. The occasional opportunity to act as stand-in operator / have-a-go on a familiar layout. Sometimes it is just the social aspect of catching-up on old friends, fellow RMWebbers, etc.

 

I quite agree that there are more reasons to go to a show than viewing the latest / flashiest layout or the shopping. As I said this occurred a while ago, and there were probably other factors that made me less enthusiastic to go to shows, that when put with the reasons I have previously mentioned just stopped me going.

 

 

 

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Just to clarify a point I think Alan is talking about exhibiting

I have only done it once :huh:

 

I did enjoy it though and plan to do it again; I just need to build a better layout now

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I've been exhibiting at shows quite a bit over the last five years, probably six to eight a year on average, but I do have two layouts.

 

 

I'm with you on that one johnb. I've recently built another layout to try to add a bit of variety. But, the new one is booked for Wirksworth 2011 so I will be exhibiting the older one at Wirksworth this weekend which was also at Kirkby last weekend. Of the four bookings that I have for next year the new layout will be at three of them!

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I tend to go to quite a few exhibitions during each year. In the last month there have been two, plus Peterborough this weekend and Warley next month. I'm also finding that the layout 'Harford Street' is starting to pick up invites to shows now, so that's good, as there are a couple of invites to show's I have not attended before.:)

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I don't get to many shows as a punter, and have only done one show "so far" as a "proper" Exhibitor (i.e. not just helping others); family and work etc dictate my weekend activities most of the time...

This last year I've actually gone to even less shows than usual as both Kidderminster and Hagley were cancelled. :( On the other hand I shall be going to Warley again for the first time in five years (just Saturday - not going to overdo it!!), and for free too... ;) :D :D :D

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