Andy C Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Manchester MRS in association with Bachmann UK and Model Rail present their 77th annual show Saturday 5th October and Sunday 6th October, 10am - 5pm both days. The Armitage Centre Moseley Road Fallowfield MANCHESTER M14 6ZT Adults £7 (£6 in advance from August, see website www.mmrs.co.uk) Accompanied children are free. Full programme of layouts including Leicester South Talks and Lectures from modellers Demonstrations Full trade support Societies Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Any updates? Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted September 11, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 11, 2013 He doesn't post here anymore so unlikely to be so. This page should help http://www.mmrs.org.uk/exhibition/exhibition.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy C Posted September 21, 2013 Author Share Posted September 21, 2013 He doesn't post here anymore so unlikely to be so. This page should help http://www.mmrs.org.uk/exhibition/exhibition.htm Contrary to informed opinion, I do post when required, Heres the list of traders exhibiting at the show this year: 247 Developments Alan Gibson Workshop ALL Components Bachmann Europe Bill Hudson Books Cheltenham Model Centre D.C. Kits & Models Direct train spares Eileen's Emporium Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways The Gordon Coltas Photographic Trust Greenscene Judith Edge Kits Mousa Models Penketh Model Rail Centre Pennine Models Rural Railways Shawplan Ten Commandments TMS Models Videoscene and Train Crazy ZTC Controls and the layouts. Timpdon Lake 32mm Loads of rubbish 0 Staindrop 0 Canaan Valley 0n30 Kilbrandon Junction S Ackthorpe 0 Albion Yard 00 Easington Lane EM Eccleston P4 Leicester South 00 Little Arrow 00 Mortomley 00 Thomas 00 Triang Minic Motorways 00 Untermutten H0m Hazelwood Junction N Duly amended! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tender Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 I was getting a bit worried for a minute there, not a lot for the 4mm modeller i thought judging by the above list. Checked back with the mmrs website and it looks like there's a few '0's missing, phew! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Permanent Waves Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 It will also be the last outing for Easington Lane before it passes to its new owner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sykes Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I'll be demonstrating on the 2mm Association stand on Saturday. Come and say hello and I'll try not to give you my cold! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
black and decker boy Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 A taster of Leicester South which appears at Manchester this coming weekend Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isambard Kingdom Brunel Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Was checking this out on Google Earth and coincidently there is a big Banner on display advertising "Model Railway Exhibition here this weekend" Now that is what I call marketing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Nearly forgot about this, luckily no plans for Sunday so I will be free to drive the 15 minutes to the exhibition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted October 4, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 4, 2013 Fortunately my wife needs a lift home from Didsbury tomorrow afternoon. I will have to go across early to miss the traffic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
black and decker boy Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Hope you're ditching the sound. 30 seconds was too much! Mute button? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbb Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Lovely show, it was great to chat to exhibitors and traders who all seemed very friendly. Mind you it was early... Some terrific layouts of all sizes-good to see but PMP's Albion Yard was a winner for me and it was nice talking to its creator. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 I hate to disagree but I actually felt it was a disappointing show and I've been going to this show more years than I care to mention. If I was a child then there were several layouts to interest me: Thomas, the live steam, mimic and bizarrely Hazelwood junction operating on an anything goes basis including Minitrix Mk1 coaches. Don't get me wrong, there were no bad layouts but I can't help feeling there was something lacking whereas two weeks back I left the finescale north exhibition at George H Carnall all buoyed up to get on with my own efforts. It also seemed quiet, is the new location impacting numbers and therefore the ability of the MMRS to put on a show like it did in central Manchester? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 My first visit to the exhibition for many years (not been since before MMRS and Warley swapped dates). Here's a few photos. Albion Yard Easington Lane Eccleston Little Arrow Mortomley TT Society demo stand with station modelled on Macduff Kilbrandon Hazelwood Junction Timpdon Lake (I've seen this a few times but this was the first time I'd viewed it from this side) Staindrop Leicester South There were a couple of other layouts but as I had seen them before I didn't photograph them. The trade stands were a good variety but I had to drag myself away from Bill Hudson's book stand before I bankrupted myself! I think that there would have to be something that I really wanted (needed) to see before I return to this venue; it was a bit of a hike using public transport/shanks's pony. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted October 5, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 5, 2013 I hate to disagree but I actually felt it was a disappointing show and I've been going to this show more years than I care to mention. If I was a child then there were several layouts to interest me: Thomas, the live steam, mimic and bizarrely Hazelwood junction operating on an anything goes basis including Minitrix Mk1 coaches. Don't get me wrong, there were no bad layouts but I can't help feeling there was something lacking whereas two weeks back I left the finescale north exhibition at George H Carnall all buoyed up to get on with my own efforts. It also seemed quiet, is the new location impacting numbers and therefore the ability of the MMRS to put on a show like it did in central Manchester? I also feel that the new venue lacks something that was found in the old Co-Op site. The atmosphere is a bit 'Tin Shed' but on the plus side the lighting is better. As far as the content was concerned there was some excellent stuff. I particularly liked Leicester South, but it wasn't the only star. Specialist traders seemed to be lacking compared with a few years ago, but this is a general trend in these hard times and Expo EM North a couple of weeks ago provided a feast for us in that department. Numbers seemed to be less than on my last visit, I wonder if as a result of the economic situation or the change of venue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisf Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I made the trip yesterday, by public transport which worked well. One could not desire a more frequent bus service from Oxford Road station to Owens Park! This time a diversion was in force in the morning which had the effect of dropping me almost outside the door. The only glitch was the ticket barrier at Oxford Road which did not like my advance ticket from Milton Keynes. My return journey was as near seamless as it gets - from Manchester Piccadilly to home in Bedford accomplished in 2h45m. Try doing that by car and for £7.25 each way! It did strike me too that footfall was down on last year. I'm sure that Andy C and his team will be reviewing the situation once all is done and dusted and I wish I had some constructive suggestions for them. Atmosphere is difficult to define but this is not the only show held in a sports hall, remote from civilisation or otherwise. How much damage has Expo-EM North done, being held quite nearby, more difficult to reach with public transport and only three weeks earlier? Manchester is a more broadly based exhibition and some of the specialist traders found at other shows may well have concluded that it is not worth their while to attend. Not all the layouts were to my taste. Of those that were, let me salute Kilbrandon. Ireland in S Scale is possibly unique. It is certainy charming verging on exquisite and behaved itself while I was watching. Not so Eccleston, I'm afraid. I viewed a hiccup involving a single slip, a sticky loco, some partly derailed wagons and some recalcitrant couplings. It is not for me to say anything about operators who may or may not have had shaky hands gven that I spent parts of three days this week at a beer festival! Ackthorpe evoked South Yorkshire with flair and efficiency and with David and Alison Barker operating it would not dare to have misbehaved. Easington Lane is well known for capturing 70s decline and rationalisation perfectly and I wish it every success with its new owner. I used not to think overmuch of Albion Yard but I have to say that connecting it with the Forest of Dean has made a world of difference: savour it while you can. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Unfortunately when I was viewing Kilbrandon it had just one train operating out of a possible five. The passenger train would leave the station pass through the fiddleyard before stopping again at the station. This was repeated several times in succession, ok they haven't got much stock yet and what there was looked good but I like to see some variety and not just the exact same movement repeated over and over. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crantock Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Well I visited having dropped from the roster after it left the co-op building. I enjoyed the exhibition and there were first rate exhibits on display. Ackthorpe and Leicester South are excellent. Easington lane wonderfully captures decline. Eccleston may be "30 years in the making" but it has come along a lot in the last couple. I echo Chris F in that Albion yard being labelled as forest of dean works the imagination. I am not sure the stone walling or the fencing were right for FoD but the imagination works wonders. Kilbrandon junction's scenery conveys open space and as such was a contrast to the other layouts. It was a little focussed on 4mm or thereabouts. There was not a first rate 2mm layout (the home teams Hazelwood junction was not quite complete and it was all there was). Some mutterings from the traders and I am afraid I didn't help them. It would be good to return to the city centre but for now this is as good as it gets. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I hate to disagree but I actually felt it was a disappointing show and I've been going to this show more years than I care to mention. ... ... ... It also seemed quiet, is the new location impacting numbers and therefore the ability of the MMRS to put on a show like it did in central Manchester? I know what you mean. I've said before I don't think the current shows are nearly as good as years gone by and that the venue is poorly located. I also feel that the new venue lacks something that was found in the old Co-Op site. The atmosphere is a bit 'Tin Shed' but on the plus side the lighting is better. ... ... ... Numbers seemed to be less than on my last visit, I wonder if as a result of the economic situation or the change of venue. This year was only the third or fourth Manchester I've not been to in about 15 years, so I can't and won't comment directly on this years show but the above comments tie in with some of my feelings on recent shows and why I chose not to visit this year. Over the years Manchester has for me been up and down: in the mid 1990s it seemed to be a bit stale - often many of the same layouts year after year and while they were of high quality were few in number. When Andy Cooper took charge in my opinion he really turned it around increasing the quality, quantity and variety; the show reaching a peak around 2007/08/09. Since then it has seemed to be on the wane again. Particularly after the change of venue it has seemed laclustre and missing some of the quality and variety both of layouts and trade of just 4-5 years ago. While the venue does contribute to the 'feel' of the show, I don't think it can be entirely blamed on the change of location - other organisations put on quality shows in similar and poorer venues... Unfortunately Manchester is for me one of several shows currently trading on past glories and a once deserved reputation it doesn't currently live up to. I feel a couple of other shows in the region currently offer a better value product, but I'm sure it will rise again. There is a strong, experienced and determined team behind it who know what is needed to put on a good show and I'm hearing interesting rumours about potential future developments that could put it back where it belongs as the premier show in the North West... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leander Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Spent an excellent 5 hours at the show today. The quality of layouts was excellent overall regardless of scale or gauge modelled although the home team's N-gauger may have been exhibited a little prematurely. Achthorpe had a good selection of trains running on the S&K in the 1950s but surely it's far too clean and unpolluted to be a truly convincing depiction of the Yorkshire coalfield at that time.. I too heard the mutterings from certain members of the trade, perhaps ExpoEM North three weeks earlier in the same city has taken more than the cream off the top of the milk. Anyway, congratulations to the Manchester team. It will be very interesting to see how things now develop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I've just got back after spending a weekend in my native city. The visit to the show and the weekend were very successful marred only by the football fanatics getting tanked up in the city centre on Saturday afternoon prior to the match and then commandeering the Altrincham trams. This was my first visit to the Manchester show for 42 years! I used to go religiously but after I left for London in February 1971 my return visits didn't coincide with the show. So what was my impression? Very good layouts but too many box shifters and not enough finescale support; what support there was could be,and should be,described as of the very best quality, but there ought to be more. Very nice people, but then the Manchester MRC always seemed to have people with good social skills. Overall, a very good impression, very good indeed. I took a fair number of photos on Saturday morning, I'll post them as and when I get to process them. Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy C Posted October 6, 2013 Author Share Posted October 6, 2013 I'll just pop on here to extend my thanks to all of the exhibitors (and to my mind the term exhibitors includes all of the layouts traders and demonstrators) and all of the visiting public who helped make this years show a success for the club. I'd also like to thank those who visited because without your patronage theres no point in doing the show. This years awards: Paul Marshall Potter (PMP) won the Visitors Cup for Albion Yard, it really is a truly well observed layout and Paul's name deserves to be on that cup, the other names which read like a whos who of all those who have made a significant and lasting impact on Railway Modelling in this country. Leicester South got the Visitors Shield, second time for the Shipley club as their name is alrady on it for Tebay, come back for the hat trick guys. Kilbrandon Junction got the saggy barrier award given for the layout whos section of barrier has had the most leaning on, an indication of popularity. As for all the rumours, brilliant, I've yet to hear one which actually approaches anywhere or anything near the truth, my favourite is that we are at the RNCM next year in July. Thats either the product of a very fertile imagination, or the use of mind altering substances. The reality - well the only thing I will say is that we will definately not be at the Armitage Centre next year. Please feel free to keep guessing, but the MMRS and only the MMRS will let you know where, when and what as soon as we are good and ready! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I hope the change of venue will be a successful one, I look forward to next years exhibition. Can I request Dewsbury Midland makes a trip out, cant help but think you need to have your best model out at your home exhibition, Hazelwood is no Chee Tor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted October 6, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 6, 2013 I went on Saturday and spend an enjoyable few hours. I did notice quite a number of families with children and I wondered whether this was due to children being free. The Museum of Transport introduced this a few years back and noticed it helped to increase numbers as parents are alwasys looking for things for children to do and if there is something free for the kids it appeals. They seem to disregard they have to pay. It may mean introducing things to an exhibition you would not nornally consider but it helps to entertain this new audience, and even though they may not be modellers you may just plant a seed that may encourage them to take up the hobby. I overhead a small group discussing the future of the hobby and the need to get young people/children interested, I think the children free policy is a step in the right direction.I know my interest in model trains was encouraged when my dad teased me for about two weeks when I was about 10 years old and said we were going to see MR X, we set off on a Friday evening and he told me MR X was the Model Railway eXhibition at the Corn Exhange, I have vague mememories of seeing the big trams, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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