Jump to content
 

Rochdale 2014 - 12 &13 April - now with free guide


black and decker boy

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium

Good luck to all with your 50th show. Hopefully Mr Crowther will have arrived by now!

Shame I can't get up north this weekend, but unfortunately clashes with my wedding anniversary!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Just spend a very enjoyable afternoon at the Rochdale Show. A nice friendly small scale event like things used to be in total contrast to the over-hyped Mega-Shows that dominate the media coverage these days.

Though relatively few in number, every layout was a good one: a definite case of Quality rather than Quantity. The highlight for me was Martin Stringer's 'Tollesbury Quay'. While unfinished, this already has all the halmarks of something to watch out for; it just had that atmosphere to it and features the most credible and realistic use of real water I've ever seen to represent the rise and fall of the tides.

Recomended to anyone in the area tomorrow.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Totally agree with the above comments had a very pleasant and enjoyabe visit this morning.

 

ALL good layouts and not a single 'space filler' to be seen.

 

Follow the above advice - Go tomorrow - you won't regret it !

Link to post
Share on other sites

Very many thanks to all who supported RMRG by exhibiting, visiting or helping out at the show over the weekend. It was an excellent weekend and the 50th Anniversary exhibition was duly celebrated in style. As far as we can tell, it was the first model railway show ever to be held in Littleborough and we were warmly welcomed by the local folk. The place has a real 'villagey' feel with a strong sense of community and people were happy top help advertise the exhibition at the Sunday morning Farmers' Market for example, in return, we helped to promote them.

 

The venue worked well within the constraints imposed by its limited size. However it was ideal in enabling us to do what we set out to do, namely to 'get back to basics', in presenting a show where the focus was on the layouts and one where we didn't need loads of traders selling pretty much identical stuff in order to balance the books. Our approach must have worked by the look of the smile on the Hon. Treasurer's face when he was leaving on Sunday evening.

 

So is this 'low-fi' approach a way forward for more club shows faced by rising overheads, a more discerning audience and an unwillingness of some of the more desirable members of the trade to get involved with a show that isn't guaranteed to have an attendance reaching well into four figures? Well. our experience over the weekend shows that this approach can work very successfully. It's not without its drawbacks, number and size of invited layouts being but one; however it does enable a top quality show to be put together with the emphasis on quality, not quantity.

 

We hope that those who attended really enjoyed the exhibition, and that those northern based modellers who gave it a miss will turn out in greater numbers should we decide to repeat the experience in 2015.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Going back a couple of years to the Rochdale November 2011 show when we (the Rochdale MRG) had so much hassle with the hall at Oulder Hill and the show in general, a number of us in the group decided to call it a day with holding the shows, we had just about had our fill of it all. Grafting your bollox off over 3 days for a return on capital expenditure that would make Alan Sugar’s eyes water, just to get pain off bolshy hall managers and thats before you got the grief off all the traders because they didn’t do so well or cant get a good spot to park their van nearest the door. Although the next show would be a landmark, the 50th, basically the 4 regular members could not give a s**t anymore.

 

Roll forward to the back end of 2012 and we were mellowing, yes we would consider another show but it would be on our terms getting rid of the things which were causing us the trouble: The hall, the Traders and the barrier and no overnight stays. Back to basics was the theme, it was our 50th show and why not go back to that. We went and visited the hall and chatted to the caretaker – it was a case of just get on with it lads. the price was right. Not only that but the premises are smart and well decorated – added bonus theres a cafe underneath and several pubs and shops nearby. Its a couple of minutes across the road to the station. We planned it yes we can have good finescale layouts that won’t cost the earth and we do not need traders to offset the cost – well go on the n we will have one in but not actualy charge him anything to come, if he does well he can make us a donation, if its not good then its OK we understand. Lets have a line society in as well and a preservation stand.

 

On Friday evening it all came together, it was relaxed, it was no hassle. We were having a laugh. Come 10am on Saturday morning there was a small queue and the show was busy all day, but everyone was actually enjoying themselves. I never stopped talking to visitors even when I was doing routine stock maintenance at the end of the layout. We closed at half four on the satirday, everyone was happy and we sauntered of to the Baum (CAMRA pub of the year 2013) for a very good meal and a few – well a lot really – beers. Early doors Martin Edmondson got a phone call from the club treasurer – “we are in profit buy everyone a drink from the club”. Sunday continued in the same vein, we stripped the show down at half four, it was relaxed there were big smiles from all at what is usually the most fraught bit of a show.

 

In short this is the best show Ive ever been involved in and done, and thats from someone who’s been an exhibition manager for 25 years up till 2011. I’ve exhibited at countless shows, I’ve visited as a punter even more but this is without shadow of a doubt this is the best most relaxed Ive ever done. OK there are those who think that 40 layouts and 40 traders is a good show -never mind the quality, feel the width. there was no filler. Whats the point of paying £10 or more to go and see the same amount of good layouts as was here? Traders – well if I want something i can just go on the internet and get it – often cheaper, they are not important in the show environment. I return to that theme “Back to basics” – go and enjoy the layouts. Thats the way forward and the most important thing. The retail therapy you can get 24/7 online.

 

Yes it was a great weekend and its likley there will be another next year with more brilliant layouts. Watch this space.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, it was a cracking show -- all the layouts were 'quality' and the atmosphere was great. look forward to next year's show. Keep it up.

 

Is it a format for other shows? I'm sure it is. We have very large shows, specialist shows and the middle ground: this will become the middle ground.

Link to post
Share on other sites

We managed to get there for a couple of hours on Saturday as that was all we had spare for time and we enjoyed the show, there was some really nice layouts on show and my grand daughter Megan really enjoyed her little job giving out the tickets for entry :-) cheers

Peter

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...