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Warley at the NEC 2014, 22nd and 23rd November


Robert Shrives

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I went on the Saturday and had a good day... although it was near on impossible to see some of the layouts.... bit like Wetherspoons where I gave up waiting twice for a Beer... ended up in the Virgin 1st class lounge instead and a bottle....

 

Layouts that I saw were good, yes the hand of god played too greater part....

 

managed to get to the front on Black Country Blues and thought it was great - hopefully catch it again soon....

 

Photos on-line son at: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/92401-the-next-model-railway/&do=findComment&comment=1675569

 

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Now i'm back from the show had chance to read the comments about the show

 

relly gratifying to hear the positive comments obout our GL5, 5 inch gauge model shunting display, or the '5 inch plank' as it seems to have become colloquially known! Mighty big plank haha!

 

Its the first time we've attempted anything like it, certainly on table top, as a full shunting layout, and at a model railway show, so really gratifying to hear so much positive feedback over it, makes the two years of organisation, and last few months of manic preparation all the more worth it! Hopefully we'd like to be back in a year or two, and who knows maybe this time we'll persuade them to let us get the steam engines out to potter around alongside the noisey diesels! :P

 

Cheers

 

Mark

'5 inch plank' coordinator

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Now i'm back from the show had chance to read the comments about the show

 

relly gratifying to hear the positive comments obout our GL5, 5 inch gauge model shunting display, or the '5 inch plank' as it seems to have become colloquially known! Mighty big plank haha!

 

Its the first time we've attempted anything like it, certainly on table top, as a full shunting layout, and at a model railway show, so really gratifying to hear so much positive feedback over it, makes the two years of organisation, and last few months of manic preparation all the more worth it! Hopefully we'd like to be back in a year or two, and who knows maybe this time we'll persuade them to let us get the steam engines out to potter around alongside the noisey diesels! :P

 

Cheers

 

Mark

'5 inch plank' coordinator

Hi Mark

 

How does it all work?

Radio control obviously.

I would guess on board batteries for the Met (24v?)

How about the diesels? they were putting out some clag!

 

Keith

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relly gratifying to hear the positive comments obout our GL5, 5 inch gauge model shunting display, or the '5 inch plank' as it seems to have become colloquially known! Mighty big plank haha!

 

Its the first time we've attempted anything like it, certainly on table top, as a full shunting layout, and at a model railway show, so really gratifying to hear so much positive feedback over it, makes the two years of organisation, and last few months of manic preparation all the more worth it! Hopefully we'd like to be back in a year or two, and who knows maybe this time we'll persuade them to let us get the steam engines out to potter around alongside the noisey diesels! :P

 

 

I have to say it was an impressive sight seeing two of you lug the 37 in on Friday evening and what's even more impressive is that it didn't pancake the tables. :)

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Trade was balanced.  Wow how Squires can put on a stand.  But interesting that Eileen's have barcoded but Squires not.

On the variations in how the traders work I noticed two traders accepting cards without connected terminals.

One was using the old fashion paper "swipe" system (Squires?), the other was using his mobile to get authorisation - that was painfully slow and a queue quickly built up in busy times.

 

Keith

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On the variations in how the traders work I noticed two traders accepting cards without connected terminals.

One was using the old fashion paper "swipe" system (Squires?), the other was using his mobile to get authorisation - that was painfully slow and a queue quickly built up in busy times.

 

Keith

 

I believe the traders have fun with PDQ machines because of the fact that the NEC is basically a large steel box that f*&ks up interferes with the signal.

 

Stafford has a similar problem and it's not unknown for some traders to stand outside with their hands in the air holding a PDQ device.

Cheers,

Mick

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Having just returned from NEC i thought i'd update those unaware of our antics this weekend...

 

Firstly a major thanks to the lads for a sterling effort in keeping a minimal service running during an extremely testing session..

 

This weekend was in the main for LL an absolute nightmare...

 

I had encountered unforeseen issues in the build up to the event some of which were overcome or by-passed and some of which were insurmountable in the time available..needless to expend further this left me with no track power, transformer units, controllers, telegraph or telephones prior to the event..accordingly over the previous 10 days app 150 hours were invested to get the layout to the show. and as presentable as possible with the time remaining..

 

By fri eve we had the layout erected and goods running line and the up line working - but you could not traverse from one to the other! Sat morning saw 3 of us fighting to get the down main alive, which at midday we seemed to achieve.. but by 1pm an erratic and completely non nonsensical voltage reduction and occasional short  had us pulling our hair out. I eventually traced this to a few strands of old wiring that, barely visible to the naked eye were being moved by the air pressure of the front curtain when it was pushed or kicked by the audience, across a pcb board isolation gap causing a momentary short. So by 4pm sat we had both main lines capable of one train in each direction at a time... not the correct 4+trains anticipated! But at least there was movement on each line now... Sunday morning was spent stocking the layout as normally would have been done fri after which apart from some occasional track and loco cleaning a train was in motion on each line til 5pm....All the pre event tests had failed to simulate the latter fault and even the vacuuming clean of every boards underside prior to the show had not picked it up..

 

Throughout the lads kept any inquiring punters informed as to what was happening, the issues we were trying to overcome as best as possible for this weekend and engaged as many as possible in explanations about the layout inc what has been done to date and what comes next...

 

Regardless of everything we received some encouraging comments from visitors and WMRC members and i collectively thank you all here for them..

 

I had no chance of taking any pics of the layout and would love to see any if someone has any to post?

 

cheers Mark

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I believe the traders have fun with PDQ machines because of the fact that the NEC is basically a large steel box that f*&ks up interferes with the signal. Stafford has a similar problem and it's not unknown for some traders to stand outside with their hands in the air holding a PDQ device.Cheers,Mick

The Gauge O Guild Sales stand always has that trouble at Telford every September, & only seem to have 1 terminal as well.... :(

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Hi gang,

Thanks for coming,  I caught 2123 from BHI having seen Squires out of hall 5 - yep what a stand ! Locos and 61 on low loaders and about to leave. The standfitters Freeman UK were in last throws of dismantling the Club stands and were loading HGVs . 

Some 685 tables and 1400 chairs stacked - thanks to those on stands who helped and as ever a sea of rubbish for the cleaners to get this morning!

 

A big thanks to the 12 of the club that throw their all in to put show on and the roundly 100 club members, friends and partners who on the day throw in their all and more to make it all happen.   Plus NEC, traders, society/ club members, who did the really hardwork being "on stage" all weekend. 

 

Despite sore feet and throat I had a great time meeting many friends, spending too much and enjoying layouts large and small - an amazing showcase for the hobby - a national show for the hobby we call all be proud of and of international standing.

 

Sadly the German layout members not that happy of having a mobliity scooter invasion ! - nearly collasped fiddle yard and not a word of apology!! Our club information stand also struck and damaged by scooter clouting counter!!!!

 

Just for a change NEC traffic department complaints at an all time low! does not mean it was better but a resignation it will never be perfect.

 

Thanks and here is looking at an other equally busy show  in 2015 as in the past. The hobby is in good hands for the future.

Robert   

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Thanks for inviting us and to all those organising and helping at the show. We used the rubbish bags provided but as chairs and tables were cleared there was a lot of rubbish to be seen especially around the general public seating areas!

 

My other half seemed to be getting the brunt of the NEC security. On Friday she was told to park in a certain car park but when she got there was told off for doing so. On Friday the same security person wouldn't let her in with the car as she was a couple of minutes too early and turned her around but fellow operator 2 cars behind her was let in.

 

A great weekend though.

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Sadly the German layout members not that happy of having a mobliity scooter invasion ! - nearly collasped fiddle yard and not a word of apology!!

I heard about that on another forum. In my opinion the person using that mobility scooter should have been banned from using it because they were incapable of controlling it and were a danger to themselves and other people.

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The Gauge O Guild Sales stand always has that trouble at Telford every September, & only seem to have 1 terminal as well.... :(

 We had few problems a couple of blips but nothing major. Must be the done thing to moan about something especially  " I heard that ------"

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Thanks to the Warley club for inviting Hinksey Yard and looking after us so well.

 

We had a very enjoyable show with lots of interest in the layout and it was nice to meet many RMWeb members who have helped us with photos and encouragement.

 

A thoroughly exhausting, but rewarding weekend.

 

Many thanks,

Cheers,

Dave 

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On the variations in how the traders work I noticed two traders accepting cards without connected terminals.

One was using the old fashion paper "swipe" system (Squires?), the other was using his mobile to get authorisation - that was painfully slow and a queue quickly built up in busy times.

 

Keith

 Not sure of meaning the terminals are supposed to work off connected terminals as the are bascically a large mobile phone. The traders with "connected" terminals probably keep the on their charging stations to ensure that they do not fail duriing the day

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I believe the traders have fun with PDQ machines because of the fact that the NEC is basically a large steel box that f*&ks up interferes with the signal.

 

Stafford has a similar problem and it's not unknown for some traders to stand outside with their hands in the air holding a PDQ device.

Cheers,

Mick

The Faraday Cage effect; I'm surprised, given how dependent people seem to be on their mobiles nowadays that the owners of such premises don't have shore signals of some sort. Does the NEC have Wi-Fi? 

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Over all not really that impressed with Warley, had a very nasty run in with a self appointed warley club jobs worth on sunday morning, who has no legal right to do anything... I have since checked this and I am 100% correct! Which technically means I was assaulted !

I really think despite the scale of the task in hand after so many years (decades) they might have got it together by now! I read in the latest RM in an interview that Warley might be in it's last decade, and well to be honest with other shows doing really well and many people i know both exhibitors and visitors now giving it a miss that might not be a bad thing. 

I should point out I have nothing but praise for the NEC staff, who did an outstanding job, were helpful, catering was first class, and traffic got me to were I needed to be with little fuss or bother, and there own security staff were professional, fair and organised, oh and above all legally licensed and trained!

Anyhow back on a more positive note, thank you once again for coming to visit us on B72, we hope you did enjoy the weekend and Thornton Gate! I for one really did enjoy talking to you all 

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Big thanks to the organisers, Warley MRC and the NEC staff for a very enjoyable weekend. We had a few control system problems with our layout, Dubmill Sidings. Not sure if it was the system (wireless prodigy) or the layout? Did anyone else suffer with their wireless systems? However, apart from an hour on Saturday and Sunday mornings where we seemed to have to re-set the system every couple of minutes everything else was fine. Many thanks for all the compliments we received and also the interest from the visiting exhibition managers. We hope to get some more invitations as shows are the only opportunity we get to play with the layout. Great week-end, thank-you and who would have thought, a 5" gauge shunting plank?

 

Steve Thompson and Family.

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Hi Mark

 

How does it all work?

Radio control obviously.

I would guess on board batteries for the Met (24v?)

How about the diesels? they were putting out some clag!

 

Keith

 

Heya keith

You wouldnt believe how many times we've fielded these questions haha!

Yes it was all done by commercially available radio control products, All three of the locos are carrying a pair of car batteries that supply 24v to the motors (4 each on the 37 and western and 7 on the metvick!) The diesels both have fantastic sound systems by a compnay called M-tronics coupled with a decent bass speaker in the body shell (although i have a feeling the 37's one is in the fuel tanks) and then smoke was provided by a cold water vapour smoke system from Mark's model boats, which works by ultrasonic vapourisation of the water and then being pushed out by fan. unfortunately the fans on the 37 packed in on the saturday morning, and one of the ones on the 52 died too so it looked like it was only running on one engine, all very prototypical I'm told! :P

 

You'll be glad (or not!) to hear the traders werent the only ones to suffer from the effects of the metal framing faraday cage, with the batteries starting to drain by sunday afternoon we were starting to get issues with the Metvick running out of range even within 20 feet! Ah well, all it meant was some odd looking controller waggling!

 

As a first warley show i wasnt sure what to to expect, the booking in didnt seem especially clever but the breakdown was mighty impressive, we had the whole lot dismantled and packed awy in under an hour and a half after show close! many layouts were still together at that point!

 

cheers all

 

Mark

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The Faraday Cage effect; I'm surprised, given how dependent people seem to be on their mobiles nowadays that the owners of such premises don't have shore signals of some sort. Does the NEC have Wi-Fi? 

Yes and it was free...

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I have to say it was an impressive sight seeing two of you lug the 37 in on Friday evening and what's even more impressive is that it didn't pancake the tables. :)

 

I was one of the pair carrying it and was completely knackered by the time we got it to the stand...! Weight was a concern, both of the big diesels are a heavy 2 man lift with the batteries in, the LSWR O2 is also a substantial lump being full of lead, the tables coped fine though thankfully! I am going to look at fitting R/C gear to the regulator and reverser of the O2 should we get a return invite.

 

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post-7911-0-91705600-1416828305.jpg

 

post-7911-0-78833100-1416828328.jpg

 

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Considering the lack of scenic items of interest we have to say we were bowled over by the huge interest shown by show visitors.

 

If we get a return invite at some point then we shall work on adding more items of interest, usually we obviously run on large outdoor railways where scenics are provided by nature!

 

Regards,

 

Mike

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Over all not really that impressed with Warley, had a very nasty run in with a self appointed warley club jobs worth on sunday morning, who has no legal right to do anything... I have since checked this and I am 100% correct! Which technically means I was assaulted !

 

I really think despite the scale of the task in hand after so many years (decades) they might have got it together by now! I read in the latest RM in an interview that Warley might be in it's last decade, and well to be honest with other shows doing really well and many people i know both exhibitors and visitors now giving it a miss that might not be a bad thing. 

 

If you have a problem re Sunday morning please let Paul Jones know as soon as possible.

 

the show has been in the NEC for 22 years and it will always will have one or two problems - some due to the fallibility of the human mind - others down to changes due to external forces - such as the change of date for next year which is an NEC thing.

 

The Show team is always willing to have more volunteer helpers.

 

To give you a real idea of the scope of the show, the hall is over 1/3 mile long, it was marked out on Thursday and checked by a small band of volunteers on Thursday.

640+ tables were set out on Friday morning, about 1000 chairs were set out on Friday as well, over 1300 badges were printed and distributed, over 1500 meal tickets were printed and distributed and nigh on 300 hotel rooms booked. Even the big shows at the NEC (like the motorcycle show) don't book accommodation,provide food or stand furniture so putting the Warley show on is a vast task by a relatively small number of volunteers. 

 

BarryO

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If you have a problem re Sunday morning please let Paul Jones know as soon as possible.

 

the show has been in the NEC for 22 years and it will always will have one or two problems - some due the fallibility of the human mind - others down to changes due to external forces - such as the change of date for next year which is an NEC thing.

 

The Show team is always willing to have more volunteer helpers.

 

To give you a real idea of the scope of the show, the hall is over 1/3 mile long, it was marked out on Thursday and checked by a small band of volunteers on Thursday.

640+ tables were set out on Friday morning, about 1000 chairs were set out on Friday as well, over 1300 badges were printed and distributed, over 1500 meal tickets were printed and distributed and nigh on 300 hotel rooms booked. Even the big shows at the NEC (like the motorcycle show) don't book accommodation,provide food or stand furniture so putting the Warley show on is a vast task by a relatively small number of volunteers. 

 

BarryO

well said 

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I also came across an example of the over-zealous (I'll be kind) Warley member who, upon being given a yellow HiVi and a clip board becomes puffed up with their own self-importance.

 

Having been exhibiting with Black Country Blues all day with my young son we were on our way out on Saturday evening after closing via the loos. As we were making our way towards the entrance this gentleman accosted us and stated quite brusquely that we needed to leave the hall as the show was closed and all the public should have left. When I pointed out that we were exhibitors and were on our way out he then pointed at my son and asked if he would be with me on Sunday, when I said yes he would the gentleman very bluntly stated that my son would have to be put in the creche at the end of the show during break down. Now we had no intention of staying through the break down as the rest of the team were happy to do this so this wouldn't be a problem anyway but it was the way in which it was said that gave offence. I understand that clubs have a mixture of people and sometimes you can't avoid giving jobs to persons with limited people skills but at a show of this scale and reputation it would be nice if the hosting club members were given some assistance in their manner. It spoiled what had been an otherwise enjoyable day for both of us.

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The Gauge O Guild Sales stand always has that trouble at Telford every September, & only seem to have 1 terminal as well.... :(

We had few problems a couple of blips but nothing major. Must be the done thing to moan about something especially  " I heard that ------"

I wasn't moaning, & I didn't "hear that...."

At Telford in September it took me half-an-hour to pay for an item at the Guild Sales Stand. Just a fact, that's all. Not a moan, or a snipe at anyone at Warley.

I know it was half-an-hour, because with an impatient 11-yr old in tow, it felt like a helluva lot longer.

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