pauliebanger Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Just packing for this event. I'll be demonstrating my usual array of sound-fitted 0 gauge locos, but this year I'll have a range of N gauge sound-fitted models to show that sound in N is not only possible but can be relatively straightforward to achieve. I'll also be featuring a couple of Sutton's Locomotive Works excellent Class 24 sound-fitted locos. You can come and have a test drive to judge just how immersive the ZIMO sound project can be. See you there I hope, Kind regards, Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted March 11, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2016 Does anyone know what the catering is like at this event please - choices/quality/prices? It's my first visit tomorrow Many thanks, Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted March 11, 2016 Author Share Posted March 11, 2016 Hi Brian, Just back from setting up. There are some fantastic layouts! Wood Green has a restaurant with very good food at very acceptable prices. Not the rip off prices you'll pay at certain venues. Last year the Wood Green chaps underestimated our footfall and we had some queues. This year they know what's coming and have more staff, and they have established a coffee point in the show area to spread the load. We have also increased the number of pay desks at the exhibition entrance to help get people in faster. We would appreciate feedback after the show from as many RM Web members a possible so we can continue to improve. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted March 11, 2016 Author Share Posted March 11, 2016 Our vintage bus operator has confirmed the Bristol Lodekka as the vintage bus that will be running to and from Huntingdon station. I hope I can find time for a round trip just for fun. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2750Papyrus Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Visited today. Good show, nice mix of layouts from 2mm finesacle to whimsical. Excellent venue, good access and parking, plenty of space, light and headroom in hall. Recommended Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted March 12, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 12, 2016 Now back from our first ever visit to this show - one of the best shows we have been to; the OH was very impressed too, and she normally starts getting fed up by early afternoon. The quality of layouts was some of the best I've seen grouped together in one place; perhaps two or three I would class as "Trainsets" rather than model railways, but that's just my taste. A reasonable spread of traders too. Catering was truly excellent - both quality and value . Overall: Highly recommended - many thanks to all responsible. Any slight downsides? Perhaps the following, but very minor points: 1. A second till operator in the restaurant would speed things up a little, but in fairness the queuing wasn't too bad. 2. The floor construction in the arena means cold feet! Not a lot the organisers can do about this one, but worth noting for next year (= wear thick socks). High point of the show? Meeting and talking (at some length) to Geoff Haynes for the first time - a really nice guy, and very gifted. Thanks Geoff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted March 12, 2016 Author Share Posted March 12, 2016 Thanks for the positive feedback guys. We are all looking forward to tomorrow (Sunday), when I hope to actually get a look at the show. BTW Fence Houses (a big, beautiful 2mm Finescale layout from Co Durham) was voted best layout by the Mayor of Huntingdon - who does know his stuff. Come and see us tomorrow and you can vote for best layout in the public vote. Many thanks to all our visitors, exhibitors traders and stewards. Wood Green do a lovely roast on a Sunday - bring the family to look at the animals while you enjoy the models. John K Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravensdmufan Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Went to this show yesterday, and spent the whole 7 hours there. It was a great show - the venue is superb. Light and airy with very wide aisles. Such an improvement on the old venue at the racecourse. We particularly liked the raised seating area (lots of it) along the side of the hall - it was nice to take a break and eat our sandwiches in comfort while watching the exhibition at the same time! I enjoyed the mix of layouts - voted Oulton TMD as my favourite (a hard choice as they were all excellent but in the end it boiled down to my favourite modelling era). Trade was good with a mix of suppliers. Was able to get all the bits and pieces on my shopping list along with a couple of impulse buy R-T-R items. Good advice from the Zimo Sound guys and Scale Model Buildings were some of the best scratch built structures I've ever seen. I give this show 10/10. Thanks very much to the organisers, exhibitors and traders. A great day out. (One very small point, nothing to do with the exhibition - just wish the Animal Centre would do away with the hot drink machines in their restaurant. They take ages and cause long queues Though afterwards we spotted a take away tea/coffee bar just outside the exhibition hall run by a friendly man who was pouring out the drinks fast - and they were half the price!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike morley Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 One nice sight when I arrived at midday today was a young lad who, even when stood on a plastic stool was barely shoulder high to the adults around him, wielding a controller on Fencehouses and being coached in the art of taking a Q6 and loaded hopper wagons across from the slow to the main line and away round the layout. And very well he did it, too. A round of applause to the Fencehouses team for letting him have a go (although I suspect Penrith Beacon would not have approved!) The star of the show was obviously the magnum opus that is Fencehouses, but one that snuck in under the radar and I hadn't even heard of before was Herstmonceux. Everything on it and running on it was built to a consistent and high standard but it was all subtle and understated. Nothing shouted at you - which is just the way it should be. At first glance all you thought was "This is good enough for a second look." It was only after you'd taken that second, longer look that you properly appreciated just how good it was and how well it all hung together. The operators were also extremely amiable. Moans? Too many box-shifters. The only stand selling kits (H&A) were pretty much under siege every time I looked their way and I couldn't even get close. And is there any etiquette/guide-lines about the volume at which DCC sound is set? The volume of the layout opposite meant I could barely hear Dobris (which had it's sound level set to an entirely sensible/acceptable volume) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 For me the highlight was Arigna Town, an Irish broad gauge line in 7mm scale. Absolutely lovely and pretty much everything kit or scratch built. There was a lot of good stuff mind. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted March 13, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 13, 2016 Fencehouses is just out of this world. I was also rather taken by Salmon Pastures, which demonstrated to me what I could achieve in the space I have available. The "OH Award of the Show" went to Paston Ridings though - she was well impressed by the quality and setting of the buildings, particularly on the right hand side of the layout (as viewed from the front). One improvement that I would consider to be essential, however..... Couldn't we have this exhibition twice a year please? ExpoEM, Railex and S4um seem a long way off.... Cheers, Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted March 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 13, 2016 Mike At the last show we did , RISEX we were in a meal rom and some of our locos sound too loud so I turned many of e locos volume down. However at a big show a few were too quiet. One of the difficulties between different venues. We had a great weekend at the show. Very well organised and the catering excellent especially the breakfasts. It's our first time at this location (last time was the racecourse). A bit nippy yesterday due to the doors being open for unloading but after setting the layout up and the show opened we were fine. I just wish that I had time to look at the layouts longer. Fence houses justifiably won the awards. I would love to build a layout of that size and quality but it won't fit in either our house or car and we wouldn't be loaded and away from the show in the usual half hour!! A great night out in Huntingdon on Saturday made for a great weekend. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted March 13, 2016 Author Share Posted March 13, 2016 Thanks guys for your feedback. We try to book the very best layouts we can, and we try to book layouts that haven't been seen in our area. I agree with the Herstmonceux comment. We spotted the layout at Uckfleld 18 months ago and it just had to come. BTW Fence Houses deservedly won the public vote for Best Layout as well as being the Mayor's choice. We had a great weekend - in particular we were delighted with the Sunday attendance numbers. As to twice a year - I don't think we could stand the strain! John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oulton TMD Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 The layout has been unloaded from the van and back in the garage after attending this great show! There were many excellent layouts, especially Fence Houses, well done for winning the best layout! Many thanks to the show organisers for inviting Oulton TMD and putting on a wonderful show! Allan Oulton TMD Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted March 13, 2016 Author Share Posted March 13, 2016 Oulton is a superb layout. We enjoyed your company John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 ... A round of applause to the Fencehouses team for letting him have a go (although I suspect Penrith Beacon would not have approved!) ... Actually I would have been delighted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calnefoxile Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Got home just after 8:00pm, had a bite to eat and promptly fell asleep in the chair, much to SWMBO's annoyance. I would like to thank the 2 Stewards who helped me out to operate Hedges Hill Cutting on Sunday, as my other 2 Operators had to attend thd NGS Committee meeting. My only observation on the show, would be for the Organisors to consider having barriers, as they supply hop-ups for the little ones to use, unfortunately we had 1 child use the layout to help him step up to see the layout, unfortunately he managed to cause an electrical issue and slight damage to the layout. Please don't take this as criticism, just a suggestion for next year. Other than that I had a great time and look forward to possibly havinv other Club layouts invited in the future. Many Regards Neal Chairman BMRG Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mudmagnet Posted March 14, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2016 Myself and Ray had a great weekend with Orchard Road. Many thanks to Jackie and team from St Neots. We got back at 9.30 after a short stop on the way home. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted March 14, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2016 Myself and Ray had a great weekend with Orchard Road. Many thanks to Jackie and team from St Neots. We got back at 9.30 after a short stop on the way home. That's seems quite a good run considering where you had to get to. Good to see you again. See you in July if not at a show beforehand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 I have now found time to do the counting, and I know many people like to see the numbers. Our attendance was 2746 for the weekend. We don't count the under 5 year olds because they have free entry. This was spread almost equally across the two days. Sundays at two day shows are not quiet here! Once again, many thanks to our visitors, exhibitors, traders, demonstrators, and our stewards. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
salmonpastures Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 I have now found time to do the counting, and I know many people like to see the numbers. Our attendance was 2746 for the weekend. We don't count the under 5 year olds because they have free entry. This was spread almost equally across the two days. Sundays at two day shows are not quiet here! Once again, many thanks to our visitors, exhibitors, traders, demonstrators, and our stewards. John John, Jackie and the rest of the guy's. Congratulations on a wonderful weekend we had a great time and the railway behaved itself. Some "large exhibitions" lack quality,,, this was NOT the case at Huntingdon. My only piece of constructive comment would be having to wait 10 minutes in the dining queue to hand in a free meal voucher. The breakfasts were excellent, and needed. I hope you make the profit you deserve and many thanks for the invite. SAD & Salmon Pastures Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
glo41f Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 I was there at the show with the Gauge 0 Guild stand which fortunately was right opposite Fencehouses. What a layout that is! How does anyone construct working fine looking valve gear on a 2mm 9F? It is a wonderful model beautifully executed and displayed at a hight that allows the onlooker to appreciative all the fine detail incorporated. The layout draws the onlooker into the scene so you are federally at the line side waiting for the next train. Arigna Town is also a cracking effort with everything scratch built. All in all a wonderful show which was a fantastic advert for the hobby. (Nearly went 2mm then looked at the pointwork and decided that I could not do that!) Martin Long Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 Thanks SAD. There will be a bit of a surplus following this year's show which will benefit our club, but we don't run the show to make money. Our sole aim is to promote the hobby of railway modelling by showing the best layouts we can find to as many people as possible. Thanks also for the very reasonable feedback about waiting for lunch. We are working with Wood Green to improve the logistics of the catering. They had some staffing issues this weekend that were outside of our control. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 I was there at the show with the Gauge 0 Guild stand which fortunately was right opposite Fencehouses. What a layout that is! How does anyone construct working fine looking valve gear on a 2mm 9F? It is a wonderful model beautifully executed and displayed at a hight that allows the onlooker to appreciative all the fine detail incorporated. The layout draws the onlooker into the scene so you are federally at the line side waiting for the next train. Arigna Town is also a cracking effort with everything scratch built. All in all a wonderful show which was a fantastic advert for the hobby. (Nearly went 2mm then looked at the pointwork and decided that I could not do that!) Martin Long Hi Martin, Just think how much 2mmFS you could get in the garden! John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted March 16, 2016 Author Share Posted March 16, 2016 Bob Jones of Fence Houses has asked me to add a note (below) about the 9F that was doing a lot of work on the layout at the weekend. John If you think my kit for the 2mm finescale (2FS) 9F was good, take a look here to see what a fellow 2FS modeller has added to my design!http://youtu.be/CCdcDwJ1f54 Thanks for the comments. Bob Jones. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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