Warley Show. Is It A Combat Sport? Or "Rucksacks! Just Say No!"

[Bomag]

Never mind rucksacks etc, what I find more concerning is that on Saturday afternoon an elderly gentleman collapsed by the Hornby stand and fell to the floor sufficiently to cut his eye brow, chin and knock himself unconscious as well as have a respiratory arrest. As I was about 20 ft away and witnessed the whole thing I went straight to him and dealt with him. Despite me shouting very loudly that this man had arrested and I needed urgent assistance here- only the NEC staff responded. No show goer or trader nearby bothered- they seemed to be content to leave me to it.

 

 

There is a difference of opinion about the benifit of having non-trained first aiders providing help. Generally there is an unwilingness in the general public to help, this is partly concern about liabiality but mostly a concern that they would actually make it worse. On the few occaions (2) that I have had to provide urgent first aid in a life threatening situation the only way I have managed to cope is knowing that at the last refresher training I manged to do it correctly (if not fully on the first go).

 

The current advice from our FA training provider is if a trained FA needs help, first asked if there are any other trained FA and then if there is no responce pick out the person who looks most likley to be competent enough to take instruction on what needs to be done and then make a specific request to that person. While not perfect, it does apparently work more often.

[howardpidd]

At its worst this seems to have degeneratd into a rucksack wearers against the world rant, with the rucksack brigade defending their right to ruck in much the same way that the gun lobby in the US cite the 5th amendment. If I were one of the Warley organisers reading this thread I'd be concerned at the degree unhappiness it shows there is amongst a substantial number of people attending the exhibition, some of whom have stopped going because of the actions of an anti social minority and others who will quite rightly be put off going. Let's not pretend there isn't a problem here.

[Horsetan]

At its worst this seems to have degeneratd into a rucksack wearers against the world rant, with the rucksack brigade defending their right to ruck in much the same way that the gun lobby in the US cite the 5th amendment......Let's not pretend there isn't a problem here.

 

*Harry Hill*

 

"Only way to solve this: put 'em in a room....FIGHT!!"

 

/*Harry Hill*

[Ian Abel]

At its worst this seems to have degeneratd into a rucksack wearers against the world rant, with the rucksack brigade defending their right to ruck in much the same way that the gun lobby in the US cite the 5th amendment.

Actually that'd be the 2nd amendment;

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed", by many accounts from constitutional scholars as being wildly miss-interpreted to mean "...I have the right to own as large a personal arsenal as I possibly can..."

 

The 5th relates to the ability to NOT have to answer questions that might incriminate oneself.

Hence the phrase, often heard especially from politicians under oath "...I plead the fifth...". More often than not, therefore, an admission of guilt anyway!!

[The Stationmaster]

At its worst this seems to have degeneratd into a rucksack wearers against the world rant, with the rucksack brigade defending their right to ruck in much the same way that the gun lobby in the US cite the 5th amendment. If I were one of the Warley organisers reading this thread I'd be concerned at the degree unhappiness it shows there is amongst a substantial number of people attending the exhibition, some of whom have stopped going because of the actions of an anti social minority and others who will quite rightly be put off going. Let's not pretend there isn't a problem here.

 

I have no problem with people wearing rucksacks - that is entirely their decision.  However if they chose to do so then, particularly in crowded places such as busy model railway exhibitions, they should exercise an extra degree of care in just about everything they do because of their increased bulk.  And - in the case of some rucksacks - they particularly need to realise that there can be a risk of them hitting, potentially even injuring, other people or throwing them off balance.  Sense in all things as ever but if you dish it out don't be surprised or aggrieved if the victim of your selfishness (and that is usually what it is)  bites back.

[Arthur]

*Harry Hill*

 

"Only way to solve this: put 'em in a room....FIGHT!!"

 

/*Harry Hill*

 

 

Warley 2017

 

 

.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Apollo,

 

Mountain bikes in the Warley show; blooming marvellous idea!!!

 

Should start a few more fights. Yeah!! Bundle!!!

 

K

How about letting in a few dogs with those crazy extending leads. They could run around jumping up and barking to clear a space for the owner who is totally oblivious to all other people.

[dhjgreen]

Metrolink too

[caradoc]

Having thought about my own last post (#150) I'm beginning to wonder if the state of the Gents toilets was in some way connected to the number of non-rucksack wearers trying to do the business while clutching a number of heavy carrier bags in one hand (unless they only needed one hand ?) !

[pete_mcfarlane]

Question for sensitive rucksack wearers:

 

Would you rather be pushed or spun round?

Clockwise or anti-clockwise?

[chris p bacon]

Having thought about my own last post (#150) I'm beginning to wonder if the state of the Gents toilets was in some way connected to the number of non-rucksack wearers trying to do the business while clutching a number of heavy carrier bags in one hand (unless they only needed one hand ?) !

It reminds me of a chap who laboured for us, when staying away one night he got so drunk he couldn't find the way out of the room and mistook his rucksac for a WC, I had to share the room with him and on hearing the sound I put the light on which startled him, he said "what are you doing in the bath" as he lifted the lid/flap and pee'd, next day he turned up at breakfast wearing his good clothes from the night before as all his clothes were wet. We gave him all the really cr@ppy jobs like grinding out that day.

It was hilarious as when he thought he was leaving the bathroom he'd actually climbed into the wardrobe and back out again.

[Horsetan]

...for sensitive rucksack wearers:

 

Would you rather be pushed or spun round?

 

Like a record, baby.

[Bernard Lamb]

Question for sensitive rucksack wearers:

 

Would you rather be pushed or spun round?

How can you be a sensitive rucksack wearer?

Going any where with one, where the wearer might come into contact with other members of the population, is the height of insensitive, moronic, anti social behaviour.

Going to a public exhibition in a crowded space is even worse.

I would class it as an even bigger crime than the wearing of military medals to which you are not entitled.

When I visit a model railway exhibition I want to view the layouts without fear of being molested by these overladen creatures.

I think I will stick to Railex and Scaleforum.

If I want to fight my way through a frantic overladen mob I will travel on the North London Line where it is normal to share a carriage with several dogs, usual with a touch of Pit Bull in their ancestry, at least two bikes, several child buggies, at least one of which has a capacity for more than one child, several musical instruments, at least one of which has to be a cello or larger and several construction workers all in competition as to who can carry the biggest tool box as well as a safety jacket and hard hat.

On reflection Warley sounds like a walk in the park. 

If a Daily Mail journalist read this topic he could write a brilliant article as to why model railway enthusiasts are regarded by a sizeable chunk of the population as nutters.

Bernard

[Natalie]

Well firstly I would like to thank (and offer my apologies to) Andy and Arthur for taking the time to respond and offer assistance- that is reassuring. I was occupied opening the man's airway so he could breathe again so was not taking much notice of anything else but it certainly felt at the time like people were carrying on as normal. I accept that it could be as a result of perceived liability- as far as I am aware no one has ever been sued/prosecuted for offering assistance or help. IIRC the law requires that you respond appropriately to your skills/training. As I am an RGN with experience of working in A&E then I would be judged to a higher standard than Andy or Arthur would be. I also accept that lack of knowledge or fear can be a factor but all that is required here is exactly what Andy and Arthur did- went to investigate, offered assistance and saw that they were not required. Maybe the answer is compulsory first aid training in schools and workplaces.

 

For those that would think of responding- excellent but for those who are a bit nervous or apprehensive- even if you just summon assistance you have provided some practical help. It may one day be one of your relatives or yourselves.

 

PS I did think about my avatar afterwards funnily enough- but the character shown never seems to actually take anyone with him...

[SM42]

They were perfectly OK late on Friday evening but by 10.30 on the Saturday morning it was a fetid gauntlet to run. I know it's an unsavoury subject but it ain't a nice experience.

 

The toilets at the back of the hall were Ok all week-end. Either that or I have a cold coming on again.

 

With shows of all sizes and especially  the size of Warley, whatever the subject, I expect to be jostled, I expect to have the dance of indecision with someone coming the other way and  I also expect to keep an eye out for others who might need a little more space than me.

 

Rucksacks will always be an issue to some. On trips with Mrs SM42 (not just shows) I am duty sherpa and there's nothing like having a rucksack in a crockery shop to train the mind about where the bag is going in relation to you, whether still on the back or held by the top loop. A check over each shoulder before turning isn't usually too hard is it?

 

Unfortunately a little consideration for others is often lacking nowadays.

 

The worst offenders in my mind are those who are exhibiting at a show, standing in front of the layout / stand  they are exhibiting so they can look at it (rather than fielding questions or carrying out another useful task)   After all it's not like they only have this one oppurtunity  to admire it.

 

Andy

[wombatofludham]

I wonder if the Warley MRC show committee are reading this and thinking "Y'know what?  Let's give it a miss next year and concentrate on our own modelling..."

[APOLLO]

Last year on a trip to London we visited Harrods store. A polite guy on the door spotted my (small) backpack and asked me to carry it by hand to avoid accidentally catching it on other people / shop displays. I gladly complied as I saw the sense in his request.

 

Perhaps the same request upon entering the show may have merit.

 

Brit15

[298]

I wonder if the Warley MRC show committee are reading this and thinking "Y'know what?  Let's give it a miss next year and concentrate on our own modelling..."

If they are reading it, I hope they'd start by offering Natalie a free ticket.

 

I'd also like to think that there is a post show meeting with the venue managment, although any comment regarding the state of the toilets may be counteracted with a "we don't have that kind of problem with other bookings, perhaps the problem does indeed lie with your visitors. But there does seem to be a rule within the M6/M5/M42 triangle that says "Thou shall not slag off the NEC...". That place is like hallowed earth for Brummies...

[Natalie]

If they are reading it, I hope they'd start by offering Natalie a free ticket.

 

I don't need a free ticket. What I did was nothing special- just what the taxpayers paid for me to be trained to do.

 

I think one problem with the NEC is as venue it has grown significantly since first opening (was it 1977?) and has now simply outgrown the surrounding infrastructure. Certainly International could do with much wider platforms to cope with the crowds but that is down to Network Rail's ability to provide.

[bgman]

Even worse when you're having a wee and you get nudged ! )

 

Yours

Hot Pants Agogo

[Orange Cat]

 

Maybe what could be done is to have a discussion of what would work as an exhibition layout, taking full account of the need to give as many people as much "view for their buck" in a short time as possible. Ideas that I think are worth considering include: layouts designed to be viewed from all faces, rather than from "the front"; large degree of automation to reduce stress on operators, perhaps changing their role to be primarily around talking with people in the audience; designing to give fixed duration "shows", maybe about twenty minutes of interesting operation, followed by five minutes for the audience to "churn".

 

 It sounds ok, in theory, for an individual layout but the problem is when you get a show full of them, all built to the same formula of what (supposedly) works for an exhibition layout. I have been to shows like that with several layouts built to be viewed all round, with lots of movement for the punters, and after watching the same unmodified RTR stock rattling round two or three of them the attraction of the others, such as it is, soon pales. Your ideal layout sounds like the one I would walk past without stopping, and therein lies the nub of the issue. We all have different preferences. One of my all-time favourite layouts at an exhibition was a small terminus to fiddle yard with just two turnouts. (Ian Futers' Lochside) What makes a good exhibition layout is very much in the eye of the viewer. What makes a good exhibition is a varied selection of layouts of different styles. A show full of layouts all built to the same imagined ideal of what an exhibition layout should be is going to be a disappointment.

 

Why would many of us even want to build a layout like that, anyway? I am sure that the description you suggest is something few, if any, of us want to spend considerable amounts of our own time and money on constructing. People aren't exhibiting layouts as a profession. They do it because they enjoy building a layout for their own satisfaction and the hope that others may like to see what they have produced. I think any exhibition approached with an outlook other than that of appreciating what is exhibited on its own terms for what it is, rather than how it matches a pre-conceived ideal, will inevitably  fail to live up to expectations.

[Horsetan]

....I will stick to Railex and Scaleforum.......several dogs, usual with a touch of Pit Bull in their ancestry....

 

Careful now, a couple of them may be seen operating layouts. 

[BlackRat]

Sod it .....forget the backpack.........next year I'm going to sport a pair of 'John Wayne's saddlebags'!

 

Now that ought to cause a stir....

[Chris116]

I went to Warley last year. It was my first visit and I would have gone again this year had I not been guard on the Mid Hants on Saturday evening. Last year provoked a similar thread to this but I have to say that all the ruck sack wearers I came across were either careful with them or politely appologised when they came into contact with me or others around me. Having said that there were a few who seemed to go out of their way to cause a problem by pushing their way into the line of people watching a layout. Ruck sack or not it is the care a person takes and the attitude they have when they accidently collide with someone. Having been to lots of exhibitions over the years Warley is no better or worse in this, just bigger. We all need to be as polite as possible even if in our view the other person is in the wrong. They may see things very differently and who is to say which of us is right! Please enjoy your modelling and the exhibitions.

[TheSignalEngineer]

My old 70 litre backpack is still in the loft somewhere. That along with the tent and bedroll strapped to the outside should be enough to cover accommodation, supplies, plenty of space for purchases, and clear away multiple punters at the same time. What date is it next year so I can find it out and get it aired?