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Staffordshire Finescale Group - modelling showcase - 8th July 2017


Mark Forrest
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A few phone snaps of Tackeroo.

 

I apologise on behalf of me and Andy that services were suspended today due to an electrical issue (we hadn't plugged it together before 10.30 a.m. today) but there was a lot to talk about with local people who knew the area. Andy's done a grand job in bringing the scene to life with the figures.

 

On the plus side we had no derailments or shorts all day.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_145045.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_145021.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_144944.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_124439.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_124107.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_124019.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_123914.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_102615.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_102537.jpg

Running or not, it was enjoyable just to look at this layout.  Even once running is sorted out, part of the viewing pleasure will be to look at the detailing, cameo etc.  Sad as it may sound, I even enjoyed looking closely at the well modelled undergrowth which was very convincing.

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Many thanks to those involved with the organisation today.

 

It was good to see BCB and DitD again, and a great opportunity to see the others for the first time.

 

Adrian

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A big well done and thank you to all who helped put the show together and bought their layouts along. Impossible to name a favourite. All had a stunning level of detail. Great to see layouts I've followed on here in the flesh. My boys were very excited to see Tidmouth Sheds on DITD (sorry Damien!)

 

Big thanks to the owner of The Contract (John/ Old Gringo?) for talking my boys through how the (real) railways were built.

 

Great little show!

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A few phone snaps of Tackeroo.

 

I apologise on behalf of me and Andy that services were suspended today due to an electrical issue (we hadn't plugged it together before 10.30 a.m. today) but there was a lot to talk about with local people who knew the area. Andy's done a grand job in bringing the scene to life with the figures.

 

On the plus side we had no derailments or shorts all day.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_145045.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_145021.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_144944.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_124439.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_124107.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_124019.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_123914.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_102615.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20170708_102537.jpg

Is the 5th photo showing the pasties arriving?

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Great displays, well organised by the team. Very worthwhile trip. Thanks.

 

 

Edit - Was in the middle of photo processing but can't seem to upload any at the moment, will try again tomorrow.

Edited by TheSignalEngineer
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Called in for a quick half hour earlier, nice to see both DiTD and 'Black Country' up close and personal without barriers and 10 deep with people

 

The van is now full of sausage roll pastry though, as I bought one for the journey home!

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For those of us in the far flung reaches of the UK, and the wider environs of the world, and thus unable to attend, I hope there will be sufficient photographic evidence posted, during the day, to at least let us feel a small part of what promises to be an excellent event (even if there won't be any Cornish Cream teas).

Good morning Stu, we all missed you yesterday but eventually found a hoard of other goodies to eat. The pasties and sausage rolls were some of the best I've ever had. Not having the cream tea did mean we missed out on the arguments about cream or jam first.

 

Any way, especially for you I went around and took special photos of every layout. Here we go:

 

Paul's NE jobbie

 

(upload failed, will try later)

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Great day out with Fryers Lane yesterday, talked to lots of people about the layout and about local railways, came away feeling completely exhausted, but very happy.

 

As Chris said in his Pencarrow thread, there was a real buzz in the room and I think we were all a bit surprised at just how busy it was, particularly for the first couple of hours. Also great to see quite a few people who I know had travelled some considerable distance to be there. I suppose the question is how do we follow such a successful and enjoyable day?

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Great day out with Fryers Lane yesterday, talked to lots of people about the layout and about local railways, came away feeling completely exhausted, but very happy.

As Chris said in his Pencarrow thread, there was a real buzz in the room and I think we were all a bit surprised at just how busy it was, particularly for the first couple of hours. Also great to see quite a few people who I know had travelled some considerable distance to be there. I suppose the question is how do we follow such a successful and enjoyable day?

Great day out with Fryers Lane yesterday, talked to lots of people about the layout and about local railways, came away feeling completely exhausted, but very happy.

As Chris said in his Pencarrow thread, there was a real buzz in the room and I think we were all a bit surprised at just how busy it was, particularly for the first couple of hours. Also great to see quite a few people who I know had travelled some considerable distance to be there. I suppose the question is how do we follow such a successful and enjoyable day?

We did - we went to the pub!

 

That was excellent too...

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Great day out with Fryers Lane yesterday, talked to lots of people about the layout and about local railways, came away feeling completely exhausted, but very happy.

 

As Chris said in his Pencarrow thread, there was a real buzz in the room and I think we were all a bit surprised at just how busy it was, particularly for the first couple of hours. Also great to see quite a few people who I know had travelled some considerable distance to be there. I suppose the question is how do we follow such a successful and enjoyable day?

 

There was a bit of a buzz in the pub last night.  The SFG took over part of the Sun Inn, Stafford, good food, good beer, good company.

 

Andy

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There was a bit of a buzz in the pub last night.  The SFG took over part of the Sun Inn, Stafford, good food, good beer, good company.

 

Andy

I recall a very pleasant evening in there with a chap who periodically had important phonecalls to take.........
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There was a bit of a buzz in the pub last night. The SFG took over part of the Sun Inn, Stafford, good food, good beer, good company.

 

Andy

Yes a really good evening too. Better still, this morning my head only feels like it had a near miss with an Iceberg rather than a full on collision.

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We made the journey from Northampton, got there a bit early, walked into the village, found the Retro Greens tea room, 2 delicious full English breakfasts and a large pot of tea for £4.95 each

 

Really enjoyed the show, packed with people enjoying the layouts up close, eating pasties, drinking tea and talking trains

 

Even came away with a pack of Hornby cable drums for my layout from Marks sales stand

 

Enjoyed studying all the detail on BCB

 

Great show, well done everyone

 

Richard

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We made the journey from Northampton, got there a bit early, walked into the village, found the Retro Greens tea room, 2 delicious full English breakfasts and a large pot of tea for £4.95 each

 

Really enjoyed the show, packed with people enjoying the layouts up close, eating pasties, drinking tea and talking trains

 

Even came away with a pack of Hornby cable drums for my layout from Marks sales stand

 

Enjoyed studying all the detail on BCB

 

Great show, well done everyone

 

Richard

 

That's not retro, that's just Gnosall

 

 

Andy

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Yes a really good evening too. Better still, this morning my head only feels like it had a near miss with an Iceberg rather than a full on collision.

Are you out today over the chase to see if there really are no trees over the Milford area?

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Sounds like it was halfway to the RmwebLive show ;)

I still think it was one off circumstances rather than any flaw in the idea that hit that as we thought it was damn good.

Maybe more quality mini events like this, not trying to be annual events, will work. Jerrys Warminster show, Simons Larkrail and now this proving small high quality meets are worth travelling distances to. I'd have considered it on a long weekend and done a local railway too.

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Great day out with Fryers Lane yesterday, talked to lots of people about the layout and about local railways, came away feeling completely exhausted, but very happy.

 

As Chris said in his Pencarrow thread, there was a real buzz in the room and I think we were all a bit surprised at just how busy it was, particularly for the first couple of hours. Also great to see quite a few people who I know had travelled some considerable distance to be there. I suppose the question is how do we follow such a successful and enjoyable day?

 

Do it again after a decent break to allow all to recover? On an ad-hoc basis of as/when possible for those concerned rather than as a fixed timescale event. Less pressure that way (possibly). I have believed for a considerable number of years that get-togethers/shows/open days (call it what you will) like this and similar to the EMGS/S4 and 2mm SA 'expo' find favour with many because of the friendly and open nature they provide. Less pure exhibition and more exchange of ideas/information and just general chat. Whether any trade is present is a very secondary consideration. Pleased it went so well, always satisfying and rewarding when it does.

 

Izzy

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Sounds like it was halfway to the RmwebLive show ;)

I still think it was one off circumstances rather than any flaw in the idea that hit that as we thought it was damn good.

Maybe more quality mini events like this, not trying to be annual events, will work. Jerrys Warminster show, Simons Larkrail and now this proving small high quality meets are worth travelling distances to. I'd have considered it on a long weekend and done a local railway too.

I'd agree Paul. Feeling in the pub last night was that the showcase was a success, with folk really enjoying the low key nature of the event, but it certainly wouldn't be an annual event. I also doubt that it will be to a set return period either, such as every two years. The event only really worked commercially as all the layouts came from the SFG and Friends team. A small group of about a dozen tops.

 

There's lots of fun once the show is open but lots of grief and worry up to that point. The organisers and helpers on the front desk and kitchen did a grand job.

 

I suspect the next one will only be when the team have a sufficient number of new exhibits to display. I wouldn't like to guess when that would be!

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   A really excellent show with a very friendly atmosphere, even in the car park, waiting for the show to open! Good access to see all the layouts and all the operators were there to answer any questions. The catering was good and the pleasent seating area was a nice place to meet old friends and catch up with all the gossip, as well as consume tea and cake, pasties and sausage rolls looked good too!! All in all an excellent show with all you need to keep you focussed on finescale modelling.

Cant wait for the next one.

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I think we have a consensus that the event was a great success.  Small, friendly and high quality with no trade as such is a good formula.  To set a return period would inflict too much pressure on those responsible.  I suggest treating this as a very good one-off and maybe think about having another go in a few years.  The RMweb members' days of yesteryear must have been in the back of someone's mind and it was good to meet some inmates for the first time.  Seldom does one find quite so many quality layouts in such an amenable situation.

 

Chris 

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I think we have a consensus that the event was a great success.  Small, friendly and high quality with no trade as such is a good formula.  To set a return period would inflict too much pressure on those responsible.  I suggest treating this as a very good one-off and maybe think about having another go in a few years.  The RMweb members' days of yesteryear must have been in the back of someone's mind and it was good to meet some inmates for the first time.  Seldom does one find quite so many quality layouts in such an amenable situation.

 

Chris

 

I agree with what you're saying about no trade being there Chris. Warley last year I think had too much of an emphasis on the traders, which although handy it draws you away from stunning layouts like 'Copenhagen Fields'.

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