Exhibitions - a punter's view

[Coombe Barton]

This follows on from the Ally Pally topic and is a personal view on what interests me about exhibitions.

 

When I think of going to an exhibition I’ll have a reason. Maybe I want to see someone from the trade, maybe it's the demonstrations, maybe it's the layouts. Whether I go for any of these reasons it’s the distance that is the governing factor – do I really want to drive for ages.

 

Now having said that lets concentrate on the type of layout I go for. I model in 4mm – P4 and I like looking at layouts that are similar to my chosen scale/gauge. That puts my interest firmly into the P4/EM bracket – don’t really care what company – it just means that I'll be looking for stuff that is likely to have been hand crafted, and I’m more likely to find it with P4/EM. I’ll also go for layouts that are in my prototype interest range no matter what scale.

 

If there are traders who I need to physically see then I’ll go. If there are a sufficient concentration of traders of a particular type (scratchbuilding, conversion material, 'bits' ...) then I’ll go to browse. Box shifters and exhibition offers leave me a bit cold. I can do all my buying through mail order. Haven't had a problem yet.

 

So if any of my criteria have been met then you may find me there.

 

I didn’t go to Ally Pally, I’ll not be going to Warley again even though it’s within 20 miles unless there’s a compelling layout reason. I went for the first time last year and found that I didn’t get out of it nearly as much as I’d hoped, and with the money for ticket and parking was half the cost of a decent chassis kit. I will be going to ExpoEM (long distance, I'm a member) and ExpoEM North (equally long distance, but last year I went primarily to see Vince Worthington's lever frame and got talking to Chris Gibbon of High Level – and then bought from him via mail order) where there are layouts of 'my' type. I’ll go to the Leamington show again because you can get there, you can move round and the catering’s good. I’ll try to get to Stafford as well. I’ll go to smaller local shows to support them even though they don’t have a lot of 'my' specialisms, because I'm not an unsociable *******, really. I will be going to Railex and taking OH because I want her to see (and she wants to see) Clinkerford (which is the main reason I went to Warley).

 

Now if all this profiles me as someone you don’t want to cater for, then that’s my choice for not being of your particular audience. I may be unrepresentative of the modern breed of punter, but my time and my money are limited. It may be that traders don’t get my money at the show, but they’ll get it later on. And they’ll get repeats.

 

So what am I going to shows for? It boils down to a single word – ideas. I aspire to build stuff of 'exhibition quality', whatever that is. If I ever get round to building something that others want to see then I’ll know I’ve succeeded.

[David Bigcheeseplant]

I guess the reasons I go to a show are to see and book new layouts for Railex and buy stuff from the traders which are the more specialist type.

 

When I became exhibition manager for the new Railex six years ago my main aim was to create the type of show I would like to go to as a visitor, which at first I thought was selfish but then again would be something different with finescale layouts and traders and no fillers, Thomas or substandard layouts. Now with a few shows under my belt I think that the idea has worked very well, hopefully most of the layouts will have an appeal although not all layouts will do it for everyone in fact there have been layouts I have had that I don't really like myself but I know others really rate them.

 

With around eighty stands at Railex including layouts, traders, demos and societies if a visitor spends three hours at a show that means the average time spent looking at each stand is only just over two minutes, and less if you take time out to eat and chat to friends, so I have always booked quality over quantity.

 

I have thought if you stage a good show people are more likely to come back the following year, although one bad year and it can take three or four years to recover.

 

David

[Stubby47]

I go to the local shows to support the host clubs, to see friends and more recently to meet other RMwebbers, to see new visiting layouts, and to browse the specialist trader stands. Scale/gauge/ era is not important - it's more the modelling of what's 'outside the fence' - how well does the railway fit in the scenery and surroundings.

 

Stu

[ColinW]

I go to exhibitions partly to see what is available to exhibit (I get details of layouts for Tonbridge MRC for their show, but also to see what other shows offer the paying public. I believe the idea of a show should cover everything from Dad taking his son out for the day, someone just starting or looking to start in the hobby right up to the specialist modeller. Having been to Ally Pally this year, there were well modelled layouts but with little movement (that possibly down to timetabling problems on the layout), Layouts where the operators were unsure about what the next movement was to be, or some that were there to fill the space because they were a club layout and in the middle of being built. As for traders, box shifters will always be required at the bigger shows because of the floor space to fill, whilst specialist traders may not do that well at this sort of show!

 

Colin

[Kenton]

For me it is simples

I don't care what scale or gauge,

I don't care which region or period,

I don't care who is there, or what it is aid of,

I don't really care what the admission fee is (within reason)

I'm not really interested in the catering

 

I'd like to be able to park nearby.

I'd like to actually get to see the layouts, without my legs being scarred or my eye poked out.

 

But most of all I go to be entertained, to be impressed by others, and to purchase items from any decent trade.

[pirouets]

It can depend on my mood and what I want to get out of it. Some times I am looking for ideas and sometimes I just want to go and look at other peoples layouts. I do prefer exhbitions with a wide range of layouts, era's and scales and the Abingdon show did that recently.

 

For me the issue with Ally Pally and Warley is their size I think will lead to variable quality, but the info is posted in advance so I know what I am getting and whether I will go or not.

 

Occasionally I do go with a shopping list, but generally I am not a major buyer at shows, so trade is not so important for me. Ally Pally was a nice surprise finding some of the detailing items I have been thinking about for a while, but they were off the cuff purchases.

 

In fact I was thinking yesterday what would be a perfect exhibition for me and apologies if this devaiates

 

1. It would be a reasonably large show with around 30 layouts. I do enjoy Ally Pally & Warley, but they are almost to big as even at 5 mins a layout, that would have been 3hrs 40 mins at Ally Pally before I think about traders, lunch, chatting to people etc and some how does not feel long enough.

23. There would be around 5 steam/diesel cross overs

3. There would be around 3 narrow gauge layouts

4. There would be around 5 layouts for area's/times you don't often see. E.g LNWR

5. There would be around around 8 steam layouts from the often seen era's mixed between small branch and main line

6. There would be around around 10 diesel layouts, from Green to modern day, including one of Reading Station. (Its my "One day when I have the time/space/money/ability" layout)

7. As for traders, for me I just like a mix, so no real preferences.

8. Gauge split,

7mm 7

4mm/EM/P4 14

2mm/n 7

 

(I know that is not 31, but the narrow gauge caters for the other 3, though I guess the narrow gaugers will feel hard done by with my list, so apologies, especially having seen the Stealth Bomber in the flesh now)

[298]

It can depend on my mood and what I want to get out of it. Some times I am looking for ideas and sometimes I just want to go and look at other peoples layouts. I do prefer exhbitions with a wide range of layouts, era's and scales and the Abingdon show did that recently.

 

For me the issue with Ally Pally and Warley is their size I think will lead to variable quality, but the info is posted in advance so I know what I am getting and whether I will go or not.

 

 

 

When the Warley show moved to the NEC in the mid 90's, quite a few people I knew complained they could go to several local shows for the same entrance fee. Quite what they wanted out of a show is anyone's guess, but smaller exhibitions naturally lack the variance of the larger ones, so unless the exhibition manager has been particuarly savvy, you're less likely to see something of direct interest or high quality. Maybe some people just don't like big shows, but as the comment on the Ally Pally thread said, "just make sure they're WOW'ed, so they don't feel the need to question what was or wasn't there".

 

Something else i'd comment on is I like to think the show has been enough of a sucess to make it's organisation worthwhile. Without getting into individual accounting details, I think a general figure of just GBP 1.00 is probably the profit surplus made from each punter at across the broad spectrum of shows from 200 to 10,000 visitors, once expenses and costs are taken into consideration, and i'd like to think this small sum will be put to good use back in the hobby and represents thanks on my part for the hard work that goes into organising the exhibition.

[Mike Bellamy]

 

In fact I was thinking yesterday what would be a perfect exhibition for me and apologies if this devaiates

 

1. It would be a reasonably large show with around 30 layouts. I do enjoy Ally Pally & Warley, but they are almost to big as even at 5 mins a layout, that would have been 3hrs 40 mins at Ally Pally before I think about traders, lunch, chatting to people etc and some how does not feel long enough.

2. There would be around 5 steam/diesel cross overs

3. There would be around 3 narrow gauge layouts

4. There would be around 5 layouts for area's/times you don't often see. E.g LNWR

5. There would be around around 8 steam layouts from the often seen era's mixed between small branch and main line

6. There would be around around 10 diesel layouts, from Green to modern day, including one of Reading Station. (Its my "One day when I have the time/space/money/ability" layout)

7. As for traders, for me I just like a mix, so no real preferences.

8. Gauge split,

7mm 7

4mm/EM/P4 14

2mm/n 7

 

(I know that is not 31, but the narrow gauge caters for the other 3, though I guess the narrow gaugers will feel hard done by with my list, so apologies, especially having seen the Stealth Bomber in the flesh now)

 

Steve

 

An interesting list and 'food for thought' - would you expect to see any American or Continental layouts in with that mix or are your interests purely in the UK.

 

When our Derby show was at the Assembly Rooms we had a smaller hall that we alternated American one year and Continental the next. We have continued to include these layouts after our move to the Moorways Sports Centre (15 & 16 May) where there will be 23 UK, 4 USA and 5 European layouts plus we have supporting traders, NMRA, German Railway Society etc

 

I just wondered how many visitors would come specifically to see the American and Continental part of the show??

 

Mike

[45568]

I can't do the full Python sketch as the netnanny would censor it, but suffice to say it starts with:"you lucky lucky b.......'s" etc!

Here in WA we have ONE (1) show per year, on the June long weekend. If any of the previous posters were to attend, they would be sadly disappointed.

There is really only one group whose exhibit would interest them and that is the Sn3.5 boys with their WAGR layout(s). Last year there were five Thomas themed efforts, (for the kiddies), a garden railway, and a Lego railway and a ... Am I painting the picture? Total time spent, about 1 hour before we left. Cost,$A10 each per adult, around six quid. After 32 consecutive years, I will not be going this year. Yes, I and modelling groups I have belonged to have exhibited in years past and tried to make a difference, but?

In 2006 I was lucky enough to visit the York exhibition. Had to be dragged away at the end of the day, all that and meeting Peter Waterman too!

You lucky lucky........! Enjoy and appreciate what you have. Ruefully, Peter C.

[The Stationmaster]

But you do get some good shows in Aus - although the one I visited in Liverpool NSW is obviously a long (and expensive) way from your front door. But I was well impressed - not a huge show but a good mix of layouts from N Gauge up to Scale 7 including some good ones modelled on prototypes plus pretty good trade support and even a a free 'vintage' 'bus to/from the station (a Leyland Tiger Cub I think?).

 

 

Overall it very much ticked my boxes for a show - notwithstanding a lot of emphasis on a prototype fairly unfamiliar to me. There was a mix of scales, variable standards of modelling excellence and layout attractiveness, some layouts with reasonably prototypical operation while others were 'just running trains'. And something to attract and amuse families and children plus a good range of trade support. One key thing which I think many 'ordinary' exhibitions should try to do is offer a mix of layouts which can encourage and inform folk at various levels in the hobby - a sort 'make people think I could do that' approach; I can think of several shows which do that superbly well.

 

I fully realise however that not all shows will be arranged to meet my last point and that some will endeavour to concentrate on excellence - although that in itself should also be acting to encourage those already in the hobby. And that is something we all have to recognise - there is bound to be a difference in the market at which shows are aimed and we should perhaps try to understand that difference before we start moaning or congratulating.

 

Hates - yes one very big one, the 'professional secondhand dealers', the ones who seem to think that they can charge exhorbitant prices for everything (and not to be confused with those folk who offer a bit of secondjand alongside other items or who don't look for over the top prices on everything on their stand). Fortunately there aren't too many of the profiteer version about but only one of them at a show is - I reckon - more than enough to do the hobby more harm than good.

[Southernman46]

At the end of the day - people take time & trouble to organise exhibitions be they good, bad or indifferent and they need supporting by the rest of us at different places, times etc etc.....

 

People do the best they can to put these things on and whether I consider that I could have done any better - I haven't so I'll just enjoy whatthey have done instead.

 

If exhibitions (big, small, good, bad) are left unsupported then we risk the gradual demise of such events, in much the same way that local model shops seem to be disappearing insidiously. This can only have a detremental effect on the hobby as a whole that has already had to weather the effects from computer games etc....reducing the numbers of younger people taking it up. The Thomas based layouts are there for a good reason. Get them interested , get them young .

 

PS....

 

On the Australian theme, I think the "Bruces" sketch is hilarious - "your name not Bruce ?? - now that's gonna cause a bit of confusion !!" (with loud buzzing of flies in the background)

 

 

Southernman46

[Andy C]

I guess the reasons I go to a show are to see and book new layouts for Railex and buy stuff from the traders which are the more specialist type.

 

When I became exhibition manager for the new Railex six years ago my main aim was to create the type of show I would like to go to as a visitor, which at first I thought was selfish but then again would be something different with finescale layouts and traders and no fillers, Thomas or substandard layouts. Now with a few shows under my belt I think that the idea has worked very well, hopefully most of the layouts will have an appeal although not all layouts will do it for everyone in fact there have been layouts I have had that I don't really like myself but I know others really rate them.

 

With around eighty stands at Railex including layouts, traders, demos and societies if a visitor spends three hours at a show that means the average time spent looking at each stand is only just over two minutes, and less if you take time out to eat and chat to friends, so I have always booked quality over quantity.

 

I have thought if you stage a good show people are more likely to come back the following year, although one bad year and it can take three or four years to recover.

 

David

 

Ditto for Manchester. Thanks for saving me a lot of typing David!

[Kenton]

I can't do the full Python sketch as the netnanny would censor it, but suffice to say it starts with:"you lucky lucky b.......'s" etc!

Here in WA we have ONE (1) show per year, on the June long weekend.

I'm sure there are some advantages to living in WA ... here in the UK we get the consolation of taking shelter from the weather at one of the many MRS that grace our calendar - but the problem with having so many is that they tend to clash with each other and we inevitably compare one with another.

[KevinWalsh]

Just out of curiosity, what in everyone's opinion is the best small exhibition and large exhibition? I've only attended 3 exhibitions since starting modelling and all of those was as an operator on one of the club layouts so I didn't spend much time viewing.

 

Kev

[96701]

I enjoy the shows put on at Cheltenham.

[Dagworth]

I enjoy the shows put on at Cheltenham.

 

I have to agree with that, being a regular demonstrator at the shows, and while on the subject of Cheltenham a totally blatant plug that the next one is on the 11th and 12th of April, we will be doing our usual saturday night curry and beer if anyone wishes to join us (please reply by PM)

 

Back to topic....

 

Andi

[The Stationmaster]

Choosing 'best' shows and then attaching 'small' or large' is a very subjective thing. For instance I would describe Hull as a 'small' show because it doesn't take up much floor space but how do I classify Wycrail which on my premier visit last year I found extending over several rooms? And last year the dates of those two clashed although personal reasons meant I finished up at Wycrail instead of Hull - and I regard both as 'good' shows, but different from each other.

 

On the weekend of 10/11 April I hope to be heading down into Wiltshire to another show which is difficult to qualify as 'large' or 'small' - but if last year's effort is any guide it will be 'good'.

 

But my idea of 'good' is unlikely to be the same as everybody else's although it will probably be along the same lines as some folk. So just what is 'good'? - if I learn something, enjoy myself, have a nice day out, can ideally get a decent cuppa, meet some old friends & acquaintances, find some interesting layouts, and do some useful shopping then I rate it as 'good'. And sometimes I can be amazed.

 

A couple of years ago I went to a DEMU show in a village hall not too far from home - I think the largest layout probably had no more than half a dozen points, the subject (in blue) doesn't turn me on at all although green is ok by me - and what can you expect in a village hall? A great little show and a worthwhile use of diesel to get there B) .

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as much with model railway shows as it is with anything else I reckon.

[Barry Ten]

I can't think of many model railway exhibitions I haven't enjoyed on some level. Generally speaking if there's one in the area and I haven't got other plans, I'll be glad to pop along. The important thing is to go along with realistic expectations and a cheerful frame of mind. The recent Bristol 7mm show was brilliantly enjoyable - much better than any of us who went (in the same car) had really been expecting. Of course next year we'll have a benchmark for comparison but I hope we can still enjoy it in the same spirit.

[ColinW]

Just out of curiosity, what in everyone's opinion is the best small exhibition and large exhibition? I've only attended 3 exhibitions since starting modelling and all of those was as an operator on one of the club layouts so I didn't spend much time viewing.

 

Kev

 

Kevin, This year I have attended shows at Canterbury, Dartford (Erith club), Tonbridge (as organizer couldn't miss it!), Basingstoke and Ally Pally. I am hoping to be able to attend the following shows throughout the rest of the year, East Grinstead, Crawley, Epsom & Ewell, Chatham, Basildon, Bexhill, Scaleforum (Leatherhead),Folkestone, Farnham, Uckfield & Tolworth (work and finances allowing). There may be others I will go to on the day if I have nothing else on.

 

Colin

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

... The important thing is to go along with realistic expectations and a cheerful frame of mind. ...

 

Hurrah for that. Hopefully there will be something interesting. Normally narrow gauge leaves me stone cold, but two years on the trot at the CMRA show at St Albans it has been the 'pleasant surprise': Pempoul and the aptly named 'Stealth Bomber'.

 

Barry Ten's sentence applies equally to those exhibiting. The only time I have been to a show and come away feeling it was a waste of an afternoon, was one which seemed to be run as a joint event with 'miserablists united'. I don't expect to find anything more in cheerfulness and enthusiasm among exhibiting railway modellers than among the population at large: but I will choose the half built layout with a happy bunch of operators over incommunicado perfection any day of the week.

[David_S.]

I have managed to visit the grand total of three model railway exhibitions so far, one in Lahti (Finland, where I live most of the time), Peterborough last October (thoroughly enjoyed my day there) and Abingdon last month (near where our house in England) which I also enjoyed. At the British shows, I liked the balance of trade, exhibition layouts, and useful demos. I shall definitely visit more shows when possible.

['CHARD]

I have managed to visit the grand total of three model railway exhibitions so far, one in Lahti (Finland, where I live most of the time), Peterborough last October (thoroughly enjoyed my day there) and Abingdon last month (near where our house in England) which I also enjoyed. At the British shows, I liked the balance of trade, exhibition layouts, and useful demos. I shall definitely visit more shows when possible.

Dare we ask, reading between the lines, what it was you liked about the Suomi exhibition, then?

[David_S.]

Ah, well, Lahti is only an hour from where I live over here, and I found a Ratio GWR signalbox kit on a trade stand....but it was a very small show compared with Abingdon, though it is unfair to expect more in such a sparsely populated country. There is a larger 'Model Expo' at the end of April in Helsinki, but that covers all forms of modelling, mostly aircraft and static plastic models.

[KevinWalsh]

Kevin, This year I have attended shows at Canterbury, Dartford (Erith club), Tonbridge (as organizer couldn't miss it!), Basingstoke and Ally Pally. I am hoping to be able to attend the following shows throughout the rest of the year, East Grinstead, Crawley, Epsom & Ewell, Chatham, Basildon, Bexhill, Scaleforum (Leatherhead),Folkestone, Farnham, Uckfield & Tolworth (work and finances allowing). There may be others I will go to on the day if I have nothing else on.

 

Colin

 

 

Colin,

 

Look me up at Uckfield (I'm a member of the Uckfield club, just ask at the front deak where I've hidden myself). What's Erith like as a venue lighting wise, we are taking the club N gauge layout there for it's debut in Jan 2011 and we are wondering wether we need a light gantry or not.

 

Kev

[edcayton]

I would urge all exhibitors to take their own lighting to all shows. There is nothing worse than struggling to see a layout in the gloom, and even if the ambient light is good it is not necessarily the right colour, or in the right direction.

In my view, one of the big improvements to exhibitions of the last few years has been in the presentation of layouts-Rice style or whatever.

 

Ed