Warley National Model Railway Exhibition 2018 - 24th and 25th November

[MarkSG]

Agreed on both points.

 

With so many car parks and so many roads on the NEC site it is hard to understand why they choose to have so many of them closed, forcing all of the traffic into bottle necks, why they arrange things so that traffic leaving car parks near to one end of the site gets turned around by marshals and sent the longest possible way out of the complex, and why incoming traffic is directed along routes that put it in direct conflict with outgoing traffic. Is the whole site badly designed, is it just traffic management incompetence, or is it deliberate awkwardness?

 

I think part of it may be a requirement by Highways England to avoid flooding the M42 and A45 with too much NEC traffic all leaving at once. They prefer it to trickle out at a rate that won't significantly affect flow on the through routes.

[roundhouse]

We headed right out of car park at roundabout but still took us half hour to do so as motorists kept blocking carsa trying to turn right no doubt due to threm not wanting others who were trying to get in front of them. It was exactly the same three years ago when we were last there. Didn't get to hotel till after 7.30pm.It's the biggest issue when at Warley show, The rest of the setting up and dismantling is far easier.

[MarkSG]

I always park at the International railway station. It's both cheaper and easier to access than the NEC's own car parks.

 

Once upon a time, that used to be a bit risky as the operator discouraged it and sometimes enforced the rule about parking being for rail users only. But, ever since the multi-story car park was built, there has never been a shortage of space at the weekend and I suspect that the operator is quite pleased to get the extra income at a time when rail usage is relatively slack.

 

(I also use the station as a pick-up/drop-off point when I'm called upon to be airport taxi, to avoid the even bigger rip-off that is airport short-stay parking!) 

[Clive Mortimore]

If I go next year it will definitely be by train parking at nearest wcml station cheap and then sit down look out the window never again by car the NEC has become a money making machine for the new owners .Bet the price will be £20 next year agree about getting out seemed as though we were going round in circles but I saw a Harrier jump jet parked in a wood with portacabin buildings adjacent,anyone know the story?

West Midlands Police have upgraded their helicopter? :dontknow:

['CHARD]

West Midlands Police have upgraded their helicopter? :dontknow:

 

Don't leave it there, it'll have its wheels nicked 

[Pannier Tank]

I always park at the International railway station. It's both cheaper and easier to access than the NEC's own car parks.

 

Once upon a time, that used to be a bit risky as the operator discouraged it and sometimes enforced the rule about parking being for rail users only. But, ever since the multi-story car park was built, there has never been a shortage of space at the weekend and I suspect that the operator is quite pleased to get the extra income at a time when rail usage is relatively slack.

 

I can assure you, rail usage was not slack!!

[MarkSG]

I can assure you, rail usage was not slack!!

 

It's slack outbound; the people who typically use Birmingham International as a park and ride interchange are generally commuters who are there on Monday to Friday. Weekends, a much bigger proportion of traffic is inbound, to the airport and the NEC.

[Pannier Tank]

It's slack outbound; the people who typically use Birmingham International as a park and ride interchange are generally commuters who are there on Monday to Friday. Weekends, a much bigger proportion of traffic is inbound, to the airport and the NEC.

 

Travelled  to NEC from Milton Keynes both Outward and return Trains were packed like sardines!!

[Andy Y]

I saw a Harrier jump jet parked in a wood with portacabin buildings adjacent,anyone know the story?

It wasn't the Coventry Home Guard's Air Force was it?

 

https://goo.gl/maps/QRyueWHod5s

 

If so, it's a Jag.

[dasatcopthorne]

I sense the copthorne conspiracy must be in full swing as been by sidmouth twice and a train leaves as i type

 

Certainly not a conspiracy.

 

After a few moans by others I went back at around 1pm.

 

13 people in front of Sidmouth. I still didn't get to see a passenger train run.

 

The one poor guy left to operate while three others disappeared.

 

At this point a loco was run the length of the layout 3 times quite slowly pushing a GoPro camera or similar on a one plank wagon.

 

Surely this could have been done at a quieter time, say 4pm.

 

I saw quite a few other layouts with very little or very bad operation, however I didn't comment as Andy Y seems to have taken offense.

 

 

Dave Smith.

[81C]

Its not a Harrier it's a Jaguar, you were never in the NAFFI.

[melmerby]

Its not a Harrier it's a Jaguar, you were never in the NAFFI.

E Type or XK150?

 

Keith

[Mallard60022]

If I go next year it will definitely be by train parking at nearest wcml station cheap and then sit down look out the window never again by car the NEC has become a money making machine for the new owners .Bet the price will be £20 next year agree about getting out seemed as though we were going round in circles but I saw a Harrier jump jet parked in a wood with portacabin buildings adjacent,anyone know the story?

 

That does not look like a Harrier to me I'm sorry to say. I could be wrong but this is a Harrier.....

ATB 

Cpn Biggles

[melmerby]

A few more pictures, this time some smaller (size not scale) layouts

 

Bw Patsdorf:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allerdale Farm:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berger Hall:

 

 

 

 

Derwent Road:

 

 

 

 

 

This next one was on stand E018B but I can't remember the name. (B..?)

There were two lads operating it.

If anybody knows the name please say.

 

 

 

 

Keith

Edited November 27, 2018 by melmerby

[Mallard60022]

A few more pictures, this time some smaller (size not scale) layouts

 

Bw Patsdorf:

 

Patsdorf.jpg

 

Patsdorf 1.jpg

 

Patsdorf 2.jpg

 

Patsdorf 3.jpg

 

Patsdorf 4.jpg

 

 

Keith

 

Thanks for those. Oh I do love those Continental Tank Engines.....however I must not ever think of doing something about a Wolsztyn Shed layout.

Some of these mini layouts really are amazing. It must be so satisfying to be able to just about get all you need into an exhibition in a Flight Case or similar. 

Phil

Edited November 27, 2018 by Mallard60022

[MarkSG]

Travelled  to NEC from Milton Keynes both Outward and return Trains were packed like sardines!!

 

Yes, that's inbound traffic, which doesn't use the car park!

 

It's only travellers who start their return journey from BI who use the car park. And there are considerably more of them on weekdays!

 

But, also, there are fewer trains at the weekend, especially on Sundays. So the fact that they are packed doesn't necessarily mean that overall traffic levels are particularly high.

[7013]

I travelled to Warley by train I booked a long time in advance, being a ‘senior’ I get a discount. But I got my journey for less than twenty pound return, first class and a reserved seat, so much more comfortable and relaxing, especially after a long day trekking around. Well worth it.

[melmerby]

Thanks for those. Oh I do love those Continental Tank Engines.....however I must not ever think of doing something about a Wolsztyn Shed layout.

Some of these mini layouts really are amazing. It must be so satisfying to be able to just about get all you need into an exhibition in a Flight Case or similar. 

Phil

The Berger Hall one was quite innovative

Effectively it was a small roundy but divided into 4 segments, 3 on view as above (and a 4th for operation?)

 

Keith

[newbryford]

I travelled by van and got free parking for two days.

And it didn't cost anything in accommodation, breakfast or lunch......

But to balance the positives, I had the negative of not seeing much of the show.....

 

Thanks for the pictures folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[lmsforever]

E Type or XK150?

 

Keith

 

Only saw it for a few seconds what it is used for ,air cadets or a secret strategic reserve?

[JohnDMJ]

I've got one of those.

 

It's called an Arduino and LED display!

 

Keith

 

So how do you fit an arduino INSIDE an 00 coach?

 

All of the electronics are housed in the display box atop the mast on the platform; it is the same unit inside the 00 coach!

[TheSignalEngineer]

....................... agree about getting out seemed as though we were going round in circles but I saw a Harrier jump jet parked in a wood with portacabin buildings adjacent,anyone know the story?

 

 

Only saw it for a few seconds what it is used for ,air cadets or a secret strategic reserve?

 

Nah, those are with the 'Kings' in Box Tunnel. or was it with the 200 8fs all nicely greased up in the bunkers north of Carlisle

Edited November 27, 2018 by TheSignalEngineer

[10sidmouth]

Certainly not a conspiracy.

 

After a few moans by others I went back at around 1pm.

 

13 people in front of Sidmouth. I still didn't get to see a passenger train run.

 

The one poor guy left to operate while three others disappeared.

 

At this point a loco was run the length of the layout 3 times quite slowly pushing a GoPro camera or similar on a one plank wagon.

 

Surely this could have been done at a quieter time, say 4pm.

 

I saw quite a few other layouts with very little or very bad operation, however I didn't comment as Andy Y seems to have taken offense.

 

 

Dave Smith.

 

Well Dave, to bring you up to speed on this issue, we were specifically asked by a representative of the German press whether we could run a camera as you describe. It was actually a 5 plank wagon. He was visiting a number of layouts for this purpose, including Liverpool Lime Street. Apparently, such video is very popular with the readers of the Model Railway press in Germany. I apologise for interrupting the normal sequence to do this, but we like to be as cooperative as we can. 

I would like to correct you on another point. The operator was not on his own, I was there too and we were both trying to hurry the whole thing along. If you had been there earlier in the day representatives of the BRM magazine were also taking video shots around Sidmouth. This involved rather more interruption. Like everything else in life I suspect that even an exhibition layout has a certain shelf life. Bearing this in mind I try to fit in with the wishes of as many people as possible, while they still want to have a piece of me and my layout. Clearly this approach has upset you and once again I apologise. If you visit a Show in the future, and Sidmouth is there, please make yourself known to me so we can discuss further. Richard Harper

[pete_mcfarlane]

It wasn't the Coventry Home Guard's Air Force was it?

 

https://goo.gl/maps/QRyueWHod5s

 

If so, it's a Jag.

 

Is that the spiritual successor for the Lightning F2A that spent 30+ years disintegrating next to the A1 between Grantham and Newark?

[melmerby]

So how do you fit an arduino INSIDE an 00 coach?

 

You could try one of these:

https://store.arduino.cc/arduino-micro

Only 18mm wide

 

 

All of the electronics are housed in the display box atop the mast on the platform; it is the same unit inside the 00 coach!

Quite neat but still a bit big for 4mm scale

 

Keith