DEMU Showcase 2022 - New Venue - New Date

[Jim Martin]

20 hours ago, grahame said:

I'll be there for the whole weekend on one of the demonstration stands. Well, probably more a display of scratch-built structures and an opportunity for a chat about how they were made. Drop by and say hello.

I'm very much looking forward to meeting you tomorrow,  having been a frequent poster on your buildings topic in the past.

 

Jim

[Jim Martin]

<deleted>

Edited July 22, 2022 by Jim Martin
Deleted because it should have been a reply to another post

[Jim Martin]

38 minutes ago, G-DIMB said:

Were there advance tickets available for this as i havent seen anything advertised?

 

 

I'm a DEMU member, so I get a free ticket this year. I got an email from the society on 8th July titled "Members Free Ticket to Showcase", followed shortly afterwards by another titled "You have been added to the guestlist for DEMU Showcase 2022", which is the one with the QR code. The second email is from "Team FIXR", rather than DEMU.

 

I'm assuming that this is a legit email: it seems a bit too specific to be spam.

 

In drafting this reply  I've read both emails more thoroughly than I had before and this has actually answered my original question!

 

Jim

[stivesnick]

Went today 

 

Good show with some great layouts, including some I had not seen before. 

 

The show was easy to get to by train as just a short walk from Sutton Coldfield station. 

 

The food offer to the public was a bit limited - they were offering cream teas but that was about it.

 

Regards 

 

Nick 

 

 

[Ian Hargrave]

Thanks to DEMU for a good show in an excellent venue. My first since mid 2019.and hugely enjoyable. Good to see …and hear….everyone in good humour and good spirits 

[PJ10]

Evening,

 

Many thanks to the DEMU team for a great show today. All the layouts were good and I had some very enjoyable chats with the guys from Cavalex, Ben from Heljan and of course the Bachmann team. Wellpark and Clackmannan Goods were my "best in show".

 

I have to say that whilst a good venue, I felt that space was a little tight and I agree with stivesnick that the food offering was disappointing. Perhaps the later can be looked at for next year. Personally I felt that Burton was a better option both in terms of space and catering but I guess that's history now. And I appreciate that getting any venue is a considerable challenge.

 

Thanks again

 

PJ10

 

 

[Benjamin Brady]

Evening 

 

   As with other comments , a very enjoyable show , all good layouts . But ..............

 

   For me "Oak road "a very good layout , even down to the Graffiti on the MOD train , for me the top marks . well worth the wait to see it other than on " You Tube " 

 

 Thanks to everyone 

[5BarVT]

Also went today.

I went down to The Station pub just the other side to the exhibition and got Fish & Chips which wasn’t bad.

Enjoyed the show and had a good few chats with exhibitors/traders/officials.

And the trains to and from weren’t as bad as I’d feared.

All in all a very good day.  Thank you.

Paul.

[Jim Martin]

Excellent show: easily the best (albeit the first) that I've been to since 2019. I don't think I'd seen any of the layouts before, and all of them were very interesting. I loved Hinksey Yard and Wellpark; and for such a small layout, Ryecroft had a really nice idea behind it - looking down on an urban terminus and seeing units sliding in and out without knowing where they'd come from or where they were going to.  Also had long chats with Grahame Hedges and Carl White (I've subscribed to your YouTube channel, Carl!)  among others. I've never travelled this far to go to an exhibition before; but it was well worth it. 

 

Jim

[Melangoose]

A great day a DEMU Sutton Coldfield, in great company with many inspirational layouts in the 3 halls.  Looking forward to another good day tomorrow.

 

 

[wombatofludham]

I drove over for the afternoon and very much enjoyed the show. (For the benefit of the gentleman chatting to Bachmann who I overheard question why anyone would drive to a model railway show so close to a station, connections from the Cambrian would have meant too early a start, plus I had signwriting to drop off in Bloxwich and a brother to visit in Rugeley...).  Had a nice chat with @61661 Ben about possible new models of locos with coathangers on the roof and Class 47s whilst ogling the Class 104 DMU,  Some seriously impressive layouts, and I too loved "Ryecroft Arena" which proves you can make an engaging layout on the simplest of principles.  I didn't see @Clive Mortimore on the door when I went in, we could have had a chat about coathangers.

Really enjoyable visit, well done to all involved and I hope it can continue in the venue.

By the way, the pub opposite the station was used along with the platform waiting shelter on the Birmingham side as a temporary mortuary following the train crash.  Apparently people unaware of the history have felt uncomfortable in both locations, although I do wonder if the unease in the pub might be down to spirits of a different sort.

[fezza]

A really good event with some outstanding layouts. For me Wellpark was just about the  highlight. It really captured the urban run down railway very well indeed - and all in a relatively modest space.

Edited July 23, 2022 by fezza

[C126]

May I add my two penn'orth to thank all for this exhibition.  Your hard work was much appreciated, and I think the results excellent.  Inspiring layouts - one cheekily running a 'steam special' occasionally and not hauled by a diesel, which made me smile - and so close to a railway station I joined D.E.M.U. now this is accessible to me.  Perhaps this new venue will 'nudge' more people to catch a train at least part of the way next year.

 

Sorry the caterer experienced problems.  I popped into 'Poller's' on the High Street ('not open, but still serving') for some very good sandwiches, and only saw the pub on the way home.

 

Several layouts of note with ideas to 'borrow', but, as expected, Clackmannan Goods was the one I wanted to take home with me.  I will add a few skips to mine en homage, and make a Shocvan kit.

 

Thanks again to you all.  Hope you all enjoyed yourselves as much as me, and you all got home safely.

Edited July 25, 2022 by C126
Grammar.

[The Fatadder]

Really enjoyable day out, fantastic layouts, and a great opportunity to catch up with a lot of friends that I hadn’t seen in a long time.

roll on next year!

 

Was particularly good to see Shawplan and stock up on bits for a few projects (and nameplates to finish a few others).  Plenty of stock sold on the second hand (although @James Makin beat me to the class 47 chassis I was after to fit under my royal train respray).    Lots of paints from Rainbow Railways to get on with a couple more resprays (Hanson, EWS and Intercity) and bizarrely a set of Great Western coach sides for a Collett BCK from the second hand stand.

 

now sat suitably inspired fitting nameplates…

[ELTEL]

Cracking exhibition and every layout first class, a good mixture of specialist trade as well as quality box shifters.

 

I think the venue is spot on especially if like me you traveled by train.

 

Great to catch up with so my many model railway friends after the problems of the last couple of years

 

So a big thanks to all the layout operators and owners, the traders for there support and the hard working DEMU team for making it all happen.

 

Well back to work now with the forthcoming Stafford Exhibition on the 24th & 25th September ant the much larger Bingley Hall at the same location at Stafford County Showground and the last few jobs on Camel Quay 

 

A safe journey to all tonight on there return home.

 

ELTE (Terry)

OIL DRUM LANE & CAMEL QUAY

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

An enjoyable day out, first for god knows how long, so spent most of the day chatting, didn't realise there were layouts too!

Convenient location for those of us without private transport, the station pub was OK and a selection of comestibles available via a short walk to the High Street, so not a bad location IMHO.

 

Mike.

[Robert Shrives]

Certainly a fun morning - should have been longer but work in the way !   Wellpark best in show seeing trophy- well deserved - well observed modelling at its best. All the layouts were brilliant a real pic of the crop. But size does not matter as Steve Falmer with 39" of N layout was perfect.

 

It was good to meet up and chat as so many have said and yes location looks to be very good and in keeping with grand public buildings of old theme of DEMU venues.  

Spent at several traders for kits and some containers from C rail.

Also thanks to all involved  in making it happen before and on the day - you should all sleep well tonight .

Robert  

[Crantock]

A good show and a useful venue but I am not sure if there is room for expansion.  I appreciated Clackmannan and Wellpark. Both Clack and the S4 display of wagons were detail excellence.

 

Some building layout foibles, the stage didn’t work, the stairs to it are iffy and would be better to have had a gangway in front of it.  The toilets were well hidden.

 

The trade was good but one thong I don’t get is that no one sells paint at exhibitions any more. Any idea why?

 

 

[enginelane]

18 hours ago, PJ10 said:

Evening,

 

Many thanks to the DEMU team for a great show today. All the layouts were good and I had some very enjoyable chats with the guys from Cavalex, Ben from Heljan and of course the Bachmann team. Wellpark and Clackmannan Goods were my "best in show".

 

I have to say that whilst a good venue, I felt that space was a little tight and I agree with stivesnick that the food offering was disappointing. Perhaps the later can be looked at for next year. Personally I felt that Burton was a better option both in terms of space and catering but I guess that's history now. And I appreciate that getting any venue is a considerable challenge.

 

Thanks again

 

PJ10

 

finding suitable venues is not easy especially as the cost,of hire has increased. Catering is a nightmare area, staffing and facilities that can be used being problem areas. 

Edited July 24, 2022 by enginelane

[black and decker boy]

Great to be back at a DEMU show and a great show it is.

 

I liked the venue, easy transport access & parking 

 

Clackmannan Goods, Splott and Wellpark were delightful but all layouts great to watch

[LNERandBR]

Had a really enjoyable day at the DEMU Showcase today. Excellent quality layouts and enjoyed that the show wasn't rammed with people. I managed to keep my pennies in my pocket but it was very hard given the trade options on offer.

 

In terms of location of the show, the first car park I tried was full but the second had plenty of spaces so that was all fine. Someone mentioned above some comments they overheard about why travel by car when the show is right next to a station. Well, I checked that out and there would have been many changes for me to make it by train and no chance at all on a Sunday due to how late the service starts from my home station. 

 

I think the catering might be limited by the venue, the bar certainly seemed to be operated by the Town Hall staff who didn't provide food but food was available to order. I presume the latter was DEMU organised. I normally bring my own pickup anyway but my friend was able to get a bap and cup of tea so was happy.

 

I'm sure the DEMU team will have a good debrief over the coming days and find ways to improve the show for future years. It's always difficult to move to a new venue and I bet they've got a long snagging list from visitors and exhibitors alike 😅

[newbryford]

4 hours ago, Crantock said:

 

The trade was good but one thong I don’t get is that no one sells paint at exhibitions any more. Any idea why?

 

 

 

Unfortunately because anyone selling paint will never have the correct colours for everyone, and if a trader took the full range to suit everyone, it'd take up half the stand space for relatively not much financial return as they sold 1 tin of this colour and another tin of that. 

 

And full paint display racks are flipping heavy to move in and out of the show!

 

I have a sore throat from talking about modifying RTR, but it was a great first show at a new venue. 

 

Congrats to Guy and the team and I'm sure they'll learn and improve for next year.

 

[The Fatadder]

4 hours ago, Crantock said:

The trade was good but one thong I don’t get is that no one sells paint at exhibitions any more. Any idea why?

 

 

That paint is very low margin and takes a lot of effort to move.  I find it useful

to check through the trade list and contact a trader who caries paint with a request to bring it.

 

Hence at Showcase Rainbow Railways had a bag containing. 5 different tins of paint for me.   Given the difficulties to get enamel paints posted these days I was certainly very grateful for it (no doubt next week I will find another tin of paint that I’m missing though…..)

[griffgriff]

1 hour ago, newbryford said:

 

Unfortunately because anyone selling paint will never have the correct colours for everyone, and if a trader took the full range to suit everyone, it'd take up half the stand space for relatively not much financial return as they sold 1 tin of this colour and another tin of that. 

 

 

But you only need yellow ;)

[newbryford]

Just now, griffgriff said:

But you only need yellow ;)

 

But they never have the correct shade.      Although the current big  project requires lots of different colours