Attending my first Exhibition - advice?

[Phil Parker]

56 minutes ago, JohnR said:

 

I should have said that this was the inspiration for my layout - thanks Phil!

 

No worries - it's what I do this stuff for - and I'll admit to being flattered you liked it so much you had a go. And impressed with the results.

 

In turn, I'm sure once you are at the show, you'll inspire someone else to have a go.

[NHY 581]

All of my layouts are operated from the front. I prefer it that way and it breaks down any perceived barriers between the exhibitor and the visitor. 

 

Due to this, it is not possible to deploy the old shagpile as this might present a trip hazard to the unwary. 

 

Comfy daps are the order of the day. 

 

 

[F-UnitMad]

1 hour ago, Phil Parker said:

 

No worries - it's what I do this stuff for - and I'll admit to being flattered you liked it so much you had a go. And impressed with the results.

 

In turn, I'm sure once you are at the show, you'll inspire someone else to have a go.

Again, one of the 'plus points' of a small layout at a show - inspiring others to do something themselves.

Large layouts are all well & good, but can be off-putting to ones who lack the space & money for such, and/or doubt their own skill to do justice to a big layout.

[5944]

On 15/07/2022 at 09:42, Vecchio said:

Hi John,

wish you all the best for the show!

I will be out and about tomorrow as well, the layout is packed up in the garage, ready to go into the van. I read you got a lot of good advice from the forum community. One point, mentioned before more than once, I would like to mention again. Take yourself enough time to level your boards as good as possible. Even a nice floor in an exhibition hall doesn't mean it is level, and rolling stock tends to run to one end... 

If your layout has any tunnels don't forget a good torch, the derailments or contact problems happen normally there where you have no access flap. How do I know? Donnersbachkogel has 4 tunnels... 

We took our club layout to a show a few years ago and spent about an hour trying to get whole thing level. Wind down the feet, check it's level, move on to the next board, first one has one of the feet in the air. Turned out the gym had a sprung floor! We eventually managed to get it basically level, though you'd occasionally see a wagon randomly move if too many people were at one end.

 

I think everyone else has covered pretty much everything you need. As has been mentioned, if you can't get an extra operator in the future just speak to the exhibition manager beforehand and ask if someone will cover for you while you have some lunch. 

[RJS1977]

22 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

All of my layouts are operated from the front. I prefer it that way and it breaks down any perceived barriers between the exhibitor and the visitor. 

 

Due to this, it is not possible to deploy the old shagpile as this might present a trip hazard to the unwary. 

 

Comfy daps are the order of the day. 

 

 

 

Oddly, I find it easier to talk to an operator who's facing me over a layout rather than one who's stood in front of the layout with his back to me...

[Reorte]

16 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

 

Oddly, I find it easier to talk to an operator who's facing me over a layout rather than one who's stood in front of the layout with his back to me...

On a small layout the operator can sit at one end of it, so whilst not exactly facing visitors he's not got his back to them either.

[NHY 581]

19 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

 

Oddly, I find it easier to talk to an operator who's facing me over a layout rather than one who's stood in front of the layout with his back to me...

 

That is odd as I generally stand to one side and engage with visitors. Inevitably, one has to turn to momentarily do something but I'm yet to spend all day with my back to the paying public. 

 

As I say, . I prefer to operate that way as it breaks down any perceived barriers between the exhibitor and the visitor. 

 

It's also easier to hand over the controller if anyone wants a go or to point anything out. 

[Nick G]

I always operate from the front/end (have done since 2003) and spend all day engaging with the visitors.

 

Edited July 16, 2022 by Nick G

[DLT]

Not sure I've got anything to add to all that has gone before, apart from to say enjoy it, and be prepared for your first show to be a big learning curve.  You will soon work out what works for you and what doesn't.

 

Make a joke of it when things go wrong, you'll get the visitors on your side.  Talk to the children, engage them with whats going on. (you might get their "Best in Show" vote)

Don't be afraid to offer somebody a drive if they seem particularly interested. (within reason) you can hover over the "off" switch

At first I assumed that my layouts would only be of interest to a small number of enthusiasts, but I was so wrong.

 

Best of luck,

Dave.

[RJS1977]

7 minutes ago, Nick G said:

I always operate from the front/end (have done since 2003) and spend all day engaging with the visitors.

 

 

I think the difference for me (and of course, this is purely personal opinion) is if the operator is facing me across the layout, I feel I can have a conversation with them, whilst they are operating the layout, as they can see both me and the layout at the same time. Conversely though, if an operator is sat even side-on in front of the layout, they cannot look at both me and the layout at the same time.

 

Wearing my operator's hat, again, I find, if I'm operating a layout from behind, I can hold a conversation with one member of the public, whilst still maintaining a degree of operation for anyone else who may be watching.

[NHY 581]

Bottom line is this. Do whatever is right for you and don't think you must do things a certain way, just because someone says so. 

 

Exhibiting can be quite arduous. So work out a way that's comfortable for you and don't forget you need to enjoy yourself as well. 

 

Keep things simple. Within a couple of shows you will have reduced what you take, making loading and unloading easier and also lowered the time the layout takes to put up and take down. 

 

Enjoy playing trains and whatever happens, don't take things too seriously. 

[Nick G]

2 hours ago, RJS1977 said:

 

 

Wearing my operator's hat, again, I find, if I'm operating a layout from behind, I can hold a conversation with one member of the public, whilst still maintaining a degree of operation for anyone else who may be watching.

 

Each to there own I guess. My layouts are always built with a high backsecene and top so I can't operate from behind, plus my layouts are small. If I get engaged in a long conversation my helper will drive from the other end, you can see there is another handset there so things keep moving.

[nickwood]

Prepare some basic details of yourself and your layout including your expenses requirements and an insurance value for your layout. You could well be asked by members of other clubs for your layout details so that they can extend an invite to one of their future shows. 
If you need to see an example send me a PM with your email address and I’ll forward you a copy of mine for Much Murkle.

[Pacific231G]

On 15/07/2022 at 09:15, Phil Parker said:

 

If you have World of Railways plus access, head to early 2018 BRM's where you'll find my layout "Didsbury Green" which uses the same box and a similar track plan. It had to be this small so I could take it on a plane to Canada.

 

If you don't, go here and sign up for the free trial, and you can have a look anyway.

 

 

Very, very true. For a start, unless you are completely anti-social, you have to keep talking to the visitors. For me, this is the best bit. Little layouts tend to spark conversations more than larger ones too. Just remember, the talking is very much part of being entertaining, and that's what you are there for.

Hi Phil

I saw Disbury green at Ally Pally a few year ago and ISTR discussing it with you. I tend to think that, while large layouts may be all about keeping something moving all the time to satisfy the train watchers, small layout are far more about sharing the hobby with other and potential modellers.

 

[NHY 581]

18 hours ago, Nick G said:

 

Each to there own I guess. My layouts are always built with a high backsecene and top so I can't operate from behind, plus my layouts are small. If I get engaged in a long conversation my helper will drive from the other end, you can see there is another handset there so things keep moving.

 

 

Nick, you have the same 'issues' as I do. I build my small layouts to peer into, not look down on.  Therefore, I am unable to operate from anywhere else other than the front. 

 

 

9 hours ago, Pacific231G said:

 

"small layout are far more about sharing the hobby with other and potential modellers "

 

 

 

Bang on. 

 

 

Rob. 

[298]

On 11/07/2022 at 16:18, melmerby said:

Don't rely on the hall lighting levels.

Have some lights for your layout (most do)

 

I once went to an exhibition where some stands sat in a permanent gloom due to the low light level.

 

I thought I was being smart by building a night-time layout that would have looked fantastic in post-apocolyptic peachy gloom, thankfully such venues are getting rarer but I still need to find a way to reduce the ambient light hitting the layout. 

 

I also agree that lighting is a necessity and easy enough to do now with LED strip, but I'd make it and the backscene removable to use mother nature's own for photos.

 

The previous posts make it all sounds like exhibiting is very easy, but that is assuming you get invited to them in the first place. An article written by a seasoned exhibitor that appeared in a magazine a few years ago said once you're at your first one all you need to do is hand out layout information forms (basically everything you think an exhibition manager wants to know on a sheet of A4 and a few weeks after you'll get a letter inviting you to xyz show and asking for the same information again. 

That's the theory anyway, from what I've seen of post-pandemic shows they still rely on existing contacts and word of mouth, in fact I haven't had any bookings from shows or eLayouts for about three years.

Edited July 17, 2022 by 298

[The Johnster]

You will  be out of control of the microclimate as well, and sports halls can be v.hot if they have metal roofs.  Dress appropriately, loose and comfortable, comfy cool shoes for standing in with better, thicker, soles than plimsolls, portable chair.  Or it might  be too cool, in which case you need layers that can be taken off and replaced for comfort.

[DLT]

17 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Or it might  be too cool, in which case you need layers that can be taken off and replaced for comfort.

Especially if you're near the door, it can be draughty

[The Johnster]

Or a window that has to be open for ventilation.  
 

Beanie hat with a visor if your display lights are a bit bright, or they’ll be tiring over the course of a long day.  They’ll be angled to illuminate the layout for the punters, right in your face…

 

Exhibiting with a club many years ago, and suffering from this, I went and bought some kiddies’ coloured plastic TTTE visors, from the Dean Forest Railway’s stand IIRC, and handed them out to the operators.  Any comment was rebuffed with ‘what kiddies’ visors?  We’ll have you know that these are sophisticated military grade high-tec AGDs’!

 

’What’s an AGD’?

 

’Anti Glare Device’. 😌

[JohnR]

Thanks everyone for the advice and help, especially to @Balgrayhill for helping out operating the layout with me. It was great fun, and like lots of things in the hobby, I learned some lessons for next time. The guys at Cupar MRC were very friendly and helpful, too.

 

I got a real buzz when a couple of people got inspiration to have a go themselves @Phil Parker - one guy was actually going to take his christmas tree out of the box! 

[Phil Parker]

35 minutes ago, JohnR said:

I got a real buzz when a couple of people got inspiration to have a go themselves @Phil Parker - one guy was actually going to take his christmas tree out of the box! 

 

It's the best part of my job. That moment when you inspire someone to to have a go at some modelling. I'm really glad you've had the chance to experince that feeling.

 

As someone said to me this weekend. "Large layouts are aspirational. Small layouts are inspirational."

[Pacific231G]

1 hour ago, Phil Parker said:

 

It's the best part of my job. That moment when you inspire someone to to have a go at some modelling. I'm really glad you've had the chance to experince that feeling.

 

As someone said to me this weekend. "Large layouts are aspirational. Small layouts are inspirational."

Agreed.

I'll always remember operating one of Giles Barnabe's layouts at a show near Paris and one visitor who was intrigued by all the shunting (rarely seen then on French layouts) but told me rather sadly that though he'd built a couple of small dioramas he really wanted a small H0 layout but simply didn't have room for that in his Paris flat. I pointed him towards Carl Arendt's microlayout site but also explained to him the concept of Inglenook Sidings (completely unknown over there) and on that just saw his face light up with an "I could build one of those" exclamation. Whether he ever did I'll never know of course but it was a good feeling.  

[dasatcopthorne]

1 hour ago, Phil Parker said:

 

It's the best part of my job. That moment when you inspire someone to to have a go at some modelling. I'm really glad you've had the chance to experince that feeling.

 

As someone said to me this weekend. "Large layouts are aspirational. Small layouts are inspirational."

 

I agree there Phil.

 

Whenever I have exhibited my little layout, Elbow Lane, there has always been someone who leaves with the idea in their head that they can do it as well.

 

So pleasing.

 

Dave

[john new]

9 hours ago, JohnR said:

Thanks everyone for the advice and help, especially to @Balgrayhill for helping out operating the layout with me. It was great fun, and like lots of things in the hobby, I learned some lessons for next time. The guys at Cupar MRC were very friendly and helpful, too.

 

I got a real buzz when a couple of people got inspiration to have a go themselves @Phil Parker - one guy was actually going to take his christmas tree out of the box! 

Glad it went well.

[kingmender]

18 hours ago, JohnR said:

Thanks everyone for the advice and help, especially to @Balgrayhill for helping out operating the layout with me. It was great fun, and like lots of things in the hobby, I learned some lessons for next time. The guys at Cupar MRC were very friendly and helpful, too.

 

I got a real buzz when a couple of people got inspiration to have a go themselves @Phil Parker - one guy was actually going to take his christmas tree out of the box! 

Welcome to the exhibitors club.

I did my first in over 3 years at the Grampians Model Railway Club exhibition (Victoria, Australia) a couple of weeks ago. Despite loosing 2 operators in the week preceeding, other memebrs of my wonderful club (Waverley Model Railway Club) stepped in to give a full compliment of 4. A great 2 days with all the punters, other exhibiitors and the host club.

Despite my best planning and list writing I still forgot to take wheel cleaning materials!