The London Festival of Railway Modelling: March 18 & 19, Alexandra Palace

[Marcoblanco]

3 hours ago, trevor7598 said:

Ally Pally is always must for my mate and I. We always go on Saturday, but rail strike cancelled that this year.

We elected to go today ( 19th ), checking train times from Wadhurst, there was a good service.

On arrival at Wadhurst we were greeted with a cashless parking notice, neither of us have a smart phone

which is the only way to pay, so being unable to pay or risk a fine we gave up and came home.

So the exhibition lost out, as did some traders I always visit, and South Eastern lost 2X  London travel cards.

 

Hopeless.

Sorry you had to go through that. I think and feel it is the automated, cash free society that the powers that be are encouraging everywhere. As your experience shows it doesn't suit everyone and we'll, it's a bit of a discrace to be fair .

[trevor7598]

1 hour ago, Darius43 said:

You can tap in to pay for the bus and tube with a regular contactless debit or credit card - as I did yesterday.  You don’t need to have/use an Oyster card.  We got the regular W3 bus to and from Ally Pally from Wood Green tube yesterday.

You can do this all day up to a maximum aggregate charge of £12 after which you don’t get charged any more.

 

Cheers

 

Darius

 

A tap and go facility would have been ideal, and it's cashless. Maybe the carpark firms should consider

a machine that only takes bankers/credit/oyster cards, still cashless. All said we could have had a fabulous

day out, as always at Ally Pally.

[Darius43]

1 hour ago, IamDaniel said:

 

this year my deodorant had to be binned

If you think that was bad, I’m sure it was no picnic for those standing next to you…

 

Cheers

 

Darius

[IamDaniel]

1 hour ago, AY Mod said:

 

That would have caused surprised raising of security eyebrows at the show as an obviously suspect item.

 

I'm wondering if it should be retitled as The London Festival of Railway Moaning next year after the last couple of pages.

 

Just to be clear (I have now edited my post), the deodorant was in a wash bag - rather than being loose in a rucksack - and was taken out by the security during the bag check back in January. I made the point that I was planning to check into a hotel after the match had ended, but it was still binned. I was just echoing points made by other posters that security checks at Ally Pally are OTT.

 

Can't comment on The London Festival of Railway Modelling as I didn't attend this year.

Edited March 19, 2023 by IamDaniel

[Mallard60022]

Personally I have no issues with strict security searches, as longs as the Staff are organised and not just 'going through the motions'.

As for Deodorant, who uses that when going to MR Shows?😷

Also, if staying at a Hotel or B & B, one can cleanse one's pits with provided wash aids, or even some of the complimentary Biscuits if desperate. 

Cheers.

P

 

[Pendennis]

My bag was checked, half expected it.  Had it open ready, sandwich box in clear view, gent said Thank You and in I went, no hassle at all.

 

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Marcoblanco said:

Sorry you had to go through that. I think and feel it is the automated, cash free society that the powers that be are encouraging everywhere. As your experience shows it doesn't suit everyone and we'll, it's a bit of a discrace to be fair .

 

Unfortunately society assumes that everyone has access to the internet (and knows how to use it) and has a recent smart phone that can be loaded with Apps (I have an older iphone and many Apps just won't load onto it).

The older generation are those being hit hardest I think.

[cornelius]

4 hours ago, trevor7598 said:

Ally Pally is always must for my mate and I. We always go on Saturday, but rail strike cancelled that this year.

We elected to go today ( 19th ), checking train times from Wadhurst, there was a good service.

On arrival at Wadhurst we were greeted with a cashless parking notice, neither of us have a smart phone

which is the only way to pay, so being unable to pay or risk a fine we gave up and came home.

So the exhibition lost out, as did some traders I always visit, and South Eastern lost 2X  London travel cards.

 

Hopeless.

 

You can add on a printed car park ticket at the ticket machine, or at least that's what I did down the line at Robertsbridge.

[Mike_Walker]

Access to the internet and/or smartphones came up during a discussion on the closure of ticket offices as part of a presentation to the Marlow & District Railway Society on Thursday by our President, Mark Hopwood, MD of GWR.  He took the view that it was "progress" and the railway shouldn't be held back.  He cited other forms of "modernisation" like self-service checkouts in supermarkets and closing bank branches: "Everything is on-line these days".

 

I think he was genuinely taken aback by the negative reaction he got but still sees the cashless/internet society as the way forward.  As most of our members are a lot older than him (he joined as a junior member aged 14!) I think he views us as a bunch of wrinkly old luddites!

 

As I've said previously in another thread, we have a local resident who is determined not to join the 21st century and as a result can't renew his licence to use the local dump commercially or even to renew his fishing licence!  He has to get a neighbour to do both for him.

 

Sadly it goes to show just how out of touch those who rule us are in every walk of life.

[John M Upton]

The Government are of course keen to push forward the all integrated digital economy and cashless society as that way they can keep tabs on exactly how much you have, less opportunity for squirreling away any surplus income from the eyes of the taxman, plus of course someone somewhere is making a absolute fortune from all those Government IT Project contracts...

 

Many of us are getting left behind, take the latest daft idea, the Emergency Alert System, won't work unless your smartphone (if you even have one that is) is the ultra latest version.  Mind you. at least you can turn that silly alert idea off...

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Thanks for all those who posted photos of the Ally Pally Show. Really caught the flavour for those, like me, who didn't attend.

[polybear]

45 minutes ago, Mike_Walker said:

Access to the internet and/or smartphones came up during a discussion on the closure of ticket offices as part of a presentation to the Marlow & District Railway Society on Thursday by our President, Mark Hopwood, MD of GWR.  He took the view that it was "progress" and the railway shouldn't be held back.  He cited other forms of "modernisation" like self-service checkouts in supermarkets and closing bank branches: "Everything is on-line these days".

 

I think he was genuinely taken aback by the negative reaction he got but still sees the cashless/internet society as the way forward.  As most of our members are a lot older than him (he joined as a junior member aged 14!) I think he views us as a bunch of wrinkly old luddites!

 

As I've said previously in another thread, we have a local resident who is determined not to join the 21st century and as a result can't renew his licence to use the local dump commercially or even to renew his fishing licence!  He has to get a neighbour to do both for him.

 

Sadly it goes to show just how out of touch those who rule us are in every walk of life.

 

Nothing wrong with progress - but they need to accommodate those who are unable for whatever reason to join the ride (such as those without the latest technology and/or internet access).

[Chris Chewter]

To try to keep myself away from the traders, I spliced together a video of the event for those who weren't able to attend. Sadly my plan was unsuccessful, and my wallet is now a little lighter.

 

 

[bodmin16]

Didn't take any pictures but in order to get this thread "back on track" here is a still from a video of an N class I purchased from the MRC club stand.  Thank you MRC I am very pleased with my purchase.

[Erichill16]

Whilst on holiday in Japan a couple of years ago it was quite remarkable the amount of staff available to help. Very refreshing after hearing about ‘robot hotels’

[AY Mod]

45 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

Mind you. at least you can turn that silly alert idea off...

 

How silly; the authorities trying to help people avoid burning and drowning.

[Marcoblanco]

Yes governments out of touch and not to be trusted these days.. the last few yrs confirmed that

 

Any product updates from baccy or accurascale etc or pics of products..

[Merlot]

On 18/03/2023 at 12:43, John M Upton said:

Dapol are retooling their N scale 66 apparently. 

 

No Rails of Sheffield or the N Gauge Society here though which is surprising.  

I'd heard that Rails Of Sheffield have pulled out of appearing at shows. They weren't at Doncaster last month either so I think this is true.

[multivac]

50 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Whilst on holiday in Japan a couple of years ago it was quite remarkable the amount of staff available to help. Very refreshing after hearing about ‘robot hotels’

The famous Japanese service culture is to be envied when from the UK. The customer is a "god" there.

 

Ally Pally, was my first exhibition for about a year. Went on the Saturday, got into the queue for the early entrance, but when finally arrived at the front door was confronted by a hoard of people surging straight off the bus and who proceeded to gatecrash the main door.  No security or stewards outside wrangling the persons getting in, which lead to a bit of a scrum. You could have also sold a guide to the queue beforehand. Bag check OK and queued up inside for the standard entrance time of 10:00.

 

Definitely a lack of seating,  someone I spoke to actually mentioned that he had raised it with the venue. Some of the padded venue seats then appeared. Could have done with more though, especially under the organ. Looking at the demographic of the visitors, seats would be  a necessary later on. Somewhere for people to sit while having a brew, snack and a chat. Why is this always being raised about this show?

 

Could we have proper metal barriers in front of all the layouts? The owners must worry about damage from people getting too close.

 

Some empty spaces where the stands were marked out on the floor. I wonder who was missing?

 

Much comment was made about Hornby not being present. Many thought they should have been there as Ally Pally is a major show and Hornby have alot of items that people would have liked to have seen.

 

Rapido's stand was impressive with their superb detailing being on show.

 

Copper Wort is a masterpiece.

Edited March 19, 2023 by multivac

[Merlot]

20 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

 

This is mind bogglingly good too. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James St is my favourite n gauge layout on the exhibition circuit. If for no other reason its shear size. I haven't got the room to even come close in n gauge never mind oo gauge :)

 

[Legend]

58 minutes ago, Chris Chewter said:

To try to keep myself away from the traders, I spliced together a video of the event for those who weren't able to attend. Sadly my plan was unsuccessful, and my wallet is now a little lighter.

 

 

Thanks for posting . Looked like a great selection of layouts in a spectacular setting . Might need to consider a weekend in London next year to coincide !   What’s the reason there is a bag search . They don’t do it at Model Rail Scotland . Just wondering 

[melmerby]

3 hours ago, Marcoblanco said:

On arrival at Wadhurst we were greeted with a cashless parking notice, neither of us have a smart phone

which is the only way to pay

Off topic.

Bromsgrove have converted their parking machines but you can tap a card to pay.

Saves carrying a pocketful of change around.

[polybear]

18 minutes ago, multivac said:

Could we have proper metal barriers in front of all the layouts? The owners must worry about damage from people getting too close.

 

Certainly the very impressive - and very fragile cranes on James Street seemed very vulnerable  to me and an accident waiting to happen.

 

18 minutes ago, multivac said:

Much comment was made about Hornby not being present. Many thought they should have been there as Ally Pally is a major show and Hornby have alot of items that people would have liked to have seen.

 

I think a lot of people would've liked the opportunity to see the new TT Gauge range first-hand - which isn't possible as dealers can't stock them.

 

18 minutes ago, multivac said:

Copper Wort is a masterpiece.

 

Agreed - that gets my vote for the layout I'd most like to take home.  The builder, Pete Goss has written a book about it and it's due to be published very shortly by Wild Swan.

I asked Pete how long it took to build - about 6 years @ 1000 hours a year (20 hours a week)

[Southernfrance]

Despite fears about damage we have taken James Street to over 20 shows in the last six years and the only piece of damage from the public was a child who picked up a tree, and then promptly burst into tears when Mum told him off. We've done more damage setting it up and taking it down. Most shows have not had barriers, and for us that's not a problem. If you are too far away from an N gauge layout you can't see all the detail that has been put there for your viewing! 

[Erichill16]

13 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Agreed - that gets my vote for the layout I'd most like to take home.  The builder, Pete Goss has written a book about it and it's due to be published very shortly by Wild Swan.

I asked Pete how long it took to build - about 6 years @ 1000 hours a year (20 hours a week)

Pete Goss brought Copper Wort to our exhibition (Barnsley) last year and I  had a good conversation with him and he certainly does the research side of the hobby well too. 
Funnily enough a few years ago I saw him exhibiting at one of the large European exhibitions with ‘Worlds End’. Out of  curiosity and the fact we weren’t having barriers at our exhibition I  asked him about the lack of barriers at European exhibitions. Not being on the exhibition committee at our club, I was gobsmacked when he said he was coming to our show later in the year and don’t  worry about barriers, he’d improvise his own.