Warley NEC National Show 25th & 26th November 2023

[RJS1977]

2 hours ago, andyman7 said:

Yes, couldn't resist at that price!

 

I did too!

[bradfordbuffer]

3 hours ago, Erixtar1992 said:

I enjoyed the show, bit more spread out this year.

Parked in the station carpark again, £9.50 so a large saving over the NEC price and still next door.

Show was dead this morning from 09:30 when we walked in (with no que for tickets) until probably midday-ish… happy days.

Dont really understand the loco in the middle but hey ho lol

 

As usual i think i still missed some stands due to it being a bit all over the place and only did one day, though £50 on entrance fees would be a bit mad..

 

Spent far too much money regardless……..!

I am with you with loco....should be on a length of of track for wow factor (didn't attend this year was it on a trailer?) (i know logistics and cost) and steps up and down so kids and adults can walk through and experience up close more than when at preserved railway.

plenty of room in hall for ride on railway like the one that was at Harrogate show the kids loved it... form not been allowed to touch any displays to riding on it.....50p a ride straight to chosen charity??? food for thought? 

but your show Warley...and after all the 50 odd years must be doing something right.

[mozzer models]

3 hours ago, melmerby said:

I know there is a 3D print of a 143, is it in 3 pieces?

I believe so 

[RJS1977]

6 hours ago, pete_mcfarlane said:

It often seems to be the layouts with the most control equipment (half a ton of laptops and electronic gear) that seem to have the least movement. 

 

I agree - there often seems to be less movement on DCC layouts owing to the time taken to identify the loco and find it in the list on the handset.

 

If you've built the traditional "oval with storage loops at the back", you really do not need DCC, and it makes operating the layout more complicated!

If the layout is wired for analogue, all you need to do to run a different train is to change the points in the fiddle yard and  this will direct current to the correct train. If you're running DCC, you still have to change the points, but then you have to find the loco on your handset....

 

Don't get me wrong, I think DCC has a place on big loco shed layouts like Old Elm Park, but for most other layouts it's overkill.

 

[bradfordbuffer]

3 minutes ago, mozzer models said:

I believe so 

similar to the 153 009 mini train on cults3d by DAVID-MALTON

 

no connection just seen whilst looking on for stl files

[mozzer models]

4 hours ago, melmerby said:

I know there is a 3D print of a 143, is it in 3 pieces?

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5433015

[mozzer models]

6 hours ago, melmerby said:

Seemed to be a lot of the same locos on them, wherever set.

Apart from this "cut n shut"on the Lynton & Barnstable layout, creative use of a railcar body for a NG line:

 

 

link to stl file for 3d printing https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5433015

[bradfordbuffer]

4 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

 

I agree - there often seems to be less movement on DCC layouts owing to the time taken to identify the loco and find it in the list on the handset.

 

If you've built the traditional "oval with storage loops at the back", you really do not need DCC, and it makes operating the layout more complicated!

If the layout is wired for analogue, all you need to do to run a different train is to change the points in the fiddle yard and  this will direct current to the correct train. If you're running DCC, you still have to change the points, but then you have to find the loco on your handset....

 

Don't get me wrong, I think DCC has a place on big loco shed layouts like Old Elm Park, but for most other layouts it's overkill.

 

that may be down to operators rather than technology?

 

From personal experience helping operating at shows on Deadmans Lane..00..double track oval with storage tracks at rear ....dcc!! aka Roundy Roundy train set! we do strive to keep things running on the front with trains in each direction plus at least one choo choo in the yard some where moving ....many vids on you tube to back this mission statement up....some times we get it wrong and the may be a delay whilst a loco is re wheeled or incorrect number entered into hand set and a different train shoots off in wrong direction causing another derailment....bloody dcc!.....but take the time during the lull in movement to take in the static details of the layout! 

 

[PaulRhB]

6 hours ago, SM42 said:

Bargains  hard to find, 

 Normally £145 DCC fitted N gauge Peter Witt trams on the MCC stand with £109 off? 😁 

The stealth Bachmann sales stand has done other good bargains too, N gauge 08’s for £100. 

[Chris M]

I would just like to say thank you to all those who attended our show as paying visitors or as exhibitors. 

[polybear]

8 hours ago, sixteen 12by 10s said:

......the small to medium sized traders have been priced out of the event, which has left this kind of detached trade show.

 

Firstly, cards on table........I've never been to Warley; the travel would make it somewhat of a b@llache for me.  I also far prefer specialist shows such as the EMGS, S4 and Railex shows; Ally Pally is the big show for me as that's easy to get to - I also used to like Peterborough but I understand that's now a housing estate (or on it's way to being).

 

As for small, specialist traders at Warley - why not lose the Steam Loco (I wonder how much that costs the club?) and maybe just a few layouts as well if space is tight (more savings to the club) and significantly subsidise the smaller specialist trader (and I'm not thinking those with shops here)?  Of course there would still be the problem of whether or not those Traders actually want to come to Warley and if it's worth their while - I'm sure many have discovered that, after Covid, doing shows just isn't worth the aggro anymore and mail order works just fine.

Edited November 27, 2023 by polybear

[roundhouse]

Being on a demo stand I didnt get much chance to wander around the show except for an hour before the show opened each day. What I did see I thought was superb.

 

The first ever Warley that we attended as an exhibitor the NEC staff were very abrupt and unpleasant but since then they have been very much better and friendly and obliging which doesnt half make a big difference as its always going to be time consuming at such a big venue and event.

 

I certainly enjoyed meeting  friends and chatting to visitors who were after advise on the demo stand.

 

Not so pleasant a drive home down the M40 and M25 in the misty rain but home safely and unlaoded just after 9PM.

Edited November 27, 2023 by roundhouse

[Dunsignalling]

7 hours ago, RJS1977 said:

 

No problem with the Voyagers I was on on Saturday (0715 from Reading, 1813 from BHI). 

 

Rather than the pre-pandemic timetable of half-hourly services with single units from Reading to Birmingham, with BHI served hourly, the pattern now seems to be for an hourly service made up of two units coupled together, so there is double the capacity serving BHI than there used to be.

Thanks, though I think that one is too early for a connection from west of Salisbury.

 

I've recently been diagnosed with a condition that greatly reduces my stamina, and optimising the treatment is still something of a work in progress. If that gets sorted, I may return next year....

 

John

[SM42]

1 hour ago, PaulRhB said:

 Normally £145 DCC fitted N gauge Peter Witt trams on the MCC stand with £109 off? 😁 

The stealth Bachmann sales stand has done other good bargains too, N gauge 08’s for £100. 

 

Indeed, but in days gone by, you could recoup entry and parking in savings much more easily across a greater range of product. 

 

Sign of the times unfortunately.

 

Making a crust is harder and we are all going to have to reset our bargain meter a bit higher.

 

It didn't detract from the show overall though. 

 

For me the trade are about seeing what's out there, what's coming up, speaking to the manufacturer face to face and getting some of those bits, bobs without paying for P&P and hoping it gets through in one piece , if at all and of  course the rash impulse buy

 

Warley provides ample opportunity  to do a lot of that in one place in a day on a scale many other shows cant begin to aspire to.  

 

Bargains ( however you class that term)  are a bonus.  I found some but had to a lot more digging than in the past.

 

As I said before  a great weekend. 

 

Andy

[Chris M]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

 

 

As for small, specialist traders at Warley - why not lose the Steam Loco (I wonder how much that costs the club?) 

This year the cost was circa £0.00 thanks largely to Accurascale and the generosity of the Erlestoke Manor Fund & Severn Valley Railway.

[Chris M]

The small traders issue has been discussed many times. Fact is their margins are thin and the costs of hotels, van hire, fuel, their time, etc make for an expensive weekend regardless of the stand rental cost.

[Jol Wilkinson]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Firstly, cards on table........I've never been to Warley; the travel would make it somewhat of a b@llache for me.  I also far prefer specialist shows such as the EMGS, S4 and Railex shows; Ally Pally is the big show for me as that's easy to get to - I also used to like Peterborough but I understand that's now a housing estate (or on it's way to being).

 

As for small, specialist traders at Warley - why not lose the Steam Loco (I wonder how much that costs the club?) and maybe just a few layouts as well if space is tight (more savings to the club) and significantly subsidise the smaller specialist trader (and I'm not thinking those with shops here)?  Of course there would still be the problem of whether or not those Traders actually want to come to Warley and if it's worth their while - I'm sure many have discovered that, after Covid, doing shows just isn't worth the aggro anymore and mail order works just fine.

 

For the small, specialist, trader it is a matter of choosing the right shows to attend. The very large shows attract a different profile of modeller to the smaller Society shows. The former are predominantly RTR buyers and are often attracted by the thought of getting a bargain from the competing RTR retailers or buying products their local shop doesn't carry. So the small kits and bits supplier is of little interest to them.

 

As Chris M points out, stand rent is just one of the costs involved in trading at Warley or Alexander Palace and without enough buyers for your products, it isn't viable. Polybear mentions the Society shows (and other "fine-scale" shows such as York or Aylesbury Railex for example) which do attract sufficient customers to make it viable, despite often having the  same travel and accommodation expenses.

 

It is an indication of the increasing separation in the hobby between those that prefer to buy RTR/RTP models and those whose interest lies in building them from kits.

[big jim]

43 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

I've recently been diagnosed with a condition that greatly reduces my stamina

marriage? 
 

 

[RedgateModels]

I first did a Loco and Stock Servicing demo in 2014, so I make this year's my tenth, but sadly probably my last. Huge thanks to @Barry O for the initial invite and looking after us demonstrators so well over the years.

 

Sadly, since Barry stepped down from this role things have gone downhill. Things that we took for granted as demonstrators that made the experience pleasant have been eroded one by one. This culminated at around 3pm on Sunday when I was informed that my expenses would not be paid, at least in full, as the "club" would only pay fuel at 25p per mile. Not withstanding the fact that my Subaru burns more than this, the Warley show is a registered business and as such should pay the Inland Revenue rate of 45p per mile. It's not just the fuel cost, other running costs should be factored in.

 

At the Mansfield show we have never queried expenses claims and never will. I sent two copies of my expenses form in before the show, there was plenty of time for them to have queried it before 3pm on Sunday.

 

I'll not go in to any more detail regarding the general management of this year's show (breakfast vouchers, repeated requests to send the same information in ahead of the show etc, but save to say that the person organising the demonstrators had other duties thrust upon him.

 

I feel quite ill this morning, looks like the "NEC Sickness" has struck,  but the drive back home last night was a sad one for me.

 

I will miss Warley, but it seems that it has been forgotten that we give out time freely to help further the hobby, helping modellers and supporting the show.

 

Here's a couple of pics, my little setup in 2014 and demo kit packed up ready to leave yesterday

 

 

[BachelorBoy]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

why not lose the Steam Loco (I wonder how much that costs the club?) 

i bet your parties are dull

[PaulRhB]

6 minutes ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

The very large shows attract a different profile of modeller to the smaller Society shows. The former are predominantly RTR buyers and are often attracted by the thought of getting a bargain from the competing RTR retailers or buying products their local shop doesn't carry. So the small kits and bits supplier is of little interest to them.

That’s a bit of a broad generalisation Jol, I attend Warley each year because I work most weekends and it allows me to see a lot in one weekend. 
I also attend various specialist shows each year when I can get leave to go there, Railex and Larkrail are regular haunts and Scaleforum a few times. I don’t build as many kits as I used to because I’m busier so that’s now mainly just the 16mm and 7/8ths but recently I’ve been building 7mm goods stock for the new Lionheart models and have two LRM LNWR brakes to build to run with my small LNWR rtr loco collection. 
I used to build mostly kits when I was doing 7mm as my main focus for around ten years so I built quite a few steam and diesel locos plus stock then. Vulcan, Underhill, Oakville, RJH and some other that presently escape me. 
My recent rtr stock layouts are more influenced by the surprise availability of rtr allowing long burn projects to speed up. I was in the process of kit building and artwork for HOm Harz models when Tillig announced a range, one loco body still resides on shed as a static filler detail. The recent 4mm industrials have allowed me to revisit the 7mm themes of 30 years ago in a smaller space that will fit in alongside my other projects as a bit of fun. 

So I along with several friends have feet in both camps, I was assisting on my friends 009 all weekend and there wasn’t one rtr loco on the layout. There were several heavily kitbashed, some he commissioned from a builder and all the coaching stock he built from brass and plastic 4mm components bought from Ratio and Worsley, heavily modified and detailed. 
 

We really enjoyed our weekend, there was a small traders area just next to the 009 village and I walked away with a few bits from one so a few found it worthwhile to get out there and known I guess. It was fun in our little enclave, bumped into a guy I last saw 30 years ago volunteering on the WHR. While Larkrail etc offer a much more relaxed day as a visitor because you can get round in an hour or two compared to the feast of choice at Warley I enjoy both 😀

[Dunsignalling]

26 minutes ago, big jim said:

marriage? 
 

 

 

Not that serious! 😉

[adb968008]

16 hours ago, pete_mcfarlane said:

Disappointed by Warley. Didn't get barged once or a hit by a rucksack in the face, and only encountered one mildly smelly person.

 

In fact the whole experience was quite pleasant (not counting the bits involving Cross Country Trains, who are as useless as ever). 

 

Ah sorry that’ll be me, I forgot the rucsac and it had the deo in it.

[digger62]

I have been going for a number of years now and went on the Saturday and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. From my point of view I like to browse the trade stands to start with and then spend time looking at the various layouts. My particular favourite was the snow scene with locos going over the viaduct. I am so sorry, but I can't remember the name, but if you saw it you would know which one I mean.

Speaking to a couple of the Warley members on the information stand it suddenly became apparent of the massive effort put into the show by ordinary members. There is no external professional help for it. When I mentioned dates for next years show there were worries expressed about massive cost increases, but also (with all due respect) the fact that these guys aren't getting any younger. It would appear that the show is always on the last weekend of November so I will be pencilling in the 23rd and 24th November, but it would be a great shame if this marvellous show were to disappear from the calendar.

A big thank you to all who made it possible.

[Chris Chewter]

On 25/11/2023 at 18:23, Adrian Stevenson said:

A large crowd around it most times I walked past. But I did get this single pic which doesn’t do it justice.

 

Which layout was this? Sadly I wasn't able to get to Warley this weekend but that layout does look very nice!