A plea for organisers - please fully describe the layouts !

[rob D2]

Now I may be odd or different but I go to shows to see layouts , layouts that might interest me ….for me that’s BR blue , or anything from then up to now in diesel format . I’m not too worried about region , but my bias is western.

 

So when I see a list of layouts  “ smiths town 00, small town Z gauge, any town O gauge “, it means nothing , and there is the possibility none of them will interest me , so I either have to Google the layout , or try and find it on YT. With the cost if everything I can’t go places ( especially far away ) on a whim .

 

Surely it takes nanoseconds to add “ smiths town, steam era , west Devon OO, Smalltown Z gauge Austria , 2000 onwards….” Etc etc .

 

Please help me to attend , it’s a win win …

[John M Upton]

Fully agree.  There used to be a time when the show guides were extensive multipage productions with lots of detail, these days (presumably cost being a major factor) you get little more than a sketchy leaflet in many cases.

 

Even big show like Ally Pally used to be a big almost magazine like guide, that is little more than a glossy leaflet on questionable quality paper now.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

And the orgainsers wouldn't even need to write the guff, as the exhibitors could provide that when their layouts are accepted for the exhibition.

[rab]

9 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

Fully agree.  There used to be a time when the show guides were extensive multipage productions with lots of detail, these days (presumably cost being a major factor) you get little more than a sketchy leaflet in many cases.

 

Even big show like Ally Pally used to be a big almost magazine like guide, that is little more than a glossy leaflet on questionable quality paper now.

I thunk you have partly answered the question, cost.

The other contributing factor could well be time.

Even if info is provided by individual layout owners,

someone has to compile it all, and that someone will

likely be a volunteer from a club with 101 jobs to be done

to prepare for an exhibition.

[burgundy]

Why does a show guide have to be a printed booklet? Is it not possible to download the equivalent data onto our phones so that we can refer to it as we go round the show?

Best wishes 

Eric 

[Nile]

I think some people are missing the point of the OP, he wants to see a more informed list of layouts before going to the show. Detailed descriptions in the show guide are of no use, unless it is available well before the show date. Which is very rare.

[pete_mcfarlane]

I don't think w'ere talking about show guides, this is about the advertising for the show where they just give a list of layouts and scales. Even on the organiser's website.  For quite large commercially run shows. Possibly at a racecourse. 

 

So you've no idea what's on display, or whether to make the trip. 

 

You can normally take a punt on a show with multiple layouts in the less common or more finescale scales/gauges (S, EM, P4, 3mm, 0-14, 2mm Finescale etc) being quite interesting, but a list of layouts like 'smiths town 00' means nothing. They could be anything from the kiddie drive a train layout, to something inspirational that keeps you entertained for an hour. 

[rob D2]

Exactly that. I don’t mind taking a punt if it’s 10 miles up the road but any distance and everything gets weighed up cost V reward these days .

 

So, it’s prior to a show - the advertising or even entries in places like this . I’ve gotten to know the names of some of the layouts I found interesting but by no means all of them .

 

 

Edited February 8, 2023 by rob D2

[ELTEL]

We at Stafford have always made available both descriptions and photographs of layouts attending our exhibition providing the layout owner has made them available to us.

 

The list of layouts already booked to appear at our September Exhibition 23rd & 24th will be published here on RMWEB very soon.

 

Full information can be found at www.staffordrailwaycircle.org.uk 

Press the three bars at the top right hand side of the header (Menu)

 

Press the option EXHIBITIONS

Press - Under details of the Main Exhibition in September

First you will see the header with all the exhibition details 

Scroll down to layouts booked 

All the layout names are underlined and are in red

Select the layout you want further information on

A full description of the layout and photographs as supplied by the owner 

 

I feel that answers your questions 

 

Terry 

 

Happy Modelling and I look forward to seeing you all at our September Exhibition 

 

Edited February 8, 2023 by ELTEL
Spelling Mistake

[goldfish]

The organisers of The Festival of British Railway Modelling 2023 are guilty of only listing the names and scale of the layouts.

[stan williams]

Rob D2,

The simple answer is,  you will not make any difference to an exhibition whether it is a success or failure.

The vast majority of shows really on the general public from that area, hopefully bringing the family and they are

coming along to see model railways running round layouts etc. not whether the stock is painted blue.

Its the trade who want the modellers, most clubs want joe public.

There  are exceptions ie Warley and their like.

Stan.

[BachelorBoy]

1 hour ago, stan williams said:

Rob D2,

The simple answer is,  you will not make any difference to an exhibition whether it is a success or failure.

 

I disagree. A list of layouts with minimum information is not very attractive to joe public. You need to sell it to them. A few lines of description makes the exhibition sound more interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

[Rivercider]

13 hours ago, burgundy said:

Why does a show guide have to be a printed booklet? Is it not possible to download the equivalent data onto our phones so that we can refer to it as we go round the show?

Best wishes 

Eric 

I think I still have all the show guides of every exhibition I have attended. Something to read in the pub,

or train home afterwards. I also try to tick off layouts I see, and make a simple note of those I enjoyed best.

My mobile phone is very basic , and only used as a phone!

 

cheers

[Mark Saunders]

Ah the good old days when you went not knowing hoping to find a new exiting layout or trade stand!

[Rivercider]

4 minutes ago, BachelorBoy said:

I disagree. A list of layouts with minimum information is not very attractive to joe public. You need to sell it to them. A few lines of description makes the exhibition sound more interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

Agreed, and even though the main target is Joe Public it would be good to to know that 'Thomastown 00' is a 'drive your own train' layout.

 

chers

[fulton]

3 minutes ago, BachelorBoy said:

I disagree. A list of layouts with minimum information is not very attractive to joe public. You need to sell it to them. A few lines of description makes the exhibition sound more interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

Better still, a link to photos, some shows do, I like to have a preview, most people have a smart phone, a photo may just tip the balance for  joe public and modellers alike to go.

[woodenhead]

And too much information may actually turn people away, take the OP - he wants to go and see BR Blue, if there are no BR Blue does that mean he will not attend?

[C126]

I spend quite a bit of time before visiting an exhibition - depending on the number of layouts - searching the www to check what era the layouts scheduled are.  I just accept this as part of the prep.  However, if someone can find the time to add this info. to the web-page, I would be grateful.  Looking forward very much to see 'Elbow Lane' at Princes Risborough in ten days, as a result of 'surfing'!

[RedgateModels]

9 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

And too much information may actually turn people away, take the OP - he wants to go and see BR Blue, if there are no BR Blue does that mean he will not attend?

 

He'll be fine at the Mansfield Show, St Peter's Way should keep him happy 😉

 

[davefrk]

Having been a proof reader for a friend who was editing the guide for a big show you don't take what some clubs dish up as an entry for their layouts, a five year old could do better so some rewriting , grammar correction and even spell checking otherwise it makes the whole movement look like a bunch of uneducated numpties.   Might as well write a whole new piece, yes it's had to be done.

As far as the OP in concerned most shows are mentioned on here with a description of what's going to attend so as research is part of our wonderful hobby......

 

[Legend]

39 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

And too much information may actually turn people away, take the OP - he wants to go and see BR Blue, if there are no BR Blue does that mean he will not attend?

 

I think that's the point . Actually knowing what's there might cause you not to go to some of the more far flung places, if there's not much of interest to you . I attend most exhibitions in Central Scotland as a matter of course , but for further afield I do try and check there will be something of interest . If nothing stands out you have to weigh it up against the hassle of getting there, but too often its just a list of layouts and gauges . You can't tell until you get there  that two of the 6 layouts are shunting planks as happened in a recent exhibition . Nice but not enough to sustain interest . Had there been a full description of layouts I wouldn't have travelled . So perhaps some keep it deliberately obscure !

Edited February 8, 2023 by Legend

[Nile]

12 minutes ago, davefrk said:

As far as the OP in concerned most shows are mentioned on here with a description of what's going to attend so as research is part of our wonderful hobby......

 

I've looked at several recent posts about shows, most are rather lacking the information the OP is seeking. Could do much better.

[AY Mod]

2 hours ago, goldfish said:

The organisers of The Festival of British Railway Modelling 2023 are guilty of only listing the names and scale of the layouts.

 

We didn't get called as defence witnesses to this kangaroo court.

 

Yes, I personally accept that more information could be provided and we will discuss this at a future meeting and see if we can improve it. Previously the exhibition content was listed by the exhibition department staff who may not have appreciated, or had any feedback, to say more detail would be appreciated by prospective customers and the practice has carried over to the editorial team who have had more responsibility for communicating with layout owners and thus translate the information onto the web page. Pre-Covid I often provided more imagery and layout details within the topic on here but we, all, are often over-stretched with the tasks that need to be done let alone looking for where improvements could be made.

[spamcan61]

Personally, given that good and/or inspirational modelling transcend scale, location and era, I'm not that fussed about having more information available in advance.

[Halvarras]

I don't think show organisers requesting from exhibitors during the booking process the few extra descriptive words about their layout the OP wants to see in order to decide whether the travel costs would be money well spent, especially under present circumstances, is asking a lot. What goes into the show guide is secondary.

 

1 hour ago, Rivercider said:

I think I still have all the show guides of every exhibition I have attended. Something to read in the pub,

or train home afterwards. I also try to tick off layouts I see, and make a simple note of those I enjoyed best.

My mobile phone is very basic , and only used as a phone!

 

cheers

 

I have one of those phones - charges in an hour, lasts 4-5 days and doesn't weigh heavily in my pocket. It'll be 13 years old this July! I do have a smartphone too, it seems to be getting less smart these days but is still very useful for certain tasks and has a great camera.

 

Have you ever thumbed through the show guide after the event and realised that you missed an entire room.......?!🥴