Great electric train show 14/15 October

[Gilbert]

Someone I know who went today says tomorrow will be the same...anybody know what is actually happening...advance ticket or not the petrol cost far outways the ticket price...

[bourneagain]

Tomorrow the car parking will return to the area o/s the Arena; it was only moved today to The National Bowl due to the MK Dons football match at the adjacent Stadium.

I believe that the car parking is free, providing that you register your car reg on the tablet as you leave the exhibition. Don`t park in the adjacent Gym Fitness car park opposite the venue as you will receive a fine.

[Grafarman]

We travelled down on Friday and stayed in Buckingham. Short drive to the Bowl car park arriving 9.15am; 10m wait for the bus, arrived GETS around 9.45 to join the queue... not really a problem; everyone seemed in good spirits which made the waiting seem minimal. 

The Caz Bar catering vehicle outside served up epic burgers and fries, no complaints! 

Inside was a real scrum; lots of attitude on display too which my female friend found a bit off-putting. However it was worth the trip when we saw Pete and the Making Tracks folks; we'd seen all 3 previous versions at Chester and spent time chatting with him, as we did today, and it was amazing to see it all come together. 

As others have noted, a massive omission not including any O gauge (or larger) layouts; in fact there was very little on any of the trade stands either, apart from Ellis Clark's Black 5 being demo'd on their stand...

Had to wait 20m for a return bus to the car park but the sun was out so it's not like it was unpleasant standing chatting about the show.

Will probably go to the NEC show but not GETS again unless they expand their invited layout scales...

 

David

[bourneagain]

22 minutes ago, Arun Sharma said:

I picked up a copy of that flyer as well - The show is at the NEC on April 27-28 next year and called "Key Model World". However it is sponsored by Key Publishing and the flyer suggests that all forms of modelling [possibly not semi-clothed ladies however] including railways and plastic kits will be present. Key do publish the Hornby Magazine as well as Airfix Model World so that might be a clue.

The ban which I refered to in my earlier post was that the Warley Club has agreed with the NEC only involves other model railway exhibitions being held there. It does not cover toy fairs (which there are a number taking place) nor this exhibition on toy models.

[G-DIMB]

48 minutes ago, wandering blue said:

Couldn’t agree more.

Wait for the bus service estimated well over 1 hour, so we walked 45mins to the venue.
And like you, we witnessed the farcical return arrangements too.

Earlier in the thread, someone disagreed with GETS being blighted by the venue, well, sorry, but today it absolutely was!

Fully appreciate the issues of football timetables. 
It will doubtless be fine tomorrow.

Memo to self, don’t go to GETS again on a football day.

The staff were fine, but the bowl parking ( which I understand was full up by mid-morning) needs an ops management solution with a far larger fleet of modern busses that don’t break down and are continually staffed throughout the day.

Great day, marred by something entirely foreseeable. Not the first time that a vintage bus service has let people down, why model railway shows are fixated on them is a mystery to me.

WB

 

 

It was the modern bus that broke down. The older ones kept going all day reliably so your argument is flawed on that one!

[woodenhead]

Ok my two penneths worth - I'll give you the full day....

 

Got up at 5:30 am and left the house at 6am to walk to the Tram station.  Tapped in to the tram, got on and waited a whole 5 minutes for it to depart.  It dropped me at Deansgate where I had a 10 minute wait for a tram to Piccadilly, leaving me tight on time for the 7:15am service to London.  Got to the platform at 7:10am and had to forego my planned Costa coffee and bacon bap and needed help from the station staff to get onto the platform. Got onto the train Coach C buffet and unreserved, bought a coffee and bacon bap £6.80 she says, but it's only £5.90 if you add some biscuits and make it a meal deal.  The train departed and arrived just in time for the first bus from the station to drop me off at the show.

 

The queue for Z6 at 9am went all the way back to Z4, never going to make that bus I thought....however, I did get on and I was at the venue by 9:15am.  My hopes that the massive snaking queue for the show was the pay on the day and the little queue of three people was the advanced, nope it was the big queue.  Got into the show by 9:45 and headed straight to Making Tracks where I had a barrier view of no trains moving.  After a few minutes and nearly seeing a brand new Accurascale class 37 rear end an intermodal, trains began to run.  After a bit I wandered to the other exhibits and then spent 3 hours wandering the aisles and floors looking at layouts and the odd book stall or two.  At just before 1pm I left the show to get the bus - however along with a load of other people we discovered the next bus was at 1:30 and we had to wait for it.  Back to the station where I got a coffee went onto the platform and waited for a train home, Coach C again but this time it was a little fuller than earlier. 

 

Back in Manchester I had to negotiate the trams now full of Wigan and Saracens supporters going to Old Trafford for the Super League final that I'd only noticed was on first thing this morning and had planned to arrive back in Manchester when the match had actually started but I'd left Milton Keynes much earlier.

 

Now you could read that and think what a bl**dy moaner.  But, in reality my train this morning was meant to be 8:15 and I'd left earlier hoping to make the 7:15 which I did with ease by foregoing the Costa and buying on the train.  The lady in the buffet saved me a quid and the whole drink and food was fine.  The big queue for Z6 at 9am was stretched out and I managed to get on the first bus to the show which was a bonus.  The massive queue at the show cleared very quickly and was well handled by the organisers.  The show itself was great, it was busy, but it was great, I got to see all the layouts and whilst Making Tracks did start the day with operating problems it was running fine later, made two visits to Shap though as that was my preferred layout plus James Street, Burntisland and Thorne Yard.  By 1pm I'd spent enough time and had I (and many others) looked at the timetable for the bus it was patently clear there was no 1pm bus as that was the driver's break.  Yes there was a broken down bus for the other car park, but in the half hour I had to wait for one bus to the station several Dewsway buses turned up for the car park and the queues for it were not massive.  There were also a lot of stewards about keeping people informed, managing the queues and dealing the buses/coaches.

 

There appeared to be no issues stemming from the football match, I'd argue I had a harder time with Wigan supporters banging on windows and singing in the trams than I did at Milton Keynes, in fact I didn't even notice any supporters.

 

I know what the new NEC show is going to be next April, it's a Keymodel World show, so railways and general modelling not a direct rival to Warley.

 

I'm also out of practice, I had to ask for help to get onto the platform at Piccadilly and tapping out of the tram took three attempts, I've turned into one of those elderly people who can't work modern tech 🤣

 

All in all a good day out, no delays, no awful queuing scenarios, trains to watch and Mrs W got presents too because I had time on the way home to pop into John Lewis and buy her a gift.  Also I didn't get wet missing all the showers in various places across the day.

Edited October 14, 2023 by woodenhead

[cornelius]

https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/new-event-model-world-live-2024-launches

[russ p]

1 hour ago, G-DIMB said:

I went today and got there around 8.30am. At that time there were three buses doing the service. Unfortunately one then broke and as that was also the high capacity vehicle which allowed standing passengers it left it badly short. The other two vehicles allowed 56 and 48 seated respectively with no standing. What i will say to their credit that the Hornby Mag staff started using their own vehicles to act as taxis including their editor Mike Wild. Because of this shortage it meant that the bus drivers maxed out their hours in the morning so had no choice to take breaks as required although by that time a third vehicle had arrived which helped. I only queued about 20 minutes to go back at 3pm so was quite happy. I also noted a couple of people i knew had said they had parked in the Gym car park so it will be interesting to see if they get fines for doing so!

 

The show itself was heaving. I never know how or why this show defies the trend it seems of shows at the moment getting quieter. Also there seemed to be plenty of money changing hands to the delight of many traders! Didn't see many of the layouts but i did see what i wanted to see so all good. Will i go again next year, yes i will but i think i will book a hotel on the Friday night as i don't half feel tired now after 6 hour round trip and it seems Milton Keynes has 5 premier inns 3 travelodges and 3 holiday Inns which means rooms are dirt cheap! 

 

Mike Bravo

 

I was talking to Mike he was telling me it was actually a modern bus that failed

I don't hold Hornby magazine responsible at all for the bus farce 

Not at all impressed with Dews coaches I found the driver of the 6w Plaxton quite obnoxious,  I know he had to have his break but there was a spare bus and driver and as he seemed to be the bloke organising the buses he did a s#it job

[NBL]

I had a great day out today, very busy show, great layouts and good trade.

 

Rather than rely on dedicated parking and associated bus transfers, I do what I always do when visiting what I anticipate will be a busy show, I booked parking  in advance near MK station, and got the bus from there.

 

Got to the show by 10 and left around 4.  Bus back to the station and a short walk to the car park and I was heading north on the M1 in no time.  

 

Tips to others, plan your day in advance, look at the various options of getting to the venue and take advantage of them, even if they cost you a little bit more money, and enjoy your day.

 

Or you could just post miserable negative comments on how your day was awful because everything was not exactly how you wanted it to be.

[BournehamRob]

First visit to GETS and for me overall it was an enjoyable day.  Left Brum around 08:15 and got to the Bowl car park arround 1hr 30min later. Car park at that time was around half full but the stewards there where managing it well in my view. My first minor gripe would be that I don't recall getting any communication about the change in parking, it would have been nice to have had that, but lucikly for me I checked the website in the morning and had seen the new parking location. Bus from the alternate parking venue was fine, although reading here it was to break down later. The advanced ticket queue was massive, but it moved very quickly and the gate staff must be commended for that.

 

The show itself was great in my view, highlight layouts for me where James Street, Burntisland 1883 and of course Making Tracks. James Street for me captured what it must have been like to see the railways back in the days of steam in the 50s/60s. Burntisland was amazing for me in the era chosen, massive break frrom the multitude of 60's to modern day layouts (says he doing a 60's layout!). Couple that with some ingenous features like working capstains and coal hoist! Making Tracks is well all about the sheer scale. I saw it later on in the afternoon when things where running better and it just looking down the layout and waiting minutes for a full length contrainer train to get from one end to the other is something else. Yes the venue was busy, but in my view it was no worse than Warley last year so no issues there at all. Spent perhaps a bit more than I should have but I do now have a very nice Green Arrow and assorted coaches to go with.

 

As others have stated the transport situation on leaving wasn't great. I walked out arround 15:20 and the issues with the busses was already making itself known with a rather large queue forming. After a while I did ponder just walking back to the car but at this point thinking about sunken cost fallacy and decided to stick with it. That did work out in my favour with one of the Key Model World staff showing up just after a bus taking 4 us to the car park in his car. I must commend Key Model World staff for realising the transport issue and doing the best they can to ease the issues. For those saying why did Key Model World book this event on the match day. I brought my ticket way back in February and no doubt the venue booking was done earlier than that. The football fixtures for this season where released back in June, so way after the venue was booked and I don't think the FA will be to worried about a Model Railway show clashing with a footy match. Journey home was fine and all in all a good day. I do think I'll make a trip next year.

[Mike 84C]

I got to the bowl car park at 11.15 and it was full so turned away. It was suggested by one of the youths "marshalling" that I ride around MK to find a parking place. I saved my money , will probably not go again and save a 200 mile round trip. What I find staggering is the bowl car park that is straight around the corner on the Watling street was locked and empty. Lack of forsight lack of planning considering  all  the publicity.

[NBL]

21 minutes ago, Mike 84C said:

I got to the bowl car park at 11.15 and it was full so turned away. It was suggested by one of the youths "marshalling" that I ride around MK to find a parking place. I saved my money , will probably not go again and save a 200 mile round trip. What I find staggering is the bowl car park that is straight around the corner on the Watling street was locked and empty. Lack of forsight lack of planning considering  all  the publicity.

No, it's a lack of planning and foresight on your behalf.

 

Going to a large show and relying one getting into one car park at near noon is a recipe for disaster.

[wandering blue]

7 hours ago, NBL said:

No, it's a lack of planning and foresight on your behalf.

 

Going to a large show and relying one getting into one car park at near noon is a recipe for disaster.

Nope, a lack of planning and foresight by the organisers.

Then a recipe for disaster for the organisers, who don’t receive the ticket money.

A recipe for disaster for all the traders who can’t make a sale.

A recipe for disaster for all the exhibitors, who receive one less platitude.

Organisers of large shows have large challenges and I don’t underestimate the scale of the task.

Off-site parking for any show with a peaky demand curve requires substantial resources for the peak(s), ( witness the simply vast bus fleet brought into Birmingham for the slick Commonwealth Games operation) whether they are heritage or new transport methods or the size of the parking lot. On this occasion, there simply weren’t enough, which is a shame for all involved and particularly those like Mike 84C who ultimately missed out on a decent show.

Lessons will have been learnt, some of them surprising, given that MK was designed as the motor city.

If they stick with this venue, and remain encumbered by the potential random clash with an MK Dons home game, then a better plan B is needed.

 

 

 

[NBL]

2 hours ago, wandering blue said:

Nope, a lack of planning and foresight by the organisers.

Then a recipe for disaster for the organisers, who don’t receive the ticket money.

A recipe for disaster for all the traders who can’t make a sale.

A recipe for disaster for all the exhibitors, who receive one less platitude.

Organisers of large shows have large challenges and I don’t underestimate the scale of the task.

Off-site parking for any show with a peaky demand curve requires substantial resources for the peak(s), ( witness the simply vast bus fleet brought into Birmingham for the slick Commonwealth Games operation) whether they are heritage or new transport methods or the size of the parking lot. On this occasion, there simply weren’t enough, which is a shame for all involved and particularly those like Mike 84C who ultimately missed out on a decent show.

Lessons will have been learnt, some of them surprising, given that MK was designed as the motor city.

If they stick with this venue, and remain encumbered by the potential random clash with an MK Dons home game, then a better plan B is needed.

 

 

 

The organisers cannot arrange for every situation to be covered. 

 

If you are travelling a long distance and don't have an alternative plan in place it's entirely your fault.  I had the best part of a 400 mile round trip, I knew there was parking available, a quick look on Google maps was to reveal that the parking available was limited. I wanted the visit the show, but common sense told me that even a slight delay to my journey could result in me not getting into that car park. so I put my alternative plan into action. 

 

There are 3 train stations in easy reach of the venue, and various bus routes, not everyone would be travelling by far.

 

People need to take responsibility for their own shortfalls and stop blaming everyone else.

 

You cannot possibly compare the Commonwealth Games to a model railway show, they are vastly different in scale and audience.

 

Judging by the crowds yesterday, it was far from a disaster.  A very popular show with the majority of visitors using their common sense in getting there.

 

For the sake of an extra 7 quid, I had a great day out.

 

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by NBL

[Enterprisingwestern]

On 13/10/2023 at 19:00, 43110andyb said:

Thorne Yard is up and ready to go!

 

15 hours ago, 43110andyb said:

Busy Busy - good first day operating 

 

Thanks for the pics chaps, can't beat a bit of Thorne Yard, memory bank nicely re-charged! A few more wouldn't go amiss IMHO.

I see Mr Waterman is having his ego nicely massaged, he should be so lucky.

 

Mike.

[Legend]

Not been as too far away , but next year when I’m retired you never know . However I would have thought a venue with car parking or public transport direct to the door was a pre requisite .  Getting on bus from car park to venue is a bit of an inconvenience I think 

[MikeParkin65]

Ridiculous slow queue to get in this morning if you haven’t got an advance ticket. Been queuing here for the last 20+ minutes.  Signs to the show also notable by their absence.  Went to get an advance ticket earlier this week and they had stopped selling them - that was Tuesday or Wednesday.  

[PeterStiles]

25 minutes ago, Legend said:

Getting on bus from car park to venue is a bit of an inconvenience I think

It's called "park and ride"... Quite popular in some circles.

[dasatcopthorne]

Some good layouts. Lots of box shifters. Only dealer I wanted to buy from Lcut Creative hasn't bloody turned up. No notice before you pay. Oh and Pete Waterman,s layout 4 tracks 2 trains in 5 mins.

[Nearholmer]

Maybe it’s time that big “feature” model railway exhibitions moved back to city centre venues, with most attendees making most of their trip by public transport. 
 

It would stop all the moaning about car-parking, because there wouldn’t be any except perhaps some provision for people who can’t use public transport, and it might go some way towards cutting resource consumption, and C02 and other forms of pollution - I wouldn’t be surprised if the “carbon footprint” of our hobby is dominated not be the emissions inherent in the toys we buy, but by loads of us driving half way across the country to attend exhibitions. 

[Mike 84C]

NBL, glad you had a good day at the show and your forward planning and obvious intellectual skills paid off.

 

You make blanket comments about other people when you know nothing of their circumstance.

 

Just looking at train times from where I live would have involved for a return journey;

 

7 hrs sat in a train, 4 hrs in my car,

 

5 changes of train in each direction, none in my car,

 

 A ticket price of £102.60 off peak or £91.50 for a saver fare,  My car 4 gallons of fuel approx , £30.00  

 

Nearest railway station 14 miles round trip, next nearest 28 miles round trip, car 200 miles round trip, no waiting ,delivered door to door.

 

I believe I used my judgement correctly on the day and the organisers of such events should  allow for a larger audience than anticipated.

 

I would suggest there are many people in my circumstance or worse knowing the age profile of our hobby and I suggest that if you feel the urge shoot off asinine comments about the rest of us modelers you read your post before pressing send.

 

[PaulRhB]

14 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

 

It would stop all the moaning about car-parking,

Nah it wouldn’t 😆 At the Statfold show lots of complements on the show itself but someone complained the hand dryers were too noisy!

 

You can’t win. 😉

[NBL]

19 minutes ago, Mike 84C said:

NBL, glad you had a good day at the show and your forward planning and obvious intellectual skills paid off.

 

You make blanket comments about other people when you know nothing of their circumstance.

 

Just looking at train times from where I live would have involved for a return journey;

 

7 hrs sat in a train, 4 hrs in my car,

 

5 changes of train in each direction, none in my car,

 

 A ticket price of £102.60 off peak or £91.50 for a saver fare,  My car 4 gallons of fuel approx , £30.00  

 

Nearest railway station 14 miles round trip, next nearest 28 miles round trip, car 200 miles round trip, no waiting ,delivered door to door.

 

I believe I used my judgement correctly on the day and the organisers of such events should  allow for a larger audience than anticipated.

 

I would suggest there are many people in my circumstance or worse knowing the age profile of our hobby and I suggest that if you feel the urge shoot off asinine comments about the rest of us modelers you read your post before pressing send.

 

You know nothing of my circumstances either.  But let me put them in context.  I have a prosthetic leg, above the knee amputation, so my mobility is not the best.  I could have taken the train but it would have taken me probably longer than your journey and cost as much and I would not have had as long at the show.  I choose to drive, almost 400 mile round trip and almost 7 hours of driving.

 

I done my research beforehand, no intellectual process involved, just basic common sense. 

 

As a result I had a great day out, if I didn't have plans today I would have stayed overnight and went again today.

 

There a lot of people in my situation in the hobby too, and worse, but they make it to the shows with no fuss, because they plan in advance.  Your comments about age are insulting, it's not only older people who have difficulties. 

 

You chose to rely on one plan, then went home.  It's not the organisers fault you chose to do that.

[john new]

56 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Maybe it’s time that big “feature” model railway exhibitions moved back to city centre venues, with most attendees making most of their trip by public transport. 
 

It would stop all the moaning about car-parking, because there wouldn’t be any except perhaps some provision for people who can’t use public transport, and it might go some way towards cutting resource consumption, and C02 and other forms of pollution - I wouldn’t be surprised if the “carbon footprint” of our hobby is dominated not be the emissions inherent in the toys we buy, but by loads of us driving half way across the country to attend exhibitions. 

As a York Show board member whatever green decarbonising merits such a suggestion has it just isn't practical. Even of there is a venue big enough in a City/town centre it is likely to be in a traffic restricted area so no parking for the vans the layouts and traders arrive in matched with no unloading/loading space outside the doors even if vans can still drive close to the doors.

 

That is why York is now out of town at the Racecourse and I am sure other out of town shows shifted for similar reasons.

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by john new
Typo

[philpot_holmes]

Went to the Great Electric Train Show on Saturday 14th by train from Leicester to Milton Keynes changing at Nuneaton with a direct train to Milton Keynes

Videos from the show

 

 

 

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