Great electric train show 14/15 October

[43110andyb]

2 minutes ago, Gilbert said:

Mr Waterman was out in the crowd explaining the problems and maintaining morale. His layout is a truly outstanding enterprise despite the frequent problems it experienced...

Maybe he needed some help...

 

He should be so lucky…………..Lucky Lucky Lucky

[woodenhead]

40 minutes ago, 43110andyb said:

Thank you - Yes but on detailed inspection the instanters couplings where the hook went through body were fouling the bogies both ends! owner Steve managed to remove the culprits! 
Ps- it’s a tunnel inspection train but similar roof as the electrification train to walk/stand on. 

Haha, I did wonder where the flat roof on the coach was but didn’t think maybe it’s for something else.

 

The layout though was jolly nice, it was my list of see more than once on the day.

[Vecchio]

1 hour ago, woodenhead said:

Pete Waterman was jokingly shouting if everyone would turn off their phones they might be able to get a signal to operate the trains. 

Pete said the same today. But as I could see some of their tablets (and I own a Z21 myself) it was not a communication problem but simply short circuits. In case of a communication problem the status bar on the Z21 goes grey. In case of a short circuit (which can also be caused by overload) it goes red. If the system is all happy it is blue. As said further up I would put such a large layout into sections like the good old DC boys do. In case of a short just the section actually having the short is dead and not the whole layout (this is assuming every section has it's own booster).

[InterCity110]

Wen on sunday (today). Arrived in plenty of time, though got a bit lost so arrived shortly after 10:00. Advanced tickets meant no queue. I visited every stand (or at least tried to), and did visit JS models’ stand, although they didn’t have anything I wanted (I did ask for 1970s-era buildings), and got some track and coaches.

[Lambton58]

I  planned to go today and arrived just before 10am only to find the car parks full!  The stewards were directing people to other areas but as I drove around to the other parking areas I saw lots of people coming in ahead of me.  I reckoned then that the hall may  be pretty crowded.   I live not far from Bletchley so I took the decision to go back home rather than spend ages trying to find a space and then spend the day in a venue potentially more crowded than I might be comfortable with.  I accept I may well have missed out on a good show, but that was my choice and I don't have too many regrets.  It was a nice day and I spent some time in the garden and then on the allotments before watching the rugby.

 

Parking seems to have been a bit of an issue in Milton Keynes this weekend.  We went into town yesterday afternoon to the theatre only to find the main multistory full!  We ended up parking at the canal end of Campbell Park (locals will know where I mean)  so a nice walk before and after the play! 

 

Ralph

Lambton58

[StuAllen]

Visited today, really enjoyed it. Seeing all 3 making tracks layouts together was a bit overwhelming, being honest I preferred seeing them in Chester, but I think that’s because it was easier to take them all in whereas the crowds meant you could only see snippets. That said I don’t want to take away from the hard work and effort that’s gone into bringing the 3 layout together, Pete and his team have made something incredible.

Think my favourite layout is Scarlington, James Street is also very good - I model OO, but they both show that a lot can be achieved with N in not a lot of space. (Too far down the OO to switch, although I may dabble with O with one of Accurascales Ruston’s)

 

I didn’t have problems with parking, or getting in as we arrived around 9:45 and had advance tickets - the only thing that could be improved is a few more notices explaining about the parking and how you needed to register your number plate with the guy with the iPad. Oh, and banning those gimbal/selfie stick things that few people were using to take pictures of the layouts.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by StuAllen
Typo

[ELTEL]

1 hour ago, 43110andyb said:

He should be so lucky…………..Lucky Lucky Lucky

I was told many years ago by Paul Jones who was then the Warley exhibition manager never make a joke with Pete Waterman using those infamous words Lucky, Lucky, Lucky.

 

Some years Pete Waterman went on to be a regular at Stafford Exhibition, chatting about model railways, and  even presenting the prizes etc.

 

Terry 

Edited October 15, 2023 by ELTEL
Spelling

[43110andyb]

2 minutes ago, ELTEL said:

I was told many years ago by Paul Jones who Warley exhibition manager at the never make a joke with Pete Waterman using those infamous words Lucky, Lucky, Lucky.

 

Some years Pete Waterman went on to be a regular at Stafford Exhibition, chatting about model railways, and  even presenting the prizes etc.

 

Terry 

Perhaps it was just as well (lucky) I didn’t bump into him whilst at the show then 🤔🤔😂

[Davexoc]

Went today and arrived about 11.45, having hopped on the bus at CMK at 11.30 with 2 grandchildren in tow. The venue was the busiest I have seen it on the Sunday, but nothing was more than 2 deep to get a view, and patience soon leads to a front row view. We all thoroughly enjoyed it, and later in the day got prime viewing at CMK miniature.

Good to see there were far more seats out this year, but still most taken which could just be down to the higher numbers?

 

For anyone driving in, just park somewhere near CMK station and hop on the bus from stop Z6, half hourly double decker both ways. It might cost a few quid to park, but for what it costs, it ain't gonna buy you another loco....

 

[richard brown]

Hi all here is my video of the show today GETS Great Electric Train show 2023

richard

trains in the attic 

 

 

[Legend]

Anyone know who won the survey ran by Hornby Mag ? 

[markwilson]

22 hours ago, Mike 84C said:

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.

Just to pick up on this, the bowl car park for Watling Street was not available for the organisers to book. I know because I’m one of the coaches using the bowl for Youth Cycle Training on a Saturday afternoon. Before us, there’s motorcycle lessons. These are regular Saturday bookings that go way back before MK Dons bought the National Bowl. (We also warned some people taking a “short cut” back through the bowl that there was no way to the car park but it didn’t stop them trying and saying they would just climb over the gate!)

 

It’s a pity that there was a clash between GETS and MK:Dons fixtures but as others have said there are alternative options, they just need a bit more planning. 
 

Pleased to say that Sunday parking was fine… though probably just as much contention with retail as there would have been for the Dons!

[gwrrob]

10 minutes ago, Legend said:

Anyone know who won the survey ran by Hornby Mag ? 

 

Best layout was won by James Street.

[Matt C]

The man himself and a few views of the layout. In the view from the top balcony I still struggled to fit the whole thing in ! 

[Compound1000]

Went along today (Sunday) with a group from Market Harborough with most of us having been exhibiting one of our own O gauge layouts at a (rather smaller!) 😁 event at St Margaret's church near Leicester city centre yesterday. Overall a pretty good day! Very, very busy when we arrived at 9:15 and it stayed that way until well after lunchtime so I imagine the traders had a good day 😊 

 

Not the fault of the show organisers, rather whoever manages the site, but the multiple ticket queues and 'register your parking with the person holding a tablet' thing could have been managed better. Needed some clearer explanation and a few more bods around to manage flow IMO. Numbers were by far the strongest I can remember at Marshall Arena, so much so that access to the balcony levels was being controlled later on and a good job too.

 

It was nice to stop long enough for the crowds to thin and get a really good look at some excellent layouts, Burntisland was my personal favourite while the ever enteraining James Street won best in show. Spirit of Shap, IMO more than held it's own against the Waterman "Making Tracks" behemoth.

 

Not sure about the decision to give one of bar areas over to more layouts/trade as this meant areas to sit and eat were somewhat at a premium. It was a shame that amid a show of such size there wasn't an O gauge layout or a general 'tools and bits and peices' type trade presence. Those minor issues aside though, it was very enjoyable and an event seemingly in rude health. 

[woodenhead]

 

1 hour ago, Matt C said:

 

 

 

 

 

That lad with the headphones on, he spent Saturday playing Fifa on a high end gaming machine, I assume the computer didn't have any other serious work to do.  Made me chuckle, a whole exhibition going on around him and all he wanted to do was Fifa.

Edited October 15, 2023 by woodenhead

[Pete the Elaner]

1 hour ago, ELTEL said:

I was told many years ago by Paul Jones who was then the Warley exhibition manager never make a joke with Pete Waterman using those infamous words Lucky, Lucky, Lucky.

 

 

I can imagine. People who make comments like that think they are being original & funny but he has probably heard it hundreds or even thousands of times. Certainly enough to get bored of it. He probably has a response for it though.

 

It is probably like when I'm washing the car, I frequently get the ever so stale joke of "you can wash my one afterwards if you like". People actually seem to think I've never heard it before & actually get upset when I fake laugh & suggest they try something more original.

[andyman7]

Our trip was uneventful, train out of Euston at 0946 (before the trouble hit), bus to show, 15 mins in queue to get in. Bought very little (not an issue, I have quite enough!); saw some good layouts. Realised around 2 that trains were right up the creek (I wondered if the parallel with operating issues on Making Tracks was taking realism just a little too far), however as things had started moving on the WCML by then there were in fact a steady stream of late running trains from the north calling at Milton Keynes.
 

[Craig1989]

Went yesterday with my dad brother and friend of ours enjoyed making tracks and gordons lane. At one point felt it was close to being dangerously overcrowded and couldn’t really get a good look at the trade stands. Also on the balcony I felt squashed and couldn’t get a proper look at some of the layouts as having trade opposite didn’t help and hardly anywhere to squeeze through without being barged.

 

cheers Craig 

[bourneagain]

In 2018 the move was made from Gaydon, as this exhibition had outgrown that venue, history now appears to be repeating itself as I believe that this is now getting too large for this venue. Last year, on here there were quite a number of comments made on here just how crowded it was becoming and this year it appears to be even worse. I attended on Sunday, to miss the anticipated transport problems on Saturday (enough said) and I was taken aback just how many visitors were queuing before the doors opened at 09.30, as Sundays by tradition, was known to be a quieter of the 2 days. In past, on the Saturday, I can`t remember the Security Staff stopping visitors from going to the upper floors due to overcrowding issues, as they were doing this year. Time to move on again?

[Gilbert]

I did pause before I posted this mainly negative offering but I think it needs saying.

There was an unexpectedly (to me at least) long queue of advance ticket holders when I arrived about 0910 on Sunday.

Hornby Mag staff were helpfully moving down the queue with hand held tablets so we could log our Car Registration while we waited.

I did advise the Hornby staff that the P&R signs directing people to the off site car park on Saturday were still out.

Got in about 0940 and first hour was tolerable, second hour seeing layouts was problematic and by 1200 I decided enough was enough despite having made a 2 hours 30 minute journey to get there.

My experiences are likely  to mean I won't go in 2024.

Probably the most over-crowded exhibition I've ever been to.

FWIW I'm 6'2" and fit and still felt pushed around and bashed by some of our less socially aware or caring brethren.

I was genuinely very concerned for folk of smaller dimensions especially children.

Chris H

[john new]

1 hour ago, Craig1989 said:

Went yesterday with my dad brother and friend of ours enjoyed making tracks and gordons lane. At one point felt it was close to being dangerously overcrowded and couldn’t really get a good look at the trade stands. Also on the balcony I felt squashed and couldn’t get a proper look at some of the layouts as having trade opposite didn’t help and hardly anywhere to squeeze through without being barged.

 

cheers Craig 

Doncaster was the same. I had to do Saturday to fit around family commitments; wasn't comfortable in the crush. Is it time for all of us organising shows to have an extra tier ticket (whether pre-paid or on the door) at a higher rate for the first two hours to try and spread the load? 

[Simon Bendall]

Has made the BBC website citing record attendance https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-67115361

[ELTEL]

Well next year you will all be able to come to Stafford on the weekend of 28th & 29th September as I understand GETS will not be happening at Milton Keynes next year.

 

I now understand that GETS will be going ahead in 2024 as well as a new all model show in April at the NEC

Apologies as I was given duff information.

 

As we have been able to move the Stafford Exhibition to the last full weekend in September means  it will not clash with Scaleforum 

 

Bingley Hall Stafford is much larger venue than Milton Keynes and all on one level and more space to move around so not as crowded.

 

Not as big as Warley, with good road and rail connections being just of the M6 and on the West Coast Mainline ( courtesy bus service on both days from the railway station.

 

FREE PARKING FOR OVER 250O plus extra if we need it

 

Have a look here on RMEB what visitors  said about this year’s Exhibition 

 

This exhibition is completely run by Stafford Railway Circle friends and support from local clubs.

 

Like Warley any excess funds run the club and fund the following year’s exhibition.

 

Terry 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2023 by ELTEL
Corrected inaccurate information re GETS

[Matt C]

I think its worth remembering  Just how MUCH space in the main hall the Making Tracks layout took up. Could this account for record numbers of visitors and also some traders and layouts being accomodated in a side room and on  balconies  ?  Making tracks is probably a one off so next year may not be QUITE so busy ?  Just a thought.

 

Edit to Add, MT certainly  atracted me to make a special trip down from Scotland to a venue I otherwise would probably  never have visited

Edited October 16, 2023 by Matt C