Model World Live 27 / 28 April 2024 NEC

[Nelson Jackson]

I too am looking forward to this show. Here in Northern Ireland we just had a very similar experience with a mixed genre modelling show. 
 

The North Down Model Railway Society decided to open up their annual exhibition to include other forms of modelling. This included RC cars, planes, boats, as well as military modelling wargaming and sci-fi. It was supported by a local gaming shop which provided a “make and take” activity. 
 

The coverage in the local newspaper shows just how vast the topics on display were, and from this YouTube video, an interview with exhibition manager Ellen, confirms that it was a success.  
 

It will be on again next year in Bangor Grammar School in April. Overall I think it was great to see the hobbies come together and exchange ideas and techniques. 

 

[fezza]

It is odd how there's not been more commentary and publicity for this show. I was intending to go but am seriously wondering if £38 (ticket and parking) is worth it for a show half the size of Warley and with only a third of the railway content. Perhaps they'll be a bit more of a "buzz" to it over the next week?

[TEAMYAKIMA]

1 hour ago, fezza said:

It is odd how there's not been more commentary and publicity for this show. I was intending to go but am seriously wondering if £38 (ticket and parking) is worth it for a show half the size of Warley and with only a third of the railway content. Perhaps they'll be a bit more of a "buzz" to it over the next week?

 Well, I think there are other considerations. 

 

Firstly, there are 36 layouts and Warley had 90 and already that is over one third  and secondly one of those 36 layouts is 208ft long and so that has an impact on the actual number of layouts on show. 

 

Also, Keypublishing are taking a big risk to promote and nurture our hobby and I think that they should be given a chance to prove themselves - let's face it - there aren't many shows around the country that would or could accommodate Pete Waterman's 208ft of layout. If people want large ambitious exhibitions then they need to support them as and when they take place. My layout is 28ft x10ft and several two day shows have told me that it's simply too big for them to invite it. 

 

OK, I like OO9 4x2 layouts, but for me, big is better and big shows are needed in order to see big layouts. 

 

 

Edited April 20 by TEAMYAKIMA

[melmerby]

A mixed genre show doesn't necessarily mean none of the non railway stands will have any connection or interest to the railway modeller.

Painting & weathering, making buildings, scenery, radio control, military modelling, even boats, all have a place in Railway Modelling.

If you are into SteamPunk, even Sci-Fi has a place.

 

I'll be going next weekend (if my back stops playing up ☹️).

 

 

[Barry O]

8 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

 Well, I think there are other considerations. 

 

Firstly, there are 36 layouts and Warley had 90 and already that is over one third  and secondly one of those 36 layouts is 208ft long and so that has an impact on the actual number of layouts on show. 

 

Also, Keypublishing are taking a big risk to promote and nurture our hobby and I think that they should be given a chance to prove themselves - let's face it - there aren't many shows around the country that would or could accommodate Pete Waterman's 208ft of layout. If people want large ambitious exhibitions then they need to support them as and when they take place. My layout is 28ft x10ft and several two day shows have told me that it's simply too big for them to invite it. 

 

OK, I like OO9 4x2 layouts, but for me, big is better and big shows are needed in order to see big layouts. 

 

 

Pete could have taken his layout to Warley but chose not to.

 

Baz

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Personally, as the owner of a viewer-friendly Chinese HO layout, I am looking forward to meeting a greeting serious modellers from other modelling sub-cultures - aircraft, boats, military - as they will look at the layout without the pre-conceived ideas that some hard-core railway modellers view things. I make no criticism of hardcore railway modellers, but some do have a limited view of our hobby and these 'other' modellers will simply look at every layout with fresh eyes.

Edited April 21 by TEAMYAKIMA

[298]

12 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

Personally, as the owner of a viewer-friendly Chinese HO layout, I am looking forward to meeting a greeting serious modellers from other modelling sub-cultures - aircraft, boats, military - as they will look at the layout without the pre-conceived ideas that some hard-core railway modellers view things. I make no criticism of hardcore railway modellers, but some do have a limited view of our hobby and these 'other' modellers will simply look at every layout with fresh eyes.

 

I think Beijiao will do well, from memory the trains and layouts at previous mixed events looked drab and dour when compared to other more exciting action models, and visually only really on a par with static military models. 

It was proven a couple of weeks ago at the South Notts Show that something different looking will find favour with the public, members of the hosting club voted for a nicely built N gauge layout (I'd describe it as a tailchaser but it wasn't) as their favourite but the public voted for an American switching layout set at night that had hundreds of individual LEDs because it wasn't like anything seen before.

Edited April 21 by 298

[ELTEL]

On 20/04/2024 at 09:49, fezza said:

It is odd how there's not been more commentary and publicity for this show. I was intending to go but am seriously wondering if £38 (ticket and parking) is worth it for a show half the size of Warley and with only a third of the railway content. Perhaps they'll be a bit more of a "buzz" to it over the next week?

Probably not, why not give the Stafford Exhibition a go if you haven’t already been.

 

£17.00 Free Parking, Free preserved bus travel from Stafford railway station 

50 plus layouts and about the same top traders.

 

The Country's largest and  established Independent Model Railway Exhibition 

 

Eltel 

[Sir Roland Matthews]

I will be attending with my On The Rails stand and bringing with me some new items and show exclusives such as a locomotive birthday garland and wooden pin badges of locos, aircraft and cars. I have drawn some of the stock operating on the WCML for a new t-shirt too and I am hoping that they will be ready in time. 

 

Thank you as always to anyone who has supported our small venture before and helped us grow to such a level where we are able to attend events of this size, including A.P. in March and then again with Warners for the new November show. 

[billywhizz]

I am looking forward to this and heading to the NEC on Saturday. Be good to have a look at the IPMS displays etc.  I think we can learn a lot from our military modelling friends esp when comes to things like weathering techniques. I have wondered if multi disciplined shows are the future for large “commercial” shows. It is already done successfully in Europe. If you look at the model boat hobby, they have lost many of their larger “national” type exhibitions. It would be good be maybe see model boats also included in future plans for Key Model World Live. Just my thoughts. 
Cheers. 
Bill. 

[StuAllen]

The floor plan has been published https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/model-world-live-2024-floorplan, personally I’m looking forward to seeing Blair Atholl, Making Tracks and the Tamiya RC trucks and RC planes. The content reminds me of the old Brighton Model World show. I’m hoping it’ll be good.

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hello all,

 

Revolution Trains will be there on stand A27 - we're diagonally opposite to the left as you walk in so should be easy to spot if you're visiting.

 

We decided to attend because (a) at the time it was the only NEC show in the offing and (b) because I think the idea of a mixed-media show is new and exciting, and offers something different.  

 

We'll have some more N gauge Class 66 deco samples on display, including a couple of retailer commissions, as well as some samples, and we are announcing a new model too.

 

More info plus a map on our website news page www.revolutiontrains.com/news

 

Hope to see you there!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[Buggleskelly1937]

We're looking forward to it.  Stand C7 Buggleskelly Station, if you want to see something a bit different like my new Buggleskelly Windmill!

 

It looks like it's going to be a great show, with lots of different things to see...

 

Tom

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Well, the van is on its way, the layout is stacked up in my yard, my bag is packed .........................

 

This is going to be a massive show for my Chinese HO layout, BEIJIAO, because ( I almost don't dare say it ) I think that after 12 years it may be, finally, finished and ready to be operated faultlessly for two days

 

Is my optimism misplaced - ask me at 4.30pm on Sunday!

 

If I'm crying - don't bother asking!

[37114]

37108 is the centrepiece apparently:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/191817832@N03/53679203750/in/photolist-2pMrX7W-2pMkaxD-2pMpjAz-2pMpjxU-2pMiNyR-2pM735Y-2pLQUa8-2pLJ9rV-2pLDCvX-2pLLr6M-2pLojmR-2pKRSqs-2pJWr3v-2pJWr1G-2pJVaXR-2pJWgrS-2pJXvE1-2pJxpAh-2pJ3Ycf-2pHDMur-2pHj5NH-2pGNNJ5-2pFHJbm-2pFJAza-2pFDoMH-2pEAeaD-2pDQ3GY-2pD3vh9-2pz79Cr-2pyS8N9-2pyqGdW-2pyrndf-2pyrWBf-2pxu61G-2pwabbB-2psLay7-2prTT1d-2pqaom4-2pqayKE-2poCYkU-2po2t33-2po3jfT-2pnMpLo-2pn73hN-2pkDy2V-2pitc1u-2pi6HzH-2pgGwhd-2pgHHG7-2pgyPjA/

 

Edited April 26 by 37114

[woodenhead]

What is the pre-occupation with shows at the NEC needing a centre piece - what purpose does it serve?

 

You can't buy it, you can't watch it run and it must cost one of the sponsors a fair wad to transport it there and back.

 

That could be prime selling space, another model or a cost reduction somewhere to make the show cheaper to operate.

 

I know it was a Warley thing, but I sometimes wondered when things are tight, why?

[37114]

1 hour ago, woodenhead said:

What is the pre-occupation with shows at the NEC needing a centre piece - what purpose does it serve?

 

You can't buy it, you can't watch it run and it must cost one of the sponsors a fair wad to transport it there and back.

 

That could be prime selling space, another model or a cost reduction somewhere to make the show cheaper to operate.

 

I know it was a Warley thing, but I sometimes wondered when things are tight, why?

No idea I am afraid, I guess a bit of headline marketing. Nice to see 37108 smartened up, it has been a coat of many colours for years and it looks to have had a load of missing bits put back on it. Also it looks like it is on the move from Crewe to the Great Central Railway so imagine was a way to spread the cost

Edited April 26 by 37114
clarity

[woodenhead]

14 minutes ago, 37114 said:

No idea I am afraid, I guess a bit of headline marketing. Nice to see 37108 smartened up, it has been a coat of many colours for years and it looks to have had a load of missing bits put back on it. Also it looks like it is on the move from Crewe to the Great Central Railway so imagine was a way to spread the cost

Also way to go when trying to make a show about general modelling not be focussed on trains when the centrepiece and the centrepiece model are both railway.  How about a boat or even a fighter plane as a centre piece - something different and a statement that it's not just model railways. 

 

But perhaps the main draw is model railways and Key just needed the 'model world' bit so as not to tred on Warley's toes as as model railway show, this show was certainly being spoken of before Warley cancelled their slot.

Edited April 26 by woodenhead

[StuAllen]

There are centre pieces for the different area: military vehicle’s although you could argue they’d look good on the warwells https://www.facebook.com/share/p/MiEqqE1mqX8shDu6/?mibextid=WC7FNe

There’s also a full size version of one of the Tamiya pickups - although I can’t find a picture of that now. 

Found it https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/full-size-tamiya-bruiser-joins-house-hobbies-display

Edited April 26 by StuAllen

[G-DIMB]

Just for reference 37108 is on its way from the Crewe Heritage Centre to another location (which i have forgotten) so its kind of just a convenient stopping off point and so relatively cheap.

 

Ive got tickets for Sunday as i have a prior booking on Saturday. As someone who does RC aircraft and has dabbled in kits im looking forward to it as it is amazing how many useful products from the war gaming/plastic kit market have never made it to the model railway world. I don't expect too many bargains left on the Sunday so my wallet should be safe.

[37114]

52 minutes ago, G-DIMB said:

Just for reference 37108 is on its way from the Crewe Heritage Centre to another location (which i have forgotten) so its kind of just a convenient stopping off point and so relatively cheap.

 

Ive got tickets for Sunday as i have a prior booking on Saturday. As someone who does RC aircraft and has dabbled in kits im looking forward to it as it is amazing how many useful products from the war gaming/plastic kit market have never made it to the model railway world. I don't expect too many bargains left on the Sunday so my wallet should be safe.

It is off to Ruddington on the GCR(N) according to the video interview with the owner

[melmerby]

BBC Midlands today had a feature on Pete Watermans layout.

It is apparently up for a Guinness World Record for the world's longest transportable model railway.

To measure it accurately they have a wagon with an axle rotation counter which will be propelled the length of the layout. Tape measures aren't accurate enough it seems.

 

Sadly my back is no better so I won't be going.☹️

Edited April 26 by melmerby

[John M Upton]

I'm sorry? A model wagon with a rotation counter is more accurate than a proper tape measure?

 

What a load of utter nonsense!!!

[Chrisr40]

On 22/04/2024 at 08:25, Sir Roland Matthews said:

I will be attending with my On The Rails stand and bringing with me some new items and show exclusives such as a locomotive birthday garland and wooden pin badges of locos, aircraft and cars. I have drawn some of the stock operating on the WCML for a new t-shirt too and I am hoping that they will be ready in time. 

 

Thank you as always to anyone who has supported our small venture before and helped us grow to such a level where we are able to attend events of this size, including A.P. in March and then again with Warners for the new November show. 

Bought my wife some of your socks, she loves them

[BluenGreyAnorak]

1 hour ago, John M Upton said:

I'm sorry? A model wagon with a rotation counter is more accurate than a proper tape measure?

 

What a load of utter nonsense!!!

It probably depends on what you're measuring. If it's track 'mileage' then, assuming an accurate instrument, it'll be better with a vehicle that faithfully follows the track than a tape of some kind.