Penlan Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Watching the RM DVD with this Dec's issue - I have been house bound and very poorly with Chronic Bhroncitus - There is mention in the Cyril Freezer Tribute that he had time to report on two 5 day shows, that is time to travel and view the shows, remembering transport at the time would be by train...... I think it was in the 1950's, one in London and the other in Liverpool. I assume it was Easter, I was in the middle of a coughing fit at the time, and the London one was the MRC's Central Hall show - wasn't there one the Horticultural Hall too in the 50's What was the Liverpool show, I don't recall that one at all, I have only the Manchester Show as a memory. BUT, the main thing is 5 (five) day shows? By the 60's I seem to remember the 4 shows as London, Bristol, York and Manchester. Can anybody help/jog my memory on this one please. Penlan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 The old MRC show, IMREX, as it became, was a 5-dayer for several years in the late 1980s and 1990s. I did it both as an exhibitor and a demon for several years and it was quite fun. Also a bit like "commuting to work" at times. Cyril was always in evidence and his wife Doris used to do the Tannoy announcements. Perhaps an MRC member might like to clarify the actual time period? steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted November 21, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 21, 2009 We used to pack a large amount of the shop stock, almost a shop move, taking a wide range of stuff from Kings Cross, and stuff from Reading too. The shows were good fun and I think it was worth the shop doing them, based in London the logisitics and staff were workable I didn't realise you used to work at Kings Cross, Paul - I had a summer job there in 1978 and made regular visits back there afterwards, until it finally closed... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Liverpool show - I was at the 1976 & 1978 shows, run by Merseyside MRS. They were at the Crest Hotel on Lord Nelson Street, iirc. Long duration, 4 days open to the public, but good fun Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andania 213 Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 MarkC Posted Yesterday, 18:25 Liverpool show - I was at the 1976 & 1978 shows, run by Merseyside MRS. They were at the Crest Hotel on Lord Nelson Street, iirc. Long duration, 4 days open to the public, but good fun [/i][/b] Our paths must have crossed then!. I was a Club member '74 to 91. there were 3 shows at the Crest, the 1980 one being the last one there , (and the last of the 5 day shows). It was incidentally moved from the usual last week of October to the end of May, to coincide with the L & M 150 celebrations. IIRC, the 5 day duration actually pre dated the Crest hotel, as I'm sure that at least the '74 show in the Bluecoat Chambers ( the last show held in that venue) was 5 days, and possibly, so was the '72 one. I certainly remember going to the show that year on a Thursday evening, as a 12 year old 'punter'. One thing I definitely do remember, we had the luxury of all of Sunday as a splitting down day, as 'twas pre sunday trading days. Lord alone knows how much it'd cost to put something similar on these days, IIRC, the hall rent was around ??6K back in '76, though we were fortunate in being sponsored by the local Newspaper group (Liverpool Daily Post & Echo). Like you say, they were very good fun. Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blitzbob Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Yes those wonderful shows at Westminster. Ally Pally nice but theres not the magic of those shows. also the Bristol shows at the De Gray rooms, and the wonderful shows on the dock side. Happy Days. bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific231G Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 There is mention in the Cyril Freezer Tribute that he had time to report on two 5 day shows, that is time to travel and view the shows, remembering transport at the time would be by train...... I think it was in the 1950's, one in London and the other in Liverpool. I assume it was Easter, I was in the middle of a coughing fit at the time, and the London one was the MRC's Central Hall show - wasn't there one the Horticultural Hall too in the 50's BUT, the main thing is 5 (five) day shows? By the 60's I seem to remember the 4 shows as London, Bristol, York and Manchester. Can anybody help/jog my memory on this one please. Penlan I think the show in the Horticultural Halls in the 1950s was probably the Model Engineer Exhibition which had a large model railway content. I can remember going to the the Model Railway Club Easter show with my Dad in the late 50s and early 60s when it was at Central Hall (I even met Rev. Wilbur Awdrey who was showing a version of Ffarquahar) Someone from the MRC may know the detailed history but going through pre war MRNs, in 1926 the third annual exhibition by the MRC was a three day show at the Kingsway hall with one working layout and a couple of running tracks. In 1931 it moved to Central Hall and was a five day show from the Tuesday after Easter Monday to the Saturday. Apart from the war it seems to have followed that pattern till at least 1969 and its successor IMREX was a six day show in the 1980s. Before the war the show was open till 10PM each day but although this sounds like a daunting task for layout operators there seem to have been very few working layouts- maybe three or four at most plus running tracks- with most of the exhibits being individual models arranged on display stands. It was considered quite normal for the same layout to appear more than once (the original 0 gauge terminus -fiddle yard "Maybank" layout appeared every year except one from 1933-1939) and there was obviously no idea of an exhibition layout "circuit" in those days. I do though seem to remember the show being open well into the evening in the 1970s and visiting it after work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon H Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I do though seem to remember the show being open well into the evening in the 1970s and visiting it after work. Our club exhibited at IMREX in 1986 with the layout 'High Gill', in the 'New' hall next to the large Gauge 1 layout. If I recall correctly, Good Friday was set up day, followed by the next five or six as operational days. Not sure whether this went on to the following Friday or not, but I do remember using a weekly train ticket for the occasion. I believe two or possibly three of the midweek days went on to either 8 or 10pm, which was a bit wearing on both the brain and feet. Possibly the first appearance of a computer controlled layout too, as we were using a BBC Model B to control the points and signals, as well as providing a public display screen. Those were the days! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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