3mm Andy. Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 As this was my first time at St. Albans for a few years enjoyed the quality of the layouts, but thought that the trade was a little thin on the ground. also how bad the venue was poor lighting and not much space in the isles etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenser Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 A good show - excellent selection of layouts this year and usual decent trade support. The venue is what it is , and nobody has found a better alternative , and the exhibition team have to work round one of the more difficult venues in the country for a show Good to hear Jon is ok Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted January 16, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2012 As much as I love diesels....I have to say that it can be a little reminiscent of those neighbours who often have their TV / Music too loud... If you are referring to us then we were complimented on having our sound just right, of course we could have turned it off and not bothered letting the kids have a go at whistling the locos, we've done the sound / no sound to death, it doesn't need to be brought up again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greengiant Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Went there to see Gresley Beat a couple of years ago. I agree re venue the upstairs section if still used is dangerous narrow walkways and low railings not a good combination. Gresley Beat was very good anyone ideas where it is being shown this year? I was speaking to Cliff the owner of Gresley Beat the other day, next outing Southampton the end of this month 28th and 29th and I think York at Easter. Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted January 17, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2012 we've done the sound / no sound to death, it doesn't need to be brought up again. Noted... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevindickerson Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 If you are referring to us then we were complimented on having our sound just right, of course we could have turned it off and not bothered letting the kids have a go at whistling the locos, we've done the sound / no sound to death, it doesn't need to be brought up again. Beast, The accositics of the venue may not of helped, espcially with the demonstrators being above the layouts below, However your not the only one too blame, as I was also guilty of using sound most of the day and also being much closer. So appologies. Regards Kevin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterl Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Confirm that 'Gresley Beat' is booked for York at Easter. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Perhaps the organisers should look at Hatfield maybe a larger modern venue on Uni campus or else in the town at a school,maybe there is a large school that could be found in St Albans? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I need to regain my honour due to the fact I was accused later of chickening out by Pete on the grounds that Widnes is DCC and I'm scared I might like it and convert! :D DCC taken a long way. It's not just driving trains freelance like most layouts you & I are used to. You get assigned a train (or 2 when I had to do a Sprinter Swap) & have to observe working signals. Hard work but great fun at the same time. Time passed all too quickly while I was driving trains on there. Like you, I felt I should show my face back downstairs on the layout I went with . I had a good weekend though. I felt the 6pm finish on Saturday was hard work. The last hour dragged quite badly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 The great thing about the St Albans Venue and I guess the same applies to the Watford Finescale show is how close it is to both the M1 and M25 and for St Albans the A1M and local train stations. Appart from a couple of traders upstairs had the demonstration stands, I for one thought it was a good idea to have them there as when I went it was a bit quieter and less people there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisf Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 ... and local train stations. Ahem! Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I forgot to say that one of my all-time favourites was there in the form of Vine Street. Unfortunately it was tucked away in a small corner of the basement and difficult to see properly. This was the first layout I ever saw with sound, and although it runs big-ish loco's on a max. train of two mk 1's it does not look at all unconvincing. If any of the team are on here I tip my hat to you. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizmad Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Perhaps the organisers should look at Hatfield maybe a larger modern venue on Uni campus or else in the town at a school,maybe there is a large school that could be found in St Albans? I mentioned the poor lighting and the overcrowding at the club information desk last year, and suggested that there must be a school or similar in the area that would be better, but was met with a wall of indifference. This year I refused to go, not only for those two reasons but also because I think £7 for a cramped, badly lit show, is exhorbitant. I would be happy to pay that, or more, for a decent venue. I know of at least two other friends who no longer go for the same reasons as mine. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 There was a show (I think by the de Havilland Club) in a large hall in the new Uni buildings. I think this was after they had to leave their old premises in the club house and before they got the Church in Welwyn Garden City. There were also shows at the Welwyn Garden campus of what is now Oaklands College. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oggy1953 Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I mentioned the poor lighting and the overcrowding at the club information desk last year, and suggested that there must be a school or similar in the area that would be better, but was met with a wall of indifference. This year I refused to go, not only for those two reasons but also because I think £7 for a cramped, badly lit show, is exhorbitant. I would be happy to pay that, or more, for a decent venue. I know of at least two other friends who no longer go for the same reasons as mine. Keith I'm guessing, but the highish cost of entrance is probably due to the cost of hireing the venue. I'm sure it isn't cheap. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I mentioned the poor lighting and the overcrowding at the club information desk last year, and suggested that there must be a school or similar in the area that would be better, but was met with a wall of indifference. This year I refused to go, not only for those two reasons but also because I think £7 for a cramped, badly lit show, is exhorbitant. I would be happy to pay that, or more, for a decent venue. I know of at least two other friends who no longer go for the same reasons as mine. Keith If you have ever organised a Model Railway Exhibitions or similar you will soon realise how difficult it is to find a suitable venue in terms of location, cost of hire, facilities offered and car parking. Model Railway Clubs and Organisations have finite resources and usually need to stage an exhibition to help fund their activities. Complaints about the cost of entry appear to be a favourite gripe no matter what the actual cost is. Whilst £7 is towards the top end of the average admission charge is still good value compared to say the cost of a cup of coffee in your local high street! The members who organise these Shows often spend many hours of their time for free and incur costs for which they do not claim in order to help the hosting Club/Organisation keep the admission charges down. As an organiser of a number of Shows over the years I am always interested in receiving constructive and realistic ideas on how to keep admission charges down whilst providing a top class venue! XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterl Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Perhaps the organisers should look at Hatfield maybe a larger modern venue on Uni campus or else in the town at a school,maybe there is a large school that could be found in St Albans? Problem with academic buildings is that they tend to be in use during semester or term times, YES even over weekends! Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I mentioned the poor lighting and the overcrowding at the club information desk last year, and suggested that there must be a school or similar in the area that would be better, but was met with a wall of indifference. This year I refused to go, not only for those two reasons but also because I think £7 for a cramped, badly lit show, is exhorbitant. I would be happy to pay that, or more, for a decent venue. I know of at least two other friends who no longer go for the same reasons as mine. Keith And the shows that you've organised have been held where? steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizmad Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 And the shows that you've organised have been held where? steve I haven't organised one totally on my own but I have helped at a few when I was a club member, so I do appreciate what is involved. I know it isn't easy, but I prefer to go where there is better lighting (I see that I'm not the only one who has mentioned this) and wider isles. As I said, I'm willing to pay more for the right venue, Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NWJ Posted January 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2012 I mentioned the poor lighting and the overcrowding at the club information desk last year, and suggested that there must be a school or similar in the area that would be better, but was met with a wall of indifference. This year I refused to go, not only for those two reasons but also because I think £7 for a cramped, badly lit show, is exhorbitant. I would be happy to pay that, or more, for a decent venue. I know of at least two other friends who no longer go for the same reasons as mine. Keith I guess you can't please all the people all the time! I thought the £7 admission was good value because it included free admission for my two children who accompanied me for the exhibition. I frequently will not attend an exhibition because the admission charge for myself and my 2 children push it up over £10, after which I may have to fork out a little extra for the show guide (which was complimentary at the St Alban's Show). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted January 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 21, 2012 I know it isn't easy, but I prefer to go where there is better lighting I always blame poor lighting on the exhibitors (be they traders, layouts or demos), all our layouts are self lit, our demos are self lit, I honestly can't understand why people build layouts that don't have decent lighting, how else do you show it to its best ? so blame the exhibitors not the venue. (imho) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahame Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I always blame poor lighting on the exhibitors (be they traders, layouts or demos), all our layouts are self lit, our demos are self lit, I honestly can't understand why people build layouts that don't have decent lighting, how else do you show it to its best ? so blame the exhibitors not the venue. (imho) I tend to agree that specialist lighting ought to be the responsibility of the exhibitor/stand - they certainly should have considered it when building it. However, it did seem odd to put a poorly lit layout like Oxney in probably one of the darkest corners and where it was partially obscured by columns. IMO it would have been better to have it in the 'open' along the front of the stage and to put, the four or so smaller stands in that space (mostly with integral lighting IIRC), to go where Oxney was. Buy hey ho, overall it was a good show. And I've no complaints about the entrance prices - it's still competative with 'other' entertainment costs. G. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I always blame poor lighting on the exhibitors (be they traders, layouts or demos), all our layouts are self lit, our demos are self lit, I honestly can't understand why people build layouts that don't have decent lighting, how else do you show it to its best ? so blame the exhibitors not the venue. (imho) Fair point I always take additional lighting because unless you are familer with the venue you may have problems with lighting. For my next Show at the LT Acton Depot I will be taking additional lighting as there are some dark areas in this venue. XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 There was a show (I think by the de Havilland Club) in a large hall in the new Uni buildings. I think this was after they had to leave their old premises in the club house and before they got the Church in Welwyn Garden City. There were also shows at the Welwyn Garden campus of what is now Oaklands College. I had a small part in the logistics side of that last show at what is now Oaklands college (we must be talking circa 25 years ago) and that aspect alone was a royal PITA. Good facilities with the floor area, easy exhibitor vehicle access, and location adjacent major road and rail routes with good parking; available for Friday afternoon to Sunday evening occupancy for a a modest charge are in short supply in central Herts. An idea was expressed when BAe Hatfield operations wound up that the most modern of the aircraft assembly halls be preserved to serve both as an historical object and to provide an exhibition space, but it foundered on the value of the site if commercially developed; and the 'London effect': large existing facilities at Ally Pally, Earls Court, Excel Centre, no more than half an hour away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I always blame poor lighting on the exhibitors (be they traders, layouts or demos), all our layouts are self lit, our demos are self lit, I honestly can't understand why people build layouts that don't have decent lighting, how else do you show it to its best ? so blame the exhibitors not the venue. (imho) True Dave, but there also has to be an element of responsibility on the organisers to fore-warn layout owners, who may not be familiar with the venue, of the conditions (which we now do at Hull with regard to the colour cast of the sports hall lights) and need for additional lighting if they want their layout shown at it's best, or to simply not book layouts that have inadequate provision for the venue... Layout lighting (lack of and variability) is one of my pet subjects - probably worth a topic on it's own... Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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