The London Festival of Railway Modelling

[brightspark]

I made the journey yesterday.

First time I have been to a "Big show" for some years.

It was nice to see Hornby, Bachmann etc with their stands.

Ticket price was little high but perhaps correct for venue and prestige.

It is a shame that the high stall fees kept certain people away. I think that it would be a perfect venue for smaller traders to showcase their wares but they would have to be subsidised and there is were organisers get into problems.

The show guide was disappointing and I would have thought that for the entry and that Warners could have produced a glossy programme. Perhaps a magazine type affair. A floor plan is good but I know of few people who read the show guide at the show and a magazine type affair would be good for reading later and could have a longer term benefit for Warner magazines. Methinks that there is an oppurtunity for some synergy there.

 

One of my pet hates is poor catering at Model Rail shows. I think that Ally Pally has it perfect, the catering was very good. I could get a good beer (Directors) and a decent burger and chips. This was a decent bit of quality meat and bread with appropiate garnish. Not a lo-cost bargain burger.

Earlier there was talk of badges. I was wondering if at Warner shows (or shows where there is a RMweb presense) that RMweb members could make themselves known and get a badge made up.

 

Nothng for me on the Bachmann scrum but I saw lots of happy faces coming away with boxes. The selection of layouts was good but seemed lost in the huge hall area. I also didn't get a chance to see them all (Too busy chatting and drinking beer).

BCB looked good when you could get near it. I think it needs an extention though.

BTW it was me who upon hearing the operator at the "Church" end question what the number of the engine was coming toward him was (they had taken down the number at the far end) helpfully suggested that it is a blue one. 

 

I saw the warning sign and ignored it.

Publish and be damned so... here are my pictures. I didn't too many as I quite often couldn't get to the front.

 

Happisburgh Yard.

I like the size and layout of this, O guage and only 8'x4' scenic with a 6' FY. I am wondering how this will translate into 4mm or even 3.5?

 

Forget the name...it was based in Cornwall. Again I couldn't get near but here is a taste.

 

The big HO American layout.

An interesting shunt problem... ...until the near train turned into the yard.

 

Hostipal Gates

 

Hmmm I thought I photographed more layouts than that, but obviously I didn't.

 

Best bit was that I was walking past the EMGS stand when I overheard the words "Swaynton" and "Area Group". Fresh blood A new potential member was being recruited so I butted in, introduced myself and explained the benefits of getting involved with our group. I forget your name but if you are reading this do join the EMGS and come along to the area group meetings.

 

Andy

 

 

[roundhouse]

We enjoyed this years show very much exhibiting Banbury. It was a bit tight setting up by the time we were allowed into the loading bay at 08.20 and we were at the other end of the Great Hall. However we were up and running in under an hour (although we had a few gremlins for the first hour).

The usual long queue for exhibitors lunches was not there this year when we went for ours. We were near the real ale bar which also was a plus!!

 

Whilst I may only have seen one sign re photography today it only said the commercial photography only permitted with permission of organisers. If there were other different signs then I didn't notice them.

 

We were loaded and away from the venue in 45 minutes. That's probably the best we have had from Ally Pally.

 

A thoroughly enjoyable weekend once the layout settled down to working well.

 

A well organised show this year as far as we are concerned.

 

Ian

[ELTEL]

Whilst I may only have seen one sign re photography today it only said the commercial photography only permitted with permission of organisers. If there were other different signs then I didn't notice them.

 

See above previous posting...

 

 

If that is the case that would be normal practice (commercial photography) would be at the discretion of the organisers

 

But why challenge a 10 year old

 

Eltel

[gwrrob]

Did anyone grab a photo of the O gauge layout 82G please.

[edcayton]

Brilliant show, really enyoyed it. Went in at 9:30 and had to be thrown out at gone 4:30. Miserable journey-had to get the MG out of hibernation to avoid the £100 LEZ charge on my van. Brrrrr..

 

The second layout (after BCB) I looked at was Portchullin and WOW! it had steam loco's and early LMS and ex-HR stock. Brilliant! By the end of the day the noisy blue boxes had returned though.

 

Mixed feelings on photography. I wish I, or someone, had taken photo's of the above, but photographers can be a b.... nuisance to people who just want to look and see the models. And yes, I do mind moving out of the way.

 

I'm by no means the first to be impressed by progress on BCB, but it's all just so natural, probably because it's not crowded. Less is more. It was great to see John (Gringo)'s presentation in the lecture theatre. I couldn't understand people leaving during it.

 

So many good layouts. If I had to pick one new to me it would be Banbury, once again confounding my professed dislike of N gauge and present-day modelling!

 

Spent a fortune, mainly on books, bit couldn't resist a "baby Castle" (Collett 2251) in lined green. Split from a set for £44 from Cheltenham model Centre. A bit hard to justify in Cornwall.

 

Tired but happy, many thanks to all involved

 

Ed

 

I hate not having a good programme, and for me the wretched map thing was almost illegible anyway.

[Crewlisle]

Most enjoyable show with a good selection of layouts in all gauges.  However, I think there should have been a few more 00/EM/P4 layouts as this is the most popular scale.  I have a couple of minor complaints, but they did not detract from the quality of the layouts or of the exhibition overall.

 

1.    It is in the interest of all exhibitors to have their own lighting.  This is your chance to get your layout and modelling skills appreciated by a wider audience so make the most of it with good lighting.  The normal lighting at Ally Pally is not bad but some venues are terrible.  One of the worst is the NEC.

 

2.    There were a number of layouts not displaying their name.  If you have a lighting pelmet then use it to display your layout's name.

 

3.    I downloaded the show plan and layout descriptions but think a proper show guide should be produced and sold at the entrance.  It should be similar and be available in advance like the Warley show guide.  Anyone like me who has a limited time at a show can then decide in advance which layouts/trade stands must not be missed.

 

4.    I would think that all exhibitors are flattered when visitors want to take photos of their skill and hard work, providing the visitor asks them first.  I cannot see why those over-the-top warnings about photography are required.

 

On Friday evening I took my wife to see 'Les Miserables', stayed the night in a hotel and then went to Ally Pally on the Saturday.  Going to see 'Les Mis' was the other part of the bargain of me coming to Ally Pally, but I enjoyed the show as well.  This was definitely the most expensive railway exhibition I have ever attended!   Oh, by the way, I did manage to buy a bargain priced Class 85 from The Signal Box.  

[Stubby47]

Andy (post #152)

 

The Cornish layout is Gweek North Quay, based on the little known Helford Valley Railway, see http://www.hvr.org.uk

 

Stu

[Sidecar Racer]

Did anyone grab a photo of the O gauge layout 82G please.

 

Several shots at the bottom end of post post 102 Robin , above the one of the BRM stand .

[gwrrob]

Several shots at the bottom end of post post 102 Robin , above the one of the BRM stand .

 

Thanks Mike.There's some moneys worth of stock on that layout and a lined green 64xx too.

[sb67]

Braved the snow and the freezing wait outside on saturday. Enjoyed the show and thought the best layout there was Black Country Blues, the backscene is fabulous! I bought a new Heljan 128 parcels unit and a W&M railbus and some books from strathmore, who seem to have the best prototype pictures by far.
Here's a few of pics

 

 

 

 

 

[Neil]

I think, 11 GBP at the door is a too high a price for the content and comparing show size Warley 2013 is 13.50 GBP on the door. I would think something like 8 GBP would be more appropriate.

 

I appreciate the honesty of your comment, but it's not the only way of looking at the matter I think.

 

I didn't go to Ally Pally, so a three questions if I may. Was there enough at the show to keep one entertained day long? I assume that you've visited Warley so the same question, was there sufficient for a days entertainment there too? The third question presumes that the answer to both is yes, but from the comments of others I think there's a fair chance it will be. Should the cost of a show bear a direct relationship to the number of layouts, traders and acreage of floor-plan, or should it have more to do with the total entertainment value?

[station cat]

I thought the price was pretty fair, we were there 6 hours although admittedly we spent about 2 hours playing with various toys and eating lunch. There wasn't as much as there is at Warley but personally I find Warley too big.

[trisonic]

You don't know how lucky you are. As the song says....

 Best, Pete.

[Sidecar Racer]

Thanks Mike.There's some moneys worth of stock on that layout and a lined green 64xx too.

 

You're not wrong there Robin , I saw it at one show and they'd had to leave the Kings and Castles at

home as the organising clubs insurance would'nt cover the cost of them .

 

 Well worth travelling to see if you get the chance . And a great bunch of blokes , not averse to having

a bit of fun with the layout at the end of the day , like about 15 varieties of pannier tanks lined up

on one siding .

[The Stationmaster]

I didn't go to Ally Pally, so a three questions if I may. Was there enough at the show to keep one entertained day long? I assume that you've visited Warley so the same question, was there sufficient for a days entertainment there too? The third question presumes that the answer to both is yes, but from the comments of others I think there's a fair chance it will be. Should the cost of a show bear a direct relationship to the number of layouts, traders and acreage of floor-plan, or should it have more to do with the total entertainment value?

In this day and age I don't think £11 is an exceptional charge for an exhibition of this sort in this venue but with the proviso that I hope family tickets were available for those who needed them.  Daughter, son, and I arrived at c.10.30 and left at c.16.30 but daughter and I did act as relief operators for someone to give them a chance to get lunch and we had a break from strolling around to have some grub ourselves.  In that time we didn't get to see everything but we saw what we wanted to see and spent long enough to suit our needs at various layouts or talking to traders plus several other RMweb members.  Overall conclusion - good value for money.

 

Warley is a rather different kettle of fish in my view.  Firstly the venue is much poorer although it is more simply accessible than Ally Pally (yesterday outward including LUL was 5 trains and a 'bus, return was a 'bus and 4 trains;  Warley is 3 trains each way; transport cost for me is exactly the same for both - zero).  The other problem with Warley is that as far as I'm concerned there is far too much of it for one day, I invariably miss things; Ally Pally is much more manageable in that respect.

 

The cost and price of a show will inevitably reflect a combination of all sorts of things but it will invariably rise if it involves a second potential overnight stay for layouts operators and much depends on the charge for the venue.  To base a view on simplistic layout count can be misleading - layout novelty is, I suspect, possibly a better idea as invariably you often see the same layouts at shows around the same chunk of Britain - yesterday I saw several layouts I have already seen at least once at a show within the past year (not including Warley but basically at local type shows).  As it happens that doesn't worry me in the least as some of those layouts can easily keep me happy if I saw them half a dozen times in a year; others might not take that view. 

 

Traders are something different but the type of show then becomes the guide; I would expect a 'national' type of show to offer me better trader variety and choice than a local one (which it did yesterday) but in the same way I know that Railex in a couple of month's time will offer me a different type of trader - although some of those were present yesterday.

 

But overall it all depends on what you get out of the day - that is a very personal thing and seeing and chatting with a few familiar faces can be as important as seeing the right layouts.

[jjnewitt]

I made the journey yesterday.

Ticket price was little high but perhaps correct for venue and prestige.

I went on Saturday and had a thoroughly good time. I spent so much time nattering to various people that I didn't have a lot of time to see the layouts and the traders for which my wallet was grateful. Copenhagen Fields was utterly brailliant and the highlight of the show for me. It was worth the entrance fee alone. I stayed with my Uncle and his patner over the weekend who live a lot closer to Ally Pally than I do and when I got back the subject of ticket prices came up. Now they go to see a lot of gigs, plays and the opera up in London and they remarked on how cheap it was for a whole day's entertainment and I'm in agreement with them. Tickets for a lot of good shows are cheap, particularly when you compare it to other things you might do. I thought the Ally Pally show was pretty good and have no gripes with the ticket prices. There were one or two areas that could have been improved on, the width of the aisles at the back of the West Hall (especially around Dubbieside) seemed to be pretty tight, especially when there seemed to be acres of room around the BRM area but you can't get everything right all the time.

 

Justin

[sub39h]

I appreciate the honesty of your comment, but it's not the only way of looking at the matter I think.

 

I didn't go to Ally Pally, so a three questions if I may. Was there enough at the show to keep one entertained day long? I assume that you've visited Warley so the same question, was there sufficient for a days entertainment there too? The third question presumes that the answer to both is yes, but from the comments of others I think there's a fair chance it will be. Should the cost of a show bear a direct relationship to the number of layouts, traders and acreage of floor-plan, or should it have more to do with the total entertainment value?

 

the other way to look at it of course is whether the purchases you made on the day saved you money compared with buying on the high street etc! 

 

I was there at just past 9.30, had a good look around the layouts of interest and the stalls of interest and left at 1.30ish. on that basis, it wasn't a full day's entertainment. BUT even then, what else can you do nowadays for £10 that gives you 4 hours of entertainment? 

 

as I mentioned earlier, i have no experience of other exhibitions with this being my first. i did enjoy my day but somehow it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. nothing i can put my finger on as such, but I just may not make it a habit of going every year. 

[Dieselbob]

Hi

I was at Alexandra Palace today and I must say it was a pleasure to visit an exhibition of its size that is so well organised, plenty of parking, regular free bus service from car park to palace. 

The exhibition was very well supported by both traders and exhibitors, what was nice was that everything was nicely laid out giving plenty of room to move.

The organisers of the Warley show could take a few tips on how to do it properly, judging by last Novembers show  where everything was crammed into one large Hanger with apauling lighting and inadequate catering. It could have been a good show with great layouts and a good selection of traders, If only I could have got to them.

 I think the venue makes the difference, especially when people are directed to a car park over half a mile away in the rain and wind with no busses serving it.

 

Well done Warners and thanks for aa good day.

 

Bob

[PhilJ W]

I don't have any issue with the price, there was a small discount for pre-booking and groups received a further discount so I paid only £9 to get in (and I didn't have to queue outside in blizzard conditions). A couple of discounted purchases from the Bachmann stand covered the cost of entry anyway.

[John M Upton]

The show guide was disappointing and I would have thought that for the entry and that Warners could have produced a glossy programme. Perhaps a magazine type affair. A floor plan is good but I know of few people who read the show guide at the show and a magazine type affair would be good for reading later and could have a longer term benefit for Warner magazines. Methinks that there is an oppurtunity for some synergy there.

 

I can tell you that is exactly what we used to get free of charge, a glossy programme with some articles in it, background on some of the layouts and the listings of who and what was there plus the floor plans.  It was perfect when after checking out the trade, going for a cuppa and planning to see what you had missed and what you specifically wanted to see.

 

I (and I gather many others) were deeply disappointed when this quite frankly crap leaflet of unwieldly dimensions printed on very poor paper was handed out and I hope the old version is reinstated next year as I felt that is what justified the entry price.

[Pacific231G]

Sadly it's not new. 40 years ago I came across the same nonsense at Pendon - and haven't felt the slightest inclination to return.

 

 

Some museums do place restrictions on photography but Pendon isn't one of them. I didn't know it ever had been but I wouldn't be put off because of something that happened forty years ago.  Because the public areas at Pendn are much darker than the three scenes I've never had any trouble taking photos through the glass but the last time I was there the guide did open one of the windows on the Dartmoor scene to help someone to photograph it- it was a quiet day.  Photography for publication or commercial purposes is obviously a different matter.

I've always taken the signs at AP to mean no photographing layouts without asking their owners but I normally do that anyway.

 

Fortunately we don't have the situation in this country that seems to pertain with certain European magazines who take their own photos of layouts at exhibtions, ask the builder a few questions then write a complete article about the layout themselves without giving anything to its builder.

[HornbyA3Fan]

Can I talk about locomotives from ally pally 2013 on here? And if so, can I talk about this Hornby Pannier tank

 

Right yesterday I bought amongst other things I bought, was a Hornby Pannier Tank in BR black livery with Great Western style lettering on both sides which read 'BRITISH RAILWAYS', and it is in the BR black livery as well. Now I was wondering if it was a repaint or something from the original Hornby model or what. The number is 5757 and looks not like a repaint to me, but could be wrong. 

 

Oh this year was superb at ally pally, shame about the weather though. 10 years going, and it had to snow

[Jason T]

Of course, BCB wasn't solely BR Blue

 

[roundhouse]

Of course, BCB wasn't solely BR Blue

 

Thats a superb shot. The seamless back scene is really effective on the layout.

 

Ian

[warbonnetuk]

Martyn

 

You were most welcome!!

 

To add to Martyn's pics here are a few more of Essex Belt Lines inc setting up on Friday

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13460546@N02/sets/72157633077425946/

 

Cheers

 

Dan

 

 

 

Sorry, long way back to Exeter!

 

I shot some of various US ones, but mainly the Essex Belt Lines, thanks to the Thamesiders guys for being welcome and letting me come and have a play!

Here's one of the aforementioned kitbashed machines, an EMD'd Alco plus slug slogging up the holler on their mine branch.

 

 

Nice to catch Menasha 'in the flesh' as well after watching it develop on here

 

 

More pics here - no captions yet, time for bed!

http://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/ModelRailroading-1/2013-03-23-Alexandra-Palace-US/28570926_SDKM7H#!i=2422183112&k=DMkXHDW