Warley National 2013

[James Makin]

/rant on

 

My biggest bugbear this year was the increasing number of people using iPads/Tablets as cameras.

See that at gigs more and always makes me laugh! They have no self awareness lol

 

I've only got the iPhone though but find myself at shows whipping it out to check prices against eBay and Hattons, saved myself a fortune on books, checking the real thing out on the stand, comparing to Amazon and bookmarking the webpage to buy later on!!

[melmerby]

I'm not advocating banning tablets altogether from places such as the Warley show. I can definitely see the usefulness as a comparison device and shopping list.

I just think you shouldn't be using the clunking great things as cameras when a pocket size compact would work better and with less interference to other visitors.

You could then move the pictures to the tablet when convenient for editing, posting etc.

 

Rant mode again!:

I suppose it's just part of the general slide in society towards doing anti-social things and considering it normal behaviour.

You get the same thing in cinemas where before the film they announce that all mobile phones should be switched off but an inconsiderate minority carry on using them to others annoyance. If you complain you get a faceful of effing and blinding (or worse)

Rant off

 

Keith

[The Stationmaster]

I have been tempted to go to a large exhibition, but some of the comments here have been a little off-putting. The last truly big show I went to was the old London show but recently I've been tempted by the smaller / medium sized shows. A favourite was the Shoeburyness MRC show at Cliffs Pavilion, although I believe recently it's moved to Garon Park.

Back on topic with regard to Warley (and big shows like it), is it at all possible to see everything you want to see in one day or is there now just too much going on?

 

In my opinion it is too big to do properly in a single day and they do a 2 day ticket (£23 bought 'at the door', no doubt cheaper in advance).  What makes it too much for one day is the sheer number of layouts - if you want to see all of them and give them a reasonable amount of time then even if you can manage to get to a suitable viewpoint I think there isn't enough time in a single day.  And if you have a catholic taste in railways you can find yourself devoting a fair bit of time to layouts which some folk might not regard as exactly, er, 'mainstream'.

 

If you want to do some shopping as well - even if you have pre-sorted your destinations in the hall - you still have to get around and then take your turn to be served at the busier places, especially if they're in an area with narrower aisles such as the MRJ traders area.  Build in the occasional PNB, and more queues, plus time getting to the NEC in the first place and home afterwards and you start to run out of time although for some of us of more mature years it's as likely that the legs will start to give up before anything else.

 

But having said all that I still keep going year after year and it's great to meet folk and have a chat plus finding various things to buy you might not otherwise come across and even at the £13 day ticket price on the door it's pretty good value for money.

 

That's probably got something to do with Movember.

 

Geoff Endacott

 

I'm not so sure - if he'd grown that in a few weeks he must be on some very good whatever it is.  Perhaps the simpler explanation is that he was a visiting trader from the mainland (of Europe) who had some very interesting wares and a certain panache about him.

[cheesysmith]

I must admit the funnest thing at warley this year was the gents toilet just outside the hall. At the urinals they had these little clip boards for adverts, and they said "aim higher, your business could be avertising here". On one someone had scribbled "pi** on this poster", and anoughter said "watch out for splash back".

[Katier]

I'd agree that layout lighting is essential, but what about trade stands (who would probably get metered and charged for useage) and aisles...? Then there is the issue of one's eyes becoming accustomed to the ambient light colour, which makes correctly lit layouts appear wrong until you'be readjusted again (especially when the best time to see layouts is towards the end of the day when the little outside lint that filters through has diminished).

 

The NEC could actually save money by switching to LED tubes in reflective boxes and create a better ambience for exhibitions, but it seems the Warley Show is small fry to them, and any recommendations as to how to change to suit the needs of this customer would be dismissed....

 

They wouldn't get metered. I'm not sure how the actual electricity costs are calculated but the way the feeds are installed the supply is shared. Most of the blocks (layout or traders) are fed off single, NEC supplied, 240vAC outlets with a specified (by Warley) Ampage rating, from that we (as I was one of them) fit Warley supplied extension leads with multiple sockets on them. The Layouts and Traders then feed off that via a trader/layout supplied RCD.

[Kelly]

Was at the NEC both days, though only at the Warley show for the Sunday as Saturday was spent over at Halls 5 & 6 at Memorabillia/Comic Con which was great itself.

 

I enjoyed the show on Sunday, took LOTS of photos, and this evening I discarded about 2/3 of them due to the lighting/blurriness etc. They're uploading to flickr atm. Discovered when I got there that my mobility scooter needs a new set of batteries, as had to keep going every 1.5 hours to put it on charge again! but it made a big difference to my ability to cope with the day without resorting to lots of painkillers, which for a show of such size is a big improvement!

 

Didn't get much as money was too tight following recent move. But did pick up a Met Pecket saddle tank kit from Mercian for 1/2 price and a book on Warships and T9s.

 

A good selection of interesting layouts I felt, although getting to them on my scooter proved a challenge in itself! (for next year I'll fit airhorns!)

[Kelly]

On the subject of parking. Unless you're trading/exhibiting there really is no big need to drive there/park there. Much better to park at some of the smaller stations nearby (Canley or Tile Hill for instance) where the parking is free and get a £2 return ticket and walk far less in the end.

[darren01]

Hi 

Did anyone on Saturday see the two chaps walking round dressed in Victorian cloths ,spats and all?.

[Mike Bellamy]

I'm not sure how the actual electricity costs are calculated but the way the feeds are installed the supply is shared.

 

I was there with the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association. As a society stand we get one table free but pay for any extra plus the separate electricity charge.

 

12ft by 5ft at £3.45 per sq ft give £207 plus tables are £8.50 each which gives a total cost of £224 discounted for the free space to £112. There is a separate charge of £32.50 and then VAT is added to give us a total cost for 12ft frontage of £173.40.

 

As it turned out this year we didn't need electricity as my car broke down and we couldn't get the display layout in my wife's car but the invoice (dated January) had been paid months before the show 

[chaz]

Having read through the postings above I thought I would add my own thoughts....

 

I was at Warley exhibiting for the first time, so got a different perspective to an ordinary visitor. I enjoyed the show and thought it pretty well organised. The only problems we had were with the layout (a couple of our locos decided to misbehave) but otherwise things went well. I enjoyed the interaction with the spectators - I often speak to them and try to "draw them in" giving them a good morning and asking them if they are enjoying the show. I also sometimes ask them "What do you think (of my layout)?". It's nice to get a bit of conversation going. It may just be politeness but none said they didn't like it. I also point out a feature that they might otherwise miss and highlight a "good bit". The "girly" calendar proved a useful talking point and usually brought a smile. One woman actually went and fetched her partner and showed him! The somersault signal also engages people once their attention is drawn to it.

 

Having been before as a spectator I knew all about the downsides of the NEC, the parking, the food, the hall interior, the lighting etc. IMHO all these are worth putting up with if the show itself is good. My only regret is that, as an exhibitor, I had no chance to get round and see everything - I missed a lot of the layouts and can only hope to see them again at other shows.

 

Chaz

[sixteen 12by 10s]

Hi 

Did anyone on Saturday see the two chaps walking round dressed in Victorian cloths ,spats and all?.

HI

 

I think this is the fella you are referring too

 

Gary

 

 

http://ask.fm/JintymanOfficial

[Marcyg]

I enjoyed the show as far as I got to see 3 of my favourite layouts, Gresley Beat, Oulton TMD and Aberdeen Kirkhill. Unfortunately, after getting several backpacks in the face, stood on, headbutted (yup, someone wasn't watching where they were going) I lost the will to live. My girlfriend got so fed up she went back to the car. It seems some people get a bit of tunnel vision at exhibitions. One thing I did find amusing and made me angry at the same time, was the guy who drove his mobility scooter into the Keen stand, then ran 3 people over backing it out! Whilst funny in a not so funny way, surely these things should be banned at shows like this and the venue provide normal wheelchairs, and helpers if required?

[Andy Y]

surely these things should be banned at shows like this and the venue provide normal wheelchairs, and helpers if required?

 

This comment would undoubtedly raise hackles so I'll intervene and say that they're an essential form of independent mobility but as with rucksacks/cameras/tablets/personal hygiene it's down to the user to make sure they use them appropriately.

[sixteen 12by 10s]

I had no problems parking, and travelled in by train on Sunday. The Journey could be described as “interesting” the first available train stopping at the NEC was the Bournemouth, and this Voyager turned out to be the wedge out express. I shared the vestibule squeeze, with Batman and Robin, and some of the cast of Scooby Doo, at about proof house, the cramped conditions were helped when some brave people opened the bog door and stepped inside, and the full voyager “fragrant” experience was unleashed!

 

Thought the show was a good mix, of scales gauges and standards, but the small layouts were swallowed up in the great expanse of hall 5. Had a good rattle, with a variety of folks, including the gaffer, traders, I tend to go to shows to look at the models rather that nice shinny locos in boxes and price tags, so I have a pre prepared list of what I need. This dose have the advantage of not overspending and leaving some money to spend on the way home, on beer at the German market in the city.

 

Overall a good day

 

Gary

[Pete 75C]

Rucksacks, tablets as cameras held at head height, mobility scooters etc etc... you can talk about banning things until you're blue in the face. It all boils down to the user. A small percentage of the population will always be ignorant and selfish. Usually when I get a sideways clout around the head from a rucksack, I'll politely say "perhaps you could look where you're going?". If the reply suggests that I should flush my own head down a toilet, I can still walk away with the satisfaction that I'm the better person...

As I type this, someone's just piloted a mobility scooter past my house in the dead centre of the A1082 Holway Road... at least he wasn't on the pavement bowling over innocent kittens...

People are the problem, not rucksacks, tablets or mobility scooters. I'll venture there's not a lot you can do about it.

[darren01]

HI

 

I think this is the fella you are referring too

 

Gary

 

 

http://ask.fm/JintymanOfficial

Yep that the two i saw on Saturday! 

[melmerby]

People are the problem, not rucksacks, tablets or mobility scooters. I'll venture there's not a lot you can do about it.

Just ban people from shows then!

(except me of course)

Keith

[ColinK]

Was at the NEC both days, though only at the Warley show for the Sunday as Saturday was spent over at Halls 5 & 6 at Memorabillia/Comic Con which was great itself.

 

I enjoyed the show on Sunday, took LOTS of photos, and this evening I discarded about 2/3 of them due to the lighting/blurriness etc. They're uploading to flickr atm. Discovered when I got there that my mobility scooter needs a new set of batteries, as had to keep going every 1.5 hours to put it on charge again! but it made a big difference to my ability to cope with the day without resorting to lots of painkillers, which for a show of such size is a big improvement!

 

Didn't get much as money was too tight following recent move. But did pick up a Met Pecket saddle tank kit from Mercian for 1/2 price and a book on Warships and T9s.

 

A good selection of interesting layouts I felt, although getting to them on my scooter proved a challenge in itself! (for next year I'll fit airhorns!)

Kelly,  I don't know if you got to our layout, 'Gillan & Brown', but we deliberately do not have any barriers so everyone can get close to the layout (the front scenery is fairly finger proof).  Plus many of the buildings are removable so that our storytellers who are on the public side, can take buildings off the layout to show the detailing inside etc. to people in mobility scooters and children. 

[CloggyDog]

Spent much of the weekend on my feet assisting Mike Gosling with Aldbury Town (GWR/LMS P4 micro layout and home of the Nu-Cast 1400 & Autocoach pictured earlier) and it appears I was papped by the BrummiePost 'tog, as I'm in that slideshow...

 

Did much of my shopping early on Sat and picked up everything on my list, plus a few extra bargains and a couple of 'oh yeah... I need that/those'

 

Also managed to see many of the layouts (aside from the really popular ones, like Gresley Beat, which were 3 and 4 deep all weekend).

 

For me, the best layout was the long Freemo one brought over and operated by a mixed Dutch and German crew.  Why?? because it was being operated/run prototypically, with clear separation between station/signal staff and drivers, running to a timetable and with instructions on pick-ups/set downs for the drivers. It was just something you never see on UK layouts. And they chaps running it were very happy to answer my various questions. I returned to it about 6 or 7 times over the weekend to enjoy watching a railway being operated properly.

 

Cheers,

[Mike Bellamy]

 

Did anyone on Saturday see the two chaps walking round dressed in Victorian cloths ,spats and all?.

 

I think this is the fella you are referring too

http://ask.fm/JintymanOfficial

 

A volunteer at the Midland Railway Centre organising the restoration of a Jinty (leading to his 'user name')

 

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Teenage-Mr-Jinty-Man-steaming-ahead-plan-restore/story-16031118-detail/story.html

 

The third 'youngster' in the photos on the Ask site is one of our club members . . . . . . I feel like a stalker    following links and Google searches - I even found his date of birth due to a newspaper announcement about his birthday

[Mallard60022]

Out of interest, is there a 'local' bus service to the NEC? (Oh, I do apologise for saying bus....)

By this I mean could one park locally and then get a bus rather than get squashed on the train or subjected to toilet fumes as mentioned by Batman and Robin's companion?

(Yes I know buses can have fumes but mostly they don't have 'official' toilets.)

P

[Ian J.]

I've found that with regards to dealing with crowds, the best answer is to go on the Sunday and not the Saturday. It's much less stressful and easier, in general, to see layouts. To be honest, unless a visitor is either entirely unable to go on a Sunday for some reason or is particularly wanting to get in early to grab a bargain, I'd say Saturday is a pretty crap day to go to any big model railway exhibition.

[PaulRhB]

For me, the best layout was the long Freemo one brought over and operated by a mixed Dutch and German crew. Why?? because it was being operated/run prototypically, with clear separation between station/signal staff and drivers, running to a timetable and with instructions on pick-ups/set downs for the drivers. It was just something you never see on UK layouts. And they chaps running it were very happy to answer my various questions. I returned to it about 6 or 7 times over the weekend to enjoy watching a railway being operated properly.

,

I agree it was good to see and the two out front were doing a sterling job of sharing the concept but on four occasions I wandered along the front I saw nothing happening on the layout, I thought a watcher might allow the timetable to flex a bit to engage you with some sort of action. The operators smiled but the loco just sat there. I just think they need to either speed up the clock to increase the action or have more displays out front to engage people during the pauses.

I know of a couple of UK layouts, both O gauge, that feature prototypical operation on the circuit but are proportionally smaller due to the size of O. One was at Warley 1-2 years ago. The point of a freemo meet is different to a standard exhibition so I do think they need to compensate a bit and maybe get people hands on

[5050]

Dont really understand what your point is. Sure, its big, but thats partly why i go. I only get time to do one or two shows a year, so this is ideal. I get to see lots of layouts all in one go.

 

I thought it was great. As good as ever. Lots of inspiration. Dont see why it would be overwhelming?

 

Box shifters im not inteterested in. You can pretty much get everything on the internet anyway. Id rather do that then take rush around wasting valuable layout viewing time.

 

As for the parking, its the NEC. Thats how it is. Same the week before at the Classic car show.

 

All in all, great show. I'll be back next year!

Right, let's see.  'Overwhelming' does NOT imply negative criticism of the show in general  (perhaps I should have said 'mind-boggling').  For £13 it should be considered a bargain in comparison to other shows at £7/£8 etc. as it is well over twice as big etc. etc.  However, as it so large, it is difficult to be able to realise that value if you can't see everything that is on offer as well as you can at the smaller shows.  Unlike you (and I commiserate with your situation), I can get to any show at any time (not that I do!) and generally spend anything between 2 and 4 hours there and get to see EVERYTHING, trade and layouts.  The time spent depends on the size and the quality of these shows and who I happen to meet there (the most time consuming aspect). So, at 6.5 hours and only just managing to get round in a very basic fashion and not in any way seeing everything as well as it deserved, Warley show being well over twice as big as a 'normal' show could be considered poorer value.  Add to this the time and cost of travelling and parking then to my mind - and MANY of my clubmates and friends - it is not an experience I want to repeat.

 

If you like it (which you obviously do) and it works for you then that's fine.  I completely see your point that it gives YOU the opportunity of seeing layouts and traders that you would otherwise miss under normal circumstances.  I HAVE seen most of the layouts and traders at smaller shows and been able to view them properly when doing so.

 

As for the parking, I understand that £10 is the normal fee, it has always been relatively expensive to park at the NEC.  I have been going there both professionally and leisurely since it first opened.  What I DON'T understand is how they can control what price to charge 'parkers' (no offence intended Phil!).  It would theoretically be possible to go to several shows on the same day so, if you told the clerk in the pay booth this, would you get charged for all of them?  No, of course not, so how do they 'know' which show you are going to?  Answer, they can't, so why not just charge everyone the same.

 

Parking 'rant' over.

 

Which in actual fact, wasn't really a 'rant' at all, just a query.

 

EDIT - and I really appreciated the 'free' shuttle bus service, especially the lady driver with the Jo Brand sense of humour.  Nice to find someone in this kind of situation who can connect well with their clientele.

[298]

Out of interest, is there a 'local' bus service to the NEC? (Oh, I do apologise for saying bus....)

By this I mean could one park locally and then get a bus rather than get squashed on the train or subjected to toilet fumes as mentioned by Batman and Robin's companion?

(Yes I know buses can have fumes but mostly they don't have 'official' toilets.)

P

 

Yes, you could have parked at my house and got the 900, and I'd have even included a valet subject to availability (by which I mean whether the usual Kid comes round with a bucket & sponge on saturday afternoons).

 

The problem is I feel is there are certain ethics with the NEC being a nice neighbour and taking care of it's own parking problems, instead of publically recommending parking outside someone's house and making your own way for the last few miles. With this respect it would be better value to use one of the local stations, or Birmingham International's own car park for £5 as recommended on here (although in the past the station operators have restricted this to those with a valid train ticket, instead of visitors to the NEC).