Model Rail Scotland Feb 21-23

[Alex TM]

HI folks,

 

Went to the show for a few hours today and was both relieved and impressed.  Over the years there have been a few layouts that never seem to go away so that the show can feel like an old BBC2 repeat; this year, though, there was a fair bit of new material on both in terms of layouts and traders.

 

There seems to be more space in the aisles this year so there is less of a feeling of being herded like cattle.

 

The first two hours on a Friday can be a little manic but it usually slows down by 1pm; with the Edinburgh schools being on a mid-term break this week I got the impression that half the passengers on my train west were off to the show.

 

Although, as I have already suggested, some years may be a bit dull this time it is worth going through.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[Mike at C&M]

My congratulations to the organising committee for assembling the best SEC show in years.

 

A superb selection of excellent layouts, with Fencehouses, Leicester South and Melton Mowbray North standing out for me. It is great to see layouts often seen in magazines which rarely head north, and this year was no exception.

 

In 2013, I felt the variety of traders was poor, but this year we are back to the great variety that a show of this size deserves. Nearly all aspects of the hobby seemed to be covered, rather than simply having a selection of those selling ready-to-run only.

 

Plenty of wonderful tasters of what is to come in the future from Bachmann, Heljan and Peco. If Hornby and Dapol are reading this, you are missing an excellent showcase for your products, present and future.

 

I have had a day of wonderful entertainment. Thank you to all involved.

[40F]

Hornby statement says - 'Due to staff commitments and budget restraints the Hornby Roadshow will not be attending Model Rail, Scotland this year'.

 

I can understand budget restraints but  staff commitments. How come? They know this show is held the last weekend in February every year so why have they allowed staff to do other things that weekend? My firm would not allow that to happen if we had such a commitment. It appears to be all down to hard cash. If they don't come this year I don't think they will be back at all. Max

 

 

They may not have the staff numbers this year that they had last year. It ain`t cheap attending these shows and I can fully understand why Hornby have pulled out

[Bino]

Leicester South was the star of the show for me.

 

A great show this year!

[Purley Oaks]

I can only echo the above; really enjoyed the show on Friday and as Alex says, there was more room to move; it was more comfortable. I thought there were one or two fewer dealers there (course the fact that I thought I'd find a Bachmann Fairburn tank but didn't may have clouded my judgement here ).

The Bachmann crew were there as ever and very friendly and helpful. I missed the Hornby stand and Simon K, but the Tri-ang boyhood-overspeed set made up for the lack of Hornby models going round and round.

Great layouts this year, too.

Thanks to the organisers, see you next year!

Mal

[1ngram]

A very good show this year.  We bussed down from Aberdeen an hour later this year to try to avoid the early Friday crush and it was far easier to get to the front of the Pastimes stall than usual, for instance.  Yes, its a pity many of the smaller niche traders aren't there and it would be nice to have another major second hand book dealer there - I see the same books at Blades at every show this past year - but there was lots of space to move around in and some of the layouts were really excellent - that mile long 2mm finescale layout opposite Squires, for example.  Part of the fun was, of course, meeting friends I hadn't seen for a year, fellow tramway modellers in particular, and the Pre-Grouping Society stands, though they seem to have been packed into the smallest possible spaces, were full of interesting new publications - Highland had a new book on their coaches and wagons and the GNSRA had a new album of photos from BR days. 

 

Like some others here I had been a little disappointed in last year's show but this year was well up to scratch.

[CathcartCircle]

Just home from my visit to the show. Agree that it was a really good one! Thought there were a lot more N gauge layouts this year but maybe that's because my wife has begun in N and she was focussing on them! Layout of the show for me was Fence Houses in 2mm finescale, the viaduct was amazing! Apart from that a lot of great layouts and dealers, more space to get about, lovely ice cream and no smelly people! lol! A great way to spend a few hours!

[lmsforever]

Made my annual trip to Scotland yesterday and it was was well worth going great layouts and trade very friendly exhibitors and fellow visitors .Melton Mowbray was worth watching and one of the operators brought a layout Railex in 1988 when I ran the show nice to catch up.Fenchouses what can one say its a masterpiece excellent capture of the north east ,Elliot Bridge was a great place to stand and watch trains on well built layout.The operating team were very friendly thanks for the lorry information and the time taken by the cement ,yard operator to explain things shame about no class 70 on fire!On my train going up the very friendly catering manager said he counted at seventy rail fans and I noted more English accents this year.Thank you organisers for the best show yet roll on next year.

[OOgaugeJaf]

Great show, great catch up with friends. A lot of talk from the traders worried about the future of Hornby. You might have a good lump of cash in the bank but if you are not supplying new models your not going to stay in business for long! A cheap trip for me this year as a result. The staff or lack of availability rumoured to be folk moving on from Hornby, hopefully just a rumour and no more.

 

Back to the show, not much O gauge trade this year, a comment from two of my travelling party. From my point of view, I only wish there were more of the specialist traders, the like we see at York. But overall enjoyable as ever, see you guys again next year!

[Nelson Jackson]

Absolutely fantastic, this was the best one ever in 4 years of me going and it was just brilliant, the amount of shops providing a variety of things to sell was superb, I came back with 7 wagon kits, a J11 and more smaller things, the layouts were simply beautiful, there was 2 favourites of mine, well done to everyone, the kind traders, helpful exhibitors and informative staff, well done to all.

The ferry on the way home was very rough, but we got home safe and sound in the end.

Many thanks everyone and let next year be even better.

Nelson

[amwells]

Although I've been going for many years, this was the first time that my father had made the trip with me. Both he and I absolutely loved it this year.

 

Nothing to do with the event itself, but I managed to get caught out by the new parking arrangements - I'm not sure why the multi-storey car park us better than the old car parks! Oh and the catering leaves a lot to be desired, particularly the organisation of it.

 

The big disappointment, as others have mentioned, was the lack of Hornby and Dapol. If Hornby are so intent on developing their direct sales, I would have thought that they could have included some sales on their own stand, a bit like Heljan now does and which might have offset some of the cost of going.

 

On the positives, the breadth if offering from traders was excellent, with so many 'smaller traders' that I didn't know about and who will be getting a lot if business from me in the future. We saw a 3D printer in action for the first time, and Dad and I have a wealth of inspiration for our own layouts from the truly excellent modelling that was on display. Fantastic.

[Matt]

Thanks for putting on a great show as always. I'm a big layout diesel fan and was more than satisfied with Elliott bridge and bee Lane. But surprisingly I found myself totally drawn in by Rumbling Bridge and halifax kings cross, exquisite standard of modelling in both cases. There were many other great layouts too, especially in 2mm where new limits of detail and realism seem to be being pushed all the time (fence houses -wow).

 

Perhaps the highlight for me overall was the level of helpfulness and friendliness tho. Several operators took time out to chat and most of the traders were really friendly. Result, lots of money spent, sore back lugging around all day but worth it. Just a shame that on travelling back after the show I had 3 hours of drunken football chanting... Ours is a hobby that sometimes attracts negative comment but somehow this thuggery is normal male behaviour?

 

Matt (37 going on 60?)

[shortliner]

 Firstly a superb show (possibly the best yet)and it was great to meet friends old and new.
Secondly an appeal and apologies - would the gentleman, whose name, I think, was Stevens or Stevenson (but I'm probably wrong!    ) - who saw my namebadge as we passed each other in the aisle by UNIT Models(Hi Dave) and after chatting gave me his email address to pass him some information (we borrowed a pen from the lady at Unit Models and I wrote it down)- please PM me with it again - my sincere apologies but I have mislaid it and can't find the information anywhere

 

EDIT - Having finally got all the bits and pieces unpacked - guess what I found in the bottom of a plastic bag?

Problem solved - kindly ignore my last! -

[gordon s]

Glad to hear you all enjoyed the show and the trip was worthwhile.  Any chance of some pics for those of us unable to make the journey north?

[Legend]

Just echoing the comments above. I went on both Friday and Saturday and it was a really great show. I think this year was helped by some really top class layouts being present. Fence Houses in 2mm fine scale was just terrific. Amazing views over the viaduct, then you could follow the train round past the station. Definitely something different in 2mm, we'll worth seeing.

 

Leicester South, what can you say? Lovely model brilliantly executed. I watched at least for half an hour, maybe more , as train after train ascended or descended the gradient. Shunting going on in between times and a procession of goods going up and down the loops. Brilliant!

 

Bee lane, great for watching these pendolinos at speed and a lot more besides!

 

I also like catching up with the various societies such as Caledonian Railway and G&SWR,the stands that used to be on the balcony on the good old MacLellan Galleries. Usually you can pick up the odd book not available elsewhere,this year it's a book about the Railways round Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenson. Looking forward to getting into that.

 

Only downside is the barn like nature of the SECC and this years insistence on using the furthest away multi storey car park ,which of course is strategically priced so that if you have normal attendance at a show it'll cost you £7. It was a fair walk to hall 5 ,much of it in the wind. And rain. By contrast I took the train on Saturday, and it was much better, just having to walk down that horrible pedestrian tube thing! Nice seeing all the Brides to be at the Scottish Wedding Show. It at least gave a touch of glamour to the clientele

 

Great show . Look forward now to Stevenson and Perth shows , and of course to Model Rail next year. We'll done AMRSS!

[MikeB]

I went on Friday and agree with the comments above that the show had a good mixture of traders and layouts. I managed to cross nearly everything of my shopping list, and as usual found a few things that I wanted that I previously did not even know existed. I certainly didn't miss the absence of Hornby.  There was also inspiration from  some of the layouts, both those I'd seen before and those I knew only from magazines.

 

Praise also to the organisers for putting an announcement on their website yesterday that the surface car park adjacent to Hall 5 was closed and that those driving had to use the new multi-storey car park. As others have said, catering is poor but that's also down to the SECC.   I went by train this year and so did lots of other people judging by my fellow passengers, so strange that Scotrail didn't have a stand. Perhaps next year the AMRSS could advise those travelling by train to do what I did and ignore the online journey planners?  These seem to think  that Queen Street to Central is a 30 - 40 minute walk or bus ride, and so suggest all sorts of weird routes and timings. In fact, I found the 7 minute walk between the stations probably shorter and certainly more interesting than the trek through the walkway / plastic tube between Exhibition station and the SECC.

 

Well done to all concerned, looking forward to next year.

[Ben Alder]

Having read all the positive reviews, I wish I'd stirred myself and gone now However, the first videos are appearing- here's one..

 

 

[shortliner]

 

By contrast I took the train on Saturday, and it was much better, just having to walk down that horrible pedestrian tube thing! Nice seeing all the Brides to be at the Scottish Wedding Show. It at least gave a touch of glamour to the clientele

 

Great show . Look forward now to Stevenson and Perth shows , and of course to Model Rail next year. We'll done AMRSS!

 

The killer is walking back up it again after you've spent several hours walking around the show! 

I'd agree about all the glamorous lassies about when I left though

[Guest 40-something]

I found the quality of layouts up remarkably from previous years, but there were a couple of layouts that were not to my taste, and 1 in particular which should not be invited to any show.  I wont name the layout or club.

 

Bee Lane, Leicester South and Fence Houses where the stars of the show for me, with Elliot Bridge being right up there too

 

Just my thoughts

[Mike J]

I made our now annual trek with the Scarborough group and was very impressed with this years offering. Quality layouts and a good depth of trade. Congratulations to the organisers. I spent too much time making new contacts and meeting old friends, but when I did manage to view the layouts attending, I thought that the standard was better than last year. As well as standing in as relief operator for Rumbling Bridge which was a last minute replacement for the Hornby stand I believe, I spent a long time viewing Fencehouses which is impressive in scale and quality.

Thanks to all involved and I hope to be there again next year.

[Craig Watson]

Not long home and all James' stock packed away, a massive thanks to all who spoke to James as he exhibited his wee layout all weekend, lots of great comments about the layout and a big change also in James' confidence as he happily answered questions about the layout.

 

James is raving on about Bee Lane and another of his favourites Elliot Bridge, I was really impressed by Fence Houses but as a long time admirer of the Great Central it was Leicester South that was the star of the show for me.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[Merc435]

Only 51 weeks and 3 days until we do it all again. Not long now!

 

Great show this year, good mix of traders and a very high(Mostly) standard of layouts. Leicester South was brilliant (No two buildings on the backscene had the same roofline), Elliot bridge was doing what Elliot bridge does best, Fence Houses was a work of art, It took about 2 mins for a freight to come past you and it was in full sight the whole time.

 

Big up for Ian P and his crew. Well done.

[Merc435]

My short vid of Fence Houses;

 

 

Enjoy.

[gwrwill]

I found the quality of layouts up remarkably from previous years, but there were a couple of layouts that were not to my taste, and 1 in particular which should not be invited to any show.  I wont name the layout or club.

 

Bee Lane, Leicester South and Fence Houses where the stars of the show for me, with Elliot Bridge being right up there too

 

Just my thoughts

i wonder if its the same layout i thought was incredible to have been invited

[steve1]

I see the show made today's Guardian.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/gallery/2014/feb/24/scottish-model-railway-exhibition-in-pictures

 

 

steve