RMweb Gold adrianmc Posted December 6, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 6, 2015 The St Albans Model Railway Exhibition 2016 Organised by the Chiltern Model Railway Association (CMRA) THE ALBAN ARENA Civic Centre St Albans AL1 3ED Saturday 16th January 2016 Sunday 17th January 2016 Open 10am till 5.30pm Saturday and 10am till 4.30pm Sunday The 2016 St Albans Model Railway Exhibition will once again be featuring a selection of some of the best quality layouts around. There will be full trade support as well as demonstration and engineering stands. Details of layouts and trade attending can be found on the Association's website at: http://www.cmra.org.uk/stalbans.html This will be the last CMRA exhibition to be held at the Alban Arena as plans are well under way for our move to the Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre in 2017. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 ... This will be the last CMRA exhibition to be held at the Alban Arena as plans are well under way for our move to the Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre in 2017. Good news! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Bigcheeseplant Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 A move to Stevenage will be interesting, although the Arena is not ideal for a show the location in the city centre was good as there was plenty to do if your other half wanted a day out. I have been to St Albans for as many years as I can remember as it was one of the first shows in the calendar year and a kick start to modelling after the Christmas break. The Arena with the basement space and displays on the balcony was not suited to a model railway exhibition but did has a charm that not seen at current shows. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 My uncle lives in St Albans and I will miss seeing the model railway exhibition there. As I remember it it was conveniently situated next to the Maltings car park where they charge £1 per day to park on Sundays and near the Wetherspoon Waterend Barn where you could get a good value Sunday lunch. The exhibition did get a bit crowded. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp409067 Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 * I first had the pleasure and privilege of exhibiting at St Albans in 1995 and next month will be the sixteenth time. Whilst the Arena may not be the ideal venue for a number of reasons, it does (as has been said) have a particular charm that is not necessarily to be found in a single all encompassing space. For many years now I have looked forward to my first exhibition appearance of the year in a known and familiar location. By that I mean not just the venue but its situation in the town centre with the opportunities it provides for a relaxing dinner after a hard day. That said I wish the CMRA every success with the planned move. CP Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adrianmc Posted December 6, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 6, 2015 A move to Stevenage will be interesting, although the Arena is not ideal for a show the location in the city centre was good as there was plenty to do if your other half wanted a day out. I have been to St Albans for as many years as I can remember as it was one of the first shows in the calendar year and a kick start to modelling after the Christmas break. The Arena with the basement space and displays on the balcony was not suited to a model railway exhibition but did has a charm that not seen at current shows. David Stevenage will hopefully give the CMRA the best of both worlds - the Arts & Leisure Centre is still a town centre location but with in excess of 20,000 square feet between two level access halls with good lighting and on the doorstep transport connections and car parking. There are no plans to change the show's position in the year - indeed it may become more fixed in the calendar, as at the Arena it has moved between two weekends in January to fit around the venue's pantomime staging. One reservation of course is the inevitable loss of "charm" as you put it David which the Alban Arena contributes to the event, however the organizing team have some ideas in how to bring some je ne sais quoi to the 2017 event. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Bigcheeseplant Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 No doubt I will continue to attend when it moves to Stevenage as I have done in the past in At Albans, I notice that there is a £2 parking charge at Stevenage but then relised I have to pay to park in St Albans too! I think the Scalefour Society looked at Stevenage a few years back when looking for a new venue but dismissed it for one reason or another. I am sure the more open space will provide a greater opportunity for layouts and traders. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnb Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Parking at St Albans. People visiting should be aware that the small low level car park at the rear of the Alban Arena now has a 3 hour limit Monday to Saturday inclusive. However on Sunday it is all day for £1. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adrianmc Posted December 6, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 6, 2015 .... with the opportunities it provides for a relaxing dinner after a hard day. I believe that this will still be possible - although it might take a few years to familiarize ourselves as to where the best hostelry's are. The new exhibition venue is right in the town centre and next door to all usual shopping outlets, however the majority of non fast food eating establishments are clustered along the High Street, just to the north of the town's shopping centre, the venue and the planned exhibitor's accommodation. It will mean a small walk but probably on a par with that between the current St Alban's accommodation and St Alban's city centre. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adrianmc Posted December 6, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 6, 2015 Parking at St Albans. People visiting should be aware that the small low level car park at the rear of the Alban Arena now has a 3 hour limit Monday to Saturday inclusive. However on Sunday it is all day for £1. Details on the CMRA website John - http://www.cmra.org.uk/stalbans.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Apparently Stevenage has a "train station", and the bus station is just a "couple of blocks away" from the venue! There is a Wetherspoons establishment and a McDonalds next to the bus station but beware, they are frequented by the good citizens of Stevenage, a far cry from the genteel folk of St Albans. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike morley Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Okay. In the past I've been as guilty as anyone in taking threads off at a tangent, but this is, after all, supposed to be about the last St Albans show, not the first Stevenage show. So, having had a look at the line-up, I'm pleased to see there will be a lot of layouts I've never seen before, several I've never even heard of before, and that all of those I have seen before I would be more than happy to see again. See you in January. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted December 6, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 6, 2015 Parking at St Albans. People visiting should be aware that the small low level car park at the rear of the Alban Arena now has a 3 hour limit Monday to Saturday inclusive. However on Sunday it is all day for £1. Thanks for the warning; that's a bit of a pain for anyone visiting on the saturday Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I'll be there as a demonstrator, including a loco clinic service where I'll try and fix models which don't go (for a donation to charity if I'm successful). But, please, not too many Grafar duds (I can't raise Lazarus) and no DCC! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan452 Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 A move to Stevenage will be interesting, although the Arena is not ideal for a show the location in the city centre was good as there was plenty to do if your other half wanted a day out. I have been to St Albans for as many years as I can remember as it was one of the first shows in the calendar year and a kick start to modelling after the Christmas break. The Arena with the basement space and displays on the balcony was not suited to a model railway exhibition but did has a charm that not seen at current shows. David Apparently Stevenage has a "train station", and the bus station is just a "couple of blocks away" from the venue! There is a Wetherspoons establishment and a McDonalds next to the bus station but beware, they are frequented by the good citizens of Stevenage, a far cry from the genteel folk of St Albans. Ed Indeed................. (!) And there is not even a branch of Marks and Spencer in Stevenage anymore, the Queensway branch closed some months back. Coming back to 2016 it is good to see that there is some 'Modern Image' this year in the form of Portchullin and Loch Tat. The former bringing a 'Metro Style' train frequency to the Kyle line. EDIT - Also Horseblock Lane and Orchard Road TMD. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimbus Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 Thanks for the warning; that's a bit of a pain for anyone visiting on the saturday You'll probably find the twin multi-storeys behind the shops on the opposite side of St Peter's Street more accommodating. The Nim. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonhall Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 I'll be demo'ing resin casting again on the balcony. Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portpatrick Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Looking forward to the show. This is one I come to every 2-3 years, and is very local to Watford. I already have my ticket so queuing should be minimal. I never have problems parking - using the car parks on the opposite side of the road behind M&S. Which take plastic and from memory paper if you do not have change. The Arena is quirky but not ideal. On the Saturday morning when I usually come, circulating space is quickly at a premium, esp once the rucksack brigade arrives in force!.. People really need a driving test in order to carry those things! I am sometimes unconvinced that the gangways are a minimum of 2 metres - which my club has been told is the legal requirement. So I look forward to the new location with interest. Stevenage is a bit further of course! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross34 Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Looks like a nice overseas content again which St Albans always seems to have ... bit of hike from Wigan, shame. Would've liked to see your resin demo too Jon.. Hope the show goes well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardS Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 A small group of us from around Norwich are considering a trip to this exhibition this year for the first time. Visa applications are already lodged. From the line up it looks a more serious show so I'm surprised many of the rucksack brigade attend. Maybe I'm wrong. Stevenage of course much closer than St Alban's to the Fine City. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 ....Would've liked to see your resin demo too Jon..... The last time I went, the resin demo was the highlight of the entire show for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted December 22, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 22, 2015 We are there with Tucking Mill, looking forward to it. Is there a floor plan yet? If we are in the basement I will need to pack a fan and some Bermuda shorts. Merry Christmas all, Jerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 I'll visit the Alban Arena staging for the last (nostalgic) time if humanly possible (serious health care issues with all the seniors in the family at present) as this has always been a great if quirky show. Having exposed a friend's daughter to the joys of the soldering demo last year, I'll see if I can round up a couple more junior victims this year. A big advantage of the St Evenage location is the direct rail connection, the location is a hundred yard walk from the platforms. There are good eateries on the Old Town High St. as already mentioned, ten minute walk, and also a model shop! Then there's the entertainment complex the other side of the railway with every sort of fast food imaginable, all in the best possible taste. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 A big advantage of the St Evenage location is the direct rail connection, the location is a hundred yard walk from the platforms. The walk from St Alban's station to the Arena and back is probably the most exercise I get in January! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portpatrick Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 So Stevenage has a nearby model shop. Now that is a very good reason for doing the extra miles from Watford. And if there are food places and shops, as good as St A if the Boss wants to come too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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