Ely Model Railway Exhibition - Saturday 20th May 2023 (10.30am to 4.30pm)

[andykwilkinson]

Our 44th show in Ely!  And, despite recent significant cost of living price rises we have decided to KEEP the entry charges exactly the same as last year: Adults £6.00, Children (5-15) £3.00 and Family (2A + 2C) £15.00. Under 5’s free - of course!

 

The Exhibition opens at 10.30am and closes at 4.30pm on Saturday 20th May 2023.  If you want to come when it’s less busy, then any time after 2pm is usually best.

 

A great event for families (note the special family ticket price) as well as for modellers - plus anyone who is just curious!  As always, we have invited model railways to come to the Exhibition from all over the country (a good variety of sizes, scales, regions and eras) as well as a number of selected, well known traders in the hobby.  This includes Great Eastern Models, from Norwich, who are also sponsoring a super prize for the Raffle once more.  A full list of the invited Layouts and Traders will appear on our website ahead of the Exhibition.

 

If coming by car, use CB6 3DY for car ‘Sat Navs’ to get to the large, exclusive and free car parking area at Ely College on Downham Road.  The Exhibition is in the older part of the College, Needhams Hall and the adjacent Gym.  It has wheelchair friendly access throughout, EXCEPT the stage area is only accessible by a short set of steps.

 

A number of demonstration stands will also be present with modellers showing you how to build kits, make realistic model trees, etc. Well known modeller Tony Wright will have a stand offering to problem solve and then trying to fix any troublesome locos you might want to bring along too (for a small donation to a charity).

 

There will be a volunteer run cafe selling a large range of home made cakes and sandwiches as well as tea, coffee, soft drinks, crisps and chocolate (all subject to availability).

 

Formed in 1977, we’re a friendly Club with excellent, newly extended Clubroom facilities close to Ely with a number of new layouts now under construction.  The Exhibition is a showcase to promote this wonderful creative hobby of model railways and the social, mental well-being and supportive aspects of being in a thriving local Club such as ours.  Just ask at our Club stand at the Exhibition about membership.

 

More information:

 

www.elymrc.org.uk

 

https://www.facebook.com/Elymodelrailwayclub

 

See also our Exhibition Poster, screen shot attached.

 

Finally, we are hoping to have the kindly donated use of a vintage coach doing a shuttle service - more information will be posted soon if that becomes possible.

Edited May 11, 2023 by andykwilkinson
Typo

[andykwilkinson]

We have some exciting news to share on that vintage coach shuttle to/from Ely Railway Station and Ely College.  I also attach the updated poster mentioning it.  Note that our coach driver will be collecting donations for Macmillan Nurses, a very worthy cause.

 

We're really excited to have got this vintage coach link in place after years of dreaming about it and trying to make it happen - in fact ever since we gave up with running our shows at The Maltings!  Sure, that venue was lovely and atmospheric but just became too expensive to hire and too small for our needs.  What killed it was having virtually no easy parking close by - and sadly, most of our non-local visitors come by car these days.   At least where we are now at Ely College gives us 2 large halls and lots of free parking on site.  The only thing we regret is that Ely College is about one and a quarter miles from Ely Railway Station so, obviously, far fewer of you have used rail to visit our more recent shows.  So now, rail should be a realistic option again!

 

The final details are still being worked out (e.g. where exactly the vintage coach stop will be at Ely Station) but I will share that on here as soon as it's sorted.

 

However, there is one important point to share now though for those wanting to do the rail/vintage coach link.

 

One of the rail lines into Ely Station will be closed for engineering work on Sat 20th May, namely the line from Cambridge to Ely.  However, as far as we know the TRAINS WILL STILL BE RUNNING to/from the Norwich, Ipswich/Bury St Edmunds and Peterborough & the North directions.  Not sure yet about to/from the King's Lynn direction - will update on here when I find out.

 

So once you've arrived by train/vintage bus or car, what's going to be at the show?  EDIT 11th May 2023 - Just updated and corrected a few details to the list immediately below:

 

Exhibitors:

Wagon Building Demo - Derek Buck

Loco Clinic - Tony Wright

Tree Making Demo - Terry Metcalfe

Templegate Wagon Works - Dave Tailby - 7mm O Gauge

Brooks Bridge - Stuart Marshall - 7mm Narrow Gauge

Spriggs Lane - John Hayes - 4mm OO Gauge

Raven Hill - Graham Watling - 009 Gauge

Barnwood - Andrew Farnell - 2mm N Gauge

East Quay - St Neots MRC - 4mm OO Gauge

Northmoor - Alan Clegg - 4mm OO Gauge

Crikey! It's a Shed - Peter Boyt - 4mm OO Gauge

Nightlayers Drove - Cambridge MRC - 4mm OO Gauge

Wickham Market - EDMRC - 4mm OO Gauge

Tashvale - Ely MRC - 2mm N Gauge (For Children to 'Have a Go' Layout)

 

Traders:

Bob Pearman Books

Great Eastern Models

Layouts4U

Tools4U

H&A Models

Coastal DCC

Railway Memories

Great Eastern Transport Films

Railway Memorabilia

JustinCase

 

Royston Model Engineers will be running trains on their track outside (near the show entrance) as they did last year - NOW CONFIRMED.

 

So, lot's to look forward to on Saturday 20th May 2023 at Ely's 44th annual show!

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by andykwilkinson
Typos and updating exhibitors list

[andykwilkinson]

I've been sent further details about the vintage coach that's going to do our shuttle service between Ely Railway Station and our Exhibition at Ely College on Sat 20th May 2023.  More details about this (and other aspects of the show) will be posted on this thread as soon as they are confirmed.

 

[andykwilkinson]

For those interested in visiting our show to see our Wickham Market.  Finally, I've finished my 4mm scale model of The Granary at Wickham Market (for Campsea Ashe), our Club's large new OO round-roundy exhibition layout based on the prototype as it would have been in the mid/late 1950s-early 60s. Pictures of model and (one of the few) pictures I had to go on showing The Granary, near the signal box, attached. See also our track plan. Both Granary, Signal Box and almost everything else has long been demolished but the station building itself survives and has been turned into a superb community cafe/centre. Fortunately, Wickham Market station still remains open - but is now effectively just a halt on the now mostly singled line between Lowestoft and Ipswich.

 

This layout, the result of many years work by a good group of us at Ely & District Model Railway Club, will be at our forthcoming Model Railway Exhibition at Ely College on Saturday 20th May (doors open at 10.30am). Do come and visit!  😀

 

[andykwilkinson]

We've just had approval from Highways to put our road signs up around Ely 10 days before the event - so look out for those very soon!  We are also just finalising the arrangements for the vintage coach shuttle to/from Ely railway station to the Exhibition venue.  I will post that info as soon as it's nailed. 

[andykwilkinson]

Hi everyone,

 

I have some good news.  It seems the only rail engineering work taking place on Sat 20th May (our Ely Exhibition date!) is south of Cambridge.  Trains to Ely from Cambridge, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, March, Peterborough, King's Lynn and from Norwich on that line will be running, and in most cases, entirely as normal. 😀.  Do please make your own checks regarding your specific train route.

 

Charles, the driver of our courtesy vintage coach (see pictures earlier in this thread) has also been given permission to use Ely station car park to run his bus shuttle to/from our Exhibition.  So the coach will be allowed to wait right outside the station entrance! 😀 

 

Note that this will be a FREE service but he asks that passengers make a donation to Macmillan Nurses using the onboard collection tin he has.

 

Working with Charles we have worked out the following bus timetable (attached) so that it should be a good fit with the principal trains arriving at Ely every hour and no one should be left hanging around at the railway station for an excessive length of time.  The journey (about 1.5 miles) should take about 10 minutes or so each way.  This is the first time we've tried this so we have planned it carefully and very much hope people take advantage of this facility to visit our Exhibition via train.  If it goes well, we would hope to make this a feature every year.  (Of course, if you still want to drive we still have the large, free and exclusive car park at Ely College too).

 

So, let the train (and Charle's gorgeous vintage coach!) take the strain - and we'll hope to see you at our Exhibition!  Just a reminder that we open at 10.30am and close at 4.30pm.

Edited May 11, 2023 by andykwilkinson

[andykwilkinson]

We are (as always) delighted to have Great Eastern Models as one of our key traders at our forthcoming Ely Model Railway Exhibition - Sat 20th May 2023 (10.30am-4.30pm).

Start thinking about what you might want to buy and, if possible, let them know beforehand so they can bring it for you.

 

Also, they have (again) very generously donated a superb raffle prize, this starter train set.  Sure, we appreciate this will be more suitable for one of your kids or grandchildren rather than some of you serious modellers that visit every year - but it's a very generous gesture by them and we thank them kindly!  The raffle will run on the day - so do consider buying a ticket for it when you’re at the show.

 

Tools 4 You, another regular and much valued trader at our shows has also donated some nice items too.

 

See you all on Saturday!  Not long to go now!!!

[andykwilkinson]

I gather BBC Radio Cambridgeshire did an interview live this morning with our 2 Exhibition Managers (Brian & John) who are organising our 44th Annual Show this Saturday at Ely College - the main interview will be broadcast on Lucy's evening show tonight. Amongst the things talked about was Wickham Market, our large OO "round-roundy" based on the prototype just north of Woodbridge (pictured in a blue diesels era, just for fun). This will will be at the show after 10 years work to get it to Exhibition standard - but in 1950s steam era guise. We're very proud of it so do come and see it!!!!

[andykwilkinson]

Great to see Wickham Market on it’s final test run last night before we show it at our Exhibition at Ely College on Saturday. After 10 years work we are rather pleased with the way it’s looking and running It’ll be dismantled & crated up on Thursday, loaded up in a big hired van on Friday and then unloaded Friday night and put back up - it’s on the stage in the main hall at the College. Lots of other superb layouts, in various gauges, scales and eras have been invited to the show too as well as some good traders. There will be demos, a loco repair clinic with Tony Wright & the Royston Model Engineers will have train rides for the children just outside - the weather forecast is favourable too. And for the first time we have a vintage coach doing a shuttle service between Ely railway station and our venue at Ely College!

 

Anyway, fingers crossed it’ll all go exactly as planned - we’ve some experience in doing this after all these years! Don’t forget, the Exhibition opens to the public at 10.30am on the day of the show.  We hope to see some of you there!

[andykwilkinson]

A couple more snaps from last night...and some shots that the BBC reporter took when recording the interview with our Exhibition Managers, Brian & John in our Clubroom yesterday.

 

That fiddle yard (ignore the bottle of wine, that's my donation to the raffle that will run at our Exhibition) will be full of lovely 1950's era Eastern Region stock on Saturday!

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by andykwilkinson
adding info

[andykwilkinson]

Update: The vintage coach shuttle to our Exhibition will depart from the bus stop near Tescos petrol station. It’s a 3-4 minute walk from Ely station.  We have learnt that the coach will not be able to access to station forecourt because of the turning circles being too tight when it’s full of parked cars.  We will have a Club Member at the station with a yellow sign who will direct you to the bus stop, see yellow line for path around Tescos to the bus stop.

 

 

[298]

What a great show! I managed to call in as part of a long weekend involving a 50th birthday party near Norwich and got chatting about Interurbans on front of my favourite layout "Books Bridge" with someone who turned out to be @stivesnick. East Quay also looked very good and was very inspirational. 

 

I did fill on the survey accordingly and did answer yes to paying for a colour guide, but on reflection the freely handed out folded sheets of A4 contained all of the information necessary, any more would probably take up too much time to produce. 

[andykwilkinson]

Thanks 298 for the comments - and to everyone who came to our Exhibition on Saturday. It was a great success and certainly one of our busiest shows in the last 15 years!!!

 

The results of the 'Best Layout Competition' (as voted for by the public) and a picture of the winner receiving the Malcolm Hine Memorial Tankard from Sophie (Malcolm's niece) are now in the News section of our website. Thanks Sophie for offering to do this.

 

There is also a rather good visitor video of our show already on YouTube! - again on this News link.

 

Thanks again to the Traders who kindly and generously donated Raffle Prizes and to everyone who worked so very hard to make it all happen, especially our Exhibition Managers Brian & John, our Committee and a good number of stalwart Members and their partners. Thanks also to the vintage coach owner for doing the shuttle to/from Ely Railway Station.  I believe he raised a tidy sum for Macmillan Nurses too.

 

Sure, not everything went perfectly on the day (does it ever) but we got most of it right - I think and I hope. Of course, we will be having an Exhibition Post Mortem meeting in the Clubroom and will endeavour to make next year's show even better!

 

FYI, our next show in Ely will be on Saturday 18th May 2024 - Note: we always go for the 3rd Saturday in May - so bookmark the date now!

 

https://elymrc.org.uk/news/?fbclid=IwAR0UCoGVYX9jx1H-yMm7L74Alq4cVyjNyHqZ3SzGPft9rYZ7BZ9pFNftAdk

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by andykwilkinson

[andykwilkinson]

A few of us having post-exhibition beers and a meal in a local Ely pub after the show had been all packed away!

[andykwilkinson]

Just a quick update about our 2024 Exhibition (which will be on Sat 18th May).  We are well aware that the queue to get into this year's show was at times (especially in the morning) unacceptably long and we apologise for this.  I suspect it's because more and more people are now paying by card - which even with the card readers we have and 3 experienced people manning the door - seems to take longer than cash transactions.

 

So, at our Exhibition Post Mortem Meeting last week, we have decided to DOUBLE the door ticket issuing/manning capacity next year, especially during the first couple of hours.  We will have one table for Card & Cash, and a second table (across the corridor in the Entrance Lobby) which will just be for Cash transactions.  Hopefully this will considerably speed up entry.

 

Also, the Vintage bus shuttle to/from the station seems to have been mostly very well received.  We plan on doing the same next year!