Attending my first Exhibition - advice?

[SR71]

... And another thing. All this talk of packing the car/van carefully.

 

Just because you are exhibiting it doesn't mean that the trade stands are less tempting. They are usually more so in my experience due to the extended exposure. Make sure you can fit in stow aways for the return trip!

[JohnR]

5 hours ago, doilum said:

On the subject of transport: have you given any thought to protecting the baseboard joints? Likewise, securing a pair of baseboards so they cannot clatter around and damage each other. If there are more than two and van transport envisaged, a stacking system is well worth the time and materials involved. 

A dummy run for loading is essential. Don't forget to load everything. Houghton Street was designed from the outset to load into an Astra estate car. When we did our first overnight away show we had to decide which box of locos or wagons to leave behind in order to stow a tiny overnight case. My wife was not impressed with plan A which involved a poly bag for clean socks and knickers in the spare wheel well.

 

With this layout theres no issue with transport - the whole thing fits in a Really Useful box! 

[lofty.ian]

Just before lock-down, I took my layout to an exhibition, first time as a layout owner rather than part of a team.

I followed all the good advice about a packing list and spares etc.  What you can't allow for is the unexpected where you just have to do ones best, chill out and try to enjoy the experience.

Part way through the first day all the points failed and I thought it was the CDU.  Being prepared and having a spare, I changed it but after a couple of hours they failed again.  I bought another one but decided there was something else wrong.  I decided to run a very simple backwards and forwards sequence rather than anything complicated in the hope of keeping something running.  This also gave us more time to chat to everyone.

When I got home and investigated, all the CDUs worked perfectly, it was some of the push buttons sticking and draining the CDUs.

In the heat of the moment it is very easy to come to the wrong conclusion.  Needless to say I have since got rid of the push buttons.

Best advice is to keep cool and enjoy it whatever happens, it is only a hobby.

[Rivercider]

I have never exhibited a layout, so can only comment as a visitor.

 

I know there will be a handful of rivet counters, or clever clogs know it alls, but the vast majority

of visitors are there to enjoy themselves, not to find fault.

 

At an exhibition I generally try to check out all the layouts in numerical order, spending more time at those which interest me, or are not too busy at the time. I then go around again returning to those that particularly appealed to me.

By later in the day if a lone operator is sat down, or eating a sandwich, I don't expect them to leap into immediate action. I don't know if you enjoy chatting to members of the public about the layout, you will soon find out! Provided the operator(s) are not in the middle of an obvious problem I generally make a simple comment about an aspect of the layout that I like, and then judge if the operator has time or wants to chat about the layout, usually it is quite obvious.

 

Good luck,

 

cheers

[doilum]

20 hours ago, 88C said:

Just an old fashioned spirit level.

Two pins and a bricklayers string line are more useful unless runaway wagons are envisaged.

[knitpick]

Sorry but you MUST have a spare operator with you / available.  All day operating is exhausting and the more tired you get the more likely you are to make a mistake.  There are also the issues of eating / drinking and "personal needs" breaks.  And it's always good to visit other layouts and the trade stands at the show.  When at an exhibition, we try to operate on the one hour on one hour off basis - though if short of operators it may be two hours on then one off.  Also you may get an unexpected medical emergency; I had a very unexpected medical emergency once during an exhibition and had to stop operating and was unable to attend the following day (two day event).

[john new]

Wishing you well for the show.

[JohnR]

1 hour ago, knitpick said:

Sorry but you MUST have a spare operator with you / available.  All day operating is exhausting and the more tired you get the more likely you are to make a mistake.  There are also the issues of eating / drinking and "personal needs" breaks.  And it's always good to visit other layouts and the trade stands at the show.  

 

I accept its not ideal, but what do you suggest? 

[Phil Parker]

3 minutes ago, JohnR said:

 

I accept its not ideal, but what do you suggest? 

 

It's more than "not ideal". What happens at 11am when you need the toilet?

 

• Are you a member of a model railway club? I got into exhibiting by being recruited to help other people with thier layouts. At the time, I could do this at very short notice.
• It might be worth talking to the exhibition manager. While you'll usuaully find that all the useful people are occupied all day, you might get lucky and be able to borrow someone from the club.
• How about an appeal on RMweb? Tell people about the layout and you might find someone local who is willing to help. Be a bit cautious about this - you need someone who has operated before, NOT someone just looking for a free entry to the show.

 

1 hour ago, knitpick said:

Also you may get an unexpected medical emergency; I had a very unexpected medical emergency once during an exhibition and had to stop operating and was unable to attend the following day (two day event).

 

Steak and Ale pie at a pub in St Albans many years ago. Spent the night talking to huey on the big white telephone. Left my Dad to operate pretty much all of Sunday while I recoverd enough to drive us home. That's the only time this has happened, but it wasn't fun.

[Chris M]

23 hours ago, Tim V said:

You will get criticised by visitors and on social media.

 

Don't take this to heart. My layout was shredded on a forum (not this one). I was made aware of it, but ignored it. The best thing you can do is not rise to the bait. Unfortunately, a link was put from this forum to the thread on the other forum which vastly increased the exposure those comments got - which was what they wanted.

 

There are people out there who revel in the attention.

 

In my experience not necessarily. I’ve taken my own layouts to over 30 shows and only ever had one slightly negative comment on social media. I made a joke comment back and we both had a bit of a laugh.

On the other hand it’s really nice when you see good comments on social media bit don’t let it go to your head. And don’t worry if you get no comments at all - I find that is most usual.

Don’t expect to win any of the “best layout” votes. If you are lucky someone might say “for me, this is the best layout on the show”. That is enough to make a great show experience.

[Tim V]

5 minutes ago, Chris M said:

In my experience not necessarily. I’ve taken my own layouts to over 30 shows and only ever had one slightly negative comment on social media. I made a joke comment back and we both had a bit of a laugh.

On the other hand it’s really nice when you see good comments on social media bit don’t let it go to your head. And don’t worry if you get no comments at all - I find that is most usual.

Don’t expect to win any of the “best layout” votes. If you are lucky someone might say “for me, this is the best layout on the show”. That is enough to make a great show experience.

Perhaps you were lucky. I've taken my layouts to nearly 50 shows, so have some experience.

 

My layout and another were subjected to a vitriolic attack on another forum, mainly populated with members who had been kicked off RMweb.

 

It can be those that hurt, which was why I raised it. However, the number of supportive comments following that interlude, and the number of videos of that layout (now retired), and positive remarks make it all worth while. 

 

Fully agree with your last sentence, though getting 'Best in Show' does have a certain kudos! 

[DCMarvel]

Definitely recommend getting some of those click together thick foam tiles to stand on. After standing almost still for the best part of a day your feet will kill you. Comfy shoes with a good heel and instep and something soft underfoot, or it will not be enjoyable. Take breaks, go make a brew and wander round the other layouts the exhibition manager will find someont to watch your layout when you go, there are usually club members wandering about for exactly this purpose.

[darrel]

Before going test every set of points test every inch of track test all the locos. 

Be prepared that even after testing everything and ensuring it all works when you get there something won't work. It's just the way it goes.

Give yourself lots of time to set up. When you are set up test everything again. It will probably all work. Be prepared for it to stop working in the first hour of the show. These things happen.

Take some glue with you to stick back on the bits that will fall off the layout even though they were glued down. 

Take some scatter material and ballast with you to replace the bits that fell off in transit.

Remember to take a tool box with you. Essentials are a multimeter a soldering iron screw drivers. Track rubber wheel cleaners. Of course if you forget to take something it will be the very thing you need.

If you are on your own operating the layout take sandwiches and a flask of tea, strong coffee, or stronger whisky. 

OK so it's opening time and you have the layout running perfectly, well until it goes wrong......

Remember why people go to shows in the first place, to watch trains running. It's also called a show for a reason. So put on a show run as many trains as you can, try and keep something moving at all times. People well normal people, not enthusiasts will stand at a layout for two minutes at most waiting for a train to run, after that they walk away. If there is something running they will stay longer.

Be prepared for questions some sensible some not. "Is this based on a real place?" Is one of the most common questions. 

Remember when the layout starts giving problems , and it will, don't swear in front of children. Difficult I know. 

Your layout has moved from a stable temperature in your railway room, outside in the car into another hall. Now as the hall gets busier it warms up. Your track has been expanding and contracting and things that used to work now decide not to.

Listen most of all enjoy it. It's great to get positive feedback on your layout its nice to meet new people and to be able to show off what you have built.

Before you know it the show will be over your feet will be aching and you have to pack it all away and take it home again. When you get home leave it for a day before setting it up again and give it a test. at that point you will find the bit that had stopped working that you spent ages trying to fix has miraculously started working again for no reason whatsoever. 

After that you can start to look forward to your next show.

[Phil Parker]

On 12/07/2022 at 13:06, Tim V said:

You will get criticised by visitors and on social media.

 

With well over 100 shows under my belt, I've never had a problem. The odd comment in person perhaps, but the moment you ask, "What's your layout like then, the usually wander off muttering about how it will be wonderful when they eventually get around to building it." My most memorable one was a muppet at Brighton criticising the lack of tarmac on my Hellingly Hospital layout. He could remember it being there he told me. Of course he was forgetting a couple of points - the layout is set in 1900, and the roads didn't get tarmac around there until the 1950s. I mentioned this and he still wanted to go off on one.

 

So, in my experience, to so say "You will get criticised by visitors and on social media." isn't true. You may get some criticism, and if that is a problem, then don't take your layout to a show.

 

You'll get far more positive feedback, A weekend full of people telling you how wonderful your modelling is makes for a satisfied ego. Been there. Done that. Many times!

[Pacific231G]

On 12/07/2022 at 13:06, Tim V said:

You will get criticised by visitors and on social media.

 

Don't take this to heart. My layout was shredded on a forum (not this one). I was made aware of it, but ignored it. The best thing you can do is not rise to the bait. Unfortunately, a link was put from this forum to the thread on the other forum which vastly increased the exposure those comments got - which was what they wanted.

 

There are people out there who revel in the attention.

 

And remember that any shredding will come from people who've never built a decent layout in their life so their opinions are about as valid as mine would be about dressage (i.e. not at all) 

Useful phrases for this are

Rule One (It's my layout and I do things my way)

Ask me if I care  (I got that from a femals American friend) 

I think you may be confusing me with someone who gives a d**n.

That's terribly interesting, could you post some photos of how you do it?

 

It obviously depends on how someone being critical approaches it.

Someone who just want to feel themself superior is obviously different from someone who is trying to be helpful but has perhaps "an unfortunate manner" in putting that over.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Pacific231G
completing the post after a long interruption

[RedgateModels]

When I first started exhibiting Summat Colliery I had two old boys on different days insisting to their pals/spouse that it was X or Y colliery they were looking at. I did not have the heart to tell them that it was entirely fictitious - the name being a giveaway (Something like a Colliery)

 

I took it as a compliment though on both occasions 😀

 

And in all those years not one person has pulled me up on having a lotus Elan parked up at a Colliery set in 1958 ........

[JohnR]

35 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

 

It's more than "not ideal". What happens at 11am when you need the toilet?

 

• Are you a member of a model railway club? I got into exhibiting by being recruited to help other people with thier layouts. At the time, I could do this at very short notice.

 

I'm not a member of a club, I'm afraid, hence my nervousness about exhibiting (instead of visiting) at an exhibition.

 

Quote

• It might be worth talking to the exhibition manager. While you'll usuaully find that all the useful people are occupied all day, you might get lucky and be able to borrow someone from the club.
• How about an appeal on RMweb? Tell people about the layout and you might find someone local who is willing to help. Be a bit cautious about this - you need someone who has operated before, NOT someone just looking for a free entry to the show.

 

I'll certainly ask the exhibition manager, but I'll also ask on here...

 

 

 

[wombatofludham]

I think you will be pleasantly surprised how many people will appreciate your time and effort.

In my limited exhibition experience, if you have a friend or someone you can grab to help you operate the layout it will be worth it, just for peace of mind when you need to eat/drink/defecate etc.  Try if possible to engage with people who stop to look - open the conversation with something like "Hi, do you have a layout?", I have found some people are a bit reticent to speak but if you open up they will become more interested.  Question them on their likes and dislikes and chat with them about what inspired you and you'll find the whole experience much more fun and despite the tiring nature of the day it'll be a more positive experience.  Any technical glitches when people are watching can be made into an opportunity for a joke - on "Dolgellau" the other week during a particularly busy stretch a faulty point caused the usual stall, so I just loudly announced "Good job we're in the Chapel as I need the Hand of God" before giving the demic 4MT tank a hefty shove from behind.  On "Kings Oak" I'd regularly forget the inertia braking and crash into the buffer stops, much to the mirth of watchers to which I usually replied "More tea and biscuits with the manager".  If you can engage with viewers - and I appreciate not everyone can - it really does make the day more enjoyable on both sides of the boards.

But above all, enjoy the show and if you are able to have a helper, pop and look and chat with other exhibitors, tell them you are new and see what advice they give.  You'll soon feel part of the "brethren".

[DaveF]

Now and then someone will visit an exhibition intending to take something home they have not paid for, either taken from a trade stand or a layout.

 

So make sure you keep an eye on any stock that is within reach of a visitor, store spare things where they cannot easily be reached so they cannot be stolen.  Try not to turn your back when people are close to the layout.

 

In about 14 years of exhibiting I think we had only one attempt at theft, as soon as we glared at the person the item was put back on the track.  Of course he might only have picked it up to have a close look at it....   It happened rather more often during the twenty plus years I helped out on trade stands.

 

David

Edited July 13, 2022 by DaveF

[fulton]

As for operating by yourself, I've done it on a small layout, when my normal help was not available, set out to pace myself and to take things easy, had food and drink ready, asked the layout next door to keep an eye while I had a comfort break, had a good look around before opening, in fact had a good day.

[Chris M]

I don’t believe in being rude or aggressive to anyone who makes a bad comment. I always remain very polite. If someone does comment about something not being right ( which has hardly ever happened on my own layouts). It can be fun to make up some complete bullshot and explain it to the moaner in a convincing manner. That can send folk away believing something that is completely untrue and it nice when that is achieved.

 

Sometimes of course truth is rather strange. For instance who would have that that a Jubilee went to Newton Abbot on a freight working in 1963? There is photographic evidence to prove this. But at an exhibition who is going to know whether that is true or made up on the spot? Also of course a couple of Stanier Pacifics were put into use on South West trains when the king’s front bogies were being strengthened.

I reckon if any says something isn’t right on your layout a good response is “ah, but have you seen the photo on page 53 on the RMWEB prototype for everything topic?” Who’s going to argue with that?

[Rivercider]

1 hour ago, RedgateModels said:

When I first started exhibiting Summat Colliery I had two old boys on different days insisting to their pals/spouse that it was X or Y colliery they were looking at. I did not have the heart to tell them that it was entirely fictitious - the name being a giveaway (Something like a Colliery)

 

I took it as a compliment though on both occasions 😀

 

And in all those years not one person has pulled me up on having a lotus Elan parked up at a Colliery set in 1958 ........

I think that can be the ultimate compliment, where a viewer of the layout thinks it is somewhere he or she has visited. The fact that the layout is completely made up, or composed of a number of real buildings and locations meshed together in a realistic manner, but looks like a real place, means the builder(s) of the layout have achieved something special.

 

cheers 

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, darrel said:

Remember why people go to shows in the first place, to watch trains running. It's also called a show for a reason. So put on a show run as many trains as you can, try and keep something moving at all times. People well normal people, not enthusiasts will stand at a layout for two minutes at most waiting for a train to run, after that they walk away. If there is something running they will stay longer.

 

Unfortunately there are some who think that running a prototypical sleepy branchline means no trains for long periods! (not many fortunately).

A compressed timetable or the same one repeated at regular intervals keeps people interested. Only the ardent knit picker will complain.

 

 

[Pacific231G]

7 hours ago, knitpick said:

Sorry but you MUST have a spare operator with you / available.  All day operating is exhausting and the more tired you get the more likely you are to make a mistake...

I agree and when I have taken a layout on my own, it's always been at society shows or events where I know enough people to get one of two of them to operate it. The good thing about volunteering to help with and operate the layouts of others, obviously others who trust you to do so,   is that it is a very good way of discovering (or confirming) what sort of layout you want for yourself and, perhaps more important, what sort of layout you don't want. 

From that I know for example that I do want a terminus rather than a through station; that a passenger-only Minories type terminus isn't enough to keep me entertained for long but one with a goods yard of some description is; that on a fairly simple BLT a third, probably private siding, facing  in the opposite direction to a two road goods yard (but not a kick back from one of them as with Ashburton),  makes operation far more interesting; and that I dont want to use three link couplings no matter that they look better!

I also know that a BLT operated by one person will have pauses while the fiddle yard is being reorganised, another reason for a second person,  and that's just the way it is so, while keeping the gaps to a reasonable minimum, don't rush things just to try and keep something moving at all times.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Pacific231G

[JohnR]

2 hours ago, melmerby said:

Unfortunately there are some who think that running a prototypical sleepy branchline means no trains for long periods! (not many fortunately).

A compressed timetable or the same one repeated at regular intervals keeps people interested. Only the ardent knit picker will complain.

 

 

 

Ha! I havnt sorted out an actual timetable, but running a sequence of moves is what I had in mind. In reality, of course, this line would have seen about 3 trains a day, and no where near the level of freight traffic I had wagons for!