Warley NEC National Show 25th & 26th November 2023

[Compound1000]

The live steam layout had some era 1 stock on it and I remarked on that to a friend. When we spent some time there later they were running other things, a City and some GWR coaches and a long, long goods train but the era 1 rake did look lovely going round when I caught a glimpse of it earler. 

 

Also notable how the 009 thing has really taken off. Not my thing personally as a modeller but I remember saying to friends a year or 2 ago it would get more and more popular and it seems to have done. The layouts at Warley in that scale are certrainly worth a visit IMO. 

[MrTea]

12 hours ago, timdunn said:

Well. After all the positive comments i've read this pm I decided heck, sod having a day off, and we'll head there tomorrow. So I went online this evening to buy tickets. BUT!  Is it just me or is https://www.theticketfactory.com/tickets/events/warley-national-model-railway/ not selling tickets at all for tomorrow?

 

Looks like I'll be queuing on the door if so. It is 2023 and I have a not unreasonable expectation for tickets to be available online for the next day, but then perhaps that's because I spent 7 years working for Europe's largest independent train ticket retailer, trainl*ne. I ASSUME it's not a sell-out, because there's no message to that effect anywhere, so I'll be cross if I get there from London via Avanti to find we can't buy ours on the door.

I’ve fallen foul of this as well, having tried to buy tickets in advance on Friday afternoon. I hadn’t realised there was a cut off of 4pm Thursday for online sales. I think it would be good if that could be made clearer for future shows. 
 

Hope to see some of you at the show today. 
 

Ian

[rogerzilla]

Berkswell is free parking and about a 10 minute, cheap, train ride to Bham Int.  The walk is then all indoors and shorter than it would be from the NEC car park.  And you don't need ti queue to get into the car park.

[Hobby]

So's Marston Green and is only a couple of minutes away.

Edited November 26, 2023 by Hobby

[RobAllen]

Note to self: Always take a photo of the name of the layout before taking the rest of the photos…

 

[Adrian Stevenson]

I too was impressed with the 009 layouts and on how popular this scale is becoming. 

[Legend]

1 hour ago, Mike Bellamy said:

 

 

I suppose the question to ask is why do visitors go to exhibitions - is it layouts, trade or both ?

 

Both 

 

I suppose to an extent it depends where the exhibition is for trade , but up in Glasgow there’s not much in the way of local Model Railway shops , so the trade part is quite important to stock up on things like ballast , scenic items , even track etc . 
 

I must admit when attending exhibitions I like to see large  layouts . Generally Perth and Model Rail Scotland do that well . I sort of agree with Stivesnicks categories . I do remember a large Western Region terminal layout from 10 -15 years ago . Was it Westport, Westcliff  or something like that . It certainly appeared in BRM as I remember buying a copy based on inclusion of that layout , but mainly I remember it from Perth. Just watching trains arrive , disposal of stock, engine to mpd for replacement etc  . Operation of these layouts is important and is much more likely to get my attention than a large roundy roundy, although I like these too .  For a while the GWR branch layout was all over the place , now I find it’s diesel traction depots . Never really understood what people get from the operation of these layouts . It seems they are just a ploy to show off stock . So for me , these are the layouts that get less attention 

 

Glad it seems everyone enjoyed Warley .  Now I’m speeding to retirement I may well plan a visit next year . 

Edited November 26, 2023 by Legend

[fezza]

The layouts I find most interesting are those that are operated purposefully to a timetable or at least a schedule (preferably with a screen or flip chart / card to show what is going on). Yet there seem to be very few of these today and maybe only a couple at Warley?

[C126]

14 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

A bit off topic, but it might be useful info for those who struggled to find a a seat, especially if their legs are not as good as they once were.

 

Have a look at folding walking stick seats, or whatever they’re called.

There are different types, some of which fold up very neatly and are light to carry around.

 

.

 

I bought one of these a few months ago :

 

https://shakespeare-fishing.co.uk/products/compact-folding-stool-1368535

 

and spent ten happy mins resting my lallies with some Zen shunting at Hillport Goods.  £27 at Fly Fishing Tackle on the www.

 

 

[AY Mod]

Another star with the freebie mag.

 

[Mallard60022]

On 25/11/2023 at 09:04, RobAllen said:

Some of us have decades of work to go before pension… 

...and you are already 65?

Apologies.

P

[woodenhead]

11 minutes ago, C126 said:

 

I bought one of these a few months ago :

 

https://shakespeare-fishing.co.uk/products/compact-folding-stool-1368535

 

and spent ten happy mins resting my lallies with some Zen shunting at Hillport Goods.  £27 at Fly Fishing Tackle on the www.

 

 

I can see the complaints in 2024 - "Not only did everyone stink of sweat, have massive rucksacks and were generally obnoxious, but now I find myself getting my feet regularly crushed under stool legs as these beast of burden stop to take a rest in front of a layout" 🤣

[RobAllen]

9 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

...and you are already 65?

Apologies.

P

LOL!

Ha! A good 15 years until 65, but of course, that's not when I qualify for the state pension… 

[AY Mod]

Mr Narrow Gauge World, not often seen at big shows that don't have fancy new cars.

 

[Adrian Stevenson]

Last of the pics I took yesterday. Sorry no names to the layouts. 009 features a lot as my wife is currently building her first layout and I took these pics for her.

Cheers, Ade.

[woodenhead]

33 minutes ago, Adrian Stevenson said:

I too was impressed with the 009 layouts and on how popular this scale is becoming. 

If you look more closely at the layouts you'll know that whilst the modular one benefits from some of the newer products, most including the modular one were using kit and scratch built stuff, 3D printing is very popular also in this scale.  There was even one layout with handbuilt track rather than Peco.

 

Whilst Bachmann and Peco have created a boom in 009 sales and popularity, the 009 society & Warley have brought long standing groups to the show.  Along with the K&ESR Rolvendon next door what they displayed very much is that if you like your railways a little bit leftfield of the Big four or BR then this is the sort of modelling for you.

[franciswilliamwebb]

21 minutes ago, C126 said:

 

£27 at Fly Fishing Tackle on the www.

By J R Hartley…

[SD85]

17 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

 

 

There are a few other layouts that are very good, but not as if they’d knock your socks off, or have any sort of wow factor.

 

South Pelaw?

 

I had a good day yesterday, thanks to @DLT for letting me operate Bridport Town in the afternoon, was fun to do so.

Edited November 26, 2023 by SD85

[polybear]

49 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

Another star with the freebie mag.

 

 

C'mon Andy - own up....these are Police Mug Shots.....

[ERIC ALLTORQUE]

The only thing the show was missing was a Dalek...............

[AY Mod]

4 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

C'mon Andy - own up....these are Police Mug Shots.....

 

Or the equivalent of a kidnapper's dated newspaper as proof for the ransom.

[AY Mod]

Mr. N gauge 'imself.

 

 

[blueeighties]

3 hours ago, Mike Bellamy said:

 

 

I suppose the question to ask is why do visitors go to exhibitions - is it layouts, trade or both ?

 

Take out the layouts and you cut out a lot of expense - hall hire, advertising, insurance, etc need to be covered but if you charged traders a lot less would more go to your event.

 

The Guildford O Gauge Group have a 'Trade Show' next week - 60 stands - 1000 free parking spaces and only £7.50 admission. In fact after looking at their website, it does mention that they will have layouts there which may possibly be a first. Even at Guild events there are often only a few layouts - except at the main September Guildex at Stafford.

.

And guild show footfall has been in decline for a long time now. Same thing....very few layouts and lots of trade don't cater for the current predominantly rtr customer.

[C126]

46 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

Mr. N gauge 'imself.

 

 

 

Was the gent. in the lower picture present on Saturday in a topper, tail-coat, and strange neck-wear?  I missed him later in the day for a discussion on Victorian cravats...

 

 

[C126]

Thanks to all for my first visit.  I enjoyed myself, as usual doing no prep. so bouncing around the hall like a pin-ball trying to locate stands.  Queued only ten mins. for a ticket, and spent this time marking the map for likely interests.

 

Despite careful spending, I still went over-budget with a copy from the Darjeeling Railway Soc. of The Great Indian Railway Atlas (3d ed.).  Got my two Parkside wagon kits as hoped and other stuff, and home on time by train.  Thank you all for a splendid day out.  I look forward to next year's.

Edited November 26, 2023 by C126
Clarity and brevity.