Jump to content
 

Warley at Statfold 12th & 13th October 2024


Chris M
 Share

Recommended Posts

3 minutes ago, jonhall said:

did anyone go today?

 

I'm looking forward to going tomorrow

 

Jon

We had a fantastic day. It was busy all day. Lots of families and modellers. Dog friendly and many were walking around on leads enjoying the layouts. Definitely worth visiting. Free train rides too! 

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

It was great. Lots of space, good layouts, narrow gauge steam and a very pleasant atmosphere. No rucksack bashes, and no smelly creatures either.

 

The trade was interesting - not many specialists, and quite a lot of griping from stall holders about low spend from the visitors. My impression is that people attending did not see it as a shopping exhibition, but instead, went to see the trains.

 

The Warley Club members were very welcoming, and the Statfold people lovely too.

 

Parking free and easy, lots of shuttle buses, and more 2’ gauge engines in one place then anywhere else I know!

 

Highly recommended! Thank you Warley MRC and Statfold.

 

Paul

  • Like 3
  • Agree 3
  • Informative/Useful 1
  • Interesting/Thought-provoking 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, exet1095 said:

The trade was interesting - not many specialists, and quite a lot of griping from stall holders about low spend from the visitors. 

That was interesting - possibly just a reflection on how expensive the hobby is but I know I spent a fair bit at a couple of smaller traders yesterday. One of the stalls there was selling a jumber of recent Chinese Bachmann and Hornby locos for spares for £20 a pop - worth that just for the mechanisms alone. 

 

Overall a very good exhibition - we certainly enjoyed it more than the traditional Warley setting. Was nice to take a break by walking outside or have a spin around the balloon loop. Harrogate seemed to climb the bank effortlessly and is always good to see Fiji. 

 

My only suggestion (certainly not a criticism) is that on previous visits to Statfold they've had brio in the room that was dedicated this time to members. It was quite a sad reflection of where the hobby is that the Thomas layout had 'do not touch' all over it when sadly that's exactly what children want to do. I'm not naive that there was probably about £1000 worth of stock on that table alone hence the notice but there wasn't anything there from a model perspective for children to interact with beyond visually, especially todellers, to just pick up and play with. It's not just Warley - seems like every exhibition I've been to this year. As a very small suggestion putting some brio, Tomy, even Hornvy/Bachmann track and trains (or anything similar - as long as its cheap) on a couple of play mats in a corner and just a sign with 'kids zone' written on it would definitely encourage the hands on, creative (and sometimes destructive) element of younger modellers.

Edited by SteveGears
  • Like 7
  • Agree 2
  • Interesting/Thought-provoking 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

We arrived just before 10am this morning and the car park was starting to fill up. We went straight to the main exhibition hall and this was pretty much empty so we had plenty of room to see the layouts. But it soon started to fill up. 

Lez bought a few bits for her 009 layout. I am saving my pennies at the moment as there will be some new O gauge releases on the horizon.

We had a ride on the train behind a couple of different locomotives and then went back in for another look around.

 

Here are a few snaps from today of some of the layouts.

 

A good finale to our whole weeks holiday of doing nothing but Welsh narrow gauge.

 

Cheers, Ade.

 

IMG_7175.jpeg

IMG_7176.jpeg

IMG_7177.jpeg

IMG_7178.jpeg

IMG_7179.jpeg

IMG_7180.jpeg

IMG_7181.jpeg

IMG_7182.jpeg

IMG_7189.jpeg

IMG_7190.jpeg

IMG_7191.jpeg

IMG_7192.jpeg

IMG_7193.jpeg

IMG_7194.jpeg

IMG_7212.jpeg

IMG_7213.jpeg

IMG_7214.jpeg

IMG_7215.jpeg

IMG_7216.jpeg

IMG_7217.jpeg

IMG_7218.jpeg

IMG_7219.jpeg

IMG_7220.jpeg

IMG_7221.jpeg

IMG_7222.jpeg

IMG_7223.jpeg

IMG_7224.jpeg

IMG_7225.jpeg

IMG_7226.jpeg

IMG_7227.jpeg

IMG_7228.jpeg

IMG_7229.jpeg

IMG_7230.jpeg

IMG_7231.jpeg

IMG_7232.jpeg

IMG_7233.jpeg

IMG_7234.jpeg

IMG_7235.jpeg

IMG_7236.jpeg

IMG_7237.jpeg

IMG_7238.jpeg

IMG_7239.jpeg

IMG_7240.jpeg

IMG_7241.jpeg

IMG_7242.jpeg

IMG_7243.jpeg

IMG_7244.jpeg

IMG_7245.jpeg

  • Like 16
  • Thanks 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I think the only thing I can say is a huge ‘thank you’ to the Statfold Barn and Warley teams. I don’t know when I went to a show that was just so much fun!

 

The venue was great and the opportunity to see the locos in the roundhouse and ride on the trains only added to quality of the layouts. It may have been smaller, with fewer layouts than the NEC but I have to say I preferred it. Far less claustrophobic than an exhibition hall with plenty of seating and the opportunity to get fresh air. Catering and parking were better!

I’ll be back next year

  • Like 4
  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I go to far too many exhibitions and so it was a query whether to di this.  Not least as I did the April Statfold show.  This felt very different. Less crowded and a lot of family visitors.  Drop the rucksack meme - the three wheel off road double kiddie buggie is here.

 

It wax good and worth it for me.  Fasinating no one has griped about the price which is about the same as NEC.

 

Not sure the trade was completely happy though. A lot of normals as opposed to modellers. 

 

Did spend but 2 cash only traders missed out - its 2024

  • Like 2
  • Informative/Useful 1
  • Interesting/Thought-provoking 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

The Midland Railway Society stand, in free-flow union with the S7 Group and S7 demonstration stand, was steadily busy with enquiries about the Midland - not just rolling stock and infrastructure, but also family and staff history. At least half-a-dozen people, seeing a photo of Toton yard in Midland days, volunteered the information that they had been born within a mile of the place! We were very happy to welcome six new members to the Society.

 

As others have said, a very pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. Congratulations to Paul and his team!

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

Back from an excellent weekend on the EMGS stand. I concur with all the previous positive comments about 'Warley at Statfold'. Having never visited Statfold before it was a real eye opener, and I was still discovering new things to look at that I hadn't previously spotted, as the last hour loomed. We had much interest in modelling to EM gauge, and Bernie Baker's exquisite 'Orfe Quay' attracted much attention over both days.

 

I have it on good authority that the organisers were well pleased with the attendance, which exceeded 2800 over the weekend.

 

Thanks Warley MRC for the invitation to the EMGS. 'Warley at Statfold' will be on our exhibition list for next year, as will the Stafford show, as we also had an enquiry about taking the EMGS stand there in 2025.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...