Nottingham Exhibition - 19th/20th March

[Colin Peake]

Just wondering if any of the gNotters are considering attending over the coming weekend?

I'll be around on the Sunday, I'm down for manning the DEMU stand, so if you are around, fake an interest in standard gauge diesels and we can get talking

I'll not be behind the stand all the day though, need to do some shopping (transfers for a certain tram loco) and see some layouts too!

[Versif]

I hope to be there but not sure whether on Saturday or Sunday. If on the Sunday I'll look you up!

Cheers

[MOG]

Me too.. not sure but hoping to get down on Sunday.. ideally early on to avoid parking chaos.
I'll be looking for a few N gauge American bits so definitely standard gauge diesels but probably the wrong side of the pond eh?

I have got a 00 BR blue 04 so does that qualify me? (Just need five suitable wagons for my little mini-inglenook shelf layout)

Might see you gentlemen there!

[David Nix]

I should make it, probably Saturday, not looking for anything in particular, possibly see you there Petar, sorry I'll miss Colin & Martin.

[Colin Peake]

I'll be looking for a few N gauge American bits so definitely standard gauge diesels but probably the wrong side of the pond eh?

Ironically US diesels are acceptable to the majority of DEMU members, but not narrow gauge ones, even modelled to prototype! However, I do know of one or two NG fans amongst the members, so I'm not alone

I have got a 00 BR blue 04 so does that qualify me? (Just need five suitable wagons for my little mini-inglenook shelf layout)

Definately! I'll sort you out with a membership form For that little layout you could do with some 12t vans, opens and minerals in 1970s condition to go with it - ask if you want any pointers. Nice layout BTW, certainly set some cogs going at this end

[David Nix]

Hi Martin, Ian, Petar

How did you enjoy the Nottingham Exhibition?
I went Saturday morning and think I hit a peak time because it was very crowded. I enjoyed the trade stands and bought some tools and materials. Disappointed there was not more narrow gauge (I knew in advance that there was no Gn15 and very little else) but looking at the Guide after I arrived home, realised I'd missed some of what was there (yes I know the idea is to look at the guide while you're there )
I couldn't get near the Ashbourne (Park Road) layout - meant to go back to it but forgot - the story of my life

On the positive side were the number of layouts being operated by young and youngish girls - is this a trend?

[Versif]

Being a tight fisted old git I thought the £6 entry was a bit steep On the other hand there were lots of goodies on offer at reasonable prices so it balanced out in the end.

I went Sunday, shoving room only and I've the bruises to prove it. Railway modellers are such an uncouth lot compared to wargamers, :LOL:

Didn't buy the guide after the entry fee but fairly certain I missed nothing I basically walked the hall 4 times, first to see what's about, second to view every layout and third time to ogle the best of the bunch and talk to the operatives if possible and finally just to spot anything I may have missed or couldn't fight my way to the front of the second time around!

There were some very nicely done layouts but strangely they didn't all grab my attention. Probably too much time on Gn15 and american HO So I liked the narrow gauge stuff and the american layouts apart the huge n-gauge layout. Would have preferred more layouts myself Each to there own. Impressive though from a perspective of long trains, but not my cup of tea.

Drooled over the stand selling LGB, fought the urge to buy a starter set and so went off and bought some freight cars instead. Learnt the art of tree making from 2 of the demo stands.

Now that is an area where I think the show did very well and one of the reasons why on balance I think the £6 was worth it. Lots of demonstrations on everything modelling and all you had to do was ask and they delivered. Superb!

Met Colin performing his duties and had a natter while I ogled HO stuff before foolishly parting with my dosh. I think I may still have to go to M G Sharp's though

Best layout for me was the small american yard based on the Rock Island line (Imperial Yard). Appealed to my new micro layout tendencies and I was impressed by the operational element. My initial reaction on seeing 3 fixed tracks as a fiddle yard was "No operating potential" but I watched and was impressed. He may just have shunted cabooses and locos but it was engrossing and he answered a whole load of newbie questions and never laughed once at my ignorance of american practice A very nice small shunting layout that would easily adapt to general shunting.

Overall I enjoyed the show, got a few new toys and lots of those hard to get bits that most model shops don't seem to sell. Definitely worth it in the end

As for the trend, didn't really notice, there were some youngster's operating layouts but the only one I really recall was the young lad operating the american layout using DCC. He was quite entertaining, keeping the adults on their toes and seemed to be enjoying himself tremendously. Mind you so did most of the adults I saw If it is a trend that here's hoping it continues.

Cheers

Of course it would be even better value for less than £6

[MOG]

Morning Gnotters..
I went on Saturday morning.. despite having to park in the school next door, it wasn't as packed as I feared it would be. On the shopping front I came away pretty empty handed.. got a Rutland N scale box car which was a good find.. and a couple of boxes etc from Ten Commandments for the Gn15.
I walked around the hall a few times, homing in on the few layouts that caught my eye.. I do like O gauge..I was kind of hoping that 'Wirksworth' was going to be there this year but there were a couple of other nice O gauge layouts. At the other end of the scale, there was a really striking little 2mm layout.. I think it was called Wansbeck? chickens in 2mm scale?? I liked the HO Rock Island layout too, although I spent more time admiring the one around the corner which was a bit more rural.
Had a nice chat with the operators of the 7mm NG layout set in Derbyshire.. was that Ashbourne? I must admit.. I do like 7mm scale and seeing as I like Narrow Gauge, it seems a logical step to have a go at this. I don't want any more distractions at the moment however.. so it's one for the future I reckon.
I spent a bit of time ogling the German HO layout too. there's something about HO that just seems so much finer than OO.. I don't know if it's the quality of the available RTR and associated kits etc? There just seems to be a lot more detail.. especially the continental stuff.
The bigger roundy roundy layouts were all impressive enough but I can't remember much about them. I know what Petar means about the N scale US one.. very impressive but just didn't grab me.. it all seemed very open and bare.. not much to grab my attention as I'm not enough of a trainy to get excited by 60 car trains trundling along.
I did think the door cost was a bit steep too. Not sure how that's justified?
Only got jostled the once by a very rude man.. obviously not a wargamer!
Actually, I was standing at one layout when I noticed a chap with his daughter struggling to get a view.. I moved out of the way and signalled him in before I gave up the spot.. he seemed completely dumfounded.. is common courtesy such a rare occurrence that it shocks ??!
All in all quite an enjoyable show.. just a shame that I had to phone up and order the few bits by mail order that I was hoping to buy on the day.
Maybe what is needed next year is a Gn15 presence??

[David Nix]

It sounds as crowded when you were there Martin and Petar, I had to park in the school car park and when I left I noticed that they had stopped any more cars coming in even though there was then space by then.

I also thought the entrance fee was steep, but I musn't complain as I got in at concessionary rate.

You've both clearly got a better idea of how to approach an exhibition - go round four times - I only went round twice, and then missed some on the second circuit. The demonstrations were useful but it was difficult to see what was happening, let alone ask questions, perhaps I'm getting more impatient than I used to be.

A Gn15 presence would definately have helped, your suggestion about next year Martin is good, but how? I'm not keen on getting involved in a joint exhibition layout before then, and I got the impression that that feeling was mutual within the Gnotters, so we'll have to see how things develop.

Martin, I forgot to include this in yesterday's post, you new loco looks brilliant - that weathered rusty yellow and chunky lines would be ideal for a contractor's line or quarry, where the earth moving equipment looked as though it came from the same source.