Just bought my ticket for the N Gauge show...

BoxTunnel · July 12, 2017, 01:54:10 AM

...is it good/bad/indifferent?

I will leave my wallet at home in any case, no spare cash left!

woodbury22uk · July 12, 2017, 06:55:06 AM

This year.

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=34577.0

Last year

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=32821.0

PLD · July 12, 2017, 07:59:55 AM

Quote from: BoxTunnel on July 12, 2017, 01:54:10 AM
...is it good/bad/indifferent?

Depends on what you want from it...

An N-gauge shopping fest with all the main (and most of the minor) N gauge manufacturers and supplier present: - It's fantastic, the best show of the year.
A wide range of top quality N-gauge layouts: - Hit and Miss... How cheap a layout is, is at least as important as how good it is in the organisers selection of layouts. Many of the top layouts either are not invited because they are too expensive or the owners decline invitations because they are unwilling to compromise their presentation or reduce staffing to cut costs (and every penny saved goes into Meridienne's profit margin, not back in to the hobby)
From an Exhibitor's perspective - the worst ever, unfreindly, penny-pinching - worst hospitality ever encountered.

RailGooner · July 12, 2017, 10:45:19 AM

Quote from: PLD on July 12, 2017, 07:59:55 AM
Quote from: BoxTunnel on July 12, 2017, 01:54:10 AM
...is it good/bad/indifferent?

Depends on what you want from it...

An N-gauge shopping fest with all the main (and most of the minor) N gauge manufacturers and supplier present: - It's fantastic, the best show of the year.
A wide range of top quality N-gauge layouts: - Hit and Miss... How cheap a layout is, is at least as important as how good it is in the organisers selection of layouts. Many of the top layouts either are not invited because they are too expensive or the owners decline invitations because they are unwilling to compromise their presentation or reduce staffing to cut costs (and every penny saved goes into Meridienne's profit margin, not back in to the hobby)
From an Exhibitor's perspective - the worst ever, unfreindly, penny-pinching - worst hospitality ever encountered.

And point 2 is the reason why I won't be going.

Newportnobby · July 12, 2017, 11:46:42 AM

Worth going for the forum meet up at which generally between 20 and 30 members meet for a photo shoot

Take your own refreshments as chances are you won't make it to the upstairs café/restaurant

Wear full body armour so as to shrug off hits from oversize Bergens and be prepared for an assault on your sense of smell on occasion.
Always worth going the once and then deciding afterwards whether to go again.

Dorsetmike · July 12, 2017, 12:22:25 PM

My main reason for going is the trade stands not the layouts, I can see those at other shows.

Bob G · July 12, 2017, 01:50:02 PM

I go for the following eight good reasons, and four of them are nothing to do with TINGS

1. The trade stands. Plan what you want to get beforehand and go shopping. Very good for baseboard bits/electrics/craft tools etc
2. The Dapol and Farish scrums (and other traders too) although knock down prices seem to have gone now
3. Meet folk at the NGS stand and also re-acquaint with other faces of old.
4. Pasty chips n beans plus a mug of tea upstairs. The pies are also good. Better value than sausages.
5. Get in early to finish by about 3pm Saturday, then back to Leamington for the food festival (samples of course) with wife, who has been shopping in Leamington since 10am! Odds on she spends more than I do at the show.
6. Meal in Leamington that evening plus B&B overnight.
7. Food festival shopping (came away with venison and goat last year. Must persuade wife that zebra, springbok and kudu would be interesting).
8. Go home happy.

Strangely I don't go for the layouts, although some are very good indeed, and they are the bonus. I've never felt the need to force myself on Forum folk or have my photo taken with them either, but some people are much more gregarious and simply have to do it.

Bob

ntpntpntp · July 12, 2017, 03:37:41 PM

I'm only really going for one reason this year: german friends from N Club International will be there again with selected parts of their modular system, which is expected to include something new with which I've had some involvement over the past few months!

Also expect to meet other english friends of course and enjoy some layouts. Nothing much on the purchase wishlist at the moment.

Having exhibited there a couple of times in the past, I'm familiar with the catering arrangements and actually don't recall ever experiencing problems. I seem to remember the pasties were quite decent!

dannyboy · July 12, 2017, 03:57:15 PM

I bought my ticket, booked accommodation for the Saturday night and the car on the ferry crossing a few months ago. I am going mainly because I have not been before and having been in this hobby of ours for just over two years, I thought it would be an adventure for me! It would be nice to see some good, running, layouts and of course visit the trade stands as, where I am, there is not much chance of being 'hands on' with anything 'n'

- I have to do most of my buying on line. Plus, it would be fun (

), driving in the UK for the first time in 20 years

. I can think of one fly in the ointment though - I mentioned it to my brother - he has decided he will come with me, ie share my accommodation on the Saturday night! (But he can buy his own ticket).

.

ChrisWV10 · July 12, 2017, 04:40:34 PM

I always enjoy the N gauge show. There seems to be more non British layouts which makes a nice change plus trade is dedicated to N. None of that 'orribly oversized stuff.

DM toys and modellbahnunion usually in attendance for Continental and Japanese wares. Weather has been nice every time I've been too.

C.

Railwaygun · July 12, 2017, 07:46:15 PM

Nobody's mentioned the Snake & Pigmy pie!

Bob G · July 12, 2017, 07:55:37 PM

Quote from: Railwaygun on July 12, 2017, 07:46:15 PM
Nobody's mentioned the Snake & Pigmy pie!

I said the pies were also good, but I was not specific.

BoxTunnel · July 13, 2017, 01:25:48 AM

Woot! Sounds like a blast! If you see a chap wandering around looking lost that will probably be me, say hello and I'll buy you a coffee (really, I coudln't possibly leave my wallet at home!)

Les1952 · July 22, 2017, 10:44:11 PM

If I'm available I go as a punter, but don't worry too much if I miss it.

I've only once gone as an exhibitor, with the late Trevor Webster, and would never take a layout there again. No respect shown for Trevor's disabled blue badge at loading/unloading time- we were asked to carry his layout to the main punters' car park. Only accommodation I've had for a show where I've been eaten by bedbugs. The only show I've attended where exhibitors aren't even treated to a tea or coffee. The attitude seems to be that it is a privilege to take a layout there and you should expect to pay for that privilege.

There are quite a few people there I enjoy talking to each year, and a few decent layouts, but I come across most of these at other shows on my travels.

Les

BoxTunnel · July 23, 2017, 03:18:33 AM

Quote from: Les1952 on July 22, 2017, 10:44:11 PM
If I'm available I go as a punter, but don't worry too much if I miss it.

I've only once gone as an exhibitor, with the late Trevor Webster, and would never take a layout there again. No respect shown for Trevor's disabled blue badge at loading/unloading time- we were asked to carry his layout to the main punters' car park. Only accommodation I've had for a show where I've been eaten by bedbugs. The only show I've attended where exhibitors aren't even treated to a tea or coffee. The attitude seems to be that it is a privilege to take a layout there and you should expect to pay for that privilege.

There are quite a few people there I enjoy talking to each year, and a few decent layouts, but I come across most of these at other shows on my travels.

Les

Hi Les,

Sounds like you've had some bad experiences, can you recommend better experiences for us noobs? I've already got my ticket and its just over an hour away according to Google maps so I'll be going anyway. Anything better for a new guy in the South West?

Graham