A question for layout exhibitors...

[Pjlons83]

Hi all. I wasn't sure where to ask this but it is layout related so I guessed here was as good a place as any.

Purely out of curiosity (I have no plan to ever exhibit anything, nor do I think I'm ever likely to have something worthy); how do you get into exhibiting and what's in it for you? Do you pay to be at shows or apply, or get paid to be there? Similar question I guess for layouts featured in magazines.

Is it purely for the fun of sharing your layouts with others and playing trains for the people watching? I'm sure trade stand stands must hire hall space, but I can't imagine layouts do?

It's purely a curiosity question and I hope people don't mind sharing their thoughts. How did you first get into it?

Thanks
Paul

[ntpntpntp]

My route into the show circuit was by joining my local model railway club as a teenager back in the 70s, and volunteering my little layout to fill some space at the club's annual exhibition. The exhibition manager at the time popped round to take a look at my efforts and confirmed my place in the show. Since then, the other layouts I've built have also had their first outing at my local club's show.

So the first show is your "launch pad".  From then on I've found it's basically "talent scouts" at shows (members of other clubs and other show organisers looking for exhibits)  will approach you to discuss and take some details, with a view to maybe contacting and inviting you to their future shows.  It's rare you'll get a confirmed invite there and then as they have to consider space, transportation and possibly accommodation expenses etc.  It may not be for a year or two after they initially saw your layout, and indeed a couple of times I've had to reply "I can't offer what you saw but how about this instead" in which case it's up to them whether to take you up  "sight unseen" as it were.

You will occasionally see exhibition organisers put out a request for people to offer their layout, so that could be another way to launch yourself! I suspect generally organisers prefer "known layouts" and/or "known exhibitors" , but if everyone took that approach would newbies ever get on the ladder?

As far as I'm concerned you do it for the fun of it, not to earn anything    It's about hoping others will enjoy your efforts and maybe inspire them. There's usually a lot of questions asked and advice exchanged.

On the UK circuit  you'll usually be able to ask for some reasonable expenses for transportation and you'll be asked to estimate that as part of replying to the invitation/enquiry.  If you're travelling from afar the hosting club normally organises local accommodation - a simple B&B arrangement is typical. Most shows (there are notable exceptions!) will also provide some form of lunch and tea/coffee as part of the deal, ranging from simple sandwich and fruit type of thing to a hot meal if the show venue has catering facilities.

My main exhibition layout has been to well over 70 shows in the 23 years since its first show. Everything from small one-day "village hall" events to the major shows such as TINGS, Warley, Ally Pally etc. It's also been to a huge convention in Germany 3 times. As you'd expect I've had one or two "iffy" experiences over the years but overwhelmingly it's been great fun, i'd recommend it to anybody 

[Bealman]

In relation to getting articles published in magazines, it's basically a matter of writing an article, with quality photographs, and submitting it to the magazine concerned.

NeMo of this parish is the new editor of the NGS journal, and he's always keen on new contributions. There are guidelines in the journal for would be contributors.

There are a number of forum members (myself included) who have had articles published in Railway Modeller.

[railsquid]

Similar question I guess for layouts featured in magazines.

I imagine one could contact the magazine in question and let them know about your layout, I'm sure they're always looking for content, on the other hand from what I've seen from recent mainstream British railway modelling magazines, they only seem to publish great-looking picture-perfect layouts.

As Bealman mentions, the NGS Journal is a good option and receptive to articles about layouts in all stages of perfection.

[ntpntpntp]

Similar question I guess for layouts featured in magazines.

I missed that bit of the question!   

Er... as far as I can recall Peco contacted me with regard to writing an article on my layout for Continental Modeller,  and I can't remember exactly how and where they became aware of the layout.  I think it must have been as a result of someone seeing it at its debut show and enquiring via the club.

Similar sort of thing when I provided some photos for European Railways - the editor contacted me on someone's recommendation.

I've never submitted an article "uninvited" so to speak.

[Chris Morris]

I would concur with the above.

Why do it? Mainly to see people enjoying my work. Its great to have conversations with strangers about aspects of our hobby and its wonderful if they like your layout. I also hope that my layouts have shown what can be done in a smallish space with N gauge and inspired others to build something, just as layouts at exhibitions years ago inspired me. They still do by the way, I just love that Hills of the North layout even though it is in OO. Lastly, having a date for an exhibition forces you to crack on and get the layout finished.

Do you get paid for exhibiting? No. I only ever claim the cost of the fuel to get there. Some exhibitors charge a little bit more per mile to cover wear and tear which is fair enough. If you are located more than say 50 miles from an exhibition the organisation putting on the show will provide accommodation. This can be variable but is usually Holiday Inn Express standard which is fine. We normally have to share a twin room with a fellow operator in order to keep costs down. Some kind of lunch is provided by every show except TINGS. This can vary from a sandwich and packet of crisps, a small fish & chips from the local chippy up to a full cooked dinner with pudding. If you are staying away from home overnight you will always have to buy your own evening meal so you tend to end up a little out of pocket, but its well worth it for the joy of exhibiting.

How do you get into the exhibition circuit? Its usually through people you know. Being a member of a club is very helpful for this. Exhibition managers and their teams attend other shows and, if you have the right layout, you will get invited to more shows while you are exhibiting. This doesn't always happen. Once you are known and have a relationship with a number of exhibition managers you can tell them what you are building next and maybe get an invitation for your new layout before it is built. My new project is already on the provisional list for an exhibition in 2021.

Articles for magazines? This again can be through clubs. Many clubs have people who are are on speaking terms with magazine editors and can recommend a layout to them. I dare say you could just send a few photos and short description to a magazine editor and see if they are interested. If you are lucky then you might find a magazine editor contacts you to ask for an article - this has happened to me and I thought it was a great complement. All of the big magazines will send a photographer round to photograph your layout and then ask you for a write up. The main magazines need photos taken by a professional who has experience of photographing model railways. In the case of RM or Hornby magazine it is usually the editor himself who comes. Model Rail normal send Chris Nevard who is a brilliant photographer. You usually get a nominal payment for a published article - I would say to cover your expenses rather than payment for writing.

Alternatives? Well I love posting photos and videos on here and other social media. Either people like what you do or they say nothing. No response probably means what you have done isn't very appealing to others.

[port perran]

I got into exhibiting through this forum.
I'm now a member of my local club but 5 or so years ago I was just a lone modeller. The exhibition manager of a local club saw my old Port Perran layout (version one) on this forum so sent me a PM asking if I might be interested in exhibiting.
Having attended that one, with some apprehension I might say, I was invited to another.
So....that's how it started for me. I would hasten to add that living in West Cornwall, I have no interest in travelling miles to exhibit so I  restrict myself to shows in Cornwall and West Devon.
As to what I get out of it....I just like chatting to people (I dislike it when operators hide behind their layouts). People are generally interested in how things are done and simply talking to others at shows has generated several friendships.

[Bealman]

All good advice, IF you live in the UK. Living where I do, I just got cocky and sent my contribution to RM. Photos, Bealman. Text, Bealman. Hand drawn plans and diagrams, Bealman.

To my delight, the then editor, the late John Brewer, must have took pity or something, because it was published in Feb  92, or maybe 93, I forget.

Three more articles followed, the last being May 97.

The only invite I got was from Steve Flint at the Wigan show in 2014, who suggested I pen a piece for the "Whatever happened to...." column.

It's still to happen, though I did get a photo published in the letters section a few years ago, entitled "Postcards from the Beal and Castle Eden.

[The Q]

I've gotten into it through my Local MRC, http://broadlandmodelrailwayclub.co.uk/
We run our own show and a club open day which has to be in a hired village hall.

This got me into doing stand in duties for exhibitors, while they had lunch etc. I enjoyed it  so... I'm not exhibiting yet, but I'm modifying a layout to be suitable.

I've never heard of people getting paid for showing, expenses only, and a hotel room if a fair distance away.
For exhibitors, traders, and our club members, our show includes a bacon butty before opening, free tea and coffee all day, a main course and sweet for lunch (nothing fancy maybe sausage, beans and mash followed by a choice of cake or apple crumble)

Trade stands have to pay for their space, but I have heard of some traders begining to drop out of the circuit, as they can get all their sales on line and not enough to cover expenses at a show..

The commercial magazines I believe do pay for articles about featured layouts, however you are never going to make a fortune, it might get you a loco..  In general club / association magazines do not pay for articles..

If any of our club members go to a show they are asked to keep a look out for interesting layouts and to get details for our show  organiser and we all keep an eye out in magazines and forums for a good layout.

Exhibiting and helping show can be quite enjoyable, but is hard on the feet!!!

[Bealman]

I got a free copy of the mag with my article, and a cheque, which amounted to A$50, if I recall.

[Pjlons83]

Some interesting insights there. Thank you everyone. I'm never one for spending too much time looking at the actual layouts at shows, I tend to be rummaging the trade stalls for things for my own layout. But when I've asked questions or expressed interest the exhibitors have generally been quite open to chatting which is always good. I'm sure that like a lot of us who build our own layouts I'm always interested to see the set-up behind the backscene which sometimes feels a little cheeky to ask.  It feels like going behind the till in a shop sometimes but generally people are willing to share.

As a general note, a thank you to those who do exhibit; although they are not the source of income directly, people wouldn't come through the door without them and therefore the shows wouldn't exist. 

[martyn]

Pjlons83

' I'm always interested to see the set-up behind the backscene which sometimes feels a little cheeky to ask. '

That's one reason why Steve Wright decided to build James St, and previous to that Lynford Junction, with no hidden fiddle yard; as you say, many of us want to see what stock is on the layout, and not hidden away until after we have stopped looking. And, as exhibitors, we're willing to show what's running.

We're also more than open to chatting with spectators, provided we're not doing a complicated move at the time!

As has been said, generally petrol money, and any accommodation needed, are usually provided by the host club as 'agreed expenses' prior to getting a confirmed booking; most, but not all exhibitions, also provide a midday lunch, and tea or coffee during the day(s). Evening meals are normally at the exhibitor's expense, though there are some exceptions (but not many). Transit and exhibition insurance are again provided by the host; the value usually to be agreed as part of the booking.

Martyn

[port perran]

Anyone is more than welcome to come and have a look "around the back" but if I've got my layout in a case there's nowt to see!

[GScaleBruce]

Both my n gauge layout and my G scale line have featured occasionally in magazines over the years. Neither are British outline (German or Austrian/German respectively), which means the magazines are a little more "niche". Unlike the bigger British outline focussed magazines, Continental Modeller (and indeed the other magazines my layouts have featured in) didn't offer to send a photographer - it was down to me to provide text, plan and images, which needed to meet their quality/size requirements. I think in almost all cases I've contacted the editor directly to ask if they'd be interested in an article, and they've invariably said yes. I proposed an article about Steinheim to Continental Modeller, which they accepted but promptly also asked for one about my G scale line as well; probably the only time I've been asked. Commercial magazines pay a fee in my experience, society journals (whose editors are usually desperate for good quality material) fairly obviously do not.

[silly moo]

I exhibited my Christmas micro layout for the first time on Saturday, I joined the local railway enthusiasts club who hold two small shows a year. One reason for joining the club is that N Gauge is very popular amongst the members. As I have a Christmas layout and they have a Christmas show I asked the show manager if he would be interested in my layout, and as they are always on the lookout for new, compact layouts he said yes. I did email him a photograph of my layout too.

I had lots of fun, the layout was well received, ran well (not difficult as it's just a circle of track) and I was fed with mince pies and Christmas cake as well as lots of tea. Great fun was had by all. I enjoyed speaking to the visitors and loved seeing the faces of the children when they first caught sight of Percy and Thomas.

As others have suggested, join a local club that holds shows and consider starting off with a small layout as it's easier for them to fit it in. And it's easier for you to set up and run as well.