My long term gripe that too many Layouts at shows to look at are like watching paint dry or grass grow.
Now I appreciate the work that goes into these displays, in fact they are real show pieces. However they do not present a good show.

Even some where there is potential for continuous running on an oval take an age between trains, and what is wrong with letting a train make more than one circuit before changing to another. 

The situation actually seems to have got worse. I have been to few shows lately and at one time there might be two or three continuous runners. Recently except for a Lego display nothing. 

Thinking on it I think it might be DCC systems allowing fine control at all times. With an old Hornby Dublo there rail layout best way was to let it run for about ten minutes, change the train and off again.

Gripe over, but please note after the Great Model Railway Challenge many newcomers might be expecting model railway show, not  a display of fine layouts with the occasional train crawling by. 

As a steward at a show and visiting other shows, I've taken to observing how the public behaves while watching a layout.

It's noticable if there is nothing moving they wander off very quickly.

Shunting layouts that require the hand of god to uncouple, are not as popular as those with some sort of auto coupling. The public don't understand, they equate the hand of god uncoupling the same as having to giving the loco a shove cos' it's on a bad bit of track.

Having nothing moving because you are busy ringing signal box bells to pass trains on, just annoys people with the noise..

I don't visit lots of shows, just a few each year that are close to me geographically.  I have noticed a trend over the last few years for model layouts that are operated for modellers…. you know the type of thing, realistic timetables etc.  Now I appreciate that as a system, but is that appropriate for a show?  Surely, at a show, the whole point is that it is indeed a show! 
 At the most recent one I visited, one exhibitor explained that most of the feedback he gets is critical from so called modellers, for not being accurate enough.  It seems - although anyone who actually exhibits may correct me - such criticisms are driving some layout demonstrations.  It took me a few years to pluck up the courage to share my meagre offerings online, doing it face to face is even more of a challenge.

When I go to a show, I don't want operating realism, I want to see a model that makes me go wow! and trains running, however unrealistically, and some animations and things that inspire me.  If I want to see realistic operations I can go to Faversham station!

My family, who are sadly not modellers - just tolerant - enjoy models that have action and are "hands-off", that suspend belief that it is a model. I wish more exhibits that I've seen, hit that mark.

Michael

Outside of the problem of keeping viewers happy at Shows with both lots of running plus shunting, is the urge NOT to respond to those comments "not being accurate enough." with a comment of my own " well, where is your layout here then so I can pass comments?"

Quote by John Lydgate:
“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time”.

Let's be realistic here. The average attention span of an observer is around 2 laps of a round layout, one up and down of an end to end. It should not be beyond the ability of a model club to do this. Most people are not interested in timetables, or shunting, leave all that at the club.

Ring the changes every  20-30 minutes, that way you can catch them on the way back. I have observed however that most people are fascinated by fiddle yards, sector plates and turntables. Especially if it's deliberately left open for viewing.


One club I belonged tried a system of 2 teams, with completely different sets of stock. Worked well, one team outside explaining what went on, one team inside doing the work. None of this huddling and talking to themselves.


Nigel

[user=1632]BCDR[/user] wrote:

. I have observed however that most people are fascinated by fiddle yards, sector plates and turntables. Especially if it's deliberately left open for viewing.




Nigel

That is true & I am also guilty of that…

if I had an end to end layout, I'd be tempted to use a perspex screen over the fiddle yard. The public do like to see what's going on. But leaving it open can mean loosing something if you're not looking. A layout at Spalding last year lost a loco when their heads were turned elsewhere..

Each to their own I suppose. I usually go with my two young boys but their attention span is less than mine, so unless there is something running instantly they get bored! The best ones for us is the roundly roundly ones. 
At Bressingham one guy had a great layout, and was running realistic trains (or I thought they were anyway!) until he saw my boys, then he ran Thomas and friends round and round. The boys loved it. Once we left he went back to the real trains!

I like to see realistic scenes rather than correct locos/stock.  I wouldn't know the formation of the "Master Cutler" or if a particular South Wales PO wagon ever got as far a Halifax - I don't actually care but, if I like the look of it, I'll happily watch it at a show.

If there's no movement, I'll have a quick look and move on.  I never stop at a "Thomas" layout or the old tinplate 3 rail stuff usually included at shows - as above, they're not "realistic".

I don't like to see the hand of God - even if it's to couple/uncouple 3 link gear - again, it's not "realistic".

Good looking scenery and buildings impress me - the trains just give them a "raison d'etre" although naturally, if one sees a "toy train" sitting in well modelled scenery, it rather spoils the effect.

I'm going to a couple of shows whilst I'm in UK over the next 2 weeks so I'll pay particular attention to what people watch and what they walk away from ……………….

My sentiments exactly Peter!
Michael

I knew there was a kindred spirit out there somewhere Michael - if anyone at any of the UK shows I'm planning to visit recognises me, I'll probably be barred …………………or stoned with rivets !!!

It is interesting, when I joined here I was a bit worried as my knowledge of trains is poor. I pick thinks I like, but it’s the challenge of building is what got me interested and what I look for at shows. 

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

I knew there was a kindred spirit out there somewhere Michael - if anyone at any of the UK shows I'm planning to visit recognises me, I'll probably be barred …………………or stoned with rivets !!!

Knowledge of trains ?  What's that Chris ?   

I have memories, that's all, and we know what memories are like ………………….

I knew nothing about actual trains , what ran where, how or why.  I have picked up some knowledge from  here and, as I grow older, such things seem to become more interesting whilst others become less so.

I model, or at least I try to model, because I enjoy it.  I love to see what others are able to produce and become  even more enthusiastic when asking them how this or that was achieved.

Most modellers "showing" their layouts are far more skilled than I, and it's from those higher up the ladder that one learns.

Nobody on here should ever worry about "not knowing much about trains".  At one time, none of us knew a jot about anything !!  We're all here to encourage and fortunately, we have members fully conversant with all aspects of railway modelling - and ineed, many other fields too.  You won't find any form of elitism here

Above all, railway modelling should be fun !!!

I was at my local train show Saturday (not really an exhibition, probably 150 traders and 15 layouts). Some very realistic trains running on some very large modular layouts (think 100 x 30 feet). Does 100 coal cars (wagons) being pulled by a brace of diesels make for good entertainment? Nope. Deadly boring in fact. I did like one layout's fiddle yard though. 25 tracks, 40 feet long, 3 people running it. No time to talk to watchers though, they had a roster to follow! One layout did have a dedicated group that were on duty to deal with the public. Supposedly. They were very busy working out who wanted what for lunch.

I did enjoy Dr. Who and Assistant along with the Tardis on a freight car flat behind which was another freight car flat with a gaggle of screaming Daleks (from a sound only decoder).

Other end of the scale was a Time Saver in On30, 10 feet long, with a few freight cars and a steam locomotive. Queue to have a go all day. Helped I think by a $25 credit at the show (or the next one) for the fastest competitor.

Hand from the sky is normal here, designated decoupling spots do not work with variable freight car lengths. Whether you use it depends on whether you go fine scale and succumb to the pressure of the experts. Even then what's wrong with Kadee couplers in EM or P4? (over here Proto87). Run what suits you and your layout. I like my stock to reflect the era being modeled, but quite frankly any layout will handle stock between 1880-1947 and not look incongruous as long as TV antenna and road vehicles are dealt with. My GWR diesel railcar in BR green will still get a run in when the mood takes me.

Nigel

Nigel, that is definitely a show for many parts of England!  My local exhibition (as it was called) had 12 layouts and 24 trade stands.
The whole point of this particular site, the Your Model Railway Club, is that we share a hobby and rule 1 always applies. However, i must say that size is impressive….. briefly.  I long for a larger modelling space, but I know that I would fill it up just the same and wish I had a bit more!

But your post touches on something which I have noticed but been reluctant to comment on: the interaction between exhibitors and the public.  I have limited experience, and maybe it is just the exhibitions I have gone to but….. a smile would help, if nothing else.  It is supposed to be something we enjoy, isn't it?

I really don't mean to be critical of people who take their layouts out for public criticism/viewing, that is not my intention.  But if you are going to, then part of the role is surely inspiring new modellers, not just pleasing a particular group of the hobby fraternity.

I've been going on a lot in recent posts about attracting new modellers because the statistics are quite alarming.  I like the fact that so many modellers on this site are either new or returners…..

Just some thoughts….

Regards

Michael

We are all learning! My expertise is in knowing what I can't do, followed by what I don't want to do, the rest I wing it till it works for me. I often think new modelers need to go out on a limb and just have a go, small scale to start with to keep expenses down. Of course do some research, ask questions, but nothing beats getting it done yourself. And then then learning by your mistakes.

The worst case of grass growing is not somebody's inactive layout, ir"s that one you are (not) building/modifying/repairing…./


Nigel

I am so reassured that wing it is an accepted approach!!
Michael

With Bodgit, Fudgit and Wingit giving you a hand, what can ever go wrong…..?

Anything new being attempted of course brings in "Well I Never!" "Would You Believe It!" , and "I Didn't Think That Would Happen!" . 


Murphy's friends are alive and kicking in this hobby. 


Nigel

I have always found that you never know what you are capable of until you try it. 
Thats why my layouts have never had working signals

The key thing is to bash on. Edison (I think) said that you only fail when you give up

Barry