We visited a model rail exhibition in Hertford today. Of 16 layouts only 4 attracted much attention from our children; the others could be summed up by the query: "Where's the train?". I was a little surprised at the complete absence of digital control --- is that typical of such places? Also despite the number of children in attendance, the trade stands did nothing to attract their attention. I had expected to have to dip into my pocket, but apart from the entrance fee, it didn't happen.
Phil: Regetably there are too many layouts (IMO) at shows in which too little is operating... albeit on nice 'static dioramas' (well, with nothing visibly moving, they might as well have been). Even some large club layouts, designed as 4-track mainlines, with enormous fiddle/storage/procrastinate yards 'at the back' can be left with not a single train visibly passing on the front side! 'Selective compression' is used within our hobby when modelling 'scale' scenery , but it equally needs to be used when providing moving trains for people to come and see and be inspired by: that you CAN have both scenery and movement in one layout!
Yesterday we assisted in operating all day at a notionally O gauge show: all but one of the layouts were 'tailchasers', and had trains running continuously (in gauges from N to G). There was also a beautiful scenic model in O gauge.....with two curtained off areas either side, equal in length to the scenic part, where it seemed most of the 'activity' took place: manually operated 'staging areas' with banana plug connections, requiring manual alignment each time may be okay for use at home, but are inappropriate, IMO, for a layout intended, by definition at a public show, for public exhibition: the result was on only 1 occasion when I passed by did I see a train move on the scenic part, and then it came to a halt in the station whre it was about to experience hand 3 link uncoupling...which has its place, but will not attract beginners into the hobby. (neither would the height at which it was displayed!)
In that respect, a larger exhibition can be expected to have a wider variety of layouts - with room to cater for both the 'serious enthusiast' how brings their micrometer (?), and those seeking to be inspired into a wide ranging, dynamic hobby. It is then surely up to exhibition managers to ensure that layouts selected are operated to the benefite of the (paying and) viewing public.
What a contrast 'Miniature Wonderland' in Hamburg is to Pendon: It does feature computer control, 500 moving trains and >200 moving vehicles, in a scenic layout, and it has been produced within a lifetime.. in fact within about 4 years, and is still growing. (And puts UK 'resort' layouts to shame) Pendon is a wonderful example of scenic modelling of a landscape - NOT a 'model railway'. There is room for both in our hobby, but no exhibition of 'Pendon' style layouts alone will encourage new young bloood into the hobby.
Why are they so high? The Thomas' Junction layout was at a reasonable height --- and the operators could do most actions while sitting down, which seems ideal. Many of the layouts seem designed to discourage non train enthusiasts --- all that wire and switches. My wife is dubious enough without these examples to aspire to.
'Bekonscot'
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is the best I've seen, but clearly Hamburg has gone several steps further.
Soem interesting observations. I agree completely with your remarks about staging, and seeing trains actually running. An exhibition layout should be all about movement. But your comment about layout height puzzles me. Why do you reckon higher layouts would discourage beginners?
Just to addd to the debate: I am a reasonably tall guy who has paid the full admission price. Why should I have to continually bend down to see the layouts? There are arguments for having a mix of layout heights.
In relation to tailchasing layouts some of these can be classified as "where are the operators" 4-6 people have turned up to run the layout but most have disapeared off the layout or a stood about chatting to each other at the back of the layout leaving one person to look after the layout who is running the same train round and round.
Why won't it? I ask because when I was starting out in the hobby, I was very much influenced by Pendon-style modelling. The "Miniature Wonderland" style of layout left me unimpressed. Still does.
And, FWIW, is the main purpose of any exhibition to "encourage new young blood into the hobby"?
The best one being that higher layouts offer a more realistic viewpoint. The usual reason given for having layouts at table-top height is that it's easier for children to view them. Which is all fine and well, but chidren are not the only visitors at exhibitions. Consideration should be given to the adult visitor's needs as well.
For most layouts the aerial view seems OK (I'm 184cm). A few only work when viewed at near model ground level --- very few people attending would have been of the correct height to view these comfortably.
More importantly what is the objective of these events? Are they intended to attract people to the hobby and if so who is the target?
It certainly ought to be for an exhibition advertised to the general public, unless you want the hobby to die out. I am curious to hear what the purpose of the events actually is.
The provision of step stools or viewing platforms can help smaller children to see (but can be a hindrance to adult patrons in wheelchairs). One of the most popular layouts to make the rounds here is in S scale (one third larger than H0 but less of a space hog than
0). It's mounted low, with perspex panels and barriers to keep little fingers out of the works. The entire layout, including the trains themselves and a number of animated scenes, is operated by visitors pushing buttons. It's an ideal complement to the club layouts.
Raise money. Have access to a room big enough to play trains on a layout too big to fit in the club room. Entertain people who are already modellers.
Do many people ever really see an advert for a model railway show, wander in, and decide to take up railway modelling? I would have thought that finding a school hall full of old men who haven't washed since the end of steam and odd teenage boys might be more likely to put people off, whereas someone who has an interest already might be more willing to overlook them to see the trains.
Last year I went to a rugby match (free ticket) where there was nothing to encourage me, as the sort of person who was cured at school of any interest in sport, to join the hobby of watching rugby. But the other x-thousand people there seemed happy, and AFAIK rugby hasn't died out.
In the late forties, early fifties, a model railway used to appear on the toy floor of Birmingham's Lewis's store every summer, about ten feet square needing four operators. The latter were children in the twelve to sixteen age group who had to sign on for a one hour session a few days in advance. Two worked up and down main and two worked two yards, all from the four corners. one adult seemed to keep an eye on things but during the times I worked the layout nothing ever seemed to go wrong. Ever since I've been very critical of the philosophy behind most club layouts and most exhibition specials. My local club does absolutely nothing for youngsters, essentially barring them by renting a station room accessed through a code locked door; it took me five years to be aware of their existance. I've always thought that clubs and exhibitions should be about prototypical working of complex layouts, not tail chasing and certainly not superfine scenery and models, we can do that at home. "How many animals can you find?" sums up the boredom and weird mentality behind most exhibits. And if organisers think they are doing a great job with Thomas displays they ought to look in on daytime television and bone up on what children expect to see in a Thomas layout.
No, I don't want the hobby to die out, but then again I don't think it will anytime soon. When I have exhibited a layout it has been for a number of reasons, but recruiting "new young blood" was not one of them. I don't subscribe to the view that a modellers highest priority is to recruit others to the hobby. That sounds a bit too much like a pyramid scheme! :-)
When you have small children and you want to go to an exhibition to view what, to you, is interesting, it's not going to be too long before they lose interest in Dad discussing the merits of soldering Vs gluing in the construction of kits (for example). Watching Thomas or counting the different birds on a layout can be a useful distraction. Exhibitions don't attract people into the hobby - they have to be interested already to attend. What they do is showcase what other modellers have achieved and provide a forum for sharing knowledge and contacting the local club. Most clubs I've encountered are singularly bad at letting people know they exist. Partly through fear of burglary and partly because no-one has the role of attracting new blood.
I beleive the likes of Hornby and Bachmann should have adverts on telly leading up to Christmas to hopefully bring new interest into the hobby, with reguards to the young children that we want in this hobby, i have seen at exhibitions that they bring there own foot stalls, and hearing comments from other parents of that is a good idea. I have been to a few exhibitions recently one our clubs own (Railex Aylesbury). and High Wycombe this week end plus scale spercific (Telford) i have noticed that the wheel chair access is not very good in most cases to layouts due to lack of room in the isles, but to keep the youngsters happy and encourage them into the hobby is have some thing happen on a layout all the time hopefully this will enspire them. and for exhibitors to spend a bit more time explaining to them what is what as we where young once, and what did we find that enspired us.
I think there's a difference between attracting children into wanting a "train set" and wanting to be part of the hobby though. Admittedly the first can lead to the second, but I expect most will just stay with the train set.
At the recent exhibition at Leeds Grammar School, they had foot stools for free hire (£1 deposit).
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