London Model Engineering exhibition at Alexandra Palace

Likewise. late '60s onwards. Spoke to Prof Chaddock about his wonderful gas turbine there. Lovely chap .

St Albans MES had a good show last weekend Last weekend ins September so remember it for next year, Free parking. Ok not the usual ME traders but lots of boats and Meccano too.

I recall the peak of shows was the ones at Olympia, the last ones to include significant model aieoplanes as well but the last got a lot of whingers complaining that shock horror there were a few dolls houses and a big Alien model at the entrance.

For me, needs to be easy to get too, ie not in the centre of a densely populated area with the associated traffic. Needs either ample parking adjacent or be on a reliable public transport route (is there such a thing these days….). Entrance fee needs to be reasonable / proportionate to what is there to see, arbitrarily say £10. Catering, if it’s a decent show and there is enough to hold your interest for more than a couple of hours then somewhere to get a reasonably priced bacon roll, sandwich or cup of tea / coffee. It really irks me when a bite and a drink costs more than a tenner!! Given most model engineers are of advancing years, plenty of seating around the place to be able to stop, take stock and watch the world is a good thing.

Exibits; I fully appreciate the skill and patience to produce a “gold medal” exhibit and I enjoy seeing what has been achieved however they all look a bit glass case, sterile if you like with no oil stains, coal dust in the bunker or on the footplate. So I equally like to see the more knocked about examples that you can see do a job of work, that might have a few file marks on the rods rather than a polished mirror finish indicting the builder was a mere mortal! In terms of types of model I am happy to see loco’s, traction engines, machine tools, machining fixtures, stationary engines, boat / ship models, planes, dioramas etc. clocks don’t really float my boat but I can appreciate the work in them and can happily watch the wheels go round for a few minutes.

Demonstrations; Having had Mr Shelley attend our cub and do a foundary demo, if there is a suitable outside area that would be good. A portable track so you can see loco’s in action and traction engines running. A lasting memory was seeing a diesel roller running at Midlands show a few years back, OK you could have seen it on a table inside, but to see it running was something else. Machining demo’s are another interesting thing. One thing I have never seen is a brush painting demo, that would be good. Lectures - may also be interesting although I confess I have never attended one during a show, possibly because the programme was not well circulated in advance and I didn’t know what was on until I got there!

Trade stands; Appreciate this is a difficult issue for traders with costs etc. However while I like to see the exhibits I also like to get “up close and personal” with tooling and supplies, the interweb may be great with fast deliveries etc but when you are looking for something to solve a problem there is no substitute for actually being able to see the goods. I don’t think I have ever been to a show where I have not purchased anything from a trader, I guess my average spend up to 2019 was around £100 across various suppliers. I used to go with a list and collect what I could and always bought something that wasn’t on it, because I had seen it! Show deals even if they were not great discounts were always a good deal when considering the postage and packing charges saved. This was one way to justify to myself why it was a good idea to drive for four or five hours to go to the event in the first place! You get to see what others are doing, meet up with people you haven’t seen for a while and as a bonus go home with some new toys and renewed enthusiasm.

So there you go, fancy organising something in the South.

Paul.

Not really. But unless some club or clubs do there isn't going to be one. Many thanks for the answers. Interesting how far you are prepared to drive.

To be fair, the distance from Southend or Brighton to the Midland exhibition is about the same as the distance from me in Rugby (12 miles away from the Midland one) to Harrogate or The Bristol one and I visited those regularly.

Hi, the first ME exhibition that I went too was in 1993, which was held in London's Olympia, and was held there up to 1998. It was then held back in Ally Pally in 1999, then from 2000 to 2005 it was at Sandown Park. The 2006 one was postponed until September 2007, and was held at Ascot, and in 2008 was again in Ascot, and returned to Sandown Park in 2009 for a few more years.

Regards Nick.

Like Paul, I attend the exhibitions for several reasons, not just denting my bank-balance. Though I've to order prior to collection at "The Fosse" - yes, I've both bought a "civvy" ticket for one day, and awaiting me on another day will be a club stand-crew pass.

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I far prefer to buy anything on sight. I have no objection to purchasing by mail / Internet order, and do so from time to time; for real purposes like model-engineering, not "ordinary" stuff like clothes. So I value the traders, not least for the help I need sometimes to select what I want.

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I come away from the gleaming, brand-new top-award exhibits sometimes not sure if I am inspired or would have been better off with origami, but enjoy admiring the simply-shown on the club stands as much as the competition examples. I find myself looking at the patina on an older steam locomotive or traction-engine and like to judge it one well-built, well-loved and well-used.

I was not amused one day when admiring a 4" - scale traction-engine to overhear the visitor next to me complain to his companion about some small detail apparently not right. The honourably-patinated engine with a sooty chimney was clearly well looked after, and well-rallied. Where was the rivet-counter's engine, I thought. With no drawings available, my own long-suffering project will never be rivet-counting right - but I want it as near to original as sensible... and to work!

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There is though another, very important aspect I'm not sure has been mentioned much here - the social one. From chance meetings with friends perhaps in other clubs, to chance conversations with anyone else over one or another technical matter; and often the chance to seek advice. I recollect vaguely at one show, two or three of us visitors spontaneously becoming the informal Advisory Committee for some engineering problem of another visitor or a club-stand member!

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On Paul Kemp's first paragraph, I vowed not to go to Doncaster again after the terrible time I had trying to find the race-course in a city-centre full of dense, fast-moving, traffic. (I could not drive in London, You-Les or not.) Nor I was not impressed by the Doncaster horsey-set price of a supermarket pasty and a paper cup of DIY tea. On the other hand, I don't recall the ticket price being unduly high, and once in I did enjoy the exhibition and bought a few things. So for me, moving back to Harrogate was very welcome - but I do have other interests and friends in't Dales so its 300 miles from home is not too much a burden personally, despite the cost of petrol.

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A NAME Meeting I attended for my club a few years ago, I forget if pre- or post- Plague, mentioned a possible exhibition in the South-West, e.g. Exeter. This appears to have faded, but I don't know if anyone is considering reviving the idea. Aware of the repercussions of making such pronouncements I will have to admit, don't look at me - I'd struggle with a round of shandies in a brewery - but I'd likely attend if possible!

There will be a Garden Railway exhibition in Exeter this October and at least two local model engineering societies will be there. The library in Newton Abbot is also holding a railway-themed exhibition in December, associated with its specialist railway collection, and my own club in Newton Abbot will be exhibiting there. But we are a fair way down in the south west and the local model engineering population density is not that high! I used to go to the Bristol show, which was one of my personal favourites, but difficulties in organising, finding suitable premises, and attracting trade exhibitors all proved too much for a single club, even one the size of Bristol.

I spent most of my exhibition time on the SMEE stand but for me, when wandering around, the best bit was the chance to see the occasional part-complete model and, with a bit of luck, talk to its builder. The glossy exhibition-quality models are all very glamorous but even if I found something similar to my own loco under construction, if you couldn't get a good look at the hidden interesting details, it wasn't of that much interest. Personal opinion here! But at the forthcoming local exhibitions, my club will have at least one part-complete model on the stand to show what's under the covers.

Is the library still the Passmore Edwards one? Went to Newton Abbot Grammar (Knowles Hill now) from 1969 to 1976 and was a/the junior member of the defunct Torbay MES from it's founding until I left in '76.

The first model engineering show I went to was in Exmouth. It , a local show, must have made an impression since I have vague memories of it. I was about eight at the time.

I went to a couple at Seymour Hall. I seem to remember these as being slightly chaotic and in two halls 100 yards apart. A couple of stand holders were very rude to me since I had long hair (if only I had now). After thirty years or so I started to revisit shows. One of the first was at the Agricultural Hall in Islington, I think. Then there was Donnington Part race course, a sports centre in the Lee Valley and so on.

I am no longer planning to visit any exhibitions. At present I am not fit enough and I do not know what I would gain from a visit. I make models to keep myself busy.

JA

Oh, I am sorry you do not feel fit to attend any exhibitions.

Would a smaller club one reasonably near you, be better than one of the major shows, which can be physically tiring or awkward if you have something like the arthritic knees I had (until they were replaced).

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My first was local - Weymouth & DMES', in the Sidney Hall, a Victorian benefactor's gift to the town but demolished I think back in the 1970s to suit a supermarket! I was probably about 12 at the time, and visited it with my Dad who may have known a few members as work colleagues.

The Society, which had both a live-steam and 00-gauge layout branches, ran a series of exhibitions in the town in the 1960s to 70s, and few since, although the 00 section has long gone. These later shows included as a guest-exhibitor in the local model-railway club's own exhibition. We do though now have a number of members interested in the "garden" scales and they have built a raised, non-scenic layout within our ground-level track loop; not as a separate branch but all one club.

I joined it in my teens a few years after that Sidney Hall show; and am still fairly active in it, as its second-longest surviving and serving member!

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Some while ago Taunton Model Engineers ran a successful and very enjoyable series of exhibitions in a school not far from the town - and easily-accessible! With room outdoors for the miniature traction-engines to operate too, these were augmented by displays from perhaps half a dozen other Somerset clubs, and several trade stands; indeed I ordered the Western Steam-built boiler for my steam-wagon there one year, and collected it next year!. Even Reeves put in an appearance one year.

A shame they stopped, but where there is a cluster of like-minded model-engineering and related societies within a relatively modest radius, might there exist the possibility of a similar exhibition held jointly?

Yes, it's still there. I'm relatively new to the area and currently chairman of the Newton Abbot club. The exhibition is mainly OO gauge but we do our best to promote bigger gauges! Given that our club track is only a few miles from the library...

However, speaking as a club chairman, one of the issues is finding enough willing volunteers to actually do the considerable amount of work to make even a small exhibition work and in the end it tends to come down to the same small group who turn up to evening meetings, turn up on track maintenance morning, etc. And there is a limit to what that group can achieve bearing in mind that they are possibly the most active model engineer/loco building members of the club as well. I can understand why local exhibitions are thin on the ground, although best of luck to those who do run them.

I found getting to the Doncaster one easier than Harrogate. Its also closer for me. Sad that it moved.

I always enjoyed Ally Pally and travelled from Grantham by train .I always took my bag for things that I needed or thought I did. I do miss it .The Spalding model engineering show was much needed in the East Midlands and was growing year on year but stopped ,which also upset me.I might go to the Midland Exhibition.

Frank

File Handle -

That may depend on your route and local knowledge. From the South, the only sign to the racecourse is that off the motorway, and the route is through the city. On the other hand, I was bound for Skipton and beyond afterwards, and Northwards along the same road from the racecourse car-park soon emerged from Doncaster without further problems.

I have approached what was the Great Yorkshire Showground ( or whatever is its forgettable name the corporate-branding types have since demoted it to) several times from both the East and West, and left on each occasion Westwards. Yes, driving through the town is a bit stop-go, but not far, on more or less one road - though the venue's entrance is not properly signed at all.

I have travelled to Alexandra Palace on coach trips and more recently as a passenger in a friend's car. I could not drive the long, very complicated, very difficult, very busy route from the M25 junction to Muswell Hill; even worse afterwards, in the dark, at the start of over 100 miles home.

Sometimes we drove just a short distance after the show, to a restaurant; that hour or so meal break giving the London commuter traffic time to ease slightly. I did say "slightly".

One one trip somebody in our party said, "We must be nearly there: lots of men with white hair all going that way!" (I should add that applied to most of our group, too!)

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Bricky -

Don't "... might go..." . Do go!

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If I am returning from the Midlands or North-East now I set my sat-nag to the Warwickshire Show Ground. I know my way home from there, down the Fosse Way, a lot shorter than using the motorways, though Cirencester is very difficult to navigate !

Some really interesting responses. I will try to get to the Midlands show. That said it would be really good if someone organised one in the South East. We used to have Brighton, Sandown Park and Alexandra Palace and now it seems the nearest is the Midlands one.

Benedict, You have presumably not attended any of the club shows - even in the SE. Guildford ? There are numerous club shows around the country. Times have changed, fuel costs being the most obvious, both for traders and public. Picketts Lock used to be heaving, the last Ally P was not ! IF someone was to organise a big show in the SE would it get enough support ? On past ratings I doubt it ! Midland or Ally P were both about 3 hours drive for me, Lowmex about 1.5. I will go to both ! The internet has much to answer for, but for those who need advice or help in their purchase the REAL shop can offer a service - but it costs ! This is true of the traders at the shows, I we don't spend, then the traders will go, they have ! And shortly after so will the show - they have. The Midland is in a unique position but if WE do not support it - it will also Go ! There will be no more free lunches ! Noel.

Guildford is now a lot smaller than it used to be and is more just an open day for the track. Insurance and marquee hire became too great for the club to risk it as poor weather would reduce the gate and they would make a loss.

That is another issue for the likes of Ally Pally, being in January could put it at risk of snowy weather which would again keep numbers through the gate down and with higer costs for the organisers the risk of a loss is far more than one this time of year in a venue they own.

Having Model engineer and teh London show around the same time of year was never going to help as people either visited one and not the other or if they visite dboth only had the same amount to spend over the two shows so half the possible sales for the traders who still have to pay to attend both shows.

As Benedict has shown in his other DRO thread with people taking the chance to buy direct from the far eastern selling sites that too has reduced sales for the UK suppliers so even less income likely from attending an ever more costly show. Can't really complain about a lack of shows if you don't support those attending.

Hi, in addition to what JasonB has said, Ally Pally is now in the ULEZ, so that may well put many people off going there, but I started going on the train after one year when they started having the snooker or the darts there at the same time, and parking spaces became difficult to find, but the train journey was strait forward for me. I do though intend to go to the Midlands one on one of the days, and it's always been my favourite one.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 29/09/2023 10:39:10

JasonB, there have not been any shows for me to go to since 2020. If there were, I do have cash to spend at one, and will not actually buy a DRO until after the Midland exhibition which I hope to attend, though it is a 6 hour trip both ways for me.

I have a pot of cash which is made up of money people have given me that I did not ask for as well as YouTube earnings.