Travel question, which show??

[Jim Flynn]

There is a possibility that money and time will allow a trip to the UK. As it would be primarily to visit a friend, we would stay in the London area, but would have quite a bit of free time.

If there were only one show you could attend in a given year, which would include the most 009 exposure? By that, I mean regarding 009 layouts, dealers, mfrs and vendors whose focus is big in 009.

Suggestions?

Thanks.

Jim F

[JulienW]

At a guess probably the 009 Society AGM/ Narrow Gauge South at Eastleigh  on April 7th. Should also be fairly easy to get to by rail from London too.

Edit: I realised that I should have stated that the April 7th date is for the 2018 AGM.

[Andrew Emery]

There is a possibility that money and time will allow a trip to the UK. As it would be primarily to visit a friend, we would stay in the London area, but would have quite a bit of free time.

If there were only one show you could attend in a given year, which would include the most 009 exposure? By that, I mean regarding 009 layouts, dealers, mfrs and vendors whose focus is big in 009.

Suggestions?

Thanks.

Jim F

ExpoNG at Swanley is the one I would go for. Twenty minutes out of London on the train. Far bigger than the AGM, and more chance of staying awake!

[Hobby]

I'd have thought they'd be about the same size but with more OO9 at the AGM.

However Jim hasn't said when he'll be coming across so the likes of NGNorth may also be a possibility, as could others!

[rod335]

Unfortunately, in my experience and despite what the adverts say, Expong is not a very large show, the 009 Society AGM show is much larger. (To be held at Eastleigh near Southampton now). I would not comment on quality of show. The best and biggest by a long way to my mind was the sadly missed Shepton Mallett show.

[Jim Flynn]

Thanks for the replies, so far.

As for timing, it's open ended, so I would plan the trip to coincide whatever show I was going to attend.

Jim

[JulienW]

ExpoNG at Swanley is the one I would go for. Twenty minutes out of London on the train. Far bigger than the AGM, and more chance of staying awake!

The actual AGM itself is usually in a seperate room, and attendance at the 'official' but is not compulsory! :laugh:

[danny]

the 009 Society AGM/ Narrow Gauge South at Eastleigh

Has it moved from Sparsholt?

[Hobby]

Yes.

[Elmgate]

Without qualifying which is "better" I would agree that Narrow Gauge South, in April, or EXPONG, in October are the two most sensible from London area. Either have as much chance of good weather as the other!  :D

[danny]

the 009 Society AGM/ Narrow Gauge South at Eastleigh

Has it moved from Sparsholt?

Yes.

Without wanting to go off topic too much, can I ask if there was a particular reason for this? I had heard previously that it might be moving to a venue with less awkward access than the individual small rooms at Sparsholt.

[garrywhiting]

the 009 Society AGM/ Narrow Gauge South at Eastleigh

Has it moved from Sparsholt?

Yes.

Without wanting to go off topic too much, can I ask if there was a particular reason for this? I had heard previously that it might be moving to a venue with less awkward access than the individual small rooms at Sparsholt.

Cost of venue hire --- Sparsholt College priced themselves out of the market.

Garry

[MickT]

Back to the original question. Jim asked : "If there were only one show you could attend in a given year, which would include the most 009 exposure?"

Definitely not Expong, for all that it is a great day out to meet the fellow afflicted and to spend loads of money at trade stands (all scales) but not to include the "most 009 exposure". Expong usually struggles to put together anything approaching 20 layouts not counting the micro comptetition ones and probably a half of these will not be 009. The 009 bi-ennial NG South put on by the Wessex NGM's has had over 20 layouts regularly since inception, most of them in 009 or HOe etc and most of them top quality and of a reasonable layout size rather than micro layouts. Nobody is saying that NGS is Better than Expong, that is a matter of personal opinion, but in answer to Jim's question, then NGS is most definitely more suitable as it gives more exposure to 009 which is what he asked for.

As for traders, the "premier" 009 trader will certainly be there - in the form of Andrew Hastie and Dundas models, 009 sales will be there and there is normally a good selection of the smaller specialist 4mm scale traders such as Narrow Planet, N Drive. Worsley etc, plus a selection of general modelling related goods, books etc etc. Admittedly nowhere near as wide a range of traders as you get at Expong, but concentrating on 009 and related, which again is what Jim asked for.

Mick

[Andrew Emery]

Back to the original question. Jim asked : "If there were only one show you could attend in a given year, which would include the most 009 exposure?"

Definitely not Expong, for all that it is a great day out to meet the fellow afflicted and to spend loads of money at trade stands (all scales) but not to include the "most 009 exposure". Expong usually struggles to put together anything approaching 20 layouts not counting the micro comptetition ones and probably a half of these will not be 009. The 009 bi-ennial NG South put on by the Wessex NGM's has had over 20 layouts regularly since inception, most of them in 009 or HOe etc and most of them top quality and of a reasonable layout size rather than micro layouts. Nobody is saying that NGS is Better than Expong, that is a matter of personal opinion, but in answer to Jim's question, then NGS is most definitely more suitable as it gives more exposure to 009 which is what he asked for.

As for traders, the "premier" 009 trader will certainly be there - in the form of Andrew Hastie and Dundas models, 009 sales will be there and there is normally a good selection of the smaller specialist 4mm scale traders such as Narrow Planet, N Drive. Worsley etc, plus a selection of general modelling related goods, books etc etc. Admittedly nowhere near as wide a range of traders as you get at Expong, but concentrating on 009 and related, which again is what Jim asked for.

Mick

I suspect it is quality, rather than quantity, that is sought after here. Expong has the quality, all the traders you mention, and an excellent venue within easy reach of London. In 2016 it certainly knocked spots off the AGM for quality - not all 'exposure' is nesessarily 'positive exposure'. As a visitor from overseas myself, ExpoNG 2016 had all I could wish for, and was well worth the journey.

Somehow, I feel we have not heard the last on this subject. Will all 'Trolls' please form an orderly queue..

[Hobby]

That would indicate that the "quality" at the AGM is less than that at Expong, I'm sorry but I can't agree with that. As others have said until last year NGSW was far and away the best NG show, judged on quality or quantity. Now with it's demise there are several contenders, Expong is just one of them, the AGM is another as are the two shows in the North and the recent one at Tewksbury.

As for being within easy reach of Central London, Eastleigh is very easy to get to from London, being on the mainline from London to Southampton, and will only take about 1/2 hour longer than to Expong from the centre!