Warley National Model Railway Exhibition 2023 | Still worth it?

[@NewJunction]

Always a pleasure to see you! ❤

[@TheRealNips]

I really enjpyed the show and it was great bumping into you. Thanks for a good chat and the photo of you, me and Charlie! Keep up the good work!

[@timbervalleyproductions]

Thanks for the shoutout too mate! 👍

[@TATICMOOR]

Well presented Rob, enjoyed the clips and stuff from the show. Helping out on exhibitions is great, and getting to talk to people is fun, too.

[@timbervalleyproductions]

Was fantastic to see you there! Great video!

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks. Great to meet you too 👍

[@AlecDenholm]

I really enjoyed the narration over this video! It added something that many train show videos lack, a bit more depth and context to what's going on. Really makes me wish I could have been there too. Anyway thanks for sharing your experience with us!

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks Alec :-)

[@timothyduncan3457]

Hi, I went to Warley this year as a last week decision. I was in Sheffield all day Saturday, making me half way there. Found the cheapest Travelodge at Burton on Trent and knew how expensive car parking at the NEC is. So l paid £2.90 for a train ride from the nearest Park & Ride station. Thoroughly enjoyed the show. My standout take home was that I liked the way that the different scaled layouts were grouped together, coupled with the wide aisles. GETS organisers, please note! Thank you for your observations, nicely set to running trains in the background.

[@alanwhite4003]

I love the videos please keep it up. Happy Christmas 🎄 to you and yours.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thank Alan, Merry Christmas to you too.

[@raymondmarkesteijn3198]

I had a great time flew over from holland seen a lot of nice layouts and found some nice items for the future layout

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Glad to hear it was worth the trip. Did you fly in/out same day just for the show?

[@petermudie4847]

Great to see 5164 on her way back to steam. I was one of the original team who rebuilt her after her arrival at Bewdley from Barry Scrapyard. Living in New Zealand it;s difficult to get back and see her again.

[@diedertspijkerboer]

In relation to what you said about layouts for kids to play with : Several model railway clubs here in the Netherlands have a layout for kids to play with, made with simple scenery and second hand trains and the old Märklin M (for metal) track. I wonder if anything similar would be possible in Britain, maybe with Tri-ang stuff or so.

[@IronHorseRailways]

Nick at live steam is a great chap! Of course Byway is an incredible layout, small in size but packed with features!! Have to agree on prices mate, had I not been helping DCC concepts out I wouldn't have been there due to the cost ... Glad you liked my card 😂😂 Cya soon mate! Also enjoying the advent calendar too!

[@diedertspijkerboer]

I went to Warley once, flying in from the Netherlands. It's obviously not something I would do every year, but I'd like to go again some time, especially since I also have friends who live in Birmingham.

[@LetsGo_41]

I enjoyed Warley this year. I found it a lot better because they had used more of the hall so they had more space for everyone to use. I found the mix of exhibitors and traders was a good balance. My only criticism (not really Warley's fault more NEC) was that they hadn't put enough seating down so there were plenty of people inc me and my wife sitting on the floor near the toilets at the top eating their lunch. I do think that needs to be sorted as if they have such an open area not really being used. Why not just add more seats? Overall though it was a good experience. I am looking forward to going back in April.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Yeah, definitely felt about right in terms of space once you were through that initial entry way bit. Definitely need more chairs! My legs were killing me after a couple of hours wandering.

[@stephencb9234]

You have summed it up right - we older visitors had to grab spots on two of the picnic benches to have our lunch and a bit of a rest. The four of us travelling together were therefore spread out and couldn't discuss the day so far, and what where the best layouts or traders!

[@alanmusicman3385]

Rob, thanks for this video summary of the show. I was going to go but in the end I didn't - it's almost three hours each way and I had been going to share the driving with my son, but he had to work so in the end I didn't make the trip. Kind of regretted it seeing your footage here - but at least there is lots of video taken at the event so I can enjoy it vicarously and look forward to making the trip next year.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

That's quite the journey. Where are you coming from?

[@alanmusicman3385]

@@LittleWicketRailway Cornwall

[@JamesBondsSkyline]

I do agree with you that some more layouts that are child friendly is a must, they are the future for the hobby. I remember attending when we won the first Great Model Railway Challenge we let children run trains via iPads and iPhones with TouchCab on Clucas Bay. I still remember parents being absolutely astonished at us allowing their children to do so.

[@zivadivathedog9392]

Rob we decided not to go after GETS not a good experience. But we went to Manchester last weekend. What a difference plenty of layouts plenty of space I think the big shows need to take a look at the MMRS show best one in years.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

I didn't go to GETS this year, but I heard it was very crowded. Warley wasn't too bad, more space at the back of the hall away from the entrance. I'll take a look at Manchester for next year. Thanks for the tip.

[@philh9421]

I’d quite like to get to this at some point and when I lived in London that would have been feasible. Now I’m in Cornwall it’s a bit of a journey! Maybe next year though. Either that or Alexandra Palace again.

[@simonbaker6962]

I did not realise that parking had to be paid for. Its free at GETS and Spalding and also at the Car museum !

[@StormmyStormmy]

Hi, great video, I wanted to go but I had Covid, I will attend Warley next year as I’ve never been there before, I will give The Great Electric Train Show next year because I didn’t really enjoy it in 2023, I totally agree about the very overpriced items the manufacturers produce in our hobby, I wait for sales unless it’s Accurascale items that sell out quite quickly and are not reproduced again, going to Warley is expensive with travel and entry is £50 for me, it’s supposed to be the biggest model railway show in the Uk. Have you sorted anything out with the Hornby Zero 1 video yet? Thanks for sharing.

[@StormmyStormmy]

Hi, Craig from Iron Horse railways is a quality down to earth gentleman whom I had a very good conversation with regarding model railways at the 2023 G.E.T. Show.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Craig is a lovely guy and his videos are quality.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Hope you're fully recovered and sorry you didn't enjoy GETS. Not much progress on Zero1, but it's still on the list.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Attended Warley on the Sunday and found it better than previous years in that there was more space to walk and watch the layouts. No big food vans hogging the space either (a pun, oh dear) - but more seating was necessary. Wonderful layouts and for me far more North American stuff to buy pre-used. Spent loads. Only had one person chat with me that I know, though did speak to a few exhibitors. Big down side though, as ever, is the cost of parking and entry.

[@djburland]

I went the Alley Palley, but being a pensioner cannot afford any others as much as I would like to. Thanks for your video.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

They are expensive days out. Is Alley Palley worth a visit?

[@TimberSurf]

It was absolutely brilliant to meet you at Warley (and unexpected) but then I didn't actually think I would go, but I was offered a free ticket, so even though I have vowed to only go every 10 years, I found myself there on Saturday! The reason so infrequently, I went in 2008 and 2018, both times it was rammed, 3 deep in front of layouts and bashed to pieces by back packs. Not a good experience and very hard to film the layouts. I have to say this year was different, the aisles were wide and the layouts were the normal show 1 person deep. I am not sure the numbers are back up to the pre-covid levels, but the more spread out layout definitely helps. Price, yes parking is ridiculously priced (hence I went by train, something which is extremely unusual for me) and the ticket is the most expensive of any show, but then it is at least twice as big as any other!

[@OBPlanes15]

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