Warley show finished in present form
- Thread starter DavidB
- Start date
Bobbyboy55
New Member
It doesn’t surprise me with the demographic of the club. Good luck to them all including those I worked with over a very hectic but, thoroughly enjoyable 6 year period being at the show on the GOG Village as the Guild Rep.
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
Please re-read the press release and decide if the title reflects what the club has said publically.
I think that the press release says that the show at the NEC is being re-evaluated - the content of the press release says nothing about a "Warley Show" being finished; the Warley Club might decide to run a smaller, lower risk event at a different venue. If that becomes the case then is the Warley Show "finished"?
I think that the press release says that the show at the NEC is being re-evaluated - the content of the press release says nothing about a "Warley Show" being finished; the Warley Club might decide to run a smaller, lower risk event at a different venue. If that becomes the case then is the Warley Show "finished"?
pcalkel
Active Member
The plan is to take a year off to re-evaluate what we do next as a club, we believed there were various factors when put together decided our decision to not hold another NEC show, but to step back and explore other ideas and venues, although these may be in 2025, in the mean time the Warley Model Railway Club have an open day on Sunday 18th February 11:00am until 4;00pm, entry is free of charge.
AJC
Western Thunderer
I am not greatly surprised, in some ways: putting on a show on that scale for so long as a voluntary endeavour with a number of commercial partners is little short of heroic, really. Regardless of the circumstances - and demographics, the broader economy, reprioritising, post-COVID lockdowns meant change was always going to come. Now it has.
So thanks and congratulations are due, along with the best of wishes for the future.
Adam
So thanks and congratulations are due, along with the best of wishes for the future.
Adam
Last edited:
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
I absolutely agree with Adam. I visited the NEC at the same time as the Warley Show last year and the organisation of the parking was dismal - that's not an exaggeration (and that's not the fault of the Warley organisers). We were up there for another show and I think there were three others at the same time. As the National Centre they really should have worked that out by now. We were in a queue for an hour and eventually parked outside the NEC and walked in. Yes, we should have taken the train but that limits the volume to be carried....
I'll not return to the NEC when there's more than a single show on. I think the concept of a more local show organised by the Warley chaps and chappesses could be really successful, particularly with the following Warley have built up. I wish them every success.
Brian
I'll not return to the NEC when there's more than a single show on. I think the concept of a more local show organised by the Warley chaps and chappesses could be really successful, particularly with the following Warley have built up. I wish them every success.
Brian
Jordan
Mid-Western Thunderer
The 'original' Warley Show was held at the Harry Mitchell Leisure Centre in Smethwick, for many years, but had outgrown that venue by 1992. Parking was a nightmare, it was overcrowded, so after someone took seriously an off-the-cuff remark "we should use the NEC", sure enough the next year that's where it was held.
At one time, pre-internet, it was my "must go" Show, even if it was getting more expensive & overcrowded, but the final straw for me was one year (2005-ish) when the pre-paid "early entry tickets" queue stretched right up some stairs & along a corridor some way from the entrance. Some bright spark from the Club had the idea to sell programs at the top of said stairs, from where we couldn't see the Show entrance. This held the queue up so much that we didn't get to the - by now totally clear - entrance until 20 minutes or more after normal opening time!! Not a Happy Bunny, and I never went again....
With my switch to American O Scale & the purchase of a computer, Warley was no longer my 'one stop shop' anyway, and I took to visiting my local model shop on that same weekend to spend the money I saved by not going. That has since changed hands, and focus, so I don't go there any more either!!
Hopefully some sort of 'scaled down' Warley Show at a new venue (with plenty of parking!!) might be attractive again.
With this announcement and Hatton's thunderbolt this week, looks like 2024 will see some seismic changes for certain aspects of the hobby!!
To cap off quite a week, Hornby have announced their Playtrains range is being discontinued..!!!! : That'll be the talk of Western Thunder!!! ....or maybe not....
At one time, pre-internet, it was my "must go" Show, even if it was getting more expensive & overcrowded, but the final straw for me was one year (2005-ish) when the pre-paid "early entry tickets" queue stretched right up some stairs & along a corridor some way from the entrance. Some bright spark from the Club had the idea to sell programs at the top of said stairs, from where we couldn't see the Show entrance. This held the queue up so much that we didn't get to the - by now totally clear - entrance until 20 minutes or more after normal opening time!! Not a Happy Bunny, and I never went again....
With my switch to American O Scale & the purchase of a computer, Warley was no longer my 'one stop shop' anyway, and I took to visiting my local model shop on that same weekend to spend the money I saved by not going. That has since changed hands, and focus, so I don't go there any more either!!
Hopefully some sort of 'scaled down' Warley Show at a new venue (with plenty of parking!!) might be attractive again.
With this announcement and Hatton's thunderbolt this week, looks like 2024 will see some seismic changes for certain aspects of the hobby!!
To cap off quite a week, Hornby have announced their Playtrains range is being discontinued..!!!! : That'll be the talk of Western Thunder!!! ....or maybe not....
mickoo
Western Thunderer
The clue to your parking is in this sentence
2½ mins to find a space and park, 4 mins to leave, bit of a walk but no further (and probably closer) than the majority of the NEC car parks. Oh and it was quite a bit cheaper to park all day than NEC. Some folks I know parked at Hampton in Arden station car park and caught the local train 
but that used to fill up quite quick. All academic now as the show no longer runs.With respect, good luck with that, the only way NEC turns a profit is to fill as many halls as much as possible, you'll be hard pressed to find a day where only one show is present, just not economically viable.
I used to go frequently in earlier years, but changing interests and parking woes pushed me away, new (easier) parking and a broadening of scale/interest reignited interest and I went the last two years and thoroughly enjoyed it.
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
Funnily enough, Mick, we parked in the station car park rather than any of those provided by the NEC. We were there for the Antiques Fair so a car is often necessary...
Quite often the Antiques Fair is the only event on, or maybe there's one other. They seem to cope with that OK but any more and you're queued for a couple of hours. Anyway, with the Warley Show gone and no more Antique Fairs at the NEC it's unlikely to worry us any more.
Brian
Quite often the Antiques Fair is the only event on, or maybe there's one other. They seem to cope with that OK but any more and you're queued for a couple of hours. Anyway, with the Warley Show gone and no more Antique Fairs at the NEC it's unlikely to worry us any more. Brian
Pencarrow
Western Thunderer
Haven't been or exhibited at Warley for more than 10 years. I appreciate all the effort that went into organising it, the grief of dealing with the NEC and the thankless task of putting on any sort of club event. I've also had first hand experience of how increasingly difficult it's to get enough people to committed to taking a layout to shows, let alone enough to run a show.
So I fully understand how and why the Warley club have decided to call it a day. I really hope they return to their roots and go for a smaller, more human scale and manageable local show.
So I fully understand how and why the Warley club have decided to call it a day. I really hope they return to their roots and go for a smaller, more human scale and manageable local show.
Ian@StEnochs
Western Thunderer
I only went once, a 600+ mile round trip. Never again! Far too busy and extremely difficult to see the layouts and traders so came away very frustrated.
Ian.
Ian.
Stephen
Western Thunderer
Hopefully the show will return, and although unlikely, hopefully in a similar size, although maybe a different venue.
Many fond memories of the show, and personally I don’t remember any issues with parking at The NEC, although that might be because the last time I drove there was probably around 2008, with the majority of other visits subsequently taken by train to allow a fair few ales at The Wellington to be sampled after the show.
Although I never payed rugby, the Bachmann scrum used to be good fun, as long as you didnt have too sensitive nostrils……although a few near punch-ups was OTT. I remember the year after the Bachmann A1s were released, scenes were reminiscent of the American bridal stores on Black Friday where women would grab as many dresses as they could on entry and just start bartering with each other to get the one they wanted - similar thing happened with the returned A1s, but on a smaller scale and obviously with no women involved….
I always liked the blend of box shifters and smaller manufacturers under one roof, although understand that wasn’t to everyone’s taste, just like the NEC food prices….
Cheers,
Stephen
Many fond memories of the show, and personally I don’t remember any issues with parking at The NEC, although that might be because the last time I drove there was probably around 2008, with the majority of other visits subsequently taken by train to allow a fair few ales at The Wellington to be sampled after the show.
Although I never payed rugby, the Bachmann scrum used to be good fun, as long as you didnt have too sensitive nostrils……although a few near punch-ups was OTT. I remember the year after the Bachmann A1s were released, scenes were reminiscent of the American bridal stores on Black Friday where women would grab as many dresses as they could on entry and just start bartering with each other to get the one they wanted - similar thing happened with the returned A1s, but on a smaller scale and obviously with no women involved….
I always liked the blend of box shifters and smaller manufacturers under one roof, although understand that wasn’t to everyone’s taste, just like the NEC food prices….
Cheers,
Stephen
Pencarrow
Western Thunderer
It's only 25ish miles away but I actively avoid going to any event held there. Parking, costs, overcrowding and traffic chaos are what put me off.
Edit: and I should clarify that's all exhibitions and events at the NEC. Same approach applied to big out of town mega shopping centres....
Last edited:
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
On a personal note I've stopped attending exhibitions to be honest, firstly cost of getting there is not so much that I can't afford it but more a waste of money that can be better spent towards my model making.
Of what I see at exhibitions in the way of layouts doesn't always interest me ( On rare occasions has been un-inspiring, un-realistic and even boring
) and traders can be contacted through the internet etc. for supplies.
Which leaves the social side but there again the people I socialise with meet up outside of exhibitions any way.
But as I said this is a personal feeling about exhibitions. ...
Grumpy old git ? yeah you got it
Col.
Of what I see at exhibitions in the way of layouts doesn't always interest me ( On rare occasions has been un-inspiring, un-realistic and even boring
) and traders can be contacted through the internet etc. for supplies.Which leaves the social side but there again the people I socialise with meet up outside of exhibitions any way.
But as I said this is a personal feeling about exhibitions.
...Grumpy old git ? yeah you got it
Col.
Last edited:
Pencarrow
Western Thunderer
I suspect any responses will involve a significant amount of speculation, so not really that worth doing. There has been comment that the recent show profits have been marginal, so I doubt they are going to be missing the huge pile of cash that some folk imagine the show generated.
timbowales
Western Thunderer
My experience of Warley is based on a single visit.
It was costly as I had to pay for two nights hotel accommodation for myself, my wife and teenage daughter. Additionally I paid for them to go into Birmingham on the train for a day out Christmas shopping. Never went again, especially given the admission charges last year.
Tim T
It was costly as I had to pay for two nights hotel accommodation for myself, my wife and teenage daughter. Additionally I paid for them to go into Birmingham on the train for a day out Christmas shopping. Never went again, especially given the admission charges last year.
Tim T