Exhibition some helpful advice.
Some years ago, a
gentlemen by the name of Ray Arnold wrote a piece explaining the
outlines of what one should do when taking a layout to an exhibition.
Some of the suggestions are a bit dated now i.e.: a sheet of
corrugated card around the front of the layout to hide the
uninteresting bits under the layout and tidying things up. I thought
though that the basic ideas and suggestion may be helpful for future
generations, the article just needed a bit of updating. Most of these
suggestion are from the gentleman concerned and through my own experiences
on the exhibition circuit with my own layout and helping out with
other peoples.
Before we get to the
article, there has been various things mentioned on websites, blogs
etc about how an exhibition comes to fruition, weather through a club
or a single guy setting one up on his own.
The Club or society.
When
a club organises an exhibition any profit is usually taken by the
organisation and ploughed back into the society. This helps the club
to grow and prosper, a great advertiser to attract new members,
help build new projects, advertises the hobby and encourages new 'would be modellers' to have a go, thus generating more interest in the
hobby and perhaps put on an even better show the following year.
The lone wolf
He
organises the event, books the school/hall, books the layouts.
Advertises the show. He takes the huge gamble as to, am I going to
make anything out of this, a huge gamble. BUT at the end of the day, this helps the hobby to grow and prosper, a great advertiser for the
hobby and encourages new 'would be modellers' to have a go, thus
generating more interest in the hobby and perhaps put on an even
better show the following year.
The
outcomes are the same. If it encourages the hobby and makes people
want to have a go then I have no problem with either scenario.
Getting
back to the original article.
The request to exhibit
your layout usually comes with great joy, the fact that you have
built something that is good enough that one person thinks other
people want to see, calls for something more than its erection and
running of trains, for which you do for your enjoyment at home. I am
beginning after several years of showing my models around the the
local area and to understand something about the visitors to
exhibitions. Visitors tend to fall into Five categories.
The modeller
who will come anyway
and is usually the most interested visitor of all, you can learn
something from him, if you listen, he can sometimes
make your day. He is a rare bird usually 1 – in 300th
visitor.
The so called purist
who probably never
made anything himself. Most of his knowledge has come from books and
magazines, apart from snide remarks, he can be dismissed and is
usually sent on his way with the question: have you a model at the
show or may I have a look at your layout?
The guy who has done
it all
This
is the one who bores you to death with, I have helped a friend with
his layout, its 150 feet long, I programmed it for him, I built the
track, we made this and I helped him with that. Again, ask, can I see
this layout? what point motors did you use? have you any
photographs? is it being published in a magazine?
The Older visitor
I have a soft spot for
the older visitor who is often around in the early morning, talking
to him sometimes equates to valuable information and stories from
earlier days particularly if he comes from an era you are modelling. Treat him with respect and courtesy.
Families
Form the vast majority
rushing about the exhibition without really understanding anything
unless you go out of your way to help them, this in turn can bring
rewards to both of you and the society concerned. Encourage them to
talk and ask questions. These are the people of the future, there son
or daughter may grow up to be the next Ian Rice or Chris Nevard.
Therefore, with these
people in mind, I offer the following suggestions and is as easy as
P-I-E
P for
Presentation.
This should take the
form of neatness and information although,i am hardly the greatest of
person in the world for this. I have realised photographs,
informative information, write ups, timetables and the like are a
simple way to create a good impression. If you have modelled the
real thing, 'then and now' photographs are great. Always cover the
baseboard fronts with some type of curtain, it just smartens
everything up, a coat of emulsion really helps on any bare wood, i
even paint the back of back-scenes, i just think it looks more
presentable even when carrying the layout into the hall for setting
up. While on the subject of paint, Matt black is a "NoNo" for me, i think it detracts from the subject. If you have a sky backscene then use blue or if your layout is in a country setting,then i prefere green. Think about the underside of the layout rough timber and yards of
dangling wires can put off a potential modeller because it looks too
complicated. keep wiring out of site.
A banner carrying
the layout title and club or society name can be attached to the
layout preferable on uprights lifting it above head height so that it
can be seen across a busy hall. If illumination can be set in the
form of a lighting rig, so much the better. These days, with the
price of LED strips being so cheap, its almost a crime not to fit
one. Information about the layout should be shown at a decent height
so as to avoid to much bending down at odd angles buy the general
public.
I for
Information.
This should be the
maximum you can provide for example;
Where the layout is
situated.
The period being
modelled
How long it took to
build
Timetable information
What trains are running
the sequence of running
including some indication to the public of which train is being run
and its purpose
keep your ears open and
don't hesitate to answer any queries, you often hear someone say "how
has he made that", tell them, its a good idea to have a notice either
in the show guide or on the layout saying 'question welcome'.
Photographers are a big problem, I have no problem with anyone taking
photos but a sign saying 'Please ask before taking Photographs' Most
of these modern cameras have such a bright flash on them you can't see
anything for the next Twenty minutes with a flash going off in your
eyes.
E for
Example
Set a good example. I
think generally, the average viewer stays at a layout for no more
than 3-5 minutes, so, this is the amount of time you have to set an
example. You want them to stay longer, get a friend to help operate
the layout so you have more time to spend with the public answering
question and explaining how you made a certain item. Always try and
remember who's products you have used, its surprising how quick you
can forget. If they stay longer than the 3-5 minutes then you have
something they want to see, OK, so your layout may not be there
thing, time-scale, era, etc. You still want them to look at say, your
methods, ideas. Say, how your fiddle yard works. A lot of ideas are
common to all layouts. There is no finer advertisement for you and
your society than good running, authentic operation, true to type
scenic work and something a little different, I will come to the last
one later.
Good running
Before going to the
exhibition.
Clean your track with a
good track cleaner and wipe over or hoover off after. Test your track
with a loco that has had its wheels cleaned. After cleaning the
track, run through each point at least twice in alternate directions
to insure you've not damaged anything while cleaning or nothing has
trapped in the point blades. A good thing to use to clean out point
blades, frogs and checkrails is an empty washing up bottle to blow
out any debris. Clean all loco wheels and pickups, a toothpick is
ideal. Ensure all pickups are in contact with the wheels. You don't
want to be spending Two hours on the Sunday morning trying to get
your 'pride of the line' working, this generally causes lots of “tuts
and sighing” from fellow operators and they also tend not to let
you forget it. Check rolling stock wheels to insure there is no build
up of dirt. Oiling, ideally should be done a few days before so any
excess can run off in the box and not on the layout. Grab a back to
back gauge and just check each item of rolling stock to make sure all
is true.
Couplings can be
problematic, anything other than your standard tension lock can
become misaligned while in your storage box. Always keep one master
wagon in a safe place and check every other wagon against it. Check
point blades if you have soldered track, as with constant movement
these can come adrift.
Authentic operation
This is really a plea,
one sees layouts at exhibition where operation is limited in scope, a
train arrives engine detaches, runs round and departs again, this can
soon become dull so introduce a fruit van or cattle wagon or perhaps
a through carriage that is detached and or attached. A pick up goods
that actually picks up and or drops off. I'm sure this would add to
the average visitors enjoyment, although you may have to put up with
Mums dragging off their offspring and saying its broke come on.
Accurate scenery
This is much more
difficult and depends on the owners skills and ideas, however
plunging in with both feet is not the answer. Take a look at some
photographs of a yard for instance, clutter, lack of old dirt and
grease which even my standards could be scrapped off yet the average
layout looks as if it has been newly built and laid out. Look at any
stretch of grass and its not all green but large areas of yellows and
intrudes, especially the scrubby patches of grass which surround the
railway. Property roads are not just smooth areas of grey but
drastically vary in colour with bits dug out of them and patched
over. Buildings often have bits added on or rebuilt in some way avoid
'play school' type houses with 3 windows and a door. Trees are
another area, they are all different and are usually far to small on
any layout. I like the idea of peering through trees to see various
aspects of a layout, i feel it encourages the visitor to take a
second glance. Add wildlife, there is nothing that a child likes to do better than try to find Roger the rabbit or otty the Owl.
Something different.
But not gimmicky. Scrap
yards, allotments, gardens, clothes lines with clothes on. Careful
not to overload the layout with to many cameo scenes. I feel it can
all get a bit to much, try to avoid cars stopped at a zebra crossings
with know one actually crossing. Here's the one for me, buses on
bridges is my pet hate, what's it stopped there for? is it waiting
for a train. How many of your wagons actually have loads on them,
even tarpaulins with a company name. How many cow pats would there be
in the cattle dock. If all this is done with care and in particular,
attention to detail, a layout can start to look good and make sense.
Have a go and think up different ideas, try to make the layout look
as if it hasn't just been unpacked from a manufactures box. I am well
aware that we cant all build a loco from a kit of parts but at least
have a go and do something with an RTR to make it individual. Coal in
the tender, add a crew, fire irons etc.,
In conclusion.
I
hope this article has gone some way to help others. Not only the
slaves of the exhibition hall but all members of this intriguing
hobby of ours. As far as I am aware the original article was
something that you received on a disc when becoming a member of the
3mm society. Hats off to Ray Arnold for writing such an informative
piece of work. It hit a brain cell with me and have learnt a lot from
it.
At the end of the day, we are putting on a show for the public, to me, its no different than a band playing a gig for their fans or a writer putting on a play in a Theater.
Remember,
its a hobby, enjoy the hobby and reek the rewards. Now, how to make
it “cool”
