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Exhibition Report

Ashington 22/23 November 2003
After a long and roadworks ridden journey we finally arrived at the overnight accommodation at 9.30pm on the Friday evening. Early start Saturday (heavy frost of the frozen north to greet us) for the short journey into Ashington and the setting up of the stand.
We were located in a corridor and alcove next to the dining area which contained layouts, traders as well as an area for food and drink. With Saddletank joining us we were soon up and running.

Just before 10.00am on the Saturday - All quiet. Leviathan1949 and Saddletank with our first visitors. Ian Macmillan (on the left) & Neutronic chatting to a visitor. Morpethcurve (centre rear) looks on and smiles.

Saturday started slowly when the doors opened at 10.00am and a steady flow of visitors came to see what we were about. Unfortunately for all concerned there was a footy match in the afternoon, Newcastle versus Man City. Basically saturday afternoon was a non event for layouts, traders and us as very few people ventured to the exhibition.

Early Sunday Morning and Alan Plaice who collects the A4's/A3's sits and watches the Severn Valley ITR. The shield presented by the BDMRS to the Most Entertaining Layout. The raffle prizes. Busy Sunday afternoon.

Although Sunday started colder than Saturday, the sun did venture out to warm things up and we had a good flow of visitors to the stand throughout the Sunday opening hours. It was nice to see some of the UKTS users there - amigaairwolf, ianmitchell64, ianmacmillan, morpethcurve (who brough along his new 59 and two J72's for us to show) and shielsy4, Nice to see you all and put faces to names.

Darton in 2mm. Harry's layout shows just how much you can cram in to a small space. The A4 & A3 collection of 36 locomotives owned and collected by Alan Plaice. Blea Moor in 4mm. Aaron Johnson's No Place in 4mm.

Matt spent most of the weekend finalising the Severn Valley Diesel Gala addon CD and by Sunday evening just before we packed up it was to all intents and purposes a done task. Other routes on show included Severn Valley, MidEast, Barmouth, San Diego and Arizona, Canton, North West England, London Brighton and short preview of Ian Jenkins (crompton) new South East Route.

Shambles III, Steeltown in 4mm. Blea Moor in 4mm. Castledale in 4mm. Shildon in 4mm.

Martin had brought his RailDriver console with him and was demostrating its use on the Canton Route and the San Diego and Arizona Route. Numerous visitors wanted to know what it was and most were surprised at the ease of use and the weight of the unit. The free CD's that were taken away by the visitors were over the whole range available. We also had with us a fourth machine which we set up facing the public for visitors to have a go and many of them did, both young and old.

More visitors. The youngsters having a go driving D1013 over the bridge at Bewdley on the Severn Valley. Well Dear, now I've seen it will you buy it for me for Christmas? 1 drives while 3 watch and dad stands back to let them get on with it.

Nobody went away from the stand unimpressed with what they saw, such is the availability of add-ons that we were able to respond quickly to various requests including Narrow Guage, Steam and so forth.
Our thanks to Martin (saddletank) for joining us and helping with the stand and to Ian MacMillan for helping us load the car at the end of the exhibition prior to his own two and half hour journey home.

Our thanks to Chris (Exhibition Manager) and to the members of the Blyth and District MRS for the invite to the exhibition and making us feel welcome.