RAILEX 2023

[David Bigcheeseplant]

RAILEX 2023

27th & 28th May 2023

Stoke Mandeville Stadium
Stadium Approach
Aylesbury
Buckinghamshire
HP21 9PP

http://www.railex.org.uk

Saturday 10.00-17.30
Sunday 10.00-16.30

Free vintange bus from Aylesbury railway station to Railex both days

Layouts Attending:
7mm Scale
Bridgewater (O)
Grindley Brook (O)
Kensington Addison Road (O)
Purgatory Peak (On30)

4mm Scale
Charwelton in the 80s (OO)
Hope Under Dinmore (EM)
Old Parrock (OO)
Wantage Tramway (P4)
Wendover (OO)

2mm Scale
Bath Engine Shed (2mm)
Freshwater (2mm)
Modbury (2mm)
Pebworth (2mm

Traders
247 Developments.
Alan Gibson.
Bill Hudson Transport Books.
Branchlines.
Brushes 4 Models.
C&L Finescale Track Building Systems Ltd.
Cheltenham Model Centre.
CSP Models.
Dart Castings.
D&E Video/Realtrack Models/DC Kits/Legomanbiffo.
Dingo Servo Mounts
Golden Arrow.
High Level Kits.
Ians Trains.
Isinglass Models.
Judith Edge Kits.
London Road Models.
Minerva Model Railways.
Model Railway Developments.
PenBits Model Railways.
Petite Properties Ltd.
Premo
Prickley Pear
Roger Carpenter.
Severn Models.
Squires/South Eastern Finecast
Stoneybridge Models.
Sunningwell Command Control Ltd: Digitrax. Soundtraxx.
Tim Horn Lasercut Baseboards.
Wild Swan Books Ltd.
WW Scenics.

Demonstrations/Societies
The 2mm Scale Association.
Gauge O Guild.
Missenden Abbey Railway Modellers.
Pendon Museum.
Paul Bambrick.
Scalefour Society.
The Scale Seven Group.

[bobwallison]

Well that's definitely in my diary - one of my favourite shows of the year.
The only slight niggle is that there doesn't seem to be a retailer of general modelling tools and materials to replace Eileen's Emporium. Is that something you're working on or is it too late for this year? I wonder if the "Note to prospective traders" on the Railex 2023 website is entirely accurate.
Regards,
Bob

[David Bigcheeseplant]

We have Squires replacing Eileen’s and also Hobby holidays both who should have materials and tools.

[martin goodall]

I'm pleased to learn that both of those traders will be at Railex, but neither of them appears (yet) on the Railex website.

The layout line-up is really mouth-watering. A show not to be missed.

[bobwallison]

Great news David. Thankyou.
Bob

[Horsetan]

Wonderful. I can give the Citroën a bit of a run.

[Steve Carter]

I'm looking forward to being back at Railex

The Society Stand will be there so please drop by to say hello, ask questions and see what we can do to help you on your route in finescale modelling. You can also renew your subscription if you haven't done so by then.

Steve

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Last week, we were informed the sports hall we usually use for the exhibition will not be available owing to the floor being replaced over a 2 month period commencing April 24th. We will now be holding the exhibition in the adjacent Indoor Bowls Hall. This is slightly smaller and we have worked hard over the last week to rearrange the floor plan to accommodate our booked layouts and Traders.

Regrettably it has not been possible to include everybody and we have had to withdraw invitations to Beijiao by Paul Stapleton and James Street by Steve Wright. We are grateful to both for their understanding in this unfortunate situation forced on us by circumstances beyond our control. Both layouts have been invited to attend in 2024.

As you can imagine the change of hall just a few weeks before the show is not want we planned but it was either use this alternative hall or cancel, but with adverts and diary dates having been published in magazines we decided to rearrange using the alternative space that was offered.

The bowls area is not one level space and has a slightly raised around the perimeter around four sides which we are using to view the layouts from with the traders located in the centre area of the hall. James Street requires viewing on four sides which we would not be able to achieve with the way we have had to arrange the layouts.

After last year when the stadium double booked us and we had to cancel, we thought we were back to normal but with the spanner in the work this year with the change of hall forced on us on, we still have a great show on offer with all the Railex brand values you would expect.

Attached is photos of the hall we will be using.

David

[grovenor-2685]

Will the visitors have to wear bowling shoes? Or can the "grass" be temporarily removed?

[David Bigcheeseplant]

You can wear whatever you want on your feet, as the hall has not been used for bowling for quite a few years and the hall will be redeveloped in future. It is rather nice to walk on!

[martin goodall]

Further to David Lane's second note of 24 February, I understand [from another member of the Risboro club] that Hobby Holidays will not now be at Risex, as they are no longer attending exhibitions.

Perhaps David could kindly clarify the position here?

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Hobby Holidays is not attending,

[mkfuzzhead]

.....After last year when the stadium double booked us and we had to cancel, we thought we were back to normal but with the spanner in the work this year with the change of hall forced on us on,.....

I recall the article in S4 News 231 (Page 16) regarding Scaleforum 2022 and the experience of the new venue, Cressex School..... Given the somewhat questionable booking arrangements by the Stadium management perhaps there's the opportunity for future Railex to be held at a venue which experience would suggest encourages, and caters for, such events?

[David Bigcheeseplant]

.....After last year when the stadium double booked us and we had to cancel, we thought we were back to normal but with the spanner in the work this year with the change of hall forced on us on,.....

I recall the article in S4 News 231 (Page 16) regarding Scaleforum 2022 and the experience of the new venue, Cressex School..... Given the somewhat questionable booking arrangements by the Stadium management perhaps there's the opportunity for future Railex to be held at a venue which experience would suggest encourages, and caters for, such events?

We are looking at other alternatives although the size of venue we need is not easy to find, and really don't want to go too far out of our area. At the moment we are focusing on getting this year sorted as we are exactly a month away.

David

[martin goodall]

I have always thought that the main sports hall at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium is a good venue, and so long as the hospital doesn't mess the Risboro club about again next year, I would have thought that this should remain first choice.

Accessibility is better than Cressex, with two different bus routes from central Aylesbury (plus the vintage bus). So I rather hope that Railex will continue to be at Stoke Mandeville in future years.

I am certainly looking forward to this year's show.

[DaveHarris]

I would echo Matin's comments, for those without their own transport Aylesbury is far better and in all honesty i personally found the Scalefour event at Cressex a very disjointed affair (but thats just me!). Public transport in Aylesbury is a LOT better and whilst not ideal , from the pictures above I think we will have a very good show.

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Floor plan for Railex 2023 attached.

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Just a heads up RAILEX is this weekend, we are just confirming the vintage bus timetable, which I will post up in the next day or two.

David

[Phil O]

For the first time in 10 years, covid excepted, I will not be attending, the combined cost of the train fare and a couple of nights hotel is prohibitive, this year.

Cheers

Phil.

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Here is the free vintage bus timetable, the bus will depart from Aylesbury Railway station car park.

[Horsetan]

All in all, not bad. Kensington Addison Road has my vote.

I do hope the show will return to the main hall next year, as the atmosphere in the low-roofed side building was quite "close".

The catering seemed to be having a hard time.

[barhamd]

Thanks to the organizers for a great day out. The layouts and trade were most welcome after several years of exhibition drought. A shame that the usual hall wasn't available but much better to put up with the slightly less suitable venue than to have no show at all.

David

[tmcsean]

Congratulations to the Railex team on putting on an exceptional show. I found the 2mm layouts partiularly impressive, though the standard was high throughout. I really hope that we will be back in the usual sports hall next year because the low roof and absence of ventilation was pretty grim on a hot Saturday. By lunchtime some of the traders were already gently wilting, and that with three-quarters still to do.

Thanks for all the hard work that went into the event - a great success.

Tony

[martin goodall]

A truly excellent show, which attracted a good attendance yesterday (and hopefully also today).

The 2 mm and 4 mm layouts were first class, with smooth and reliable operation (whether DC-operated or DCC). My favourites, as always, were among the smallest layouts - Wantage (Mill Street) and Old Parrock.

Modbury, Penworth and Freshwater were all fine examples of 2 mm modelling, and Penworth in particular showed that N Gauge can be made to look just as good as 2FS and to operate reliably and realistically (using a DC feedback controller).

I confess to not having been quite so impressed by the 7 mm layouts, mainly due to rather lacklustre operation, but they displayed a high standard of construction of both buildings and rolling stock.

I was pleased to see a good selection of traders, although I confess that I didn't spend very much, as I already have cupboards that are threatening to burst their doors with kits, bits and other stuff that 'might come in useful'.

[The problem with the catering was simply that the kitchen couldn't cope with the level of demand. The food, when it eventually arrived, was good. Perhaps the caterers could be persuaded to take on more staff when events are being held at the Stadium.]

The Risboro club's exhibition team are entitled to be well-pleased with yet another well-organised and thoroughly enjoyable exhibition.

[kelly]

A great day out for my birthday with Natalie doing the driving once again (at some point I'll have to see if the ankle will actually cope with the clutch operation!).

A nice selection of layouts. Whilst the layout wasn't perfect in some respects (mostly the chairs near the layouts causing a little big of a bottleneck, especially if people stood more than single file at a layout and also especially if two wheelchairs wanted to get past the area), overall balancing the fact of the late venue change and other factors I think the team did a really good job. An enjoyable day and I look forward to next year when hopefully the sports hall is available again, though if it isn't for whatever reason and the bowls room has to be used then at least some things will be known now to arrange for it (it is the case really that until you actually hold an event and get feedback you cannot truely know what changes need to be made to improve things, in this particular case it is really just small tweaks I feel).

Well done to the team on a great job under what were probably rather stressful circumstances given the late changes required.