ExpoNG 2006 narrow gauge modelling nirvana
Well yesterday was a very long day. Terry and I spent the first hour and a half holding the doors open to the hall and greeting people. There was a continuous queue for the first 45 minutes, even with four people selling tickets and no delays in queue movement, and the hall filled up really quickly. Unlike other shows when visitors look around for an hour or two maximum, a lot of people spend all day at ExpoNG as there is a lot to see and a lot of people to talk to - so the atmosphere is very special. I did not appreciate that last year as I was exhibiting and didn't really get to spend much time visiting the other layouts and traders. 2006 though was very different as I am now a member of the Greenwich and District Narrow Gauge Railway Society who organise and run Expo Narrow Gauge (ExpoNG). We arrived early evening at the hall and set up the tables and did a lot of routine chores. Saturday it was still dark when we were out putting up the direction signs and we arrived just as the first exhibitors turned up. The next few hours saw moments of frantic preparations interspersed with moments of old friends meeting up.
This year each visiting layout had a nickel silver badge to take away - I did the artwork for that and got them etched - and I was very pleased with my first time etching artwork efforts (now to try a few chassis ideas!) and I had some good feedback on the design as well. We also had proper Society polo shirts with the GDNGRS badge on so that everyone could find us easily – great idea that.
Pete Wilson’s Willesden Junction won the best of show award and it is a really huge and different layout so it deserved it. It has had two outings so far and I have not touched the controls once yet! The first was in France, I was unable to go, and at ExpoNG I was too busy – the Essex boys and Pete spent all day shunting great long WW1 trains around the marshalling yard.
I did manage to spend a bit of time this year looking around the show and it cost me a small fortune in bits and bobs I never knew I might need!
Overall the day was a great success with only a few minor teething problems and there were many beaming faces to be seen. We ended the day with a slap up meal at a hotel and started planning next year’s event.
Next short: Warley 2006 - Pagham Harbour
Previous short: Expo Narrow Gauge 2006 tommorow
