Dave

2 minutes ago, Warbonnet said:

Is that based on Bracken's post? This is turning into quite the party! 

It's looking that way!

Anyone staying over? Think I'll have to book a room

On 07/02/2018 at 1:45 PM, Broithe said:

Particularly for your sort of product, there is nothing like actually seeing one in front of you.

Many people will consider buying one for years, even decades, and just keep putting it off, but seeing the reality in front of them can easily be the tipping point.

I have had a good few customers that had wanted a layout and wait years, then see the baseboards and order.

Now that I am set up in the new workshop I have a guy making baseboards full time so waiting periods have dropped from months to a week or so.

Most of the layouts that I build the track goes straight onto the baseboard.  Most people don't mind the noise. They method of construction of my boards help reduce noise over ply and softwood boards.

A trick if the noise is too much is to glue blocks of 18mm MDF to the underside of the layout. They absorb the sound really well.

I use PU foam over cork and I stay away from the Peco open cell foam as it can degrade over time. The PU foam (closed cell) is good and for clients that want a quiet layout I cover the whole baseboard in it. Then glue the track onto it then ballast, this way there is an insulating layer between the baseboard and the track. However the ballast becoming one hard piece will be noisy. 

15 hours ago, leslie10646 said:

Dave

I think that you have hit the nail on the head - the established baseboard men are just that and rely on people to go to them, via a website, or via small ads in the magazines.

Exhibition attendance is expensive especially if you have to cross the Irish Sea, as I know to my cost (pun intended).

Leslie

A lot of companies get complacent and think they have made it then pull back from the public eye.  I have worked in sales and marketing for years and seen this time and time again.

 Promoting a business can be expensive but well worth it, some of the shows I do here can be quiet and product sales can be slow. But when someone picks up a leaflet you could get a call months later for a layout or baseboards. 

Very nice George, really like the curves. Looks very natural.

Thanks Chaps,  it does seem that the baseboard manufacturers don't do many shows anymore. Maybe it's a case of they feel they have their name out there and don't need to be at the shows anymore.

It's just going to take a bit of time to get established with the club's.

Many thanks for all your input. Keep the ideas coming!

16 hours ago, Broithe said:

There are toy/train fairs at the same location, every couple of months.

http://www.barrypotterfairs.com/fairs.php?fair=19

They are 40/50% railway, and take place in two of the three halls seen above. They might fit in with a Saturday exhibition somewhere else?

I tried a toy fair in Cardiff and one in Carmarthen the following  day,  it was a complete disaster! If I'm doing shows in the UK I would rather them 100% focused on railway. I also plan to deliver layouts when going to the shows. I have 2 layouts to deliver around London next month and I'm booked into Alexander Palace so hopefully it will be a good weekend.

Looking at the pictures you posted there seemed to be a lot of free space at that show.

21 hours ago, Broithe said:

Well, it was Stafford today (and yesterday). I didn't see any baseboard purveyors and I did overhear two people who were looking for components - dowels, clips, etc.

There were three halls - not the best photos below, but they might give some idea of the scale.

Mr MegaPoints was there, he may be prepared to give you a trader's-eye resumé from his viewpoint.

 

Unfortunately the show was fully booked and is fully booked for next year. I'm on a waiting list!

Here's a few pics of a layout I built using code 75 track. It looks quite well when it's ballasted and track side detail is added.

The real thing had different colours, the colour mixed in Inchicore wasn't exactly matched. Also a lot of rolling stock faded over time.

The coaches used on the Galway line faded just on one side from the sun!

I like the different shades, looks more natural. 

You have the hardest part done! Most of my customers that buy baseboards have been putting off building them for one reason or another. 

As Richie says get some track down, the inspiration will follow from there!

Very nice Eoin, paper engineering at it's finest!

On 20/01/2018 at 10:04 PM, David Holman said:

St Neots is a good show and they get over 3000 visitors over the weekend.

 I've heard Milton Keynes get good attendance, especially for a one day show. Catering more for the non specialist side of the hobby, there may be lots of folk who would like custom made boards there.

Great, thanks David. I will email them

Despite the fact I spend quite a bit of money with Hornby magazine I still can't get into that show. They are fully booked. But I have said if I can't get in this year I won't be advertising with them anymore.

I like the idea of Stafford and I have emailed them.

I'm not worried about my UK competitors, I can beat their prices and find they are slow to deal with enquires which gives me an edge. Since the new year I have taken in nearly 10k in orders just from the UK alone!

Hi Guys,

I'm starting to do model railway exhibitions in the UK. I have booked into Perth and I am doing Glasgow next year. I have looked at Warley but the costs for a trade stand are very hard to justify.

I have a list of exhibitions but would appreciate some feedback.

So! Can anyone recommend some good exhibitions in the UK? 

Jasus! £261 at the moment and that could rocket in the last 30 seconds.

I have 2 maybe I should put one up!

As the business is growing I'm now looking to take on another person to build layouts. I have someone in house building baseboards and now I need help in turning layouts around.

It's a part time role to start with and will hopefully lead to full time.

I'm looking for someone to take a bare baseboard and bring it to a completed layout to a high standard. Some experience is required but most of all a desire to learn and have a good attention to detail is essential.

So if you think you have what it takes give me a call. I'm based in Edenderry Co. Offaly.

Call text or email.

0876555052

david@modelrailbaseboards.com 

On 07/01/2018 at 9:45 AM, Noel said:

Aside from the lack of any Irish RTR stock, another possible issue for some who wish to shunt and operate prototypical low speed movements is the reliability and smoothness of N gauge locos, and the relative light weight of wagons making coupling unpredictable (e.g. Wagon pushed before couplings engage, or inverse when backing over uncoupler). I know N gauge loco motoring and gearing have come a long way in the past 20 years, but not quiet as shuntable as OO/4mm nor the supreme gauge for prototypical shunting - O gauge with its heavier rolling stock less likely to bounce like a pin ball. 

If I was interested in stock that suited continuous circuit operations then I would be seriously tempted by N gauge. My ultimate dream might be an O gauge GWR pannier tank and a handful of Dapol wagons on a 10-12ft end to end shunting layout. 

Sorry Noel, but N gauge modern locos are capable of super smooth running and very slow running. Wagons can be uncoupled with ease and once weighted properly you can shunt just as easily as OO.

I model N scale American outline and have quite a few Kato locos. The quality is incredible and they run beautifully.

Regarding track, code 55 looks a lot better than the chunky code 80. 

Here's some pics of an N gauge layout that I did for a client, track is painted in sleeper grime and then ballasted. 

That's a lovely layout. Lots of character and shows what can be done in a small space. Excellent work.

Hi Bill,

Why the change to the Fleischmann track? Would you not re-use the Peco track? Fleischmann track is excellent but the flex track can be hard to bend with the moulded ballast.

I don't think that it's just the older generation that will be left in the hobby. Yes there has been a decline but I see quite a lot of newcomers coming into the hobby. About 60% of my customers are new to the hobby and a large portion are recently retired that have always wanted to get into the hobby. I also see quite a lot of young people, I sell a lot of 6 x 4 baseboards particularly coming up to Christmas. Ten 6 x 4 baseboards went out this Christmas.

The hobby has changed direction on the way people shop and communicate. Facebook has changed this and I get a lot of my business through Facebook. Facebook groups are getting very popular too.

Pat made a very good point about promoting the hobby, the club's in Ireland don't do enough to promote the hobby to the younger generation. North Down club are very proactive in promoting their show in Bangor in April, they use a Facebook promotional campaign and invite all the local schools to take part in a colouring competition. Prizes are donated by Bachmann and BT. 

They also bring a layout to a shopping centre on the weeks leading up to a show and collect money for charity while promoting the hobby.

We now have a facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/trainandmodelfair/

I have motorised quite a few. I use the MegaPoints system, it has the most realistic bounce of every controller. 

The SAM semaphores could be used, I also have a source for custom made semaphores.

Stunning work.