This was our first visit to Blackburn and our first Northern Exhibition that has a friday evening session.
What a manic session on Friday evening. Doors opened at 5.00pm and there were still dozens of people in the
hall when 9.00pm closing time was called.
Saturday and Sunday weren't quite as hectic, but a steady flow of people stopped to see the demonstrations
and chat with us.
Our location wasn't the best as we were in front of the only lift in the hall. The result was that we had to move the
entire stand 3 feet forward to allow access to the lift. This meant we were 3 feet into the aisle much to the
annoyance of the layout directly opposite us (see photo 1 on the second row of pics).
Over the exhibition we were joined by terrycunliffe, staticxfreak, 60008 and morricom as demonstrators and
numerous other users who dropped by for a chat. Matt didn't chance his car this time, he came to Blackburn
by train. His first journey on a Pendolino.
The exhibition as a whole was a good mix of quality layouts in most gauges and traders. DCC is notably being
given a serious push in the UK as we seem to be meeting up with ZTC at more and more exhibitions.
Routes demonstrated included North West England, Cannock Chase, Skipton 1920, Thames Mersey, West Coastway,
MidEast and The Bridge Line. As ever, visitors could not believe that what they were seeing was the original
version of MSTS, most thought it was new simulator or MSTS2.
We would like to thank all the members who turned up to help and demonstrate at the exhibition and to the
Blackburn and East Lancs MRS for the invitation and refreshments.
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