Valkova Road’s debut appearance was at Aberdeen in November 2005 as the layout had been invited to appear there before it was even completed. This was quite a hike from Grantham, some 425 miles, as I would travel via Sunderland to pick up my fellow operator Andy on the way. Nevertheless, the 9-hour trip was very pleasant in the Mondeo, and the advantage of making a debut at a show so far away was that if anything went wrong; well who would know?
Arrival at the venue was around 7pm, and the helpful and welcoming stewards who assisted with unloading met us. After a couple of hours the layout was erected and tested, so it was time to get details about our accommodation. I approached the Exhibition Manager and asked where our overnight accommodation was located, as it is customary for an exhibition to sort out your sleeping arrangements, having invited you in the first place.
“Er, overnight accommodation?”
“Yes, our B&B – where is it?”
“Ah. You’re thinking of staying overnight, then?”
“Well, yes – we rather thought we might. I mean, we haven’t travelled 425 miles in 9 hours to do a daily commute, now, have we?”
“Um. Yes, I see the problem. Grantham’s that far away, is it?”
“Give or take a mile or so, yes.”
“Ah.”
As a result, we managed to find a room in a nearby Travelodge type of place, although all they had left was a smoking room (ugh), which meant my clothes would stink of stale smoke for the weekend.
The weekend itself was very successful; the exhibition staff were friendly and visitors interested – and apart from one elderly man who tried to walk off with one of my locos, the public were well behaved. The layout performed very well with only one minor point failure all weekend, so that was actually a bit too realistic to be convincing.
Arrival at the venue was around 7pm, and the helpful and welcoming stewards who assisted with unloading met us. After a couple of hours the layout was erected and tested, so it was time to get details about our accommodation. I approached the Exhibition Manager and asked where our overnight accommodation was located, as it is customary for an exhibition to sort out your sleeping arrangements, having invited you in the first place.
“Er, overnight accommodation?”
“Yes, our B&B – where is it?”
“Ah. You’re thinking of staying overnight, then?”
“Well, yes – we rather thought we might. I mean, we haven’t travelled 425 miles in 9 hours to do a daily commute, now, have we?”
“Um. Yes, I see the problem. Grantham’s that far away, is it?”
“Give or take a mile or so, yes.”
“Ah.”
As a result, we managed to find a room in a nearby Travelodge type of place, although all they had left was a smoking room (ugh), which meant my clothes would stink of stale smoke for the weekend.
The weekend itself was very successful; the exhibition staff were friendly and visitors interested – and apart from one elderly man who tried to walk off with one of my locos, the public were well behaved. The layout performed very well with only one minor point failure all weekend, so that was actually a bit too realistic to be convincing.
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