Exhibitions - we miss you!

The Labor Day weekend has passed and there was no Sydney Model Railway Exhibition this year because of Covid-19. Who would have thought that when I last posted on this blog (January 2019 on exhibitions) that we'd all be longing to go to a model railway exhibition...almost anywhere!

All those unanswered questions about model railway exhibitions and whether they have any impact on the future of the hobby seem superfluous now. In one way, by not having model railway exhibitions, the answer to whether we need model railway exhibitions to support and grow the hobby is a resounding YES!  As Joni Mitchell said, "You don't know what you've lost 'til it's gone".

So, as a way to reminisce about model railway exhibitions, I have selected a few layout images from a small back catalogue of photos to share with you. They obviously do not cover all layouts from the exhibition circuit over the years but I hope they can still bring back memories and inspire. To make the image bigger, click photo once with the mouse or tap once on the photo if using a touch screen device.

Photo 1: Sydney Central (N scale)

Photo 2: Smuggler's Cove (O scale narrow gauge)

Photo 3: Arakoola (O scale)

Photo 4: Barcoola (HO scale)

Photo 5: Mile Post 638 (HO scale)

Photo 6: Binalong (HO scale)

Photo 7: Oddwalls (HO scale)

Photo 8: Maryborough (HO scale)

Photo 9: Yendys (HO scale)

Photo 10: Waterfall (HO scale)

Photo 11: Mango Mango (O scale narrow gauge)

Photo 12: Enoshima (N scale)

Photo 13: Over the Fence (HO scale)

Photo 14: Goulburn (HO scale)

Photo 15: Wallerawang (HO scale)

Photo 16: Eskbank (HO scale)

Photo 17: Twelfth Street Yard (HO scale)

Photo 18: Sandford (N scale)

Photo 19: Generic (mainly US) layout from NMRA Coffs Harbour (HO scale)

Photo 20: Dungog (HO scale)

Photo 21: CSX/BN layout (HO scale)

Photo 22: Tyobic (HO scale)

Photo 23: Everton (HO scale)

Photo 24: Brisbane Waters (HO scale)

Photo 25: Brunswick Park (HO scale)

Photo 26: Moonan Flats (O scale)

Photo 27: Jackson Creek (narrow gauge)

Photo 28: Leonville Junction (G scale)

Photo 29: Mullet Creek (HO scale)

Photo 30: Industry Lane (OO scale)

Last one (couldn't resist) (Sydney Central, N scale)

Let's hope that at some safe time in the future we can all go out and attend model railway exhibitions in person. The layouts, the commercial stands, and the social aspects are all well and truly missed.