Exhibition-Free Zone

2021 is only three weeks old, but sad to say, it already seems clear it's going to be a another write-off as far as model railway exhibitions are concerned.

Despite the accelerating vaccine programme, during the last week we've seen shows with dates as far away as November being cancelled, such is the crippling uncertainty around when lockdown restrictions will be lifted, and to what extent.

In so many ways the pandemic has been good for the hobby, with so many of us having more time on our hands.

Manufacturers, and suppliers who sell online, have seen very healthy sales as modellers take on new projects as a way to take our minds off what's going on.

But all of this is happening in the home.

Model railways have become a solitary activity once more as clubs have had their doors shut for the majority of the last year. 

What will it mean for model railway exhibitions and the layouts which are shown there?

For the last 25 years my only opportunity to 'play trains' has been at shows, mostly with our layouts Dduallt or Bron Hebog.

For the second year running the chances of either of them being run at a show are looking very slim.

For me this has coincided with my youngest reaching the stage where he's ready to start playing with 'proper' trains, and Himself has built him his first OO layout - a rather neat little set up with passing loop, sidings and isolating sections which folds up and can be stored under his bed on casters.

With his birthday coming up this week I spent many happy hours browsing the websites of the most well-known model stores in search of a bargain birthday present.

And now in idle moments I find myself daydreaming about how a permanent layout could be shoe-horned into the family home.

Is this going to be the legacy of Coronavirus?  That the best modelling is done on a small scale, in private, only to be shared with others online?

Who is planning the big, hopelessly impractical exhibition layouts any more?

I hope I'm wrong, but the longer this goes on you do begin to wonder....