Some notes on event sources
Data for the exhibitions and events section comes from four main sources:
- Information submitted directly to ModelR.co.uk by exhibition organisers via the online form or by email.
- Information obtained from official event publicity materials, such as fliers handed out at other exhibitions or exhibition websites.
- Information posted by event organisers to public Internet forums such as RMweb.
- Information published in major UK modelling media, such as Model Rail, British Railway Modelling, Hornby Magazine and Railway Modeller.
Obviously, the first two of these are the most reliable and are the primary sources for the majority of events. The remaining two are used for filling in gaps or adding additional detail to the primary sources.
It should be noted that ModelR.co.uk does not list events simply because they appear on another listings website. I do read other websites and, if I notice events listed there that have not already been added to the ModelR database then I'll attempt to track down the relevent information and add it. However, I will not do so unless I can find a reliable primary source such as an event website, a flier or participation by the event organisers in online forums.
What this means in practice is that the listings in ModelR tend to be biased slightly towards events that have their own online presence and/or take place in the Midlands or North West of England, since I can get the necessary information for the former from their own websites and the latter are more likely to have printed fliers available at shows I visit. Conversely, the shows that are most likely to be missing from the listings are smaller shows elsewhere in the country that don't have their own website.
If you want to make sure that you have the maximum online publicity for your event, therefore, I suggest that you do three things:
- Create your own website and make sure that the event details are readily available on it.
- Submit the information to ModelR (and any other online listings that you can find).
- Join a popular forum, such as RMweb, and publicise your event there.
