souwest

An O gauge one would be super too.

Hi, I think the fact that there have been so many companies post privatisation that manufacturers are on a hiding to nothing in choosing liveries. In some cases the choices of livery is not an issue - for stock that is unique to one company or a small number. In others particilalry longer lived classes there are a multitude of possible liveries. A modeller choosing the 1930s has only four companies to choose - someone wanting to start modelling the contemporary scene has a lot more to choose from. Equally modellers now have a better choice of models of contemporary stock than in the past, and the prices are less likely to encourage re-painting; indeed lack of confidence in repainting is likely to be a factor. There seems to be more of a sneering attitude by the armchair modeller who has not done anything, not even managed a layout, probably sitting in mummies attic in his tighty- sneering at anything which is not to professional model standards. Equally the comments when a new model is released "not for me, I model something else" (oh really that enriches my life - not).

There were a few photos in Railways of Perthsire, published by the Angus Railway Group - a paperback with a wealth of photos and track plans in it.

Any chance of the layout coming up to a show in Scotland in the next few years?

Hopefully at the end of the programmes they will run "If you have been affected by anything in this programme you can call 0800 - Your local model railway club"

Yes, to decide on a second series during the production of the first must mean they have a good idea of their success.

A great opportunity for the railway magazine publishers to re-rerelease the basic guide to starting in model railways with, where they have been involved GMRC references on the cover. Glossy appeal.

Examples An online forum (not this current one) which refused to show a request from an Afro-American railway modeller asking about numbers of british black/non white modellers participation Letters which the above Afro-American sent to the main magazines with the same request - he was advised two were not received - fair enough - two were decided not to be suitable A representative of a scale-specific organisation who though it witty to make fun of Gay Joes. A magazine who felt an article and photo feature of Jubilee class 45623 Palestine built by a muslim surgeon alongside LNWR 1325 Disraeli built by a Jewish pharmacist as "not appropriate content".

Please don't make any suggestion about tokenism to broadcasters. You know they would get quite excited at the thought of a "women only " team - will the women beat the men? - something that regrettably a lot of sections of the media do for cheap comments. This series has had several females in teams and on the show the production has been very professional and not "what is a nice girl like you doing interested in toy trains?" Indeed at least two teams have featured other diversity which always seems to send magazine editors and forum moderators into a censoring frenzy.

Fit like, ken?

Feelthy deerty locomotives sir, buy my feelthy deerty locomotives.

The main thing to do is to seize the opportunity and shout about what we are, what we do and get as much publicity and coverage as possible. Example - RM this month shows St Neots club having a very largely female committee. Nice to read in RM but - why not broadacsst to the wider world- BBC loves a First Woman On The Moon story, magazines which promote female advancement etc could be approached with a pre prepared article with a little forthought by a Secretary/ Publicity officer. The usual demographic of railway modellers is well known, but if there is / are other demographics in you area why not try an outreach to these communities? Translation of basic promotion publicity, arranging a talk at a community group if there are other groups who are currently not engaging. There is a wealth of funding for organisations to "build bridges between communities" - make what you will of the wording - its the governments not mine, but it is worth looking into the funding application process, maybe even seeing if there is training for an individual in applying for the thousands of pounds of public money available for such a scheme? Or perhaps its just all too much work and it's easier to pull the ladder up behind us? Souwest

I agree about expecting and requesting being totally different. We have a screed of programmes on tv showing or purporting to show, for entertainment "rip off Britain". This has a trickle down effect and people beginning to feel that The Man is trying to rip them off. Yes, model railways is a hobby but it is getting more and more expensive. Arguably the quality and choice is getting better and better - worth paying more for better quality? Supermarkets offer discounts, supermarkets offer loyalty cards (Nectar) or £5 vouchers if you spend over a certain amount / points (Morrsions). I recall a model shop in Dunfermline offering discounst to bona fide members of local model railway clubs in the Fife/ Clackmannanshire area (store now no more - but not due to a superfluity of discounted sales to club members I suspect). Likewise a Very Good store in Poole used to offer a card which was stamped each time a purchase was made - ten purchases and you got a loyalty discount - that store is doing well and is the only place going to on the Bournemouth/ Poole area - it dropped the loyalty card after about a year.

Hi, I used to enjoy reading through Raymond's website but notice it is no longer accessible. I read he was unwell, but is the website being down connected to his health issues? Thanks Souwest

Hi, I know Peco took over the former Parkside Dundas kits, but did they take over the pre-printed kits of Scottish private owner wagons as well? Thanks Souwest