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Another Challenge ?


bgman
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I think it looks like a fun thing to do. No greater incentive to finish a layout than it being judged. Any layout might take ten years to finish, but 95% will be done in the first fortnight anyway so that might be enough to win. I can't imagine that the resulting programme will be much more watch-able than chavs on crack or whatever else they make, but the taking part - arguing getting in the way of disagreeing working with your fellow team mates will be a great experience and there will be a sense of achievement. By the end of it you will know what layout you won't want to make.

 

There is always competition in the hobby, from the RMweb challenge to just trying to better your own previous achievement. 

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Many who belong to MR clubs will already be used to working/compromising with others; and if you choose your own team this should be a given.

 

However, if you were asked to design this type of show how would you do it? Do you:-

a) give each team an identical pack of materials, ie, wood, track, building kits, scenic materials, wire, etc. and ask them to be creative. Each week could be different, planning, baseboard construction, track laying, wiring, etc.

Or perhaps,

b) ask each team to create their version of the same actual prototype location with choice of materials left to each team, ie kit built compromise or scratch built scale buildings, etc.

 

The nearest type of show I can think of would be creative cake making.....

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The average amount of time it takes to build a layout is probably 5-10 years (to exhibitable condition), though exceptions exist.

May I ask where this statistic came from? It doesn’t match my experience, nor that of a number of friends.

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Many who belong to MR clubs will already be used to working/compromising with others; and if you choose your own team this should be a given.

 

However, if you were asked to design this type of show how would you do it? Do you:-

a) give each team an identical pack of materials, ie, wood, track, building kits, scenic materials, wire, etc. and ask them to be creative. Each week could be different, planning, baseboard construction, track laying, wiring, etc.

Or perhaps,

b) ask each team to create their version of the same actual prototype location with choice of materials left to each team, ie kit built compromise or scratch built scale buildings, etc.

 

The nearest type of show I can think of would be creative cake making.....

 

It strikes me that actually the first option would be a pretty good starting point for a competition. That way it really is a test of the skills of the modellers working with what they have. Otherwise if people can just source anything from anywhere it is a competition about who has the biggest chequebook or the best access to a 3D printer. 

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I think the format could easily resemble the recent Lego challenge. This seemed to work well and I could see a similar style working for model railways. This involved collaboration (pairs), the same stock/equipment available to all teams, timed elements, creative challenges/themes. I know these shows all want drama and tension/stress, sometimes artificial... but they do also raise the profile of a hobby/interest and mostly show those involved as likeable and relatively normal!

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I actually found the footage. 1989

 

Good side view of a high density EMU in NSE with rounded cabs.

Good side view of a Royal Mail EMU

Wobbly footage of a few 309s

 

And none of my video editing programs are on this boot and it won't run on this one from the other HDD despite both being Windoze.

 

I'll chuck it into XP tomorrow and have a look

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It's nice to see that the generally positive results of the Scottish shenanigans hasn't dented the pessimism of many on RMWeb.

 

Give it a chance folks. You can't know it'll be awful until it happens.

 

As for no competition in modelling, Cakebox Challenge anyone?

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No denying there's competition within railway modelling - for those that want it or who's ego needs it. I suppose everything on TV that could be interesting or informative is boiled down to a virtual willy-waving contest these days.

Strangely reminds me of a comment by the organiser of a trainspotting club I was briefly a member of, spoken whilst parked next to Waterloo station so the die-hards could go spot some W&C Underground stock:- "Some of them would spot dogsh*t if it had numbers on it".

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It strikes me that actually the first option would be a pretty good starting point for a competition. That way it really is a test of the skills of the modellers working with what they have. Otherwise if people can just source anything from anywhere it is a competition about who has the biggest chequebook or the best access to a 3D printer.

 

Access to a big chequebook or 3D printer does not guarantee excellence. In cooking competitions contestants are often given a range of ingredients to choose from, price doesn't come into it. Because I am old school I would spend time marking out and cutting embossed styrene for structures rather than creating a computer file to print. Younger (or more computer literate) people might see this differently so this could create a source of competition.....
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After all this, won't they be better off just filming at Model Rail Scotland, Ally Pally or Warley? It'much cheaper, fairly competitive (in a good way) and showcases work by Britain's best modellers! Even better, Messrs. Ando and Waterman, both with many years of experience in front of a camera and microphone could present.

 

Having filmed at shows - no. Not in a million years.

 

For a start, you only have 2 days to bag 5 hours worth of finished content. That's content without idiots walking between presenter and camera and with people gurning in the background. Have you tried walking around a busy show? How many times did you get clobbered by a backpack? Every time that happens, you yell "Cut" and go back to do the shot all over again.

 

What you see on the screen is only a fraction of the footage available. Even the BRM videos are crafted from multiple shots from different cameras with many re-shoots of little segments. In the early days we only had a single camera available so some sections of any practical were carried out 2-3 times with the presenter trying to remember their exact sequence of movements (did I hold the glue in my left or right hand?) so the cut between angles looked natural. Did you notice, I never wear a watch in these pieces? It's so you can't tell how much they have been edited.

 

Nowadays, we have 3-4 cameras so there are fewer repeats, and I'm practised enough to do much of the work in 1 take which makes everyone's lives easier. There's still a lot of editing afterwards though. 

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9 days? From what stage do you start? If you turn up and they say here's a pile of wood get started, that's me out. Last time I built a baseboard I checked the 'finished' article with a spirit level and it said it was level, but I could pass a length of Code 55 under the middle of the level with room to spare...

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9 days? From what stage do you start? If you turn up and they say here's a pile of wood get started, that's me out. Last time I built a baseboard I checked the 'finished' article with a spirit level and it said it was level, but I could pass a length of Code 55 under the middle of the level with room to spare...

 

Good old piece of rigid foamboard is the answer to that one.

Philth

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I'vebeen building at least one layout per yers, usually more, over past 20-30 yeaers, and most of them have been for exhibitions. decide what you want to do, and make it possible to complete in the time. Most problems /delays are caused by not knowing what you wat to do, and therfore trying to do something you can not finish.

Really need more info about how they intend to run this. Loco Revue(the French equivalent of Railway Modeller), designed and produced last year, what they called a 'Train in a box'. It was a complete layout to build,and everything was in the box. There as a group actually building one at a French exhibition. Something like that might be suitable. The basic layout design would be the same, but the detail could be different. The Model Village partwork magazine would also lend itself to this program, and there is a new Northern Milltown version about to start soon. But, they would need to supply everything up front. Much of what was in that partwork(in particular the track) is not that good. Using Pecoi track, would not only be better, but highlight a very successful British company, which exports all over the world.

What worries me is the timescale. Getting people for June is a bit short notice for many. As mentioned above, only those not working(ie retired) could guarantee to be available. 2 or 3 people might be easier, 6 might be stretching it. One good feature of the Scottish challenge, was the variety of different types and ages of those taking part.

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What worries me is the timescale. Getting people for June is a bit short notice for many. As mentioned above, only those not working(ie retired) could guarantee to be available. 2 or 3 people might be easier, 6 might be stretching it. One good feature of the Scottish challenge, was the variety of different types and ages of those taking part.

Whys the timescale or team size worrying? It wasn't a problem for 'Biggest Little Railway', who were still casting for people at Alley Palley show last year. Why only retired people available? If you want to be in it and you're working, take leave for the filming days/period. Unless the whole team works for the same company/department where's the problem. It's a competitive team show, if you can't organise six people being available you're not likely to win anyway. The C4 programme was filmed during the last two weeks of June last year. If people regardless of age/gender etc want to be in it, they'll make themselves available, it is after all a competition, and there'll be a winning team.

 

Filming at shows may be downright annoying, but it's the most realistic element that can be filmed.

 What Phil said earlier regarding filming at a exhibition was correct. And if you think the general exhibition goer will tolerate having to stand clear of exhibits whilst filming takes place, you are very out of touch with reality. You only have to read comments in the exhibition threads regarding photographers getting in the way whilst taking pictures of layouts to understand that. What is the 'realistic element' you mention, the comment doesn't make any sense.

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Has anyone here enquired and put their name forward for this yet? I'm tempted as a chance to do something different and meet some new faces, and as long as I know what the required days are in plenty of time then being off work should be achievable. My 1 apprehension is not knowing what they'd want us to build in advance, and fully wanting to know what their end plan is.... that and 1 of my many skills isn't modelling to the same high standards as some here!

 

(If you don't want to admit on here you'd like to create a team then pm me!)

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There seems to be some people on here who are not wanting to take part but happy to put up barriers which may or may not exist.

 

I suppose it is RMweb's best feature all the negative talk but for a change let us be positive.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/131194-another-challenge/?p=3045256

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