An interview with Jason Shron

[dibber25]

I am surprised that no one has so far commented on what Jason has said about new modelers:

 

“But I'm seeing a lot of younger modellers coming in, guys in their 20s to 40s, and then there are the long-time modellers in their late 60s to 80s. 

But I'm not seeing a lot of new people come in who are in their 50s right now.”

 

This is really good news for the hobby. Jason: is this just in your home market, og do you see the same thing in the UK? I must admit that I assumed that the average age of us modellers was increasing all the time and the total number falling constantly. Like a lot of people I have always worried about the hobby dying out as the generation of steam train spotters dwindles. I have also worried about the apparent lack of youngsters coming into the hobby.  Hornby have obviously same worry hence Thomas, and to some extent the ‘railroad’ range. But if Jason is correct in that it is the 20-30’s who are the new modellers this might mean the RTR companies need to change their approach.

 

I have always assumed that people model what they know ( even though I am at least 20 years too young to know my models).  But there are other hobbies, for example wargaming, that are similar to models railways where people spend a lot of time and money on things they have not experienced. So may be it is unusual trains that are different from the rectangular boxes that constitute the trains 20-30's know ( and probably don't love) that will attract the next generation. Things like the  new single, or even 'the rocket' and quaint old fashioned carriages that can fit in less space than modern stock does.

 

I think the first thing to say is that I was one of the people who commented to Jason that I was 'disappointed' with the Prime Movers Dash-8. On reflection, I wish I hadn't. Disappointment is a question of degree. In the case of the Dash-8 I was disappointed that I didn't get that 'Wow Factor' that I have always got when I open a Rapido box. The Dash-8 is still a great model. For some unknown reason I mistakenly ordered two - both BC Rail, in the livery which they carried when I had a conducted tour of the real things, brand new, in North Vancouver yard. As a BC Rail modeller, I was disappointed that the rock lights are included as an afterthought, with no instruction at all as to how they are to be fitted or where to conduct the wires through a complex chassis. Ironically, if they had not been included, I probably wouldn't have noticed or I would have just put the lack of them down to one of the economies of making the Prime Mover model. 

My Rapido purchases go back quite a long way. In 2006 I was sent as a magazine rep, on a Steam Railtour behind 2816, the Canadian Pacific 4-6-4. It was running with a bunch of preserved carriages (passenger cars) in a distinctive dark maroon livery. 'HO' scale models of those cars were on sale on the train and I bought several. They were the most expensive coaches I had ever bought but they were also quite superbly detailed - inside, outside, on the top and underneath. They were produced by Rapido Trains. That they didn't run well, was mainly down to my British curves conflicting with some of that detail. I've since bought many of Rapido's locomotives - and passenger stock - because they reflect things that are familiar from my trips to visit family (and these days, friends, too) in Canada. Whether it be the Budd RDC in CP Rail 'hockey mask' livery that was the first Canadian train I saw, or the VIA Rail restaurant car 'Emerald' in which I met a lady locomotive engineer who has become a good friend, I have models that reflect fond memories. 

But I'm from that Baby Boom generation, in the classic position of having enough income to support my hobby and not much else to spend it on (excepting children and grandchildren, of course). What do I think about Jason's comments about newcomers in younger age groups? I think what he says does apply in the UK too, but perhaps not quite to the same extent. I think you are right in your analogy with Warhammer. My son (age late 30s) is heavily into Warhammer and its derivatives. What he shows me is always the level of detail on their models. Despite the fact that these are fantasy figures and creatures, it is clearly the level of detail, the finesse of the mouldings, and the 'texture' of the finish that attracts him. These models all have to be hand-finished and the techniques and specialist materials that have to be mastered provide the creative challenge. We have all that in model railways , too, so why shouldn't that same age group be attracted to a hobby which offers the additional attractions of movement and authentic sound? 

Nearly all those who are professionally involved in the mainstream model railway publications are of that younger generation than me. I used to think that the hobby would just about see out my working career but of late, I'm convinced that it will last at least long enough for that next generation, too, but with the emphasis on fidelity, quality, detail and customer service, rather than trainsets for kids. (CJL)

[Revolution Ben]

I must admit that I assumed that the average age of us modellers was increasing all the time and the total number falling constantly. Like a lot of people I have always worried about the hobby dying out as the generation of steam train spotters dwindles.

Hello Vistisen,

 

I have been playing with model trains for nearly two decades. For this entire time people have been lamenting the end of the hobby.

 

As I see it the salient facts are these:

 

1). There are more models, of more different prototypes, than ever before.

 

2). Even basic models seem to have significantly improved details, and for those that want them there are manufacturers able to target clear sectors of the market, rather than have to assume one size fits all. This, to me, indicates a mature market with capacity to support such factions.

 

3). There are more manufacturers than I can ever remember, and new ones seem to be arriving all the time.

 

4). There are more exhibitions than ever, and those I attend seem to have plenty of visitors.

 

5). There are more magazines than ever, despite the growth of the internet. Someone has to be buying them!

 

So... on the basis of evidence I can observe, rather than 'what people say' I would say the hobby is healthier than it's ever been.

 

I accept that gross sales may be down; prices may have to rise to accommodate smaller, more targetted model ranges, high street model shops are disappearing, children may be playing with Nerf guns or computer games; the market may be changing and becoming more adult-focussed etc etc but what I see is that things are pretty good right now.

 

Slightly tangentially, what may also be worth bearing in mind is that trains are not particularly trendy and many of us do not *necessarily* make too much of a public display of our enthusiasm, so the public perception may be that fewer people are interested than actually are. The NMRA realised this some time ago and came up with its "take a train to work day" idea to encourage people to be more open about their enthusiasm. Honestly, I can't see that catching on here though!

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

Edited July 23, 2018 by Ben A

[mdvle]

I am surprised that no one has so far commented on what Jason has said about new modelers:

“But I'm seeing a lot of younger modellers coming in, guys in their 20s to 40s, and then there are the long-time modellers in their late 60s to 80s.

Maybe in part because to many this isn't necessarily a surprise.

 

Apparently - at least in the US - if you go back into the archives of the hobby magazines you can see letters to the editor aka the equivalent of angst online moaning about the fact that the hobby is dying going back almost to the beginning of the magazines.

 

For a hobby that has been apparently dying for the last 60+ years it is remarkably healthy.

 

What is happening, as always, is the hobby is changing, and those who aren't interested or don't like the changes perceive this as "proof" that the hobby is dying.

 

First it would have been the move from 3 rail to 2 rail, then maybe larger scales to HO or OO, the move from wood/cardboard to metal, metal to plastic, kits to RTR, generic RTR to highly detailed specific models, DC to DCC, the addition of sound, etc.

 

The biggest change at the moment is how people are entering the hobby.  Things like YouTube, forums like RMweb, and other online methods are replacing the more traditional methods which means pointing to the decline of train spotting or Thomas isn't necessarily an accurate way of viewing the health of the hobby.

 

It is worth looking outside the hobby and noting there is a bit of a push back against an all digital world.  While certain sectors are still hurting and decreasing in size the predictions of the death of the printed book are extremely premature, the resurrection of vinyl records and other developments demonstrate that there is a desire for something physical, to hold in the hands and admire.

 

An argument can be made the model trains are part of this trend as a generation that grew up digital - first game consoles, followed by games on smartphones and tablets - get to a point where they want something other than staring at a computer screen for their entire life.

 

And of course the great thing about this hobby is that it isn't just one thing, but rather it is flexible and can accommodate a large variety of interests and abilities.

 

 

I have always assumed that people model what they know ( even though I am at least 20 years too young to know my models).  But there are other hobbies, for example wargaming, that are similar to models railways where people spend a lot of time and money on things they have not experienced. So may be it is unusual trains that are different from the rectangular boxes that constitute the trains 20-30's know ( and probably don't love) that will attract the next generation. Things like the  new single, or even 'the rocket' and quaint old fashioned carriages that can fit in less space than modern stock does.

Not always.

 

Yes, the pull of what you know can be strong and the strongest tends to be what we see and experience in our teens.  But our interests can often take people into different eras as can the realities of space available or even what models are available.

[dibber25]

I think the other thing to add to my post 76 regarding Jason's experience with younger generations at shows is that that the North American railway scene is very much more varied than that in the UK. We have a predominantly passenger railway with lots of similar multiple units rushing about moving commuters from A to B. North America, and particularly Canada, has very few passenger trains. VIA Rail has fewer than 100 locomotives and there are few routes with more than one passenger train per day. True, the larger cities have masses of identical commuter trains but the main feature of railways in North America is freight. Freight still serves small customers as well as large ones. Freight trains still command a large variety of locomotive types. Old, umpteenth-hand and rebuilt locomotives still power smaller independent railroads. In short, the current scene offers lots more variety than that in the UK, so more potential 'hooks' to catch more potential 'fish'. And in North America, model railroading has long been a legit hobby whereas in the UK it has long been 'grown men 'chuffed' about playing trains'. (CJL)

[Talltim]

I think its always been the case that the average railway modeller is 'old', with some outliers. The bit that confuses people is that there is a never ending supply of new old people. It tends to be a hobby that people get deeper into when they have more time and become less active.

The interesting part about Jason's comment is that gap at the 50 year old age bracket where previously there was a larger number. Perhaps 50 year olds have less money and time than in the past because they are supporting their children for longer and doing more childcare for their grandchildren?

[The Stationmaster]

Hello Vistisen,

 

I have been playing with model trains for nearly two decades. For this entire time people have been lamenting the end of the hobby.

 

As I see it the salient facts are these:

 

1). There are more models, of more different prototypes, than ever before.

 

2). Even basic models seem to have significantly improved details, and for those that want them there are manufacturers able to target clear sectors of the market, rather than have to assume one size fits all. This, to me, indicates a mature market with capacity to support such factions.

 

3). There are more manufacturers than I can ever remember, and new ones seem to be arriving all the time.

 

4). There are more exhibitions than ever, and those I attend seem to have plenty of visitors.

 

5). There are more magazines than ever, despite the growth of the internet. Someone has to be buying them!

 

So... on the basis of evidence I can observe, rather than 'what people say' I would say the hobby is healthier than it's ever been.

 

I accept that gross sales may be down; prices may have to rise to accommodate smaller, more targetted model ranges, high street model shops are disappearing, children may be playing with Nerf guns or computer games; the market may be changing and becoming more adult-focussed etc etc but what I see is that things are pretty good right now.

 

Slightly tangentially, what may also be worth bearing in mind is that trains are not particularly trendy and many of us do not *necessarily* make too much of a public display of our enthusiasm, so the public perception may be that fewer people are interested than actually are. The NMRA realised this some time ago and came up with its "take a train to work day" idea to encourage people to be more open about their enthusiasm. Honestly, I can't see that catching on here though!

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

 

I clicked agree although in my case it's probably as many years in the hobby as Chris ('Dibber25') and the naysayers go back to the late 1960s in my memory.

 

I really would like to see Ben A on the day he does take a train to work and showing it on the glowing screen in our living room - after all his employers are forever on about diversity and inclusivity so there should be no problems (I hope).

[dibber25]

I clicked agree although in my case it's probably as many years in the hobby as Chris ('Dibber25') and the naysayers go back to the late 1960s in my memory.

 

I really would like to see Ben A on the day he does take a train to work and showing it on the glowing screen in our living room - after all his employers are forever on about diversity and inclusivity so there should be no problems (I hope).

 

I take at least one train to work every day that I work. No one bats an eyelid. Some of the others bring tropical fish, plants, fishing rods, cameras and there's no shortage of women bringing in babies, either. (Practical Fishkeeping, Garden Answers, Angling Times, Practical Photography, Mother & Baby etc)

[jjb1970]

Offering an opinion on the state of a hobby is a bit like economic forecasting in that the world is divided between those who are too pessimistic and those who are too optimistic.

 

I think one of the things that leads to a lot of predictions of doom (or more rarely, a golden age) is that as with most things the hobby is in constant change and whenever anything is subject to change some will see threat and others opportunity.

 

I think the hobby has been shrinking in absolute numbers and is more niche, but that is not the same as a hobby dying and providing suppliers still make a good rate of return then the absolute size of a market may not be that important to the sustainability of a supplier base (although it is also unfortunately true that Hornby are a financial basket case, Bachmann went through a troubled phase and the established European HO manufacturers have basically been lurching from crises to crises for years).

 

I also think we should be careful about seeing an interest in physical artefacts as in some ways a turning away from a digital world as it is not "either/or" but both. I love good hardback books but most of my reading is on Kindle. I'm a bit of an audiophool, although I like ye olde fashioned amplifiers, speakers, headphones etc all my music sources are digital and I really see no point in vinyl or things like valves. I like the user interaction and application of skill and judgement of a proper camera (not necessarily SLR) but wouldn't go back to film. So I don't see any conflict between being interested in both the physical domain such as models and the digital domain. And of course digital control, sound etc is now a big part of the model train hobby and I see great potential for VR to augment the hobby.

 

I think we'll have a model train hobby long after I've popped my clogs, but I also predict that the hobby will continue to evolve and change, I hope to see a growth of power onboard wireless systems. I think we'll continue to see a diversity of suppliers appealing to different price points and preferences and I hope that never changes.

Edited July 23, 2018 by jjb1970

[adb968008]

There's an easy way to break yourself of collecting, just choose the GN in RTR. . .dusty shelves. . .

I’ve got 3 different classes of GNR rtr locos..., and I am awaiting Rapidos No1.

No coaches though.

 

If your an L&Y fan then your starved... until a few years ago, you had the choice of pug, pug or pug. Now you’ve got an aspinall 2-4-2t as well.

Edited July 23, 2018 by adb968008

[south_tyne]

I am surprised that no one has so far commented on what Jason has said about new modelers:

“But I'm seeing a lot of younger modellers coming in, guys in their 20s to 40s, and then there are the long-time modellers in their late 60s to 80s.

But I'm not seeing a lot of new people come in who are in their 50s right now.”

This is really good news for the hobby. Jason: is this just in your home market, og do you see the same thing in the UK? I must admit that I assumed that the average age of us modellers was increasing all the time and the total number falling constantly. Like a lot of people I have always worried about the hobby dying out as the generation of steam train spotters dwindles. I have also worried about the apparent lack of youngsters coming into the hobby. Hornby have obviously same worry hence Thomas, and to some extent the ‘railroad’ range. But if Jason is correct in that it is the 20-30’s who are the new modellers this might mean the RTR companies need to change their approach.

I have always assumed that people model what they know ( even though I am at least 20 years too young to know my models). But there are other hobbies, for example wargaming, that are similar to models railways where people spend a lot of time and money on things they have not experienced. So may be it is unusual trains that are different from the rectangular boxes that constitute the trains 20-30's know ( and probably don't love) that will attract the next generation. Things like the new single, or even 'the rocket' and quaint old fashioned carriages that can fit in less space than modern stock does.

That is interesting as the stereotypical view is that many take a hiatus from the hobby in their 20s/30s. This is due to two reasons I suppose... discovery of other interests but also lack of funds and time. I suppose I am a case in point as I am 32 but have not really done any active modelling in the last decade due to time/money/work/other priorities etc. However I have always kept an interest in the hobby by looking at the monthly magazines and checking in on RM Web from time to time. However I have spent very little capital with manufacturers. At 32 I am just starting to look at getting back into the hobby as my life circumstances allow a little more leeway... typical? Maybe not by Jason's comments.

 

I'm not sure I agree about the steam/dying out aspect either. The proliferation of heritage railways maintains that connection to dream. A few generations of us have grown up with Thomas the Tank Engine and he Rev Awdry's stories which all help to maintain that connection. I for one find the 21st century railway completely bland and boring and am attracted to the '50s to '70s as my preferred interest in the prototype. In the end this hobby is a very broad church and welcomes such a wide variety of interests, something that can only be positive. I imagine in 20 years time that the number of modellers will be noticably reduced from the peak (maybe now?) but the hobby will always exist.

 

All interesting discussion though!

[south_tyne]

So... on the basis of evidence I can observe, rather than 'what people say' I would say the hobby is healthier than it's ever been.

.

I would agree with that. The market will have to/has had to streamline and we may lose one or more 'big name' manufacturers in the next couple of years but we really have never had it so good from a choice and range point of view.

[Legend]

Yes I think we can agree that the model Railway market has changed . Less mass market than before ie 50s/60s when everybody had a train set . It’s moved away from the kids market to the adult market becoming more niche in the process . Production runs much smaller than before with tooling costs and profit having to be recovered in a few or maybe even one batch driving the cost up. As a result it has become an expensive hobby . As to choice we’ll theres certainly lots of different and varied locos coming to market , but my issue is they are only short term. Once they are gone they are gone . So is there really a huge choice long term? That said the days of something staying in a catalogue for years are long gone .

 

As to digital, what JJB says is correct it’s horses for courses . I don’t like digital reading matter because I spend far too much time at work staring at computers, and on here with my tablet. So I never deserted books . On the other hand having digital music is a god send . Much more choice, you don’t need to download albums , just the tracks you want and ,travelling a lot, I can take my music everywhere. So as I said it is horses for courses and probably not a mass return to old media.

 

As to 20 to 40 something’s in the hobby, well I have to say I don’t find a lot of evidence of that at exhibitions . On the other hand some YouTubers are relatively young . So maybe

[adb968008]

Railways peaked interest in the 60’s, but much like British Rail, enthusiasts “spotters”, “nerds”, “anoraks”, “geeks” were a public joke in the 70/80s.

 

How many people left the hobby in the 1970’s.. if the parents have moved on, why would there kids like trains ?

 

When I was a kid I was subjected to endless ridicule at school for liking trains, myself a product of 1975.

When it came to people in my age group who like trains, I could count them on one hand in the late 1980’s.

 

So an age gap for people in their 30/40’s make sense.. the hobby wasn’t just unfashionable,it was openly hostile from the public, even today I think it’s a lonely path in my age group, though the internet makes finding voices much easier.

 

To the public in the 1980’s watching people pile over a hunk of rust with a story about making a lump of metal look like a black and white photograph of a filthy, leaky locomotive in 1968 whilst surrounded by more rusty rollingstock than was presentable just didn’t appeal.. they didn’t understand the vision.

 

Today chocolate box railways, shiny steam present a cool image, What catches my eye is there are a lot of younger ones asking questions about the 80/90’s scene, which on one hand makes me feel old, but on the other is a sign there is another generation to come.

 

Being a rail enthusiast no longer carries a stigma, steam trains are no longer a joke and the British rail butty has gone, which is encouraging interest in the hobby again. I also find friends’s in my age group now slyly have the odd preserved railway picture, or railtour now and again and I get questioned for a day out every now & again.

 

The country as a whole is more adoptive of creative interests, fuelled by IT, but spills over into hobbyist interests. Older generations returning to the hobby and the whole image of railways in privatisation is much more supportive of railways.

 

That said, I showed my Aussie neighbour, my extensive collection and sprawling mass of lines... I’ve not heard from him since, so maybe there is a way to go yet.

 

The presence of Mainline steam, and indeed the impact Of 1980/90’s modern liveries has on public who get flashbacks to their more recent youth is impressive, and attracts huge interest in a positive way, but it comes with caution, Mainline steam in 2008-10 definitely seems to be the peak, in 2018 it’s a much lower profile place, whether it’s temporary or the start of a long term decline has to be seen, but never since the 1980’s do I recall such a drought of 7/8’s on the Mainline, and London steam is but a shadow of what it was 8 years ago. Without the PR machine for the hobby, interest will wane.

 

Maybe This is the age of the train, and We’re getting there ?

Edited July 24, 2018 by adb968008

[stewartingram]

British Rail used to say that ("We're getting there...") - look what happenned to them!

 

Stewart

[Andy Hayter]

When reading Jason's comments I think it is important to realise that they will be cloured by this North American as well as his UK experience.

 

Levels of preservation in the UK are probably as high if not higher than anywhere else in the world.  In England and Wales at least it is pretty much impossible to be more than a day trip away from a preserved line.  That is not the case in may other parts of the world.

 

Also it may be that the NA market and market structure is a little different to the UK and Europe.  I have to say that at the few exhibitions we have in France the age profile of exhibitors is younger than in the UK and the profile of visitors is spread much more evenly as well.

[dibber25]

When reading Jason's comments I think it is important to realise that they will be cloured by this North American as well as his UK experience.

 

Levels of preservation in the UK are probably as high if not higher than anywhere else in the world.  In England and Wales at least it is pretty much impossible to be more than a day trip away from a preserved line.  That is not the case in may other parts of the world.

 

Also it may be that the NA market and market structure is a little different to the UK and Europe.  I have to say that at the few exhibitions we have in France the age profile of exhibitors is younger than in the UK and the profile of visitors is spread much more evenly as well.

 

Other than the track gauge, there's very little similarity between the UK and North American markets. For instance, I found one preserved railway within daytrip reach of Toronto and that operated only on a Sunday and has no steam traction. There is also a big difference between the Canadian and US markets in that there is significant modelling of UK-outline north of the border (ex-pats etc) but very little in the USA. DCC and sound is much more important in North America due to the use of bells and horns/whistles and multitudes of lights in different combinations. There's a vast variety of freight vehicles suited to modelling but comparatively few passenger cars. Steam locomotive designs were generally specific to one railway company but, unlike our Big Four, there were several dozen companies large enough to offer and range of prototypes worth modelling IF there are sufficient potential customers for any one of them. Hence the fact that certain companies - Union Pacific, Santa Fe, Pennsylvania etc get most coverage because they offer a reasonable guarantee of sufficient sales. Until Rapido came along, CP and CN models were almost always just US prototypes painted in Canadian colours - something which the British market gave up pre-war. Imagine a 'Castle' or a 'Duchess' in Southern Railway livery, lettered as a Merchant Navy, and you can realise how unacceptable that would be. (CJL)

[adb968008]

Rapido is filling the gap in Canadian railroad modelling in much the same way as Eureka and Austrains is for Australia.

 

Higher disposable incomes, lower overall costs in China has allowed the hobby to establish outside the traditional sphere that was US, UK and Austro-German model railroading that dominated the second half of the 20th century.

 

You can find low production runs of Irish, Dutch, Swedish, Polish models, indeed even Chinese railway enthusiasts have a vast range of models to chose from...even the 2 locomotives exclusively designed to the Chinese presidential train and used by Kym Jong Un are available rtr in HO... that’s obscure !

 

Globally railway modellers haven’t had it so good, if the hobby can’t thrive now it never will.

 

Whilst every countries railway network is unique, for modellers practising thehobby it’s largely the same...

 

A box from China, containing miniature entertainment that they relate to for personal pleasure...

It doesn’t matter the prototype or the country to which it was based on, the economics of manufacturing it are the same..business is business.

 

With such a worldwide explosion of interest, it’s understanding why resources can be tight to procure and prices rise, most of them originate in the same area of China, there’s finite capacity. The biggest asset in the hobby isn’t a commissioner, the tooling but owning the factory.

Edited July 24, 2018 by adb968008

[south_tyne]

As to 20 to 40 something’s in the hobby, well I have to say I don’t find a lot of evidence of that at exhibitions . On the other hand some YouTubers are relatively young . So maybe

Maybe those of us in our 20s/30s don't have time to attend exhibitions due to family/work commitments, other hobbies etc, with modelling activity being confined to moments grasped at home?

 

Personally the cost of attending exhibitions can also be prohibitive - most are well over £5 now for entry and coupled with travelling costs etc mean it can be well over £10 just to get in the door. When money is right, that really has to be justified as that cash might need to be prioritised elsewhere on life essentials rather than on a hobby

Edited July 24, 2018 by south_tyne

[jjb1970]

I suspect that most modellers do their own thing and don't go to exhibitions, join clubs etc. I very rarely go to exhibitions.

 

With respect to the perceived stigma of modelling, I find that tends to be more in the mind of modellers. I have never been reticent about my hobby and encounter far more positive responses than negative ones. In fact I am always surprised by just how many people are themselves modellers or rail enthusiasts.

[mikeharvey22]

In fact I am always surprised by just how many people are themselves modellers or rail enthusiasts.

 

I live in a cul-de-sac with 8 houses. To my knowledge there are layouts in scales N to 0 in 5 out of the eight. The others are into car restoration, RC and making their own mountain bikes. Ages range from sub teens to old codgers like me.

[adb968008]

I suspect that most modellers do their own thing and don't go to exhibitions, join clubs etc. I very rarely go to exhibitions.

With respect to the perceived stigma of modelling, I find that tends to be more in the mind of modellers. I have never been reticent about my hobby and encounter far more positive responses than negative ones. In fact I am always surprised by just how many people are themselves modellers or rail enthusiasts.

Two chipped teeth from when I was 14 says the stigma is quite definitely in my head, but not necessarily in my mind.

I personally don’t think dismissive sweeping statements like that help, not just the hobby, but in life.

 

You don’t chose where you grow up, but do chosewhere you go in life. Maybe your neighbourhood was more tolerant than mine. That said I left at 18 and have never moved back to the North West and never intend to. As an adult I found, your correct most don’t care what you do and in many parts of the world they find enthusiasts as being interesting and unusual, I was called a scientist of model railways in Taiwan on one occasion in a conversation, which lead to being surrounded by an interesting array of local females, a bit different to being beaten up as a spotter back home...

 

maybe you are correct perceptions are in the mind but not necessarily your own, but neighbourhood environment plays a definite part.

Edited July 25, 2018 by adb968008

[The Stationmaster]

One important point to this thread which is at times (but not all the time) being forgotten - Jason runs his business in the way he wants to and details his models to the level which satisfies him.  It would appear that the market is sufficiently receptive to his approach to enable him to keep his own family housed and fed and to offer worthwhile employment to others.  He does that by giving a particular customer base what they want at prices they are prepared to pay.

 

And it really is as simple as that (plus keeping the ideas coming of course).  If he makes it and it sells profitably than he's doing it right and his business model works; other manufacturers will no doubt have their own, different, business models aiming at different markets..

[jjb1970]

Two chipped teeth from when I was 14 says the stigma is quite definitely in my head, but not necessarily in my mind.

I personally don’t think dismissive sweeping statements like that help, not just the hobby, but in life.

 

You don’t chose where you grow up, but do chosewhere you go in life. Maybe your neighbourhood was more tolerant than mine. That said I left at 18 and have never moved back to the North West and never intend to. As an adult I found, your correct most don’t care what you do and in many parts of the world they find enthusiasts as being interesting and unusual, I was called a scientist of model railways in Taiwan on one occasion in a conversation, which lead to being surrounded by an interesting array of local females, a bit different to being beaten up as a spotter back home...

 

maybe you are correct perceptions are in the mind but not necessarily your own, but neighbourhood environment plays a definite part.

Which is of course not acceptable and to be condemned, but that merely provides more evidence that there are some deeply unpleasant people out there. For what it's worth I grew up in a two up two down terrace backing onto a sink estate and am perfectly aware of how low human behaviours can go, however my experience was that the problem of such people is not with railway modelling as a hobby but anybody who is different to themselves.

[Legend]

Maybe those of us in our 20s/30s don't have time to attend exhibitions due to family/work commitments, other hobbies etc, with modelling activity being confined to moments grasped at home?

 

Personally the cost of attending exhibitions can also be prohibitive - most are well over £5 now for entry and coupled with travelling costs etc mean it can be well over £10 just to get in the door. When money is right, that really has to be justified as that cash might need to be prioritised elsewhere on life essentials rather than on a hobby

 

I can completely understand . Probably 20-30 with a young family its time more than anything that's in short supply

 

However if £5-£10 for an exhibition is an issue, and I accept completely it is, especially if the whole family goes , I really wonder how that age group can afford locos at £175, Coaches @£125, wagons @ £39.95 or indeed any of Rapido's very well detailed products .  So maybe there are 20-30 year olds interested in the hobby but just not buying the high end gear.

[Vistisen]

I can completely understand . Probably 20-30 with a young family its time more than anything that's in short supply

 

However if £5-£10 for an exhibition is an issue, and I accept completely it is, especially if the whole family goes , I really wonder how that age group can afford locos at £175, Coaches @£125, wagons @ £39.95 or indeed any of Rapido's very well detailed products . So maybe there are 20-30 year olds interested in the hobby but just not buying the high end gear.

It might be that the 20-30's are more the type who order items online, look at layouts on YouTube and therefore don't feel the need to go to shows. I have not been to a show in over 30 years as I live in Denmark where railway modelling is REALLY on the fringe. I know several hundred Danes and only 1 of them has a model railway. I think there are a couple of shows a year in the whole country.