Great Model Railway Challenge - Channel 5

[Zomboid]

I don't think that a model railway show on channel 5 (which will need at least some kind of modelling related skills) is going to be high on the list of places to go for anyone seeking their 15 seconds of fame.

 

It'll be interesting to see what kind of teams do end up going on series 2, now there's some idea of what to expect. And how often dinosaurs make an appearance - they're an essential part of the programme to me now.

[Andy Y]

Examples

 

 

So the all-encompassing sweeping generalisation is actually about specifics that are nothing to do with this site or any magazine in the group. Please think before posting something which attempted to tar all with the same broad brush.

[newbryford]

 

 

Then again a team of totally unlikable, unwashed, sock&sandal, miserable, luddite, curmudgeons might make a good pantomime villain team.    

 

 

Auditions will be held at the upcoming Warley show....

 

[Derek Russan]

I think it i time I threw my hat in on this one.

 

I have been a fine scale modeller for well over 30 years (P4) and in my business life talk to many "newcomers" to the hobby both by phone and at shows. These cover a very broad spectrum in both age and expectatons.

 

I am always please at the number of younger people taking an interest in "proper" modelling. I have had several dicussions with children of around 10 years old showing an interest in improving out of the box models by detailing and or weathering. I think this is in part due to modelling on a pocket money budget, these guys (both sexes) see the detail in current expensive RTR and want to replicate this on affordable second hand stuff from the bring and buy. I choose to sponsor the Childrens corner at the Warners shows where kids put together plastic kits and really love to do it, there is nothing like a bit of hands on to encourage further interest.

 

By far the majority of the "newcomer" questions I get are from those who are at, or approaching retirement age, some are reviving a childhood interest and others following a long held desire. Among these there is a vast divrsity, from those wanting run stock from the 60's or earlier, to those wanting to leap straight in to finescale stuff. The common theme is wanting help and advice at a detail level that is not easily found in a single place.

 

The TV program will be of interest to these youngsters and covers the scenic aspect of layouts quite well within the available time, but next to nothing on rolling stock etc. However the bias towards gimmicks is likely to be of less interest to the later in life newcomers. Having said that it is good to see the hobby pulled out of the closet and presented in a non geeky way on main stream TV.

[JSpencer]

My sincerest hope is the teams continue to be modellers (not necessarily railway) and there is something in place to filter out any wannabes that are only after their 15 mins of fame. (see also just about every other "reality" show) Worse still would be a contrived team of vacuous morons only there to provide comic relief or drama. *

 

. 

 

There is a safe bet that there is a selection process first. Otherwise the result would be like me appearing in a baking program.

 

One thing, when we say that they can bring along things prepared in advanced, how long before it is shot are the modelers advised what "this weeks" theme will be?

I mean several weeks would allow for quite an effective plan and pre-preparation (you are basically just have 3 days to put together a bunch of pre-fabricated parts and use extra time to tart things up better than the opposition).

On the other hand, if it was just 24 hours, you could only bring along things that actually have to hand. For example a team with a member that does military modelling would be at a serious advantage over others that had none. Both in terms of material and historic knowledge (for Overlord, I could have brought along an armored division and a bunch of aircraft, the odd warship or 2).

Edited November 7, 2018 by JSpencer

[Barry Ten]

 

 

BTW has anyone noticed that the track plans of the layouts shown at the beginning of each episode are all wrong?

 

 

I only started noticing that with last week's episode, but you're right.

[theonlyadsrulz]

BTW has anyone noticed that the track plans of the layouts shown at the beginning of each episode are all wrong? It's always the same layout that is displayed with the little crosses flashing randomly over it, regardless of which team's plans are being explained. There is always a wind turbine towards the bottom left. The track plans at the end, just before the demonstrations, seem to be correct. It's been bugging me since I first noticed it, and the same problem seems to crop up with every episode. I can't imagine why the production team would do that if it was not accidental, nor why it should keep repeating if it was? Apologies if this has already been spotted and commented on elsewhere ad nausiam - if so I missed that.

 

Fun fact, and not giving anything significant away, but that's actually our (Railway Video Division) final layout! We certainly noticed it very early on but I've refrained from mentioning it until someone else did! It might have been used as we had a lot of random stuff placed on our layout early on in filming the final and a bit of basic track. I guess it has a feel of it being a layout that's just been started and is a bit bare? 

 

Looking forward to seeing how they manage to cram all five layouts into the runtime! And I'm also looking forward to a certain moment hopefully being shown, which was teased in the preview at the end of Heat 5. 

 

Adam - Team RVD 

[sharris]

Auditions will be held at the upcoming Warley show....

 

Blimey - that's only 2 1/2 weeks away! Have I left it a bit late to stop bathing?

 

[Hobby]

Then again a team of totally unlikable, unwashed, sock&sandal, miserable, luddite, curmudgeons might make a good pantomime villain team.

You forgot the large rucksack as part of the uniform with which they can bang other teams and destroy their models!

[jmolly]

I have enjoyed the series so far.   As someone who would like to actually create a model railway it has inspired me to think about what I can achieve.  Unfortunately I simply do not have the time or space at the moment.

 

Just watched the "water world" episode again and can't help but wonder if there was a remixed version of the Thomas the Tank Engine theme towards the end.  

[enginelane]

I have enjoyed the series so far.   As someone who would like to actually create a model railway it has inspired me to think about what I can achieve.  Unfortunately I simply do not have the time or space at the moment.

 

Just watched the "water world" episode again and can't help but wonder if there was a remixed version of the Thomas the Tank Engine theme towards the end.

 

I think the only remix was of the plaster

[enginelane]

I have enjoyed the series so far.   As someone who would like to actually create a model railway it has inspired me to think about what I can achieve.  Unfortunately I simply do not have the time or space at the moment.

 

Just watched the "water world" episode again and can't help but wonder if there was a remixed version of the Thomas the Tank Engine theme towards the end.

 

r

 

Have a look to see if there is a local club around.

[Norm81]

And the excruciating puns cease to be amusing as they get more and more tortuous and laboured.  I like a good pun as much as the next man, but most of them just aren't good.  "Ship hot" was particularly poor IMO (IIRC the presenter who delivered that one was the taller, vaguely sensible one rather than the shorter Ron Manager one who is the usual culprit).

 

It feels as if the production company can't quite resist inserting subliminal cues to suggest that these "grown men playing with toy trains" are actually a bit ridiculous.

 

Totally agree, by the third episode I was thoroughly tired of the puns. I like a good joke but they were worse than "dad joke" standard by then.

 

To be honest I didn't feel like the pair of presenters added much value personally, both judges seemed more than capable to also host. When one of the presenters made the "radioactive" comment about the low tide scene I thought that was incredibly bad form!

 

I'd like to see more time or larger teams so we have a greater chance of getting something that really looks finished and operates well. It's a pity there can't be more focus on each team sometimes, but you need it to be at least a three way challenge and can't go over an hour long.

[Zomboid]

I have enjoyed the series so far. As someone who would like to actually create a model railway it has inspired me to think about what I can achieve. Unfortunately I simply do not have the time or space at the moment.

 

Just watched the "water world" episode again and can't help but wonder if there was a remixed version of the Thomas the Tank Engine theme towards the end.

Have a look in the microlayout section of the forum. If you want a multiple track roundy then you might be struggling, but if you can find a spare 4' X 1' space you can still build a functional layout with enough operational potential to keep your out of mischief for a reasonable time.

 

There's couple of good looking 4 x 2 roundy layouts in N on this forum too. One is I think called Lymebrook Yard.

 

Time is a different question, a harder one to solve than space.

Edited November 7, 2018 by Zomboid

[davefromacrossthepond]

I just went through some of the first pages of this thread.  Fascinating how the posts have evolved over the length of this thread (over 70 pages!).  

[Robin Brasher]

BBC Radio Solent said that the Great Model Railway Challenge was an unexpected success. It is unusual for the BBC to advertise a programme from the other side. Perhaps the BBC will start doing model railway programmes.

 

It looks like model railways are making a comeback.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

BBC Radio Solent said that the Great Model Railway Challenge was an unexpected success. It is unusual for the BBC to advertise a programme from the other side. Perhaps the BBC will start doing model railway programmes.

 

It looks like model railways are making a comeback.

 

Having thought about your post, I'm thinking that maybe the success of the programme has been that there has been little emphasis on the railway aspect of the project.

 

In no particular order the emphasis has been on imagination, creativity, modelling craft/ability and teamwork. There has been virtually no anal railway discussion about liveries or loco types which can be a real turn off to many.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Oh, and I totally agree about the 'station announcements' - the only feature that I think should go. My wife finds them particularly annoying and generally she loves the programme.

[Marcus-Jay]

Indeed, and this may actually be giving the impression that delicate soldering to pointwork is necessary. Given the demonstration runs shown so far amount to little more than a single successful traversal, the wiring certainly doesn't need to cater for an intensive exhibition schedule as seems to have been the assumption by the teams so far. Maybe future teams will learn to economise where they can afford to.

 

The Nim.

 

(Catching up on several days away so only about 8 pages to wade through)

Wiring loom for Mattford (Diesel Dynamos Layout) Pre built ready to attach to track droppers. Point motors attached and set up in JMRI. Alll running a few days before filming started.

 

[Marcus-Jay]

It did amuse me slightly that the only manufacturer to actually get their name on screen - as opposed to in the credits - was Heljan, on the containers on Clucas Bay. Which is even more impressive given that Heljan isn't a sponsor. Although I wonder if that's how it slipped past scrutiny - maybe the producers didn't realise that Heljan is a model railway company, and not a "real" name you'd expect to see on a container.

(Catching up on several days away so only about 8 pages to wade through)

 

Plenty of brand names visible in various eps.  Ours had Ryobi power tools and an unblurred Pringles tube for example.

[Andy Y]

I've created a sub-forum for content relating to the programme and the layout features so they don't get too lost down the lists.

 

I reckon I've missed something somewhere (on the layout features) so if you spot anything which needs to be moved into this area let me know!

[Jol Wilkinson]

(Catching up on several days away so only about 8 pages to wade through)

 

Wiring loom for Mattford (Diesel Dynamos Layout) Pre built ready to attach to track droppers. Point motors attached and set up in JMRI. Alll running a few days before filming started.

 

I wonder if the use of DCC and DIY electronics would be likely to dissuade some people. Seeing some operatots staring at mobile phones while they work out what to do seems to be adding a level of complexity that might be too daunting. This may upset DCC afficionados but surely the programme should be illustrating techniques which are creative but not too difficult to learn.

[Marcus-Jay]

Fun fact, and not giving anything significant away,

 

(Catching up on several days away so only about 8 pages to wade through)

Another tidbit:

Also, if you watch the introduction in every episode you see 5 teams walking down the road. This is the 'walk-in shot from the final' so anyone wanting to place bets on who won the episode could have worked it out from about 30 seconds into show 1.

[Hobby]

I'm sure that shot of a point upside down getting wired has appeared in more than one episode as well!

[Marcus-Jay]

I wonder if the use of DCC and DIY electronics would be likely to dissuade some people. Seeing some operatots staring at mobile phones while they work out what to do seems to be adding a level of complexity that might be too daunting. This may upset DCC afficionados but surely the programme should be illustrating techniques which are creative but not too difficult to learn.

 

Seeing someone staring at a mobile phone is precisely what I (me - myself - personally) WANTED to be shown, which is why the Diesel Dynamos layout was DCC and JMRI controlled.  The vast majority of people under the age of 25 will be looking at a mobile device on a very regular basis.

 

If I hand someone a MERG CAB DCC handset they can twiddle the knob to make something I've set up move. If I give them a mobile with all the buttons labelled "Lights", "Horn", and "Squeal" they will tap away.  Equally, if I put them in front of the  Guagemaster 4 knob controller they are just as likely (3 in 4 chance) to send the wrong train off in the wrong direction.

 

But then people like different things. I am not very good at scenery building, but I am good at wiring and related stuff. That doesn't mean I see a big hill with bushes and trees and walk away 'daunted'.

 

Every person that watches the programmes will take something different away from it. It is down to the production company to produce something that provides a broad appeal within the area they are trying to make an entertaining show about.