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BBC Four - James May's Big Trouble in Model Britain


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Without wishing to continue the OT trend over-much, I think chris p bacon is right. Everard junction shows you some ideas in a general format but what I picked up was that you don't do a layout in an un-insulated slate roofed attic - too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. Recycled doors, unless possibly solid oak ones, do not make for good layouts - warpy warpy time. I believe he has ripped up his original layout and started again - but I haven't followed his latest endeavours.

 

I don't think Hornby would learn anything, TBH.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

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35 minutes ago, Pete Darton said:

Have you ever watched one of his video’s, doubt it by your response.

 

Why has he got 51,000 subscribers to his video’s on him doing model railway modelling video’s.

 

Yes I have thank you (again you make assumptions) and he caters for his viewers well. But, it doesn't mean that what he does is what Hornby should cater for. Years and years show that modellers tend towards ready finished, numbered and named locos for their needs rather than unnumbered items for modellers to finish. History is littered with clearance items of such.

 

Your response didn't answer my question; what can Hornby learn from him?

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@Jol

 

I've followed the Wright Writes thread and as a mainly RTR user, I have come away guilt-ridden as my rolling stock is not hand-made, doesn't have lamps (yet), it is not weathered by me and I have no idea whether the coaching stock is formed correctly nor if my freight stock should have single sided brakes or be on 9' or 10' wheel-bases. I just want something that goes, runs well and looks 'correct' (and doesn't cost a fortune in time or cash).

 

Thank goodness for Hornby and other manufacturers out there, otherwise I just wouldn't have anything to run.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

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On ‎06‎/‎03‎/‎2019 at 22:29, Legend said:

It was interesting and enjoyable telly . It didn’t really go into the depth I wanted but I was probably hoping for too much, there’s obviously a need for some commercial confidentiality . The problem wasn’t only the last management though , which seemed to be the underlying theme of the program. The Frank Martin era seems to have been brushed out and I think the rot really started there . Olympics anyone? 

 

Some interesting snippests though. The sound J36 being delayed for instance. Ironic for me as I’m really not interested in the sound which seems to be reason for delay.  The other thing was the disposal of old tooling  . Surprising . I have this argument with folk at work who have this idea that if it’s fully written off get rid of it, despite the fact it may still actually have some use or value . I reckon you can say bye bye to any idea of an APT re emerging as it may we’ll have been in these discarded tools . 

 

Good that they brought out the effects on model shops . You can understand their believe it when I unpack it approach. 

 

Only thing i found slighlty grating was Mays references to no woman around , which was kind of reverting to the stereotypical image the great model railway show had got us away from . 

I was give some unopened tins of Railways Spec. paint because it was past its date....  Considering I use 40 year old Humbrol it seemed crazy.  But the undersides of my baseboards have a better paint job than the Forth Bridge....

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1 hour ago, Pete Darton said:

Has anyone ever watch YouTube video’s of Everard Junction, yes it’s based around the late 80’s of Diesels but what he does can be applied to Steam railways. 

 

He he covers a vast range of modelling topics and whenever he uses anything he tells you where he buys it from.

 

This person in my mind is a true modeller as he has a go at anything and Hornby could learn a lot from him as what people want from the hobby.

 

He isn’t afraid of repainting a locomotive or designing and building his own automatic coloured signals. Love his videos and I have learn’t a lot from him.


 

 

52 minutes ago, Pete Darton said:

Have you ever watched one of his video’s, doubt it by your response.

 

Why has he got 51,000 subscribers to his video’s on him doing model railway modelling video’s.

 

And thousands of people pay to read my articles every month, every day several hundred more read my blog - does this mean Hornby should be banging on my door so I can tell them how to run their business?

 

No.

 

You can't extrapolate from one person into a viable business. Every modeller is different. Time and time again on here we read people saying that something should be made because they want one and therefore, there must be LOADS of people who want one. Everard Junction is one modeller among thousands and Hornby have to try to work out how to satisfy the largest number of people who will give them money (you can't eat Facebook likes or YouTube subscriptions) for products.  A difficult job!

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5 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

Worth paying if one has the wherewithal to do so, but bringing with it an inevitable consequence that some who currently purchase said toys will be priced out of the market.

 

That should mean you just have to cut your cloth accordingly. You may have a modelling fun of £150 per year - so instead of buying three locos for your budget, as you may have been able to 15 years ago, now you can have just have one. I don't view that as a hardship in the grand shceme of life. Personally I see it as a case of choosing quality over quantity. I know kt so many modellers who hoard and acquire so much stuff, which they will never fully utilise. Each to their own of course, but I still think we need to pay a price that best supports those assembling our toys (wherever they are in the world). 

 

Anecdotally, I would be interested to hear if there is an increase in interest in Hornby following the programme - such as traffic through their website and purchasing of their products. Undoubtedly too early to say at the moment, but I hope the exposure of the two programmes see an increase in sales. 

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3 minutes ago, Pete Darton said:

Are Hornby looking at the audience people on you tube like people following Everard Junction. There are lots and lots of other people posting model railway video’s on YouTube I also watch. 

 

Yes they are. Why do you think they aren't? 

 

3 minutes ago, Pete Darton said:

People like the guy running Everard Junction make money advertising items they use and they don’t advertise things they don’t like.

 

This might be the case with Everard Junction (does he actually get paid for mentioning products?) but certainly isn't universal. The Advertising Standards Authority have been trying to strengthen rules relating to advertising on social media for years.

 

6 minutes ago, Pete Darton said:

i don’t go to many model railway shows because they don’t have a lot of modern trains on show.

 

from what I hear a lot of smaller model railway exhibitions don’t invite modern layouts because it’s like a swear word within the organising club. So the only way we who like modern railways look at other modern railways is by viewing them on YouTube.

 

There are lots of modern trains at shows. You don't find many purely modern layout shows, except those run by DEMU. YouTube isn't the ONLY way to see them and it's not as easy to ask questions as it is at a show. Don't discount visiting just because sitting in front of the computer ie easy.

 

11 minutes ago, Pete Darton said:

i might be wrong but surely from Hornby’s point of view this needs to be researched. Don’t see a lot of people raving about Hornby items on YouTube.

 

There you go again. Why do you assume Hornby don't look at YouTube? As for the second point, raving on YouTube brings in no money to Hornby. They will be looking at real-world sales figures, not just the opinions of someone on-line hoping to gain a tiny bit of advertising revenue by yakking about a model? They also take in feedback from sales reps, discussions at shows and a whole load of other data.

 

15 minutes ago, Pete Darton said:

We all have freedom of speech and let’s respect each other’s views. 

 

That's true, but if by respecting other's views you mean we can't challenge postings we disagree with, that's not freedom of speech. 

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19 minutes ago, Pete Darton said:

from what I hear a lot of smaller model railway exhibitions don’t invite modern layouts because it’s like a swear word within the organising club

 

Careful, you're talking rubbish again. Do you any evidence for yet another assertion? Don't just hide behind what you'd 'heard' as they're talking rubbish too. Unless you are prepared to qualify the statements you make then it's best not to post them.

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When I was managing exhibitions (30 years ago), I was always careful to get a good mix of layouts, including some diesel era / current practice. It's important to show all aspects of the hobby unless it is a specialist show.

 

There is certainly more interest in modelling the current era nowadays and if I were still selecting layouts for an exhibition, I think I would be looking to have a greater percentage than I would have done back then.

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32 minutes ago, Pete Darton said:

 

 

from what I hear a lot of smaller model railway exhibitions don’t invite modern layouts because it’s like a swear word within the organising club. So the only way we who like modern railways look at other modern railways is by viewing them on YouTube.

 

 

As an organiser of a small show myself, I personally would love to invite some modern layouts along. I saw a very nice one at Basingstoke yesterday and there was another nice one at Southampton a few weeks ago.

 

Unfortunately managers of small shows are particularly limited by their expenses budget. In my case van hire is out (which effectively rules out large continuous run layouts like the two layouts already mentioned) and within my catchment area there aren't many modern image layouts designed to travel by car.

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25 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

Careful, you're talking rubbish again. Do you any evidence for yet another assertion? Don't just hide behind what you'd 'heard' as they're talking rubbish too. Unless you are prepared to qualify the statements you make then it's best not to post them.

Just started reading this thread and as someone who travels the country to shows big and small as a visitor I can comfortably say it is not true. Glasgow, Doncaster, Erith, and Stafford this year so far, Peterborough, Southend, Derby, Billericay and many more in 2018. Every single one had plenty of modern layouts in a mix of scale, from O gauge through T gauge, even G with diesels and modern image British HO. Chatted to modern image layout operators at every one - thanks to all. If I could be bothered I'd go through the programmes and count out modern v steam but I can't. I've met Andy and Phil (we're not worthy!!) , and chatted to modern image companies from Revolution to Accurascale, Hattons as well as the big boys. At all levels of the hobby modern image in all its forms from BR blue through to the current day is very well represented.

 

Indeed modern image has everything from giant layouts like Calcutta Sidings to a large selection of micro-layouts at shows.

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I want to see Hornby prosper even though about the only Hornby products I have bought in the last 30 years are OO spokes wagon wheels for O-16.5 use.  The RTR suppliers are the backbone of the hobby.  For some it's all they need, for some it is a good starting point, and for some it is a good source of 'bashing' bits.

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I think that this could be the fight :devil:

 

image.png.774a7029f1de3af22b1569336bd7a4c5.png

by Mark Braxton

The cuddly factor takes a slight dip in this second and concluding toy story about Hornby – but there’s a bit more grit. The model railway company’s bid to get back on track after £10 million losses last year is threatened by rivals the race to launch a Terrier loco leads to some especially squirmy exchanges. But there are plenty of branch lines of interest, including a sound prototype, filming an ad for the Scalextric brand and – the headine story – Caitlin Williams becoming the first female product designer in Hornby’s history. Her first-day excitement and big smiles as she test-drives her new car are lovely to watch.

May’s arch asides and a winky soundtrack (End of the Line etc) make this a funny, chuffing brilliant hobby-watch. 

SUMMARY

Part two of two. Ken, head of audio development, is sent on a top-secret mission to capture the sound of a steam locomotive for its potential use in a new model, while marketing and development director Simon Kohler takes on two of his biggest rivals in a dramatic showdown. Plus, the company takes on its first female product designer in the shape of Caitlin Williams.

CAST & CREW

Presenter James May

Executive Producer Will Daws

Executive Producer Clare Paterson

Producer Will Fisher

Series Director Matt Fisher

 

 

Edited by Prince Of Rails
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The first episode of James May's Big Trouble in Model Britain is going to be repeated tonight on BBC4 at 20:00.

 

The problem with modern image layouts is that by the time you have finished building it it is no longer modern image.

 

I wonder if modelling a preserved line as it is now counts as a modern image layout.

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Hornby' product selection processes as far as modern image prototypes are concerned seem reasonable—they have covered most of the "gaps" and to cover any more diesel or electric locos would mean going head-to-head with another manufacturer.

 

However, there currently isn't a modern-standard DMU in their range; they don't appear to value protecting the 142 or 156 in the way they protected the "Terrier" or large Prairie. (I'm sure Realtrack are grateful.) Same applies to several of the ex-Lima models. It appears to be a common Hornby failing not to update old tooling, resulting in their "losing" models—class 25, 37, 40, 47, 52, 66, 101, 121 in modern image; 4F, 9F, M7 in steam era, and I don't think that list is exhaustive. They did however produce new examples of classes 31, 50, 60, 67, 87. And they have updated the big LNER/LMS Pacifics several times.

Edited by D9020 Nimbus
Remove split infinitive.
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23 hours ago, blueeighties said:

Martin, what exactly is your issue?

 

"There is no such thing as an analog or DCC point motor. There are just point motors."

 

Why are you insisting that that statement is correct? 

 

AnalogUE motors work with anologUE systems, DCC motors have built in DCC decoders designed to work, obviously, with DCC systems.  So there are indeed analogUE point motors, and DCC point motors.

 

Or is there something that you alone know, that every manufacturer of point motors hasn't been yet clever enough to discover?

 

Wanted to discuss this via pm, but you don't accept messages. Apologies for discussing a slightly off-topic post folks.

 

Is this the fight James May was alluding to in Episode 1?

 

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56 minutes ago, Prince Of Rails said:

I like Hornby and I like RAILS OF SHEFFIELD but which better? theres only one way to find out.... FIGHT :devil:

 

Steady.

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14 minutes ago, Jeff Smith said:

The question is, what is modern image?  At one time it might have meant anything without steam, but now I'm not so sure....

 

Given the lack of agreement on what it means (does it mean what's modern now, or what was modern when the term was first used and is now anything but?) I find it's better just not to use the phrase.

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15 minutes ago, Jeff Smith said:

The question is, what is modern image?  At one time it might have meant anything without steam, but now I'm not so sure....

 

And here we go again...………………………..

:rolleyes:

 

 

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1 hour ago, Robin Brasher said:

The problem with modern image layouts is that by the time you have finished building it it is no longer modern image.

 

The problem with categorising layouts is there aren't enough of the ones you like, and too many of the ones you don't. 

 

Having just seen part one and read pages 1, 2 and 15, I'll be watching the second part to find new exciting ways to strip the insulation from wire and tin a soldering iron bit.

 

 

 

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