GMRC Series 2 - Episode 1 - 'The Restless Earth'

[LNER4479]

Interested to hear the comments on the novices versus experts discussion. According to the Peco GMRC Special, we were a team of experienced modellers with over 250 years of modelling experience between us (not quite sure how stern Steve arrived at that figure, but there you go...) which firmly put us in the latter category.

 

We did consider that carefully and sort of arrived at the consensus that, if we were going to take part in this thing, then we would deliberately challenge ourselves to do things outside our comfort zone and duly submitted a plan for our Heat layout that we considered to be ambitious but achievable. In our minds - although done voluntarily - that sort of compensated in any comparison with less-experienced teams.

 

Be interesting in a few weeks time when it's the Heat 5 thread to hear your reaction to how we got on! The only thing I can say at this stage ('cos it's in the Peco Special) is that we had a great big hole to fill in our baseboard. And - no - it wasn't caused by an earthquake ...

[Markwj]

When do they release the viewing figures does anyone know?

[JohnDMJ]

7 hours ago, Markwj said:

When do they release the viewing figures does anyone know?

 

Don't they come out after the re-run of the episode?

[caradoc]

14 hours ago, D9001 said:

I am glad that some folk are enjoying this programme and if you are, good on you and good on the presenters and producers.

 

But to me this programme isn’t about model railways at all, it’s about gimmicky, and frankly ridiculous, animations such as volcanoes made from old clothing. The actual model railways seem secondary to the silly animations and, as with series 1, i have watched one programme but won’t be watching any more.

 

I certainly would watch a programme which was genuinely about model railways; the programme about Hornby earlier this year was very watchable. 

 

But, as I say, if you like it, great. 

 

That's one of the issues being discussed here; That if the programme was aimed at us railway modellers it would not entertain the general public and would therefore not be made in the first place !

 

[JohnR]

30 minutes ago, JohnDMJ said:

 

Don't they come out after the re-run of the episode?

 

Overnight figures would have been available last weekend, but they are only available on subscription. Publicly available (ie Free!) numbers for last week will probably be available early next week. 

[Legend]

16 hours ago, D9001 said:

I am glad that some folk are enjoying this programme and if you are, good on you and good on the presenters and producers.

 

But to me this programme isn’t about model railways at all, it’s about gimmicky, and frankly ridiculous, animations such as volcanoes made from old clothing. The actual model railways seem secondary to the silly animations and, as with series 1, i have watched one programme but won’t be watching any more.

 

I certainly would watch a programme which was genuinely about model railways; the programme about Hornby earlier this year was very watchable. 

 

But, as I say, if you like it, great. 

 

I think this adequately sums it up for me too.  I did enjoy the program and will watch again , that said I wont be distraught if I miss an episode . But D9001 really sums it up, its become about gimmickry and  animations . Stern Steve Flint made a lot about running qualities of the actual model railway , but there really wasn't much about how to ensure you had good running . And actually more time was given to volcanoes , earthquakes and sink holes  then the actual building of the model railway , which despite the name of the program, seemed a bit incidental .   Why did the teams pick these track plans ? Why were they running these locomotives ? How were they powering them DC/DCC?  Are we sacrificing the bits of the hobby we find interesting to get the glamorization and sensationalism that gets viewing figures in? Is our hobby so  intrinsically boring  that it needs to be glammed up? These bIts  might be necessary  for the general public but its not the bits we as model railway enthusiasts find interesting .  I doubt we will see a rash of volcanoes appearing at exhibitions . To me the interest in watching the trains move is enough , but apparently its not for everyone.

 

That said it was good to see the young team of scientists take part . The cliff scene , the river looked superb  and I regretted that they didn't win on that basis . However their model railway layout, as far as I could tell an oval and a siding was very basic and really they didn't get the trains to run , so perhaps justice was done after all. Hope to see them in subsequent program as best runners up though.

 

The background piano music is still annoying but there seemed to be less general overviews of Fawley which is good. They've also got rid of that annoying mock station announcer from last year,  which I thought was more ridiculing an interest in model railways than anything else!

 

It is good that ,having dozed last year , Hornby are seizing the marketing opportunities this time with both an advert in the middle of the program and the YouTube exposure . Good for them.  PECO also are being proactive with an accompanying magazine . Again a good marketing ploy and could be useful to people looking to get back into the hobby.

 

So generally pretty positive , but can we have more about model railways please or rename it to the Great Modelling a Gimmick Challenge

 

[Phil Parker]

3 minutes ago, Legend said:

Are we sacrificing the bits of the hobby we find interesting to get the glamorization and sensationalism that gets viewing figures in?

 

Yes. Because the viewing figures sell advertising and advertising is what pays for the programme. However WE are not sacrificing them, the production team are because they want/need to make a successful show that a million+ people will watch. 

 

4 minutes ago, Legend said:

Is our hobby so  intrinsically boring  that it needs to be glammed up?

 

Yes. Hours of ballasting or wiring are not interesting to watch, even for model railway nerds. Neither would a "debate" about the correct shade of GWR green for a locomotive running in a particular period. Every hobby is more interesting to those involved in it than those outside. This show is not made for us.

 

7 minutes ago, Legend said:

These bIts  might be necessary  for the general public but its not the bits we as model railway enthusiasts find interesting .

 

If you can find a million+ enthusiasts who will watch a TV programme on a Friday evening then we get telly made especially for us. If you want the public to watch, then there needs to be a different approach.

 

8 minutes ago, Legend said:

can we have more about model railways please or rename it to the Great Modelling a Gimmick Challenge

 

NO. If you want to watch people ballast track every week, YouTube is waiting. Hang about and I've done a piece for a BRM subscriber DVD on the subject which you can stick on repeat.

 

This programme is Miniatur Wunderland, not Pendon. Lots of people go to both, but one is raved about by the general public, the other by enthusiasts. One is the biggest attraction in Hamburg, the other the biggest attraction in Long Wittenham.

 

Maybe we need a few more volcanoes at exhibitions? Maybe railway modelling can be more imaginative than some enthusiasts like it to be? Maybe the hobby can embrace all forms of layout building as long as people are enjoying themselves? 

 

[colin penfold]

On 14/09/2019 at 16:08, whart57 said:

 

And after all Bake Off is nothing like one of those Fanny Craddock here's how you make choux pastry jobs from forty years ago either.

 

True, but each challenge aims for the production of an edible cake

[RedgateModels]

7 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

Yes. Hours of ballasting or wiring are not interesting to watch, even for model railway nerds. Neither would a "debate" about the correct shade of GWR green for a locomotive running in a particular period. Every hobby is more interesting to those involved in it than those outside. This show is not made for us.

 

Case in point, I have been glued to my laptop getting back to grips with Templot for the last few days and the plan is nowhere near completed yet. How interesting would that be on national TV? I have enjoyed it but I've not inflicted any details on the family let alone the general public LOL

[RLWP]

8 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

This programme is Miniatur Wunderland, not Pendon.

 

Nicely put.

 

Being at the social outcast end of model railways (009 NG modeller), I'm now toying with ideas around this:

 

 

https://www.tramwayinfo.com/Tramframe.htm?https://www.tramwayinfo.com/trampostcards/Postc136.htm

 

Richard

[colin penfold]

On 14/09/2019 at 18:06, Neil said:

For those not impressed, who think there's not enough 'proper' railway modelling taking place, then please consider the time constraints that we were working under. You'll see me later on in this series, on the 27th I believe, and while I hope you'd consider me to be a 'proper' modeller it won't give any game away if I tell you that the work of mine you see here on RMweb takes far longer to do than the time allowed by the filming schedule.

 

 

 

I'm sure people are not criticising you or the other competitors. Of course you all tried to follow the brief and all the teams did it very well. It's just that for some (myself included) the result was a programme about modelling of gimmicks and not about railway modelling. 

[AY Mod]

5 minutes ago, colin penfold said:

It's just that for some (myself included) the result was a programme about modelling of gimmicks and not about railway modelling. 

 

Gimmicks are what people remember and comment upon from shows gone by - moving water, working bicycles, multiple scales, animated features etc and not the quality of trackwork, signalling excellence and beautiful scratchbuilding. Why would a TV show be any different in how it aims to grab viewers' attention and be talked about after airing?

[Neil]

Thank you Colin, I'm pretty sure that none of the criticisms here are aimed at the participants but at the format of the show and I appreciate the upfront statement. I wanted to make the point that within the time given (unless there was a huge amount devoted to the at home preparations) the best we could come up with was what was seen on screen. Better I think to regard the series as a gateway drug to the hobby than a production aimed fair and square at the enthusiast.

Edited September 18, 2019 by Neil

[GeoffAlan]

I watched series one and the  stand-out layout for me was the one that looked most like one you'd see at an exhibition. It didn't win! Yes the series is aimed at Joe and Josephine Public and we are Modellers. But for me, the exposure of the hobby to the world is a Good Thing, even if we aren't over-impressed.

[woodenhead]

16 minutes ago, Neil said:

Thank you Colin, I'm pretty sure that none of the criticisms here are aimed at the participants but at the format of the show and I appreciate the upfront statement. I wanted to make the point that within the time given (unless there was a huge amount devoted to the at home preparations) the best we could come up with was what was seen on screen. Better I think to regard the series as a gateway drug to the hobby than a production aimed fair and square at the enthusiast.

The show's format is not for me, it follows the typical MasterXXX format and is designed to entertain not educate, it clearly works as they commissioned a second series so it proves there is interest in toy trains still and that can only be good for the hobby.

 

If you wanted a proper modelling show then prepare to watch paint dry because that is the true speed of an model railway gestation into a work of art - Andrew Peters excepted who turns out railways like Apple turns out iPhones 

[ianLMS]

Loved the first episode and looking forward to Round 2. I have to watch it on catch-up so miss the adverts but glad to hear Hornby are taking advantage of it. Excellent inginuiety and really good to see young inexperienced folks taking part and enjoying it. 

 

When I was a youngster I visited the model railway just outside York Railway Station. I was mesmerised by all the moving elements and fun stuff away from the lineside. The trains whizzing by captured my attention for a passing moment, but the animated extras are what really captivated me and got me hooked. 

 

I have been to exhibitions and seen plenty of layouts with various animations, sounds and layouts with a different approach such as steampunk, fanstasy etc and they are all great. Most are technically impressive, great to sit in front of for a few minutes and enjoy marvelling at the imaginative and ingenious engineering. This is exactly what the GMRC represents for me.  Sparking the imagination hoping others will follow and develop into railway modellers, irrespective of their talents, chosen gauge, era, scale, region or other persuasions. It has been said many, many times - railway modellers are a very mixed bag with diverse interests. Quite a few railway layouts appear in the modelling press, not because they perfectly potray an exact railway in miniature, but because they are interesting and they entertain. They just happen to have the common denominator of being linked to railways, no matter how tenious.  Emmett type layouts are widely regarded as being superb models, but bare no resemblance to the real railway, yet the creators are still considered railway modellers!

 

Enjoy it for what it is and use the off button if its too painful. Its still far better than the reality/soap/sport drivvel which on an off day can command 10M+ veiwers!. 

 

Ian

 

 

[RLBH]

5 hours ago, colin penfold said:

True, but each challenge aims for the production of an edible cake

And only very rarely is it the sort of cake that someone would produce at home for the purpose of eating. They have all sorts of gimmicks that make for an entertaining competition. Naturally the gimmicks are rather different, because baking cakes is not the same as building model railways.

 

Maybe you could make an acceptable programme about 'real' railway modelling using the Grand Designs format. I have a hard time seeing it being nearly as successful as GMRC, and the production company would still find some way to add artificial pressure or gimmickry.

 

For what it's worth, my wife is pretty ambivalent about model railways, but enjoys GMRC; the winning layout from last year was the only thing she had any interest in at the Glasgow show. It's arguably Series 1 that moved her from active disinterest to mere ambivalence.

[OhOh]

I wonder if somewhere in the big wide world there's a bunch of dedicated and hardcore volcano modellers who are completely oblivious to the service done for their hobby by S2Ep1 of GMRC? 

 

[Ian Morgan]

13 minutes ago, OhOh said:

I wonder if somewhere in the big wide world there's a bunch of dedicated and hardcore volcano modellers who are completely oblivious to the service done for their hobby by S2Ep1 of GMRC? 

 

 

No, they will be poo-pooing the show because it trivialises volcanoes by introducing railways ...

[caradoc]

And because the 'lava' was completely the wrong shade, and there was no attempt at all to model a pyroclastic flow.

 

[dhjgreen]

19 minutes ago, Ian Morgan said:

 

No, they will be poo-pooing the show because it trivialises volcanoes by introducing railways ...

They would not like this then  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumvesuviana

 

Edited September 18, 2019 by dhjgreen

[D9020 Nimbus]

Gimmicks in model railways are nothing new. I remember the working crane and moving truck on Wenford Bridge; The Four Seasons (rotary layout based on the Wisbech and Upwell) and of course Catalunya, which I remember being entranced by at a York Exhibition quite a few years ago now. Catalunya was spectacular, but the railway was rather a secondary aspect. Funnily enough, I remember these three better than many of the others I've seen (although I'm sure they all took much longer to build than the GMRC layouts).

[Kelly]

Watched the episode last night. Enjoyable as much as these things aim to be. Perfect for not needing much in terms of attention on my part (insomnia, etc) rather than watching a YouTube video on a particular subject where I'd have to pay more attention.

 

It felt a fairly close run heat really to me, some of the things the new comers came up with were quite good, I liked the 3D backscene and the quality of the water was impressive too, especially when considered only first and second attempts at it (at least so he said on the show).

[PhilJ W]

48 minutes ago, caradoc said:

And because the 'lava' was completely the wrong shade, and there was no attempt at all to model a pyroclastic flow.

 

Perhaps having the fire brigade on standby wasn't budgeted for?

[JohnDMJ]

I know it's 'early days' with S1 and S2E1 now out in the public eye, but have any show organisers noticed if it has affected their attendance?

 

Having been to shows on both sides of the Channel, I have noticed that 'over there' the hobby tends to be much more a family event (on both sides of the exhibits!) compared to the traditional 'Father and Son' approach that was promoted until not that many years ago in the UK (Did anyone see the Hornby advert in last week's episode, think it was in the third advert break?).

 

Anything that breaks this mould and widens the awareness and perception of the hobby has to be good in the longer term.

 

This programme is bringing the hobby 'out of the closet' in no uncertain terms and, as AY Mod said earlier,

 

8 hours ago, AY Mod said:

 

Gimmicks are what people remember and comment upon from shows gone by - moving water, working bicycles, multiple scales, animated features etc and not the quality of trackwork, signalling excellence and beautiful scratchbuilding. Why would a TV show be any different in how it aims to grab viewers' attention and be talked about after airing?

 

gimmicks make good television and not only sell the concept of the challenge but ultimately help towards a better appreciation of our hobby.