RMweb is 15

[AY Mod]

53 minutes ago, gordon s said:

is anyone going to own up to being 'The Fat Controller'?.....

 

He (deliberately) had some pretty controversial views that you couldn't help but laugh at...

 

Ha; he was a bit of legend wasn't he? I was accused, regularly, of that being an alter-ego but I did meet him and his son at a non-railway event.

[AY Mod]

5 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

Without them, it may not have been here now.

 

It certainly wouldn't be in this behemoth format if it was. As Mike Bellamy referenced earlier the hat would get passed round to keep it chugging on for months or in one case a year but when server costs (mainly due to the bandwidth needed) rose above £1000 per month - there wouldn't have been a big enough hat!

[gordon s]

10 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

Ha; he was a bit of legend wasn't he? I was accused, regularly, of that being an alter-ego but I did meet him and his son at a non-railway event.

 

Come on then, spill the beans.....Steve Jones must have been one of the favourites at the time.

[RedGemAlchemist]

I DEFINITELY am not an early bird, having only been on the site for about two years. But these forums have very much helped me come out of my shell a lot and introduced me to many people who are now good friends. It has helped me greatly improve at a hobby that I love, and finally start achieving something I have wanted to do ever since I was five years old way, way back in 1998. So happy birthday RMWeb, and here's to another fifteen years.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by RedGemAlchemist

[AY Mod]

Just now, gordon s said:

Steve Jones must have been one of the favourites at the time.

 

He was on the 'suspect list' but was here in his own right after his Electricnose days. The Fat Controller was definitely someone else, I do know his name and where he lived (he wasn't anyone prominent in the hobby) but I can't spill any beans.

[PaulRhB]

4 minutes ago, gordon s said:

 

Come on then, spill the beans.....Steve Jones must have been one of the favourites at the time.

That’s down to the mods themselves as they were anonymous for a reason  

I’d forgotten about the reboot reset, I therefore have no idea when I joined 

Edited March 15, 2020 by PaulRhB

[Trevellan]

As I recall, I joined RMweb back in 2009 and, as I've said before, it's the best club I've ever been a member of. I have tried to support the forum as much as my situation allows, contributing what I hope are sensible views on a variety of topics. The highlights for me were the Taunton open days in 2014/15 /16. Building two modules was just what I needed to get my modelling mojo back and the days themselves were incredibly good fun.

 

Sadly, my circumstances have changed markedly in the last three years and my railway modelling activities have all but disappeared for the moment. However, I live in hope of further opportunities and continue to follow the various threads on RMweb. This optimism resulted in me signing up for Gold membership this year to cement my support.

 

Congratulations to Andy and all involved. It's been a remarkable journey and I don't doubt there are many good things still to come.

Edited March 16, 2020 by Trevellan
typographical error

[69843]

I joined up just over 6 years ago now, on March 12th 2012, as I wished to find out more information about the formation of the Royal Scot in the 1950s. Checking a calendar this was a Monday, so I have little doubt that I actually started on RMweb when I was in school hours...

Since joining, my interests have changed. I have gone from being interested in British railways to modelling modern NSW railways and now coming back a bit to the UK side of things (but not dropping the Australian interest in any way). My life has changed, and even RMweb itself has changed a bit. However I still enjoy coming on RMweb, taking a look around, and being inspired by what others have done.

There are so many standout threads on RMweb that it's hard to pick just one, but the thread that is fast summing up RMweb itself to me is Tony Wright's 'Wright Writes' thread. Over 3 million views since originally being instated as Andy passing on correspondence from Tony, to Tony himself coming onboard and it covering some absolutely fantastic modelling from Tony and others, as well as some really nifty tips and tricks, shows just what can be done with the hobby from bashing an old Triang locomotive right up to custom built P4 models. I don't think there's many other places where both sorts of models will be treated with the same amount of respect as on RMweb.

The thing that has developed most out of RMweb though is the friendships. Being so far away from the 'core' of RMweb I never thought that there'd be anyone I'd meet through RMweb as a friend. I was 100% wrong on that one-I have met some fantastic blokes through the site out here in Australia that I still catch up with regularly and talk with a lot of the time, and not only have I made some UK based friends through just general chatting and information exchanging, but I also ended up being involved in a group chat with several younger modellers, mostly in the UK but one in New York as well, and have formed very firm friendships from that. Unfortunately it looks like the trip I have been planning to the UK might get pulled this year due to the current health crisis, but to catch up with some of these blokes face to face is a day that will be a memorable one.

Viva la RMweb!

[Jonboy]

27 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

Ha; he was a bit of legend wasn't he? I was accused, regularly, of that being an alter-ego but I did meet him and his son at a non-railway event.

I don’t ever recall any mention of @AY Mod and @Kenton in the same place at the same time????

[chriswright03]

42 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

That's only 'cos you want more cake next time.

Busted!

[Allegheny1600]

Reading through this topic is rather nostalgic I must say!

Gawd, I used to avidly read Steve Jones (electric nose!) site, he had such eclectic interests that paralleled my own very well although I never had his buying power!

One of my favourite mods was Marvin, the depressed robot, I can't even remember which number he carried.

 

I am happy to still be friends with @Andrew P who accompanied me on a visit to @Tony Wright a good while ago, that was a fantastic day out, my grateful thanks to both again for that. As we (Andy and me, separately) are in the process of moving house substantially, I fear we will never have such opportunity again, sadly. 

However, such is the power of this site, we can remain friends, isn't that great?

[Andrew P]

Thanks you Andy @AY Mod for the opportunity to not only talk to like minded people around the World.

Over the Years, I've had the opportunity to display my work on here, this in turn has lead to invitations to exhibit at Shows, and that in turn has lead to meeting not only many R M Web members, but also make some of the best new friends with similar aspirations.

As John, / @Allegheny1600 has stated, he contacted me through R M Web after my Stoke in 2014 and invited me to join him on a visit to @Tony Wrights, that opened up another new friendship which would otherwise not have happened.

Also as a result of postings on R M Web, I was contacted by David / @Jintyman, and Craig / @Muddys Blues for a meet up on my trip to Wales on Holiday. This in turn lead to another Welsh invite to Martin / @Gismorail to visit him at Carrog, and so the wheel goes on.

I'm moving back down to Hampshire soon, and I've already had invites from members down there, not only to meet up, but also from Ian / @Temeraire as somewhere to store my Layout during the move.

@Clive Mortimore is another one of the many that R M Web has introduced me to, which again included a visit, and Tony / @Mulgabil came with his wife to visit me here in Swad, and we went out for a nice Lunch.

 

So thanks again Andy, and all the Team for keeping this going.

Edited March 15, 2020 by Andrew P

[Bucoops]

Happy Birthday

[gordon s]

51 minutes ago, Jonboy said:

I don’t ever recall any mention of @AY Mod and @Kenton in the same place at the same time????

 

It's OK, I can lay that one to rest. Kenton lived a mile away from me, but sadly I have no idea why he disappeared.

 

He had a real hush hush job in computers that involved loads of travel back and forth to the US for months at a time.

 

Could be the basis of a film any day now....

[30368]

Yes Happy birthday - site all very useful!

 

Just as well it is not over 70 years old else it would have to close...probably

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[John Tomlinson]

Happy Birthday!!

 

Great to have encountered a number of like minded souls in our wonderful hobby.

 

Also great to have been able to learn so much, and, dare I say it, on occasion been able to put something back.

 

John.

[AY Mod]

Over the years we've done a fair bit for charity too whether through Members' day events, fundraising or a memorial of ones lost so my thanks go to anyone who has helped in that regard either directly or through eating the Captains' pasties and pies at Taunton. I had wanted to do something as a fund-raiser on the back of this anniversary and considered wider charities or doing something specific for the future of the hobby for organisations who may be affected in coming months but what we are going through is a bit overwhelming and everyone has to look at their own priorities with regard to charitable giving where possible now.

 

I managed to post the above in the wrong topic earlier.

[chuffinghell]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

 

Keep up the good work

[Neal Ball]

15 years - where did that time go?

 

Congratulations and thank you to @AY Mod for everything RMWeb related. I don't think I have fallen foul of the moderators over the years. I joined this version in October 2009, but like a number of people above that was during the server reset. I too reckon I go back to 2007 or so.

 

My achievements over the years have been my continual improvement with the models I'm producing.

 

Looking at the layout in those early days in our back garden shed in Hove: 

 

 

Its all very different to the model of Henley on Thames today. I remember working on the station building and posting on the first server, but sadly the link I have isn't working at the moment.

 

Along the way, there have been numerous influencers; currently of course its Kevin aka @KNP over at Little Muddle, such a bucolic railway; certainly something to aspire to. Other than Andy York, a huge thanks goes to Mike aka @The Stationmaster, who has been an absolute font of knowledge regarding all things GWR and Henley on Thames in particular.

 

Here's to the next 15 years Andy! thank you again.

Edited March 15, 2020 by Neal Ball
typo

[thirty2a]

Great site well done on 15 years looking forward to the next 15 ..

[Mick Bonwick]

On 14/03/2020 at 09:56, AY Mod said:

RMweb is 15 years old tomorrow. 15th March 2005.

 

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday dear RMweb.

Happy Birthday to you.

 

Sung while washing my hands. Again!

 

I've no idea how long I've been on here, althought somebody will tell me, I expect.

 

What's it done for me?

 

Inspiration. Other people's modelling.

Revelation. Seeing how other people do things, and succeed.

Condemnation. Scrapping failed attempts and then doing them better. Sometimes.

Participation. Getting involved in things that might otherwise just have been 'something other people do'.

Conversation. Starting and continuing communications with people who I've never met but wish I had.

Demonstration. The ability to show how things work for me and, therefore, how they might work for others.

Fascination. Not being able to stop reading a thread until the final post has been made, or a solution reached.

Procrastination. Putting off doing something because others show that there are so many other ways of doing it that I now can't make a decision.

Determination. I'll get it right eventually.

 

 

 

 

[Stubby47]

I joined before the last move and became one of the 15%ers.

 

For me the chance to converse on the forum with some of the 'celebrities' of the modelling world was/is incredible.  

The impetus that the SWAG events, so ably managed and run by CK, gave my modelling is immense,  from my 1st real layout ( the harbour in a boxfile) to being involved with BCB.

Then there's the friends I've made and continue to make, the memories of the ones we've lost.

 

I'd like to think I've contributed in some small way, but I know I've received so much more back.

 

Thanks Andy and everyone who has been a part.

 

[Worsdell forever]

Originally joined in March 2008 but for whatever reason I didn't get a confirmation email so it was sort of forgotten about for a while until in early 2009 I got an email notification for a PM about the forthcoming members day, apparently back then anyone could include everyone in the conversation! This was a good thing and I sorted my login and as they say the rest is history. I managed just over 200 posts before the big software change but I was one of those who had to re register being a proud 15%er!*

 

Having been one of the lucky ones to have visited RMweb towers it was a bit of a surprise to see the 'office' where it was all run from, it was then the corner of the room between the kitchen and conservatory (Ooo, posh!), there was a desk along the wall about 8' long, there were 2 computers there, the one on the left belonged to Wendy and the area was clean, neat and orderly, the right hand end, oh dear, that was Andy's end...

 

*How is it that it seems to me that most members were in that 15%? 

[Barry O]

Lummy! Who would have thought it!

15 years.

 

I know I joined before my profile date but can't remember when

 

Losof help and advice from some of our best modellers...for free!

The moderators have a hard time..they do a great job. Of course Andy has his hands full keeping us "lot"   in control.

 

From here i have been fortunate enough to help with some great layouts, met some excellent modellers and have even managed a pint or two with some of them.

In the calm thread known as ERs I have met a number of very helpful people. 

 

Others can knock it but RMWeb leads the field in this area. Well done to Andy for keeping it all pointed in the right direction.

 

Baz

Edited March 15, 2020 by Barry O
Spullchkcr

[AY Mod]

17 minutes ago, Worsdell forever said:

apparently back then anyone could include everyone in the conversation! !),

 

Oh god, I'd forgotten that incident - I don't know how that person managed to do it but it crashed the server and I had hundreds of irate emails that they had received an unsolicited PM. 

 

Quote

therewas a desk along the wall about 8' long, there were 2 computers there, the one on the left belonged to Wendy and the area was clean, neat and orderly, the right hand end, oh dear, that was Andy's end...

 

Some things don't change, I have a bigger desk in a bigger office with a bigger mess now!