Earl Bathurst Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Hi We have a fantastic hobby which uses alot of different skills, which are also skills you will use all through life. But for some reason is seen as uncool to be interested in railways or model railways. (playing with toy trains in some peoples eyes.) Im 22 and some people i work with know my interests and some times have the mick taken out of me for enjoying the hobby. Or the comment u r an anorak then is it. Dont understand why its seen as uncool? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wicor Models Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 I've only just seen this thread. I find that not taking yourself too seriously - see attached photo - means that it's quite difficult for people to take the mickey. They don't know quite how to have a go if you're one step ahead in the self deprecation stakes, and even the guy at work who did try and have a laugh later asked me to value some old trains of their grandad's. As someone else said, one of the benefits of growing older is not giving two hoots what others think, and those that do look down their nose at you are often very hypocritical! Long ago I gave up worrying about what people thought about my hobbies. When I was younger and fitter I used to spend time under the Mendip Hills in various caves. Then the interest in buses and trains also drew many odd comments. My musical interests seem to be OK even though I didn't always share their taste in music. It does seem that certain hobbies and pastimes have generated stereotypes. However my main question is, Tom what is the guitar? It looks like a Gibson but has the wrong shaped pick guard and the fret marks are square not lozenge shaped so I'm guessing it's a Gibson Epiphone Les Paul copy. If it's the real deal I'll apologise now and call a taxi!! Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardml2341 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Hobbies of any kind must not be classified as good or bad just because they aren't understood universally. But.............. to avoid being branded an anorak, I've found it best to stop expounding should the listener's eyes start to take on a glazed appearance Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 A person i work with decided to take to mick out of what i do for a hobby. He is a big sports fan andd likes to go to rugby matches and football matches. As i said when i spend £70 on a loco i have something to show for that money but when he buys his ticket for £70 once the game is over u got nothing to show for that money then i will always have that loco. When i said that he went very quiet for some reason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tetsudofan Posted February 21, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2011 Nice to see this thread come back to life. I've been into trains for ages but working abroad for more than 30 years have not had any problems regarding my interest in model and prototype railways. Whilst working in Japan my work colleagues knew of my interest and one day one of the IT guys mentioned that he had heard that I was interested in model railways - turned out that he was heavily into Japanese N - now he has Bachmann Farish running with his Japanese stuff. For the last few months I've had the builders in putting up an extension to the back of the house - which, among other things, will give me a nice big train room for my OO/HO stuff. In the garden I've been building a G-scale layout during the course of the last six years - and I've lost count of the number of times since building started that I've had to run trains for the specific benefit of the builders, carpenters, plumbers etc. Once they've seen what's up, what's involved in building an indoor or outdoor model railway and how sophisticated the "toys" are their ideas change - their childhood interests get talked about and a couple of them want to come back for running sessions once the garden railway returns to life in the summer. At my time in life I could not care a whatnot about what anybody thinks about my hobby. I don't hide my interest but then I don't advertise it. I enjoy it........... Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poggy1165 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I think one of the downsides of British 'humour' is that many who are not very good at it never get beyond sneering, negative knocking of other people. This need not relate to model railways, but is quite common. Often it's seen as 'banter' which is fair enough as far as it goes, but in a workplace it can often translate into bullying. I once worked in the same organisation as a very skilled 2mm modeller, the sort of guy who could scratch build a perfect pacific in that scale and regard it as something 'anyone could do'. The amount of stick he got from his colleagues was amazing, and I think the small size of his chosen scale didn't help - I have an idea he'd have been more respected if he'd built locos in 1 Gauge or something. He shrugged off the 'joking' quite amiably, but he shouldn't have had to do. He had a rare talent in his hands that should have been appreciated. Sadly most people don't seem to have any real interests beyond beer and football, so they find someone who does challenging and bewildering. Therefore a ripe subject for mocking 'humour'. I particularly admire young modellers for resisting peer pressure. They must be very strong-willed. For myself, as I said earlier, I'm now too old to bother what people think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sylvian Tennant Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I have to agree with alot of that. I for one don't like football and rarely drink but I find it's the way you can communicate the hobby with others. I used to be quite awkward with the whole thing, that seemed to attract alot of negative reciperocation. Being very matter of fact about or talking about it in a way which other people may view or understand it helps alot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poggy1165 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I happen to like beer and football as well. It just annoys me when someone rips the pee out of railway modelling, while lacking the understanding to see that paying £35 or more to watch 22 grown men kick a ball around a muddy field is every bit as risible, if not more so. Most human activities are actually pretty pointless if you are cynical about them. We need to eat and drink to survive and have sex to reproduce, but beyond that it's all optional. Since I do sarcasm at England level anyone having a go at me over my railway interests had better be prepared for getting something as bad (or worse) thrown in his face. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I particularly admire young modellers for resisting peer pressure. They must be very strong-willed. Everyone was young once and all those that p*ss-took back are still here today to tell the tale... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted February 23, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 23, 2011 Nuff said? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebottle Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I happen to like beer and football as well. It just annoys me when someone rips the pee out of railway modelling, while lacking the understanding to see that paying £35 or more to watch 22 grown men kick a ball around a muddy field is every bit as risible, if not more so. Most human activities are actually pretty pointless if you are cynical about them. We need to eat and drink to survive and have sex to reproduce, but beyond that it's all optional. Since I do sarcasm at England level anyone having a go at me over my railway interests had better be prepared for getting something as bad (or worse) thrown in his face. A former workmate dismissed my particular sport, track athletics, as "blokes in vests and pants, running round in circles". I pointed out that most sports could be similarly dismissed: Golf is "a good walk ruined", Football is played by "muddied oafs" and cricket by "flannelled fools". My workmate's own interest, angling, was described by Doctor Johnson as "a stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other". I never had to defend my interest in model railways; if I had I'd have tried to think of some bantering retort making reference to my interlocutor's idiosyncrasies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted February 23, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 23, 2011 It's funny but I've never had a problem describing myself as a modelmaker, my wife is interested when scenic work starts and on occasions has said "go to your room". One of her friends is quite bemused by my hobby and I did hear her say "I wouldn't let my husband do that" the notion that you would forbid your partner from doing something was odd, but then I thought "that explains why he goes fishing". I do remember though when applying for my first job on the railway (1978) that the girls in the Area Managers office told me not to mention any form of hobby that involved the railway as I would be shown the door, so in my interview I said i was interested in photography and had been in the school photographic society, he was suitably impressed and I got the job, imagine his disgust when he found out i took photographs of trains! a thoroughly nasty man he was too it turned out, from that point on he did his utmost to make life awkward, although he ran out of steam before I did. The only recent example I can give is of someone shouting across a crowded bar "choo choo" sadly for him he was wearing a Norwich shirt which seemed to attract enough attention for him to shut up! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwrosebury2000 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 A guy at work was having a go about models today... I showed him some of the pics from the how realistic are your models bit... then he said its even worse going out taking pics of trains, I then told him that they were models...I cant post his reply but it shut him up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I dont get why people can be so negative towards our hobby. When your young and you keep getting negative comments some people are put off. Ive had my fair share of mick taken because of my hobby but it dont put me off just makes me see how small minded people are and that i have something to show for my achievments Anyway there is alot more to railways than just playing trains as some people think, you need to use so many different skills like wood work, electrics, engineering etc. Dont get those skills with playing football Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthesnail96 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I always wanted to be a goth but my hair would never behave! I don't shout about my hobbies but I don't hide them either. Working in engineering there's a lot of banter but there's a lot of interest in engineering- related stuff. My boss isn't into trains but his young lady is; our common interests are Land Rovers and heavy haulage lorries instead. We get plenty of mickey taking about that, but since most of them ride shiny motorbikes I just grin and call 'em a bunch of posers- something it's difficult to be accused of being when you drive a '62 Land Rover that looks like it was painted with a yard brush (by "Ruston" of this forum as it happens!). Railways only tend to get mentioned occasionally, since the few times I've bought it up the response has been non existent- but my PC desktop background today was of a Hoover on the sea wall at Dorset, so the hints are there if any fellow modellers want to approach me. We've recently moved to a corner of the office and the idea of a N gauge layout on top of the filing cabinets has been mooted more than once... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sylvian Tennant Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I dont get why people can be so negative towards our hobby. When your young and you keep getting negative comments some people are put off. Ive had my fair share of mick taken because of my hobby but it dont put me off just makes me see how small minded people are and that i have something to show for my achievments Anyway there is alot more to railways than just playing trains as some people think, you need to use so many different skills like wood work, electrics, engineering etc. Dont get those skills with playing football I completely agree with the last statement there (although I agree with it all). I tend to find it bemusing (yet quite interesting) how people who have interests which are societal quite comfortable to speak out loud tend to be the ones that mock the hobby and those around it. i.e. those who like football, fast cars, wear shorts and have tans. At least from my experience it seems to be those kinds of people who mean it in a derogatory sense, I often have a light hearted jab at my interests from my friends & partner but this is nothing that I wouldn’t enact myself with my friends. My others hobbies include Doctor Who, Star Trek, Writing and as mentioned, the “Goff†thing too (don’t worry my hair never does what I want it to) and apart from the writing, a lot of those have some form of knee jerk reaction accompanied to them. My ex, who is genuinely a wonderful person and has remained a good friend, once said she had a lot my more respect for a Biathlete than a train driver… I think she meant a modern diesel/electric driver but same applied really. But, I think she completely disregarded kinds of folks who worked on steam locomotives which after reading stories seemed to be to be a bloomin’ hard and taxing job that required a lot of mental & physical skills in order to work these monsters. Not just the engines drivers or firemen either, the cleaners, the fellows who sorted the coal out, the fire lighters, the shunters, signal men & guards etc etc. To me a lot of people see the railways are a bunch of 50+ retired gentlemen or people with no social skills looking at sparklingly clean trains or watching “toy trains†wander around nicely painted landscapes and don’t really think the types of people interested, and why they’re interested in the hobby. I for sure think it’s a rich and rewarding interest which has a lot more in the way of history, people & ways of life than people care to think of. No offence to anyone who may care to be offended at my view. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I think you may be right. Having a balanced life in one's youth helps a lot - I played a lot of team sports too, which certainly helps your social skills (I'm also a beer drinker but not so much nowadays). At the end of my first marriage in my late twenties I took up Practical Rifle/Pistol and Shotgun (which somewhat surprisingly can also be a team sport - not that you can do it the UK any more) for some reason this attracted women to me as much as my guitar playing and racing driving! Railway Modeling has never caused any issues with me with me from any of my lovers - I dunno but they seemed to have appreciated the jewel like quality of miniature buildings and working models - in any event it is just one part of my life. I'm not obsessed with anything......but I have been lucky in life all things considered. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Deltic Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 To me, opinions are pretty irrelevant as far as my modelling is concerned (except those from the group of friends who are directly involved with these projects).The bottom line is we'll do as we please and don't wish to conform to anybody elses idea's or standards. If people don't like the layout, and think its cr@p, good luck to them. If they don't share the same interest or are narrow minded enough to think that only the 'mainstream' interests are acceptable, that's their problem. My friends and I don't build layouts to please other people, we do it for our own enjoyment. If we go to a show and people like the layout or get some inspiration or ideas to go off and try something themselves, great. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I go by the statement of let live and let live everyone has they hobby and interest, but would never think of taking the mick out of them for they hobby or anything else. Thats what makes everyone different the world would be a rather boring place if everyone was the same:) As i said earlier if you are a youngster peer pressure is a big thing and if you get the mick taken out of you all the time for your hobby some youngsters might think i wont bother and they could be great modelers or railway men or women. Or when someone builds something could be a layout, engine or what ever when you hear people critising it for a mistake or looks rubbish as they say does put people off. (well puts me off sometimes) But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and im pround of my efforts, (Ok they aint perfect) but when you can think i built that its a great feeling then to have someone put you down for it. It can be rather annoying Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 If we go to a show and people like the layout or get some inspiration or ideas to go off and try something themselves, great. Well, your Layout (layout is such a poor description....) is certainly inspiring to me - and i've never seen it in the "flesh"! I hope to rectify that either this year or the next. Btw Jim Connor is the same who wrote the books about "East London Branchlines" and "Ilford to Shenfield" for Middleton (and others that I don't own - yet)?? Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Deltic Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Well, your Layout (layout is such a poor description....) is certainly inspiring to me - and i've never seen it in the "flesh"! I hope to rectify that either this year or the next. Btw Jim Connor is the same who wrote the books about "East London Branchlines" and "Ilford to Shenfield" for Middleton (and others that I don't own - yet)?? Best, Pete. Hi Pete, Thank you. I hope you can come across the pond and see the layout. Jim Connor is the same J. E. Connor who writes books and edits the London Railway Record. Most of his books are about closed stations and lines within the boundaries of Greater London. You've probably noticed that we all like the North London Railway, although I think Jim would probably put the London and Blackwall first, closely followed by the NLR. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I am so out, I dont think I was ever in! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph W. Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I have a couple of funny stories of nearly being caught out by an ex girlfriend of mine a fews years ago. Since i was late teens when dating her i wanted to keep my railway interests secret. One evening we in the dining room waiting to go out for a few drinks and my great uncle dropped round a copy of model rail, at the time i was handed it, it some how disappeared instantly across the room and she never saw it. Another occasion i put the television on went into the kitchen to make a drink come back in and a dvd was playing, with trains going round a layout. So i just turned it off and changed the channel some how avoided any questions about it. Eventually i told her and she offered to take me for a meal on the pullman train at the bluebell or buy me two locomotives. It could't of gone better really once she knew, she was more than understanding by it so after all i had nothing to worry about. I now work full time at the bluebell railway, and tell everyone i am a massive trainspotter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamouti Ben Yafo Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I must admit to having concerns about my employers getting wind of what I get up to - don't laugh, but in both my current and prospective professions (nursing and teaching) there's this disciplinary category called 'bringing the profession into disrepute'. No-one really understands that, so it's privacy all the way. Added to this, in teaching I am constantly advised not to let anyone have so much as a sniff at any aspect of life outside the classroom lest it becomes material for the disruptive - or, in the words of a senior staff member I met - "might cause behaviour". I'm just waiting until railway modellers are in the file with 'loners' in general as a start point for criminal investigations on the grounds of potential for grooming - or is this already the case? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted February 25, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 25, 2011 'Loners' who 'bring packages into the house' and purchase 'chemicals' are of course major terrorist suspects these days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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