RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted December 3, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 3, 2011 To replicate the joys of yacht ownership : Stand under a freezing cold shower whilst spinning around, drink a pint of salty water and rip up £20 notes. From my oppo. He used to own one, but very sensibly has sold it and returned to railway modelling, American O narrow, you cant have everything I suppose! I heard a similar one for Powerboating from a yachtowner at Poole, he likened that to " sitting in a cold bath blowing a raspberry and ripping up £50 notes". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 3, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2011 Two things particularly strike me when reading this thread: 1) How proud we all are of our modelling, whatever the skill level, and 2) Our willingness to spread the word - often finding that those we "spread" it to have already caught the "disease"! It reminded me of a plaque a friend of mine bought me on his last trip to the North Yorks MR... entitled "Beware - Rail Enthusiasts Disease"... Symptoms include "rapid rise in temperature at the sight of a (model) train...foaming at the mouth is not unusual...!!" It really IS a great hobby! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jongudmund Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I find I'm more cautious with modellers than those outside the modelling world. There are some unfriendly modellers out there who seem hyper critical of any ideas you have and are very fast to find fault with what you're doing. I've had bad experiences in a couple of model shops talking to the owners, who were condescending to the point of rude. Having said that I met two guys from the Scalefour society at a recent show and they were exceedingly friendly (even though I didn't join), and I'm enjoying reading this forum. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
z7o Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 'Think they may be intreiged that I dont fit the public perseption of the typical spotter by not wearing a cagool, NHS horn rimmed glasses and being on the sex offenders resigster....' this made my day Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted August 20, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 20, 2012 Who or what are you quoting z7o? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big James Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I've always been a keen railway modeller and in my circle of friends its my thing. same as one of my other friend buys and restores petrol RC cars and another who loves warhammer much to his girlfriends disdain. But the thing that strikes them as most odd is that I don't seem to conform to what most people think of as railway modellers. I've always told people I'm a railway modeller ever since I got my first trainset aged 5 and most of my family and friends are proud of me that I have good hobby after showing one of my friends my Kernow Well Tank it led to him swiftly going out next payday and buying the Hornby VSOE set. So as Physicsman said our hobby is contagious. In my job I spend a lot of my time talking to the general public and I remember having a rather fun debate with a customer as to why the southern region is better then the western region till one of my co-workers chimed in that diesels are better then them both and we swiftly closed ranks. But I do understand that my other passion leads to me having to defend myself more then for being railway modeller. Mainly because I'm a Milwall fan (I no there are some of us out there) and the amount of stick I get for it is untrue. Way more then for being a Railway Modeller. Big James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Deltic Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Basically the wardrobe door fell off and I was hiding inside. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
62613 Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Slightly O.T., but if you think being a railway modeller can lead to ridicule, you should try telling folks you're a morris dancer! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJones Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 A question, but related to the topic: Do others find that many of those who suddenly confess to liking trains once they know you do favour steam over diesel? I am surprised by how many people who I've talked to about my hobby and who seemed interested modelling, are in their twenties and early thirties and passionately favour steam over more modern stuff. I suppose it's largely down to a reminder of a elegant engineering from a more civilised age. Yep, I'm 27 and modelling pre grouping, for Elegant simple designs, I figure if I want to see diesel I just have to sit at the full size station for a few hours! Also being 27 and divorced, I keep my modelling pretty quiet,. Everyone knows I love anything old and rusty, and whilst wandering round abandoned quarries for the sake of photography seems to keep people interested, Railways and toy trains no matter how much skill and effort goes into it (those won't be mine then!) don't - and I don't fancy being single forever! Still it has surprised me (wrong of me to assume I know!) how many ladies we have present on this forum! Another strange thing I've noticed is round here, railways seem to go hand in hand with motorsport - Half my local motorclub are also modellers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judge Dread Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 At my work [aircraft maintenance] This made me think back to my days working for Hawker Sidderley building Buccaneers. In a lunch time discussion, the subject got around to hobbies. I was about to confess when my charge hand mentioned a previous employee's name and said, "He was a railway modeller and he caused me to write a great many "lost in works" tickets because of the amount of cable, screws, tywraps, nuts, bolts, crimps and other small items that disappeared from this department". I thought that vintage cars and motor cycles maybe a safer bet to admit to! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Most of my school mates were to be found at the station so no worries there. I joined the Army at 16 and there was a model railway club at the college so no secret there. Even on operational tours my subscription to Rail would come through so no secret. After 16 years in the mob I've been on the rails ever since and there is more micking taking than in the previous 30 years so go figure? That's their problem not mine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 2, 2012 Slightly O.T., but if you think being a railway modeller can lead to ridicule, you should try telling folks you're a morris dancer! What if your'e both like a mate of mine. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
62613 Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Tell me about it! Who's your mate with? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 2, 2012 Tell me about it! Who's your mate with? Wakefield for both Morris and Model railway club. He's bringing his G scale layout to Gildersome Show this weekend. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted September 4, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 4, 2012 Motorsport and model railways - not surprised. I used to chase trains with a tuned Sunbeam with forest suspension, quite quick on the old A46 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Bus Driver Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Slightly O.T., but if you think being a railway modeller can lead to ridicule, you should try telling folks you're a morris dancer! Ah yes but in my experience Morris dancers usually know where the best Real Ale pubs are... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben pez Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Interesting topic this I must admit im very much "in the closet"!! Im in my late 30s and only returned to the hobby about 5 years ago. Before i was married & in my twenties i was a typical young single lad who lived with other mates in a bachelor pad where our intrest was going out & pulling birds etc etc. Those lads still dont know that for the last 3 years ive been building a layout in the loft! I also work as a scaffolder,which is an industry of being "manly". I work with some right hard cases as well who would love the ammunition! Sad i know but suppose i just dont want the pi££ taking! Although saying this..my wife once mentioned it to a mates wife whilst they were round our house that i had a model railway in the loft... My mate badgered my to see it,reluctantly showed him what ive been building & he couldnt stop taking photos of it on his phone trying to get a realistic shot! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 I must admit im very much "in the closet"!! Im in my late 30s and only returned to the hobby about 5 years ago. Before i was married & in my twenties i was a typical young single lad who lived with other mates in a bachelor pad where our intrest was going out & pulling birds etc etc. Those lads still dont know that for the last 3 years ive been building a layout in the loft! I also work as a scaffolder,which is an industry of being "manly". I work with some right hard cases as well who would love the ammunition! Sad i know but suppose i just dont want the pi££ taking! Although saying this..my wife once mentioned it to a mates wife whilst they were round our house that i had a model railway in the loft... My mate badgered my to see it,reluctantly showed him what ive been building & he couldnt stop taking photos of it on his phone trying to get a realistic shot! Surely your last sentence sums up what your attitude should be Great shame that you are in the closet. WHY?????????????????? You imply that Railway modelling is un-manly WHY???????????????? Perhaps if you let on to your work mates you might find out that perhaps one of them is a modeller or even that they as scaffolders might appreciate the skills in modelling, research of architecture and building materials (For your buildings) simple wood work (Baseboards), simple electrics (wiring the layout), leave alone historical research etc. If they think all this is not manly, it says far more about them than about you. If people want to take the p**s I always ask them what constructive hobby they have. They normally don't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 I wouldn't say it's a huge secret for me, but I don't talk about it because I assume it's not something I'd have in common with many people. Everyone pretty much knows that I have a fondness for railways, but not the model aspect. On the other hand, anyone who comes to my house will see for themselves... Though there is also the fact that it was ammunition for bullies when I was at school, and I don't fancy reliving that. Oddly enough I know of at least 3 people at work who are similarly afflicted, but they don't talk about it either, and I don't want to out them... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tractionman Posted May 23, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 23, 2016 I've got a t-shirt that says on the front in big letters 'Keep calm and build model railways' and have worn it at work and out and about generally ... Feels quite liberating actually! Cheers, Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben pez Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 The thing for me personally,and this isnt a dig at people who collect loco numbers but i hate being called a "train spotter" It has that roy cropper image! Ha ha Cheers Ben Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted May 23, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 23, 2016 I've never met anybody who wasn't completely OK about the idea of model railways as a hobby and have never hidden my passion for models in general and model trains and ships in particular. My boss is a serious plastic kit builder, one of my colleagues has a large Marklin three rail layout and a lady lawyer who works for me is married to a model rail enthusiast. Maybe I just exist in a particularly model train friendly bubble, but far from being mocked I've found it is amazing just how common models are as a hobby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted May 23, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 23, 2016 I've found it is amazing just how common models are as a hobby. Picking up on that, About 25 years ago my friends Mum started seeing a chap (they eventually moved in together and married) at the outset she said he had a shed which he would do things in but she didn't know what, as the weeks passed on and they started to look at combining their two houses she suggested they use her dining table as it was better but he declined. She described how his had scratches in it. I got her to sketch the marks which she did and after studying, told her he wouldn't want her table as he obviously clamped a small vice to his when she wasn't there, and that he must do some sort of modelling or engineering. Her reply was "Not all men are railway orientated like you David" about a week later she had to eat her words when she found out he was a P4 modeller of the GN/LNER and the shed was full of lathes etc. I told her it was her fault and that she attracted men like that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajt Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Model railways being sad seems to be a British problem. The yanks don't seem to worry about it, and I don't find any derision in Aus either. People are more impressed by the 5" gauge stuff, but even HO, OO, or 7mm generally gets an enthusiastic look. I don't think modellers here are perceived as weird. I can't recall ever having had a derisive comment when people find out I like trains and modelling trains. My father in law was in the army for most of his working life and there were heaps of modellers there, so the unmanly argument doesn't hold much water with them. He was a colonel and his best mate and fellow train fanatic a brigidier (sp?). They know heaps of people of other ranks with the same interest and going through our local model railway mag I find many service people writing about how they managed to get some modelling done in constained circumstances. So other than at school all that time ago, which was filled with a**eholes, I've never felt the need to hide my hobby, if anyone asked. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tractionman Posted May 24, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 24, 2016 I see the t-shirt I mentioned above is still available https://www.amazon.co.uk/Railways-Premium-T-Shirt-Various-Colours/dp/B00V0PVBI4 from Amazon. We should decide on a date for a World Model Railways Day and wear the t-shirt! That might raise the profile of the hobby... Though I appreciate not everyone wants to go public and understandably prefer to keep some parts of their lives private in an age when so much of who we are and what we do seems to be in the public domain. Cheers, Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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