Getting up the nerve

[Andymsa]

Hi all

unsure if this is the correct place to post. I have been building my current layout since 2000 it has been changed design wise a few times and a large extension was added later. I was asked the other day if I had a layout thread, but to be honest I don’t know how to approach things and is it even too late now as I am 20 years into the build. Are my efforts so far even worthy of posting I don’t claim to be a master modeller and I would consider my scenics average . So do I take the plunge and get the nerve to post and would it even be of help to anyone. 

[Mick Bonwick]

Just do it, Andy. I didn't start mine until it had been on the go for many years, and I had been making mistakes all over the place. My approach was to relate what had happened, good or bad. It has provided a certain level of entertainment for quite a few people!

 

You won't regret it.

[Ian Simpson]

I'd second Mike's post. I'm not a great modeler myself, but I hope my blog gives some reassurance and encouragement by showing that most of us are just struggling to make things work. I hope people may be able to learn from my mistakes and failures as well as things that have gone okay (and a number of readers have been kind enough to give me suggestions when I'm stuck).

 

[Miserable]

4 hours ago, Andymsa said:

So do I take the plunge and get the nerve to post and would it even be of help to anyone. 

Yes. It's your railway, you can do it how you want. No one can tell you you are 'wrong' (unless you are claiming to model Kings Cross on August 5th 1959, about tea time). It's a hobby at the end of the day, just enjoy it.

[The Johnster]

They can't even tell you it's wrong for Kings Cross on August 5th 1959 (a very hot day as I recall*) about tea time unless they specify which King's Cross and that they were there at that time or have a provenaned full description, with photos.  I lurked on the site before taking the plunge, leaving it until at least I had the genesis of a layout to talk about and describe.  That was 4 years ago and I have not for a second regretted it; I have learned a huge amount about a subject I thought I was quite knowledgeable on, made some friends, encountered mostly courteous and supportive people (I just ignore the few who arent't, no point in trying to educate pork), recieved some good advice, and had a bucketload of fun! 

 

The site is a broad church and any question you post will provoke a discussion among people who can be guaranteed to know what they are talking about; as a for instance, an ex-GPO telephone engineer and an ex -railway S & T man, neither of whom I approached directly and both of whom probably had better things to do than bother with the likes of me, told me everything I needed to know about how to distance and site my telegraph poles. 

 

This is the right place for questions, Layout Topics for showing us your layout.  Be one of us, Andysma.  One of us, one of us...

 

 

*I was 7 in 1959, and had never seen KX, but I recall it was very hot summer.  So August the 5th was probably a hot and sticky sort of day, but it might have been trying to build up to a thunderstorm by teatime. 

[Andymsa]

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

They can't even tell you it's wrong for Kings Cross on August 5th 1959 (a very hot day as I recall*) about tea time unless they specify which King's Cross and that they were there at that time or have a provenaned full description, with photos.  I lurked on the site before taking the plunge, leaving it until at least I had the genesis of a layout to talk about and describe.  That was 4 years ago and I have not for a second regretted it; I have learned a huge amount about a subject I thought I was quite knowledgeable on, made some friends, encountered mostly courteous and supportive people (I just ignore the few who arent't, no point in trying to educate pork), recieved some good advice, and had a bucketload of fun! 

 

The site is a broad church and any question you post will provoke a discussion among people who can be guaranteed to know what they are talking about; as a for instance, an ex-GPO telephone engineer and an ex -railway S & T man, neither of whom I approached directly and both of whom probably had better things to do than bother with the likes of me, told me everything I needed to know about how to distance and site my telegraph poles. 

 

This is the right place for questions, Layout Topics for showing us your layout.  Be one of us, Andysma.  One of us, one of us...

 

 

*I was 7 in 1959, and had never seen KX, but I recall it was very hot summer.  So August the 5th was probably a hot and sticky sort of day, but it might have been trying to build up to a thunderstorm by teatime. 

educate pork, very diplomatic 

[Andymsa]

Thank you all for the encouragement, and on that positive note I shall take the plunge. Now where to start and what information to convey. Which section is the appropriate place to post.

Edited November 9, 2020 by Andymsa

[The White Rabbit]

I'd suggest it's likely to be Layout Topics or Modellers' Blogs. Although if it is KX on that particular Thursday, maybe prototype locations... 

[Mick Bonwick]

31 minutes ago, Andymsa said:

Thank you all for the encouragement, and on that positive note I shall take the plunge. Now where to start and what information to convey. Which section is the appropriate place to post.

 

I'd go for Layout Topics. Most people go there to see what's been happening recently (or not!)

[Andymsa]

Well I have started, anyone who wishes to read the ramblings of an old git it’s in layout topics under llamberg, apologies if I got it wrong 

[Andymsa]

I must admit I am wondering if to continue posting in layout topics on my layout, I would of expected more comments positive or negative which I welcome. It could be I’m expecting too much, the reason I started the thread was to encourage people to show what’s possible I’m certainly not what you call very talented modeller. So the question is do I keep posting, does it actually help anyone ?

[Ray Von]

Hi Andy, having looked at your thread I am struggling to see what you are dissatisfied about.  Your work is certainly way above average and people have reacted accordingly, with praise and positive feedback.  I wouldn't worry too much about the quantity of comments you get if I were you, the overall impression I get is that people are following your layout with interest - if you have specific queries I would post them word for word on the appropriate thread and wait for the responses to roll in?  

I have a blog, and believe me - that garners very little interest but I don't take it personally, I like to think of it as having select appeal...

All the best, keep up the high standard of work! 

[Andymsa]

4 minutes ago, Ray Von said:

Hi Andy, having looked at your thread I am struggling to see what you are dissatisfied about.  Your work is certainly way above average and people have reacted accordingly, with praise and positive feedback.  I wouldn't worry too much about the quantity of comments you get if I were you, the overall impression I get is that people are following your layout with interest - if you have specific queries I would post them word for word on the appropriate thread and wait for the responses to roll in?  

I have a blog, and believe me - that garners very little interest but I don't take it personally, I like to think of it as having select appeal...

All the best, keep up the high standard of work! 

thank you for the kind comments. I wouldn’t say dissatisfied, I just thought I get more of a response when you think at this time there has been 1.7k views and only about 5 members have replied. As to my standard of work I’m very self critical at times, scenery’s not my forte and consider it moderate at best, track work and wiring is more to my liking.

[njee20]

I always struggle a bit with that sort of thing - “is my work good enough to post?”, “who’d read it?”, “I’ve not had many replies, shall I continue?”, “I work so slowly there’ll be nothing to say”, but actually I think threads can be a useful summary for you looking back, even if no one else replies.  

I don’t tend to start many threads here because I often think my work’s not up to the standard of others, but equally some of the very best are extremely supportive, and taking some constructive criticism can bring your work on massively.

 

When it’s appropriate I’ll probably start a layout thread here. Just need a layout. 
 

I often look in on topics and won’t reply, but that doesn’t mean I’m not really enjoying the content - carry on I’d say!

Edited January 9, 2021 by njee20

[Ray Von]

I suspect that your forum experience is not that unusual, perhaps it's indicative of society at large(!)

[cheesysmith]

I look upon posting here not so much to gain comments or such, more as a way to give ideas to others freely and provide my own record of what I am doing.

 

If you keep posting or not is up to you. I consider the ability to exchange ideas and information through the use of writing or language the greatest gift of intelligence, and writing the more pertinent as it can out last the person. I know there has been one or two ideas I've had that have been used or encouraged others, so that's makes it worth while to me.

 

On a lighter note, I don't care when or where you have modelled, I'm just jealous, as I don't even have a layout yet lol.

[Andymsa]

Many thanks for the encouragement folks. I shall keep posting, I be interested to know if any particular topic or aspect should be covered

[Mick Bonwick]

16 minutes ago, Andymsa said:

I be interested to know if any particular topic or aspect should be covered

 

All of them.

[cheesysmith]

What topic should you cover, easy.

 

It`s your thread/layout, so cover what interests you or whatever you are doing ATM.

 

PS-must admit, I have never looked on your thread, but that is deliberate as I have found you can spend too much time on the internet and not enough actual modelling lol. My web time on RMWeb is rationed.

 

This is a record of what you are doing, and what you have discovered and learnt along the way. For example, go look up alan parks or tetley mills, both no longer with us unfortunately, but what they posted on here is still relevant and useful. 

 

And remember, your mistakes can be as useful as anything anybody else posts, as it may stop others doing the same mistake again.

[Phil Mc]

I find that knowing I'm going to post the results of my modelling on here, spurs me on to try that little bit harder to get things right.

So regardless of whether anyone else comments on my modelling, I'd like to think that it improves my skill level.

That's enough for me, but any advise I get along the way is taken as a bonus.

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[crompton 33]

I find that a lot of post's Don't get a reply. Some just look and never reply to things. it's just the way it is. Keep posting in your blog . DON't beat yourshelf up about it.

[RobinofLoxley]

Hey Andy, I have started a blog and there isnt even any track to look at yet, Ive had about five visitors so far. Your entry could have gone into large layouts but that seems to be a bit of a dead zone.

 

I wouldn't worry about whether anyone is directly interested. Im sure a lot of people browse around on different threads looking for ideas, the more the merrier. Im just waiting for the open day....

[Wheatley]

I wouldn't worry about it. My layout thread has been up since June with about a thousand views and maybe half a dozen replies. Admittedly I don't update it very often. 

 

A lot of the very popular layout threads are either long running and have built up an audience, or are a model of an iconic route or station which everyone can relate to, or are used as a group chat by the operating team or, quite frankly, are full of guff only vaguely connected with the layout. 

[zarniwhoop]

8 hours ago, crompton 33 said:

I find that a lot of post's Don't get a reply. Some just look and never reply to things. it's just the way it is. Keep posting in your blog . DON't beat yourshelf up about it.

I look at a lot of threads across the whole of rmweb. For a few of them I will add 'like' or whatever. But making replies is limited to those areas where I think I have something to contribute.

 

And we all need to remember that our own ideas about how real things looked can differ - I think my first post here was with examples of my weathering for BR(S) PMVs - not the greatest, but the impression I got was that people thought those vans should be green or blue with added dirt, whereas I recalled that they were all-over dirt and the original colour could not be determined.

 

Post what you want to post, when/if you want to. This is a hobby, it's supposed to be for enjoyment.