Hornby: A Model World

[woodenhead]

2 hours ago, John Harris said:

Last night's is a good example, the "World's Largest Model Railway" was Gauge O, so had no Hornby rolling stock.  The idea, of using empty department stores as exhibition space, is sound, but I can't help the overall idea is "courageous" as Sir Humphrey Appleby might say, it seemed a very good reproduction of Simon's childhood memories, but is that of any interest to many other people?  The costs of moving the layout will be significant, you are not going to get that in a back of a Transit.

 

There's a whole thread on it here, in answer to your question about transport - it requires several HGV

Thought I had posted this earlier, it's still in my draft - doh.

 

Maybe people missed it on RMWeb because was in the Scenery, Structures and Transport sub forum as it started life on the making of the buildings by the late great Allan Downes

[Jol Wilkinson]

36 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

I think you may be mixing Heaton Lodge up with Pete's 'Making Tracks'. many of the locos for Heaton Lodge are Heljan (Hornby don't do O) and although PW is opening Heaton Lodge's first show has had enough on his plate with his project.

 

Andy,

 

you are probably right.

 

I thought the layout in questions was the one on display in Chester Cathedral, and which PW referred to in his interview on BBC 1 News, which promoted the new Hornby tv series.

 

I think I read/heard somewhere that Making Tracks will also go on tour. Hence my confusion.

 

Jol

 

 

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, melmerby said:

I agree

Expertly modelled but very much local interest.

 

 

1 hour ago, AY Mod said:

 

You're quite dismissive of it without reliasing quite how good the actual modelling is.

How exactly does my comment "Expertly modelled" justify your comment "quite dismissive of it without reliasing quite how good the actual modelling is"

 

I was very impressed with what he has done and would be really chuffed if I could do as well, but just can't see it appealing to the general public on a tour of the country.

[John Harris]

1 hour ago, AY Mod said:

 

It's evident that several posters in this topic haven't been following the build of the project on here over the last few years (or buy BRM). The programme did explain the motivations behind it. You're quite dismissive of it without reliasing quite how good the actual modelling is.

 

 

I think you may be mixing Heaton Lodge up with Pete's 'Making Tracks'. many of the locos for Heaton Lodge are Heljan (Hornby don't do O) and although PW is opening Heaton Lodge's first show has had enough on his plate with his project.

 

I apologise if I came over as dismissive, I appreciate the modelling involved, but it has to appeal to the general public as it tours the country, not just enthusiasts and even today small boys (of all ages and genders) tend to prefer steam trains.

 

However, aside from an extended advert, I don't see the relevance in a programme with Hornby in the title, it literally "Does not do what it says in the tin!"

 

jch

[Hroth]

Having watched episode 3, I'm still happy with the overall span of the programme.  I'm beginning to see it as a magazine series, predominantly Hornby, but with other more general modelling threads that may or may not be "Hornby" but do show what can be done in the modelling world both in different scales and how materials are used to give a realistic effect in a model.

 

So, as well as the development of the Hornby Southern Luggage Van,  we also saw the huge Heaton Lodge layout wihch demonstrated the use of resin "water" and static grass application, and Laurie Calvert showing how to modify a "Smokey Joe" into a Steampunk loco. All interleaved with the battle with the nesting seagulls on the roof. Plenty of variety and Quite Interesting!

 

Perhaps Hornby will introduce a range of Skaledale seagulls for 2022?

 

[AY Mod]

30 minutes ago, melmerby said:

How exactly does my comment "Expertly modelled" justify your comment "quite dismissive of it without reliasing quite how good the actual modelling is"

 

Because of the sentence that followed. layouts don't have to have stations or lots of trains to be good.

 

24 minutes ago, John Harris said:

I don't see the relevance in a programme with Hornby in the title, it literally "Does not do what it says in the tin!"

 

The production team have obviously gone to a lot of effort and travelled the country for good content and showing a wider context; maybe they shouldn't have bothered.

[Darius43]

A multi-part programme about Hornby, but not exclusively so, that  features a lot of model railway content and is on free to view tv.  All this and people still find things to complain about.  

 

Perhaps they have a deep-seated need need to be disappointed.

 

Cheers

 

Darius

 

 

[AY Mod]

19 minutes ago, Darius43 said:

Perhaps they have a deep-seated need to be disappointed.

 

And to tell everyone else that they are. They'd be heartbroken to know that the majority of people don't care about their perspective and they're unlikely to actually bring anyone down to their level of gloom (as it's not just this topic) but the problem is that, like seagulls at the council tip, they never fly alone.

[Hroth]

22 minutes ago, Darius43 said:

A multi-part programme about Hornby, but not exclusively so, that  features a lot of model railway content and is on free to view tv.

 

With no "false jeopardy" at ad-breaks either!

 

Mind you, if I were a junior designer, I wouldn't want a performance review conducted by modelling mags/SK in front of the cameras.... 

 

[AY Mod]

2 minutes ago, Hroth said:

Mind you, if I were a junior designer, I wouldn't want a performance review conducted by modelling mags/SK in front of the cameras.

 

It's staged for telly.

[Gilbert]

29 minutes ago, Darius43 said:

A multi-part programme about Hornby, but not exclusively so, that  features a lot of model railway content and is on free to view tv.  All this and people still find things to complain about.  

 

Perhaps they have a deep-seated need need to be disappointed.

 

Cheers

 

Darius

 

 

Repeating myself I know but...

In terms of TV coverage of the hobby I grew up in an era when a Christmas documentary on the Flying Scotsman was a real highlight - if you saw it when it was broadcast.....our glass is half full surely........?

Chris

[phil_sutters]

6 hours ago, ruggedpeak said:

I think they need to sex it up a bit and be a bit more Apprentice-like. Get the designers in a room and set them a task and the one who gets the most criticism in the modelling press gets fired by SK. Or  clear the seagulls off the roof with only a broom!

 

 

They can start with this one

[ardbealach]

1 hour ago, John Harris said:

 

I apologise if I came over as dismissive, I appreciate the modelling involved, but it has to appeal to the general public as it tours the country, not just enthusiasts and even today small boys (of all ages and genders) tend to prefer steam trains.

 

 

 

For the record - and as a regular operator - PW's Chester Cathedral layout only had one regular steam locomotive - a Spamcan - in the six weeks or so the layout ran.   All locomotives were electric and diesel locomotives from recent and current times.   There were certainly no cries for steam traction.  It has to be said that there was a minority of visitors who did want to see Flying Scotsman  - the locomotive  - [I think it was because they had a family tradition that their grandfathers had driven that particular engine].  

 

All the visitors to the Cathedral related to the Pendolinos, the Voyagers, and the intermodals on the layout.  Out of interest, can I ask the source for your comment in your posting that there is a preference for "steam trains"? [Alisdair]

[Hroth]

21 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

It's staged for telly.

 

Well yes, perhaps I should have added , , and so on,  just to be clear I wasn't being completely serious....

[Dunsignalling]

If all those family traditions were true, Flying Scotsman would have had a different driver every day it ran, and two on Saturdays!

 

John

Edited October 26, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[AY Mod]

18 minutes ago, ardbealach said:

It has to be said that there was a minority of visitors who did want to see Flying Scotsman  - the locomotive  - [I think it was because they had a family tradition that their grandfathers had driven that particular engine].  

 

Should have pointed them to the bloke at the end and said "Have a word with him, he sold it." 

[Captain Kernow]

I saw the third programme just now and I thought it was fab.

 

I'd pay to see Heaton Lodge Junction!

 

[Gilbert]

1 minute ago, Captain Kernow said:

I'd pay to see Heaton Lodge Junction!

 

Me too.

I suspect it will be one layout that looks better "in the flesh" than through a lense.....many are the opposite....(I'll get me coat but I include my own in that category)

Chris

[bgman]

Coronation Road / Westenders or Brimadale Foam are more suited to those who seek to be disappointed but for me I find the programme most enjoyable on all levels.

 

Those who are sadly disappointed may wish to examine their remote control, apparently it can change the channels so I've been informed ! 

[ruggedpeak]

8 minutes ago, Gilbert said:

Me too.

I suspect it will be one layout that looks better "in the flesh" than through a lense.....many are the opposite....(I'll get me coat but I include my own in that category)

Chris

One of my favourite show layouts was one I saw at Doncaster a few years ago, can't remember what it was called but was diesel era and a long straight run into a cutting and then tunnel. You had a prespective more like looking at a real railway than most. Heaton Lodge will presumably be the same.

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, AY Mod said:

 

Because of the sentence that followed. layouts don't have to have stations or lots of trains to be good.

 

You keep misinterpreting me.

Where did I say it wasn't good. I would have thought my comments were obviously positive.

 

As it's travelling the country you have to look at it in from non enthusiasts point of view.

It will be travelling around shopping centres etc. where "joe public" will be expected to attend in some number (to make the transportation etc. a viable proposition) and there's a good chance, although it's an impressive size, he won't appreciate the quality of modelling.

 

IMHO Just because it's big and well researched and also expertly constructed, doesn't necessarily make it good entertainment from the general public's point of view.

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

Perhaps Hornby will introduce a range of Skaledale seagulls for 2022?

 

Complete with a Harris Hawk

[melmerby]

4 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

Stations are the aspect of any layout that are the most likely to be "adjusted" (compromised) to fit the available space, which leads on to trains being abbreviated so as not to draw attention to the shortened station. Thus, the absence of one can arguably make a layout more convincing.

 

I would guess that many real stations had trains far shorter than the platforms.

As an example in the early years of the 20th C the GWR expanded it's line through Birmingham from two to 4 tracks from Lapworth through to Swan Junction (apart from Snow Hill Tunnel)

Spacious stations with long platforms were provided all the way along the route on both slow & fast lines

e.g. Acocks Green had approx 500' platforms, yet it's typical 4 coach trains would normally only be half that length.

 

BTW a 200' layout could easily hold a scale 500' long station in 7mm scale (about 11 feet).

Of course most trains, especially were there is substatial freight just run through non stop.

Edited October 26, 2021 by melmerby

[Dunsignalling]

But Heaton Lodge Junction is a model of a real place without a station, as is the 99% of the rail network from which you can't even see one.  

 

That doesn't stop anybody running passenger trains but it does avoid drawing attention to the uncomfortable fact that the doors on the model carriages don't open and shut.

 

Seemed to work rather well with Stoke Summit and The Gresley Beat.

 

John

 

 

Edited October 26, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[RJS1977]

2 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

Mind you, if I were a junior designer, I wouldn't want a performance review conducted by modelling mags/SK in front of the cameras.... 

 

 

It didn't come across to me as a formal 'performance review' as such - more an ad-hoc meeting where Simon told him how good the reviews of the van was.