'Humour' on layouts - good or bad?

[DavidB]

Here's a link to a photo of Llareggub - sadly I don't seem to be able to get it to come up in the post

Wasn't there also a photo in Railway Modeller showing a great white shark that had just happened to swim into the harbour at Llareggub during an exhibition? From memory, the shark had been very neatly shaped to fit between Dave and Shirley's sculpted waves and looked perfectly at home in Wales.

[Steamport Southport]

How about some ducks?   

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-44132440

 

 

 

Jason

[sharris]

 

Except as prisoners of war.

Plenty of POW camps to choose from

https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/nov/08/prisoner-of-war-camps-uk#data

 

There were quite a few along my line (Bletchley to Cambridge)... and Dave (Chris P) Bacon's.

[rue_d_etropal]

Also shown at one of the Model Railway Club exhibitions at the Central Hall, Westminster IIRC.

 

An early "compact" layout (was it in a fish tank or something similar?), a simple oval of track, but it was the detail in the buildings - as well as the characters - that were the fascination.

I remember the layout well. Not the best located as it wa on the underpass corridor, so some might not have seen it. Probably the layout that has inspired  me most. At the time I was not aware of the detail of Under Milkwood and how Dylan Thomas had come up with the name of the town(obvious when you realise), but the layout was referred to in both the guide and RM as 'Milkwood', presumably so it would not fall foul of any copyright.

 

I ended up following Dave and Shirley round the country, being at uni in Exeter when they were based in the area(or certainly when Dave was based there), and they were regular exhibitors at Blackburn when I moved up north.

When it comes to humour, it has been there as long as we have had model railways The names used on some of the Bilteezi backscenes and even some more recent ones from Peco. The Brian Sherriff ones again have some fun names .

I know everyone's humour is different, but that should not stop those who want to include it. I can look at funny names, time afer time. Just because I know the answer to the joke does not mean I stop finding it funny. Far too many boring people out there. Their loss, not mine. As long as it dosn't get personal, then humour is good for everyone. If you stick your nek out, don't be surprised when someone starts using that as humour.

[F-UnitMad]

As no-one's mentioned it, I expect everyone has seen the (Langley?) man with the sandwich board reading "The end is Nigh", lying on the road in front of a bus - a fairly common layout "humour cliche".

There was a good one which I'm sure has been on RMweb, of a hut in the middle of being painted, but there's a paint spill on the floor, and 'paint footprints' leading off elsewhere, presumably in search of turpentine. Someone will have a photo of it.

I like subtle humour like that, similar to my 'Careful drivers' sign posted earlier on here*; people at the shows I did with that layout told me it was much funnier than if the crashed car was actually still there.

 

*Edit: Page 2, post #33.

Edited May 15, 2018 by F-UnitMad

[Thunderforge]

There’s a war game company called Bolt Action who make figures of the Dad’s Army platoon, I think the scale is 1:53, so maybe too over scale for O gauge, but might be funny to see an open wagon full of them all waving rifles and broom handle spears.

[Steamport Southport]

There’s a war game company called Bolt Action who make figures of the Dad’s Army platoon, I think the scale is 1:53, so maybe too over scale for O gauge, but might be funny to see an open wagon full of them all waving rifles and broom handle spears.

 

There was someone who made them to O gauge. Can't remember who it was though.

 

But they never used the Dad's Army name for copyright reasons.

 

 

 

Jason

[newbryford]

 

I know everyone's humour is different, but that should not stop those who want to include it. I can look at funny names, time afer time. Just because I know the answer to the joke does not mean I stop finding it funny. Far too many boring people out there. Their loss, not mine. As long as it dosn't get personal, then humour is good for everyone. If you stick your nek out, don't be surprised when someone starts using that as humour.

 

Good point, well put.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[joppyuk1]

In a rural narrow gauge layout a long time ago I installed a flock of sheep being driven down the lane. Somewhere in the middle was an large dog draped in a (plasticine) sheepskin. Not many people noticed.

[jcm@gwr]

There was a layout I saw at a show recently (last couple of years recent!)

which included a TV Detector van, re-branded as a 'Rivet Counter Detector'

van (complete with rotating antenna on the roof). 

It might have been Rowlands Castle.

[PhilMortimer]

I think it was Kirkby Stephen.

[Northmoor]

Dammit, there goes my idea of a sexy scene in the sleeping car! it was going to be cam operated off one of the axles...

Geared down I would hope, otherwise at line speed, it would look like a Confessions film (so I've heard), so you'd have to paint the male to resemble Robin Asquith.

 

Someone mentioned rude announcements; in my first week at a job 20+ years ago, on the Friday afternoon there were calls for L. McPherson and D. Hill.  I thought it MUST be a wind-up, but Lindsay and Dave though otherwise.  I also worked with an A. Mistry which amused some people.  Oh and I went to school with a Tamara Knight.  Yes, seriously.  Her parents must have been drunk.....

Edited May 16, 2018 by Northmoor

[Titan]

  Oh and I went to school with a Tamara Knight.  Yes, seriously.  Her parents must have been drunk.....

 

Did you have more luck with her sister, Too?

[wombatofludham]

There used to be (may still be) an estate agent in Burton upon Trent called Paul Orridge. Never saw his first name abbreviated to P. I also once heard an announcement at London Euston for Mr Mike Hunt to go to the station manager. I always wondered if that was some prank call.

[PatB]

There used to be (may still be) an estate agent in Burton upon Trent called Paul Orridge. Never saw his first name abbreviated to P. I also once heard an announcement at London Euston for Mr Mike Hunt to go to the station manager. I always wondered if that was some prank call.

 

Probably not. Some people simply hate their children, apparently .

[F-UnitMad]

There was a layout I saw at a show recently (last couple of years recent!)

which included a TV Detector van, re-branded as a 'Rivet Counter Detector'

van (complete with rotating antenna on the roof). 

It might have been Rowlands Castle.

Seen several layouts with that 'feature'. The thing to do then is to announce loudly in your best Nerdy Voice that "I think you'll find... that's the wrong colour for a Rivet Counter Detector Van".

[RedgateModels]

I like to think that the van at the back of the layout also raises a smile to those in the know 😉

 

 

Edited September 14, 2022 by RedgateModels

[grahame]

I like a good bit of humour. Trouble is that IMO much so called humour on model railway layouts just isn't funny (although sometimes it's a sad joke).

 

But then I'm not funny either.

;-)

 

G

[t-b-g]

As no-one's mentioned it, I expect everyone has seen the (Langley?) man with the sandwich board reading "The end is Nigh", lying on the road in front of a bus - a fairly common layout "humour cliche".

There was a good one which I'm sure has been on RMweb, of a hut in the middle of being painted, but there's a paint spill on the floor, and 'paint footprints' leading off elsewhere, presumably in search of turpentine. Someone will have a photo of it.

I like subtle humour like that, similar to my 'Careful drivers' sign posted earlier on here*; people at the shows I did with that layout told me it was much funnier than if the crashed car was actually still there.

 

*Edit: Page 2, post #33.

 

We do have that figure parading in front of Narrow Road, which is EM Gauge. His board reads something like "Shun the evils ways of P4" or suchlike. It was done quite a few years ago and I can't remember the exact wording now. The writing is so small I don't think anybody has either seen it or taken offence. We also have a Zebra pulling a cart, which was actually seen and photographed in London in the correct period. That does raise a smile or two as people think it is a joke but it isn't! 

 

During one of the railway strikes in the early 1980s, my brother (who used to come with us as an operator but who was a driver of real trains and an ASLEF member), "refused" to drive anything one show because it would be breaking the strike and produced a figure with a placard "ASLEF Picket" and stuck it in front of the model station.

 

At work, I had to deal with a Mr C Shore, Mr P Green and a Mr & Mrs Isles and their daughter, Miss Isles.

[beast66606]

 

At work, I had to deal with a Mr C Shore, Mr P Green and a Mr & Mrs Isles and their daughter, Miss Isles.

 

I have a Theresa Green and once worked with Dr Death - pronounced Dee Ath apparently.

[chris p bacon]

I have a Theresa Green and once worked with Dr Death - pronounced Dee Ath apparently.

 

I did a job for a Dr of the same name.

 

When we were kids we had our overseas jabs done by a Dr Leech.

[Skinnylinny]

I remember when much younger being amused that my girlfriend at the time wanting to go into nursing. I find the idea of "Nurse Paine" sounds frankly terrifying!

[Welchester]

A friend of mine works with a Richard Brain, who was dissuaded from teaching.

[Hroth]

This is getting a bit like the "Ball" announcements game on "I'm Sorry I Havent A Clue".....

 

 

(Sorry if that's been mentioned already!)

 

Mr and Mrs Head and their son Dick......

Edited May 17, 2018 by Hroth

[chris p bacon]

Or the school register in 'The Secret Policemans ball' 

 

Odendren.......Rhoda...