Little Trains & Big Names with Pete Waterman

[Ian Hargrave]

On 03/11/2023 at 10:01, BachelorBoy said:

 

Don't worry, I am too.

 

Worry ?  Why ?  Reading through your last few posts..admittedly with my tongue firmly in my cheek thinking here comes John McEnroe reborn….anyone would think you were being afflicted with ageism. Sonny boy…you think you got problems ? 

[Bernard Lamb]

A very different approach, but I found it equally enjoyable.

The on site research was set at the right level for a novice.

The precautions when starting modelling to prevent falling foul of either the wife or the carpet monster was well illustrated.

The visit to the local club came across well.

The use of state of the art computer technical stuff would have interested younger people. A pity I am not still at work, as I could have got some of the undergraduates or apprentices doing laser cutting or 3D printing for me.😃

As part of a series I thought it fitted in ratther well.

Bernard

[RJS1977]

Watched it just now. 

 

Quite interesting from my own perspective, as not only did I visit Pete's Leamington Spa layout a few years ago, two weeks ago I took a layout to the B&WWMRC exhibition (at Greg's invitation), by train, via Sydenham station!

[That Model Railway Guy]

4 hours ago, thondwe said:

Anyway, anyone identify the software used to plan Rossi's layout?  Looks like it was running on Macbook?  Specifically intrigued by moving train option?

 

 

I don't know for certain but I would have thought it was a custom animation made by the production company specifically for the show.

[Kris]

Having now watched the 3rd offering, I have to say that this episode was the least inspiring. Yes there was some lovely modelling on show but there was a passion missing that was present in the first 2, and Francis came across as being there for the ride rather than wanting to model. 

[The Stationmaster]

21 hours ago, AY Mod said:

 

Apart from the subsea Strategic Reserve fiddleyards.

I'll look out for the book - 'Andy York And The Chamber of Strategic Reserves'  (with apologies to JK Rowling)

 

Having missed it on Thursday I caught up with this week's edition last night.  I don't know who is responsible for - probably Pete W? - but there is a very goode thread running through this series which I heartily applaud.  Model something that means something special to you and research that 'something special' as a. guide to what you want your model to become.  it's something many of us do but while we might talk about various bits of research this series has carefully related it to beyond the railway fence.  And this week a really good advert forsearching out a local club to help you get started or share the interests of those already in the hobby.

 

And it's showing you don't have to be train mad to create something which pleases you and, thus far, also pleases the eye.  Throw in a sensible leavening of modelling methods and techniques and the series has been very well put together to appeal, hopefully, to a much wider audience thatnalready committed railway modellers.   Maybe it might also encourage new blood into the hobby and - I really hope - a second series.

[thondwe]

17 hours ago, That Model Railway Guy said:

 

I don't know for certain but I would have thought it was a custom animation made by the production company specifically for the show.

 

Could well be - zooming in and the Window title just says "Francis Rossi Layout.mp4".  From other references railnuts use Anyrail for their Chester Cathedral layout - unless using something like Trainplayer to record a movie...

[BlackFivesMatter]

It was a shame we did not see Francis' layout completed. The trackplan and concept, especially if one of these automatic train reverser gizmos would give an entertaining watch the train (tease the cat) to attract interest. It would allow the introduction of sidings at a later date to experience the "joy of shunting"....

[RJS1977]

1 hour ago, BlackFivesMatter said:

It was a shame we did not see Francis' layout completed. The trackplan and concept, especially if one of these automatic train reverser gizmos would give an entertaining watch the train (tease the cat) to attract interest. It would allow the introduction of sidings at a later date to experience the "joy of shunting"....

 

Yes, the construction of Francis's layout could have been spread out in segments over several episodes.

[Not Jeremy]

Blimey, given how recently this was filmed is he likely to have finished anything? 
 

Based upon my own performance he’ll most likely  still be enjoying the “research stage”(!!)

[Markwj]

1 hour ago, Not Jeremy said:

Blimey, given how recently this was filmed is he likely to have finished anything? 
 

Based upon my own performance he’ll most likely  still be enjoying the “research stage”(!!)

I think it was filmed in 2022 as Pete was building making tracks 2 not 3 so I would have hoped there would be something to see.

[Michael Hodgson]

On 03/11/2023 at 09:07, Jol Wilkinson said:

 

Perhaps PW's next series could be Little Trains and Young Bloggers/Influencers  Sam of Sam's Trains could be one featured guest, suggestions for others?. 

Gostude

[Michael Hodgson]

 

I don't go lot on the series about Hornby, because I don't consider it appropriate to push the commercial interests and products of any one particular manufacturer.  But what I like about Pete Waterman's series is that it's not made by the usual media types who just keep banging on about "train spotters" and "anoraks".

 

What I have noticed about TV programmes is that German TV often shows influential people (high-ranking politcians etc) showing their layouts - whereas a British politican would be well advised to keep off the subject of railways or model railways because of this prejudice by the British media.  Portillo only gets away with it because he's given up hope of future high office, and I assume he's getting a decent remuneration as well as the opportunity to travel the world's railways on expenses.

[RJS1977]

47 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Portillo only gets away with it because he's given up hope of future high office, and I assume he's getting a decent remuneration as well as the opportunity to travel the world's railways on expenses.

 

Portillo also has the advantage of having been a Transport Minister many years ago, so it's entirely natural that he should take an interest in the rail network.

 

It should also be remembered that (particularly on the BBC) there are very strict rules in the UK about allocating any air time to serving politicians that could be interpreted as giving them political advantage at the next election.

 

Personally, I'm all for seeing (current or serving) politicians (irrespective of flavour) exploring their personal interests (hobbies, family history, etc) on TV. So often we see so much of the adversarial side of politics that it can be easy to forget that they're people!

[Nick Holliday]

I wonder whether Susan Calman and Sandi Toksvig, both of whom having spoken about their interests in railways, would appeal to a younger demographic and a wider gender recognition?

[D3489gibson]

12 hours ago, Markwj said:

I think it was filmed in 2022 as Pete was building making tracks 2 not 3 so I would have hoped there would be something to see.

Hate to break it to you, but Francis' stuff was filmed in April... 

 

Nathan

[alant]

Does anyone know if the Sydenham laser cut station shown last week is available as a kit?

 

[Markwj]

7 hours ago, D3489gibson said:

Hate to break it to you, but Francis' stuff was filmed in April... 

 

Nathan

Don’t worry made of stern stuff! Thanks ,I think the bits about making tracks 2 lulled me into a sense it was all filmed a year or so ago

cheers

mark

[coronach]

I wasn’t convinced about Francis Rossi’s interest in building a model railway. Pete Waterman was playing the hard sell and Rossi was going along for the ride. It was a bit embarrassing really 

[The Stationmaster]

17 hours ago, coronach said:

I wasn’t convinced about Francis Rossi’s interest in building a model railway. Pete Waterman was playing the hard sell and Rossi was going along for the ride. It was a bit embarrassing really 

I think that is looking at it from the wrong angle.  Bear in mind the consistency so far in this series about recapturing past, often youthful, memories through the medium of creating a model of them.  That is very much a line Pete Waterman has been pushing using what seem to have been in the first two parts some carefully chosen examples to suit that approach.  The idea is - if you accept that premise - that there is more than one reason for building a model railway and that it is about things other than the railway itself.  Are they an addition to the railway or is the railway an addition to them?

 

Francis Rossi seems to have gone along with that idea , maybe promoted to him because Pete knew something of his background, but definitely to follow thet theme running so far through the series.  Is Francis Rossi really interested in having a model railway or is he interested in creating something representing youthful memories where the railway is  a sort of background player?  I don't know but does it really matter one way or the other when non-modellers watching the programme might possibly be encouraged to have a go doing the same thing?   Certainly a different, and rather clever, way of bringing new recruits to our hobby.

[Phatbob]

On 06/11/2023 at 17:59, alant said:

Does anyone know if the Sydenham laser cut station shown last week is available as a kit?

 

My spies tell me that there are plans afoot to make the Sydenham station kit available in the new year.
No further details available at this time, so please don't waste your time asking. 😉

[BachelorBoy]

On 05/11/2023 at 02:43, Ian Hargrave said:

Worry ?  Why ?  Reading through your last few posts..admittedly with my tongue firmly in my cheek thinking here comes John McEnroe reborn….anyone would think you were being afflicted with ageism. Sonny boy…you think you got problems ? 

 

Look at it dispassionately. 

 

A hobby needs to expand its appeal in order to thrive.

 

Some members of the public are prejudiced in thinking that the hobby is exclusively for one particular group of people. Call it market segment, A.

 

TV programmes that show people from segments, B, C, D etc also enjoying the hobby will help to expand its appeal.

 

Members of segment A probably enjoy TV programmes about the hobby that only show members of segment A enjoying it. That's great if you're a programme maker or TV channel targeted at segment A.

 

But such programmes will confirm the public's prejudice, and give the impression that the hobby is not for segments B, C, D, etc.

 

This hampers efforts to expand the hobby among people in segments B, C, D, etc.

 

 

 

[Hibelroad]

Twenty to thirty years ago modelling magazines were full of letters predicting doom and gloom. They noted that older modellers were dying off and didn’t think there were any new younger modellers coming through. Obviously time has shown that this view was over pessimistic, the nature of modelling has changed, more RTR and less DIY but that is inevitable and a natural process. I find this series of programmes is very refreshing, presenting modelling in a positive light and actually showing real activity in progress. They are bound to spark interest with some viewers  who just need that little push to get them started on what for many is a life long interest. 

[BachelorBoy]

3 hours ago, Hibelroad said:

Twenty to thirty years ago modelling magazines were full of letters predicting doom and gloom. They noted that older modellers were dying off and didn’t think there were any new younger modellers coming through. Obviously time has shown that this view was over pessimistic, 

 

But it's worth remembering that life expectancy in the UK has risen in that time, and the number of years in good health has also increased.

 

And so perhaps doom and gloom has been avoided not because there are more 20/30/40 year olds taking up the hobby, but by a larger number of retired people with generous pensions who are living for longer taking it up.

 

 

[john new]

16 hours ago, Hibelroad said:

Twenty to thirty years ago modelling magazines were full of letters predicting doom and gloom. They noted that older modellers were dying off and didn’t think there were any new younger modellers coming through. Obviously time has shown that this view was over pessimistic, the nature of modelling has changed, more RTR and less DIY but that is inevitable and a natural process. I find this series of programmes is very refreshing, presenting modelling in a positive light and actually showing real activity in progress. They are bound to spark interest with some viewers  who just need that little push to get them started on what for many is a life long interest. 

Personally I believe there are two issues running simultaneously. One is on the doom and gloom spectrum the second is moving towards a lightening of the outlook.

 

Taking (1) first modern enthusiasts and modellers in the rail interest groups are getting involved in a different way to the traditional routes those of us in the baby boomer years still followed. A trend I have also seen in some other areas of interest my wife and I are involved in. Societies etc., geared to those traditional areas of recruitment are struggling hence the expressions of doom and gloom.

 

Conversely you only have to look at fora like this one, YouTube etc., to see that despite (1) railways still have a good following. It is one reason for outlook (1) you don’t need to join a society to get your fix. The specialist societies are likely to be the last to founder. TV shows on railways are also indicative of the interest in the topic and a further example of why you don’t need to join a club to consume railway related content. At least Pete Waterman has both the media clout and interest in trying to encourage new modellers to enter the hobby via the various Making Tracks projects etc.

 

For me the jury is still out on whether the rise in (2) is also leading to heritage lines struggling but as an example, Swanage are struggling as Severn Valley  also recently announced. I haven’t needed to visit Swanage to see the newly restored loco. I have ridden on it this year but no longer need to physically visit to easily see what’s going on. 
 

Edited November 8, 2023 by john new
Added an extra note