Modeller survey 2023

[AY Mod]

1 minute ago, Talltim said:

Roco, Athearn, Marklin, Kato, Walthers for example. I don't know figures, but I would guess that they are all at least as big in sales as Hornby.

 

A large number of companies that only apply to a relatively small number of respondents which would only succeed in making it a longer-winded exercise for the vast majority of respondents. I was trying to keep it sensible and manageable.

 

[Talltim]

Serious question tho, do you (open to the wider audience) reckon there are more Roco or Sonic models sold in the UK and so which is more relevant to the majority?

No offence to Sonic, who seem to have produced two nice models, but its only two, in a minority scale.

Edited January 24, 2023 by Talltim

[bude_branch]

Slightly confused I'm afraid.  The section for scales includes G Scale, but the section for Brands bought does not include LGB etc?

[AY Mod]

1 minute ago, bude_branch said:

The section for scales includes G Scale, but the section for Brands bought does not include LGB etc?

 

So I should include all manufacturers for all scales? There's a limit to keeping something manageable.

 

Can we just leave "Why didn't you... ?" out of it?

[BMacdermott]

Hello everyone

 

Speaking from my 00 Poll Team experience, I sympathise with Andy grappling with all the 'well-meaning' but generally difficult suggestions.

 

The Poll Team once had a very irate modeller say to us that he wasn't going to vote because we hadn't listed Wagon 'A', with Buffers 'B', Wheels 'C' and in Livery 'D'.

 

Damned if you do... etc🙂

 

Brian

[bude_branch]

30 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

So I should include all manufacturers for all scales? There's a limit to keeping something manageable.

No, that was not what I was suggesting.

Edited January 24, 2023 by bude_branch

[newbryford]

7 hours ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

Which would need bout 150ft of track. You must have a big layout.

 

Assuming that they are all on the layout at once. I have about 150-175% more stock than storage tracks....

[AY Mod]

1 hour ago, bude_branch said:

No, that was not what I was suggesting.

 

It's the logical extension of what you did say though. You want what relates to your niche, well everyone else would too and then I'd have to list every manufacturer of every scale around the whole world.

 

Feel free to have a go at that yourself.

[Andy Hayter]

If you look back over the posts you will find so many posts about "I am an exception/outlier".  The poll doesn't include x, y or z. and so on.

 

The point is that we are all individuals and as such have our individual choices when modelling.  It would be possible for Andy to cut the cake with extra slices to include some of the missing groups but the more you slice the cake, the smaller the slices become and if you keep going, in the end you are just left with a pile of crumbs, no whole slices and no sensible way to analyse the result.

 

Andy has said  that he is surprised by the number of European/US modellers at over 9% at that time.  That could lead to a revised view for the next survey in a few years time.  However it is not the basis to reformulate the survey and start again now.

[PMP]

I just filled it in and put best matches, this survey will only reflect the replies that people who answered the survey put anyway. It’ll give a broad outline which may or may not validate perceptions of how the hobby currently is.

 

Thinking about lockdown, and hobby participation, I wonder if there’s any notable ‘bulge’ in hobby take up, the ages of them, and if those stayed? Too late too add now, but I’ve only just thought of it anyway :)

Edited January 24, 2023 by PMP
Grammar

[F-UnitMad]

22 minutes ago, Andy Hayter said:

Andy has said  that he is surprised by the number of European/US modellers at over 9% at that time.

He's spent far too long at BRM, now, you can tell. 🤣

 

Other Railways besides British are available.... 😝🥳

[BobM]

Have completed the survey....

Hope the answers will assist in noting general trends within the hobby?

Regards to all

Bob

[slow8dirty]

Not sure i've been honest with myself for money spent on the hobby per year, more of a guesstimate without any fact checking😉

[dave55uk]

10 hours ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

Which would need bout 150ft of track. You must have a big layout.

I have a home-based one in my spare bedroom but the big one is Whitedown Jn, approx 20 feet square (search FB or YouTube). So the majority of the stock will be for that.

[norfolkchinaclay]

Completed and looking forward to seeing the results. Might be quite interesting to see if there is any one particular trend or area of interest which was not in evidence before.

 

Nothing further to add except I am in the same camp as many here with more locos and stock than I can fit on my layout at any one time.

[sncf231e]

3 hours ago, AY Mod said:

 

It's the logical extension of what you did say though. You want what relates to your niche, well everyone else would too and then I'd have to list every manufacturer of every scale around the whole world.

 

Feel free to have a go at that yourself.

I tried to do that myself and found out it is not very do-able, certainly not when trying to do this  "Worldwide". My conclusions are layed down in my e-book on Gauge and Scale (free to download): http://sncf231e.nl/gauge-and-scale/

Regards

Fred

[asmay2002]

Looked through the questionaire.  It's headed as a modeller survey but reads like a collector survey.  There are too many questions that just don't apply to me so didn't bother filling it out. 

[298]

As a modeller of mostly non-UK prototypes I've had to tailor my answers and respond with where my interests are as a modeller, otherwise my response could be deemed to be too wayward and binned. 

 

I would however have liked to have seen some of the questions written in a different way, eg:

 

"Do you pre-order models or wait for reviews before purchasing?"

 

"If a locomotive or item of stock wasn't available as RTR, by what means would you go about obtaining one? Eg Scratchbuilding, kitbuilding, commissioning a modeller to build one or waiting for RTR"

 

Likewise, the same for a particular livery that is unobtainable and would require a model to be repainted.

[JohnR]

14 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Has there been any previous survey with which the results of the present one can be compared?

 

Model Rail magazine did some market research (of its readers) 4 or 5 years ago, in order to sell advertising. 

[JohnR]

5 hours ago, bude_branch said:

No, that was not what I was suggesting.

 

I think its perhaps safe to say that if someone models G Gauge, they have bought some LGB stuff. 

[AY Mod]

3 hours ago, Andy Hayter said:

Andy has said  that he is surprised by the number of European/US modellers at over 9% at that time. 

 

'Andy' didn't say anything of the sort. Just a factual answer.

 

 

[Andy Hayter]

14 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

'Andy' didn't say anything of the sort. Just a factual answer.

 

 

My apologies for attributing surprise Andy.  I misremembered from another post.

 

But as a matter of interest, were the final results to come out at +9% would that be something of a surrise?

[AY Mod]

16 minutes ago, Andy Hayter said:

But as a matter of interest, were the final results to come out at +9% would that be something of a surrise?

 

Not especially, to me, as I know quite a few Europhiles and North American lovers who dabble in that at the same time as more parochial interests.

[Tim123]

Not seen this being asked on any survey I’ve seen.

 

Question - do any of the following know about your obsession interest in model railways

1) immediate family

2) neighbours

3) colleagues

 

Back in the early 80s I was reading a copy of Railway Modeller in the local WHSmiths on my lunch break. My supervisor walked past,  saw what I was reading and shook his head disapprovingly. Got passed over for guaranteed promotion until he himself moved on. Don’t care who knows about it now as it’s unlikely I’ll get promoted form junior retiree to senior retiree 😂

[F-UnitMad]

25 minutes ago, Tim123 said:

Question - do any of the following know about your obsession interest in model railways

1) immediate family

Part 2 - If they don't, how on earth do you keep it hidden from them???

 

Also perhaps more relevant, how do you keep the COST hidden, especially from SWMBO...???? (Edit - asking for a friend...)

 

(Repeat gratuitous cartoon)

 

My SWMBO doesn't need such a device, but her expression is identical...

Edited January 24, 2023 by F-UnitMad