RMweb Premium OnTheBranchline Posted November 2, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 2, 2023 Other than placing at a height that they can't easily reach and maybe having a border around it. I'm tempted to sacrifice operational creativity in order to have a smaller roundy-roundy layout in a lockable room so that they (3 and 1 year old) can't go to it. Or am I overthinking it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted November 2, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 2, 2023 Over thinking it IMO. Are they often unattended? Presumably not… I introduced my son to my (N gauge) trains when he was 3. He's now 6 and has his own Unitrack layout in his room, but he uses all of my stock too, often with my ECoS. He’s not broken anything noteworthy in that time. I’ve broken significantly more! My 3 year old daughter gets involved too, and seems to understand it too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted November 2, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 2, 2023 Accept that things will get broken (I'm not good at that) and build a simple layout including things that they enjoy. My children have a layout that lives under the bed of one of them. This have been slowly being built since they were about 3 and 5. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Himsworth Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 My layout has a bit of road and a field at the front of the board that is almost like a sacrificial area that can be tampered with; there are a couple of cars, farm animals and odds and ends that the daughter likes fiddling with. This seems to satisfy so the rest of the layout seems safe... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BachelorBoy Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Luke Towan tells you how to dust-proof your layout ... looks like it would be pretty kid-proof too. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Since I installed the electrified fence, I’ve never had much trouble. 😉 2 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted November 3, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2023 I have perspex covers that drop over my layout to prevent feline interference with the OHLE. Should work well with children too. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted November 3, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2023 45 minutes ago, 97406 said: I have perspex covers that drop over my layout to prevent feline interference with the OHLE. Should work well with children too. That railway room is far too neat!!! 😉 7 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
125_driver Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 I told her the loft is haunted. Works a treat , she won't go near it! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 52 minutes ago, 97406 said: I have perspex covers that drop over my layout to prevent feline interference with the OHLE. Should work well with children too. That looks useful. I do not have children - or a cat, I do have a problem with dust as no doubt many of us do. As Ivor Cutler observed ' dust holds no grudges and once removed will always return...' cheers 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted November 3, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2023 2 hours ago, Phil Bullock said: That railway room is far too neat!!! 😉 It was for purposes of that photograph. Normally the usable part of the workbench is a thin 6 inch strip at the front with a pile of tools, parts and rubbish stretching all the way to the back! It gets to a point where I can’t find anything so it gets tidied. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted November 3, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2023 7 hours ago, BachelorBoy said: Luke Towan tells you how to dust-proof your layout ... looks like it would be pretty kid-proof too. That may just be the solution for when I extend the layout out to the front and around the room. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted November 3, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 3, 2023 (edited) My little one, now seven with some autistic traits which makes him a very impressive stickler for detail does like to "run" (note, not play) and will only do so under strict supervision. Actually he is at a stage where I can leave him to it whilst I fiddle on the workbench nearby. I keep breakable by leaning on items away from leading edges but he does insist on his own touches from time to time, hence why my Scottish Highlands early to mud 1980's scenario has acquired TPWS grids and a bit of temporarily applied third rail... I also cobbled together a large logo 37 with unpowered chassis from spare parts for him. At some point it will be discreetly replaced with a more accurate example. Edited November 3, 2023 by John M Upton 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 4 hours ago, Rivercider said: As Ivor Cutler observed ' dust holds no grudges and once removed will always return...' cheers The same is true for cats. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 41 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said: The same is true for cats. And spiders! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Small children are not so much of a problem, occasional lack of coordination has to be allowed for, but most are quite careful. To a great extent it is a matter of knowing the child; if he's a destructive monster then perhaps not a model railway but a bouncy castle... By the time I was ten, the use of an air rifle to play war games resulted in the metal bodied N2 and stock on the armoured train ending up looking 'careworn'. (Our little gang had quickly determined that single hit on a plastic body Triang van could result in terminal damage.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris M Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 (edited) Careful discussion with children should be all that is required. If the boundaries are carefully and gently explained in very simple terms there should not be a problem. Ok - a one year old will need physical control but a three year old should be able to understand. I’ve had two children and now have four grandchildren and none of them have caused any significant damage. The same can’t be said about a friend’s kids who had not been taught how to behave. The grandchildren are allowed to touch the static grass occasionally. They know not to touch any of the fragile details. The grandchildren know they have a freer hand with the garden railway which can provide some interesting results. One grandson got banned from operating the garden railway at age 6 for a while due to his liking of speed. Edited November 3, 2023 by Chris M 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cornelius Posted November 3, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 3, 2023 Procrastinate over starting a layout until they leave home. It's working for me so far. 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 There was a cartoon in I think an American model magazine years ago where the model railroader sits behind his layout which is separated from the room door by a large pool full of sharks. The punchline was OK Mable, you can send in the kids now! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n9 Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Put a PlayStation on the opposite side of the room. They'll never go near anything else ever again. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnofwessex Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 7 hours ago, Chris M said: Careful discussion with children should be all that is required. If the boundaries are carefully and gently explained in very simple terms there should not be a problem. Ok - a one year old will need physical control but a three year old should be able to understand. I’ve had two children and now have four grandchildren and none of them have caused any significant damage. The same can’t be said about a friend’s kids who had not been taught how to behave. The grandchildren are allowed to touch the static grass occasionally. They know not to touch any of the fragile details. The grandchildren know they have a freer hand with the garden railway which can provide some interesting results. One grandson got banned from operating the garden railway at age 6 for a while due to his liking of speed. First Born took the record at the age of about 4 for the fastest trip round the circuit at a London Model Engineering club............ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium OnTheBranchline Posted December 15, 2023 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 15, 2023 On 02/11/2023 at 21:43, RANGERS said: Since I installed the electrified fence, I’ve never had much trouble. 😉 Is it plugged straight into the mains? 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted December 15, 2023 Share Posted December 15, 2023 3 minutes ago, OnTheBranchline said: Is it plugged straight into the mains? 🤣 Where else would you plug it?…. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted December 16, 2023 Share Posted December 16, 2023 On 03/11/2023 at 10:54, Steamport Southport said: And spiders! I've yet to see one climb back out of the plughole 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted December 16, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 16, 2023 18 hours ago, OnTheBranchline said: Is it plugged straight into the mains? 🤣 Better still (because you can't kill them) is a Jacob's Ladder kit. That will attract their attention! Here's one from Australia - such things have gone up, because no one buys electronic kits any more. 😞 https://www.jaycar.com.au/jacobs-ladder-mk3/p/KC5520 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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