Encouraging my grandson into the hobby - a dead end?

[john new]

Future of the hobby. Perhaps a good exemplar is use of the horse. At the turn of the 19th into the 20th I suspect the long-term future of the horse was being debated in similar terms. Project forward a century and a quarter and yes there are far less horses around but use of horses hasn’t died out.

 

Edited January 15 by john new
Minor edit.

[Reorte]

Exhibitions in my experience aren't entirely devoid of youngsters.

 

Interest in anything has its ups and downs in popularity but they never die out completely. Perhaps we are going through a dip, but if we are there's no reason to believe it won't pick up again.

[Simond]

I reckon there are three ages of playing trains.  

 

1 TTE to early teens (then hormones, football, motorbikes, etc)

 

2 then early married life until the kids are early teens, (typically limited space, budget, time)

 

3 then empty nest.

 

I'm blessed, my wife has indulged me, so there was no gap between 2 & 3…

 

 

[Northmoor]

14 hours ago, SouthernRegionSteam said:

I have to say, I really don't buy into the premise and depressing, (dare I say) alarmist and well-trodden leap of thought that is: "The hobby is dying." To the point where I personally feel it's a ridiculous statement that quite honestly pees me off (unless 'bad publicity is good publicity')! I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of flak for that (and what follows), but hey ho...

If I received a quid for every time I heard that phrase, I'd be able to afford a new locomotive (and yes 'even at today's prices'). If it were true, and the hobby is dying, why are there more manufacturers, cottage industries, appearances in the media and popular culture, and a greater variety of products available (including quirky locos that would never have seen RTR models of even 10 years ago) now than ever before? Part of the answer, as has always been the case for everything in life (fundamental or niche) that keeps on going, is adaptation and innovation. I feel like the media (and I'll include social media as well to a degree) is often too quick to scrawl clickbaity extremist headlines. I get it. That's what sells... but...

... back in the real world, and as far as I see it:

Major players will come and go.
Major exhibitions rise and may fall.
Interests will likely wax and wane.
Mojo will most certainly appear and disappear(!)
Hobbies increase and decrease in popularity.
Railway modelling is either perceived as 'That's cool!' or 'Err...you like trains?!'.
Punters either appreciate the modelling dedication shown at exhibitions, or are 'enthusiasts' *(I couldn't think of another, more fitting term, so this'll do for now) looking for one particular type of layout and yours isn't it(!)

 

I'm sure I could come up with another dozen of these, but you get the point - it's both a cyclical hobby, and one that is either understood, or not understood! And of the latter, that's on us to be the educators.

In any case, at every exhibition I have ever attended, it's the young (who if you believed some people, supposedly aren't interested) whos' eyes light up, become animated, and seem completely enthralled. Locomotives have, and will always be fascinating to a degree to some people. Sure, not everyone 'gets it', but then I will never, for example, understand the fascination with football either! When I'm exhibiting, those who ask genuine questions are the kids. Sure, some will wonder off after a grand total of 1.5 seconds looking at the layout, but you'll get more than a few during the course of an exhibition who will stand there and admire, ask questions, and bother their parent or guardian to buy something from the traders nearby. Quite often returning multiple times.

As a kid, whilst my Dad did have an interest in all things steam, I was interested in Matchbox cars, and pretty much nothing else all the way up to the end of primary school. Yet I still got bitten by the bug, and genuinely have never stopped modelling since (not even to chase a relationship or go to uni!). Money will be a barrier to entry, but there are always ways around it unless you want an 100% accurate model of Clapham Junction (or whatever lofty goals you think you must have when you dream big - we've all been there!). As a slight aside, what simply MUST be taught at schools is budgeting, and generally more emphasis spent on practical subjects instead of basing everything on the 'core' subjects. 'Practical' maths would be far more useful than bloody algebra for a start, but anyway, I digress... I saw first-hand the shrinking of practical subjects (budgetary and curriculum-wise) both at my school, and at my mums' (who was a food tech teacher for many years until her early retirement - that's another story entirely!).

Whilst we're here, for the love of all that's holy can we stop blaming computers/computer games for the inability to attract teens and those in their twenties? You CAN love both (as I do). It's about time we looked beyond the easy blame game and looked at the fundamental issues of encouraging practical hobbies where a passing interest is shown, and allowing kids to watch, ask questions, and perhaps join in with your modelling. Don't just lock it away behind a door because you're worried things might get broken. TEACH them how to respect and enjoy the hobby, and explain why you enjoy it. Sit them down to build a simple house that they can take home, or put pride of place on your layout so that they can say with glee 'I made that!'...

As to the OP, @BoD, in short, no, there's no need to worry about the hobby dying. But yes, there is room for improvement; but not by ramming the hobby on the youth, but instead by encouraging kids should they show an interest in it. If they don't, fair enough - they'll find what they enjoy, and you can encourage them down that route instead. Just because one grandchild may not take up model railways, it doesn't mean the end is nigh!

Sorry for that rant/ramble... though it is 3am as of writing it...!

I have to say Jamie that if you represent the next generation, our hobby is in safe hands.

[SouthernRegionSteam]

40 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

I have to say Jamie that if you represent the next generation, our hobby is in safe hands.

 That's very kind of you to say. As you can tell, I am very passionate about sharing, highlighting, and extolling the virtues of the hobby - as it is such a broad church; not only in terms of subjects to recreate, but also in terms of skills you need to learn, practice, and maybe master (though you will always be able to learn more from others, no matter what your 'stage'). I think the key thing to take away is that there will always be railway modellers. There will be highs, there will be lows, but the love for the hobby will never die...

 

...and that's why I feel its everyone's duty to share and promote the hobby as the positive, constructive, joyful escape it is. Be that to kids, grandkids, friends, colleagues or some random stranger who visits the average exhibition. Which is at least 75% of the reasons why I exhibit my layout.

 

Yes there are challenges and setbacks, but name a hobby that doesn't have them! Anyway, I think that'll do from me before I ramble on any longer and bore people to death 😂 

[Binky]

No hobby is a dead end hobby. If one person enjoys it then it is worth them doing it. Yes if it becomes less popular then there may be less retailers, clubs and exhibitions around and things might be harder but railway modelling could still be practiced, it would just take more effort. The hobby and its industry does seem fairly healthy though.

 

People restore toys and antiques that were made decades ago, people operate bicycles, motorbikes, cars, machinery etc that were made 100 years ago. People re-enact things that happened centuries ago. With the amount of secondhand items around and people who are currently modelling I doubt railway modelling would become impossible for many generations, even if the hobby relies more heavily on secondhand equipment and its restoration in the future.