Accentuate the negative - who's trying to kill the hobby?

[BlackFivesMatter]

Is the perceived decline the same in other countries with a proportionate number of railway modellers? The US has an equivalent "baby boomer bubble", Japan has an even worse demographic issue. Germany sounds to have its own economic woes. Not having contact with the modelling fraternity in those countries is it us or all of us? 

[Andy Hayter]

Difficult to say regarding France.   It is a smaller market with fewer model shops.  My nearest model shop is now around 150km away in Lyon following closure of a nearer shop a couple of years ago.   I mostly buy online as a consequence.

 

Many shows were every 2 years or even 3 years rather than annual - even some of the big ones and that before any perception of a downturn.  

We have lost our local big show - Montelirail - for very similar reasons to Warley pulling out of their show.

 

One of the three major model railway publishers (RMF) has moved from monthly to bimonthly publication.  Is that lack of readers, lack of advertisers and/or lack of material to publish?  I do not know.

 

Yet against that negativity, and like the UK, we have in the last few years had a raft of new model producers appear; and like the UK, some seem to be doing very well indeed.  While I do not have access to turnover figures, I would guess the REE are now up with or even ahead of the traditional Hornby Jouef.  

 

My feeling is that kit manufacturers are doing better than the UK and AMF87 took over the DJH Model Loco range of French models.

 

One big difference is perhaps the cost of models is significantly higher here than in the UK.  They may be a bit more complicated to make with lots of outdoor plumbing on show but a good quality Pacific in H0 will cost around €400 - £340 and little if any discounting in the shops.  

 

Edit to add to the last sentence:  but the squeals from some parts of the modelling community about those prices is just as in the UK.

Edited February 10 by Andy Hayter

[Chris M]

I wonder if the national press will be full of stories of the continuation of the national model railway exhibition? I very much doubt it.

[rob D2]

I think at exhibitions you need a few biggies - I’ve stood next to young Joe Public and they soon lose interest and wander off with shunting planks, TMDs and the like . Though I can appreciate the intricacies of super details and nicely weathered stock , I think it’s lost on youngsters mostly .

 

The reason I have a plank is not by choice , it’s the compromise I have to make in terms of size, time and money . I much rather have Paddington in OO

[Binky]

On 31/01/2024 at 02:23, BachelorBoy said:

In addition to the traditional exhibition layouts, perhaps the public might like to see more mega-layouts of 50 feet or more at shows.

 

Several clubs/modellers could  build their own free-mo layouts of 10 or 15 feet each and join them all together at exhibitions. 

 

The individual layouts could be used separately on usual club nights with fiddle yards/loops stuck on each end.

 

 

 

I've often thought that if one or two of the main "train set" manufacturers could produce a module kit (baseboard, track, connections) then it would really help a UK modular layout scene to develop.

 

Perhaps a set that comes in a hinged wooden case which unfolds to become the baseboard and enough track to produce something like an inglenook layout with an extra through track that can be joined to others for modular running. An operable layout could be assembled in an evening then the modeller is free to add their own scenery as time and money allows. This would allow modellers to operate it as a small shunting layout at home and also take it to events where they can join them up. An OO scale "micro inglenook" could fit on a baseboard that when folded would be no bigger than the boxes that train sets already come in.

 

I used to race indoor radio control cars and the club scene was thriving. Any potential newcomers could be pointed towards the one kit they needed which had everything to get started and because many clubs used the same cars and raced to the same rules it was possible to visit different clubs on different days, any new clubs quickly attracted visitors who also raced elsewhere. These events usually happened in a hired village hall or similar space, with everything able to be set up on a sunday morning and taken away again that evening.

[woodenhead]

18 minutes ago, Binky said:

 

I've often thought that if one or two of the main "train set" manufacturers could produce a module kit (baseboard, track, connections) then it would really help a UK modular layout scene to develop.

 

 

Bachmann do: https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/ModURailSystem

 

https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/category/scenery-landscape/woodland_scenics/mod-u-rail-system

[zarniwhoop]

11 hours ago, Andy Hayter said:

One of the three major model railway publishers (RMF) has moved from monthly to bimonthly publication.  Is that lack of readers, lack of advertisers and/or lack of material to publish?  I do not know.

Looking at 'hobby' magazines in general, with the exception of UK model railway mags it seems to me that there is now much less advertising. And without the advertising, a publisher has to either cut back or raise the cover price. Several non-railway mags I used to read are no longer produced. I used to buy the main UK model railway mags, but now I rarely bother - nothing in them for me, after you've read them through a couple of years you can tell how the subjects (apart from reviews of new models) rotate through the months.

[BachelorBoy]

On 10/02/2024 at 22:48, Chris M said:

I wonder if the national press will be full of stories of the continuation of the national model railway exhibition? I very much doubt it.

 

The national press does not have enough room to report the infinite number of things that continue as normal. 

[osbornsmodels]

Quote

  On 10/02/2024 at 17:22, Binky said:

 

I've often thought that if one or two of the main "train set" manufacturers could produce a module kit (baseboard, track, connections) then it would really help a UK modular layout scene to develop.

as do Kato for N scale http:// https://www.osbornsmodels.com/kato-t-track-modules-1289-c.asp

[BachelorBoy]

On 10/02/2024 at 21:25, BlackFivesMatter said:

Is the perceived decline the same in other countries with a proportionate number of railway modellers? The US has an equivalent "baby boomer bubble", Japan has an even worse demographic issue. 

 

Domestic sales of model railways in Japan are about a quarter bigger than in 2019.

 

13 billion yen is approximately £70 million. That works out at around 60p per year per person in Japan.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 14 by BachelorBoy
change "more than a quarter" to "about a quarter"

[AMJ]

There are way too many places that key board warriors can make such negative comments implying that the hobby is dying.  What they don't realise is that just like the real railway things change.  There are similar comments being expressed in USA.

 

What I feel is that many of the brick and mortar shops are closing or going to online as since the pandemic many have realised that they can get even more stuff from a number of specialist retailers 

 

Had an interesting conversation the other week with an employment agency.  Many IT jobs became WFH during the pandemic and afterwards hybrid working ie a few days in the office and rest WFH.  They were looking for someone to be onsite every day and indicated that many are wanting WFH or hybrid.  It is possible that quite a large proportion have become introverts. 

[MJI]

35 minutes ago, AMJ said:

There are way too many places that key board warriors can make such negative comments implying that the hobby is dying.  What they don't realise is that just like the real railway things change.  There are similar comments being expressed in USA.

 

What I feel is that many of the brick and mortar shops are closing or going to online as since the pandemic many have realised that they can get even more stuff from a number of specialist retailers 

 

Had an interesting conversation the other week with an employment agency.  Many IT jobs became WFH during the pandemic and afterwards hybrid working ie a few days in the office and rest WFH.  They were looking for someone to be onsite every day and indicated that many are wanting WFH or hybrid.  It is possible that quite a large proportion have become introverts. 

 

No, we just realised that commuting is a total waste of time and money, saves me £300 a month, moved from sturggling to cmfortable.

[rob D2]

4 hours ago, MJI said:

 

No, we just realised that commuting is a total waste of time and money, saves me £300 a month, moved from sturggling to cmfortable.

I’d never get anything done, unless I put a padlock on the goodies !

[rob D2]

10 hours ago, BachelorBoy said:

 

Domestic sales of model railways in Japan are about a quarter bigger than in 2019.

 

13 billion yen is approximately £70 million. That works out at around 60p per year per person in Japan.

 

 

 

 

How many people in japan ? And I wonder how many active modellers ?

[Long Line]

On 10/02/2024 at 15:33, rob D2 said:

I much rather have Paddington in OO

Its more manageable in N 😉

 

Looking towards the country end from London road in 1940s  with a taxi running onto the arrivals side ramp  for reference of scale.

Edited February 14 by Long Line
Text

[MartinRS]

 

Here's Pete Waterman's views on the subject.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-merseyside-68321482

[AMJ]

@MJI it's ok saying you have saved money on commuting, but  that has your employer paid you for heating, lighting your home office and the associated health and safety and insurance that you need to factor in

[woodenhead]

9 minutes ago, AMJ said:

@MJI it's ok saying you have saved money on commuting, but  that has your employer paid you for heating, lighting your home office and the associated health and safety and insurance that you need to factor in

A laptop and monitor is probably 32p a day to run.

 

Heating is clearly a cost but it won’t be on all the time for the additional time at home.

 

Then you can subtract the cost of commuting, reduced car mileage for wear and tear if you drive and the simple stress of having to commute.

 

To add to your wellbeing you can add 1-2 extra hours in bed as well plus finishing on time or being able to work flexibly.  I can do the shopping or go to the gym in the middle of the day and still be finished from work by 6:30 in the evening.

 

Not sure what you mean by Health and Safety insurance.

[MJI]

25 minutes ago, AMJ said:

@MJI it's ok saying you have saved money on commuting, but  that has your employer paid you for heating, lighting your home office and the associated health and safety and insurance that you need to factor in

Electric pc was on anyway,  so very little extra, 70 to 80 min less time due to no commute

 

Better mentally and over 200 quid a month less fuel.

[MJI]

11 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

A laptop and monitor is probably 32p a day to run.

 

Heating is clearly a cost but it won’t be on all the time for the additional time at home.

 

Then you can subtract the cost of commuting, reduced car mileage for wear and tear if you drive and the simple stress of having to commute.

 

To add to your wellbeing you can add 1-2 extra hours in bed as well plus finishing on time or being able to work flexibly.  I can do the shopping or go to the gym in the middle of the day and still be finished from work by 6:30 in the evening.

 

Not sure what you mean by Health and Safety insurance.

Or work 20min overtime and still finish earlier.

[bradfordbuffer]

1 hour ago, AMJ said:

@MJI it's ok saying you have saved money on commuting, but  that has your employer paid you for heating, lighting your home office and the associated health and safety and insurance that you need to factor in

Isn't there tax benefits for 'home office?

Down side to home office the ancillary businesses close..car parks .....coffee shops....sandwich shop for lunch ....pub on way home to station easy 20 to 30 quid into economy per person per day...x5...x 48 weeks..big ripples all round suddenly the business your in takes a dip as no coffee shop owners ..buttie shops owners do not need the services you provide 😬

[MJI]

1 hour ago, bradfordbuffer said:

Isn't there tax benefits for 'home office?

Down side to home office the ancillary businesses close..car parks .....coffee shops....sandwich shop for lunch ....pub on way home to station easy 20 to 30 quid into economy per person per day...x5...x 48 weeks..big ripples all round suddenly the business your in takes a dip as no coffee shop owners ..buttie shops owners do not need the services you provide 😬

Now would you rather i gave money to petrol companies, takeaway shops, or say Wizard, high level, peco, lrm?

 

Tesco filling stations loss, is a model railway manufacturers gain.

[bradfordbuffer]

49 minutes ago, MJI said:

Now would you rather i gave money to petrol companies, takeaway shops, or say Wizard, high level, peco, lrm?

 

Tesco filling stations loss, is a model railway manufacturers gain.

Errr no didn't imply that just saying there is a eco system that go hand in hand with commuting very much like a shiny new loco bought and peco wins...new points for layout...more ballast etc.... eco system !

In now way attempting to influence your fiscal spending...

[BachelorBoy]

10 hours ago, woodenhead said:

A laptop and monitor is probably 32p a day to run.

 

 

Depreciation?

[BachelorBoy]

9 hours ago, bradfordbuffer said:

Isn't there tax benefits for 'home office?

Down side to home office the ancillary businesses close..car parks .....coffee shops....sandwich shop for lunch ....pub on way home to station easy 20 to 30 quid into economy per person per day...x5...x 48 weeks..big ripples all round suddenly the business your in takes a dip as no coffee shop owners ..buttie shops owners do not need the services you provide 😬

 

If you are a freelance model railway journalist working from home, can you claim tax relief on your layout?