Wright writes.....

[Northmoor]

10 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Speaking of really-cheap locos/stock, I visited a show today (and stayed little more than 15 minutes, so little did it interest me - apart from a small N Gauge branch line terminus) where second-hand stuff was anything but cheap. Having bought a new-style Hornby B12/3 (complete with DCC decoder) from Elaine's Trains last weekend for £75.00, I was astonished to see an old-style Hornby B12/3 for almost that! 

 

Obviously, it pays to shop around. 

There is certainly some good value to be found with traders at shows, but so often I look at the secondhand selection, particularly things like that 1970s Hornby brake van and think, "HOW MUCH?!".  So often at shows and swapmeets you can overhear the traders moaning to each other about how slow trade is, but I have very little sympathy.  How many of them are selling far too many very old models made in the tens of thousands, for which there is clearly very little demand?  They are pricing at a level that might cover their costs; the problem is that they keep building up their stocks with things that are very slow to sell (and then carting it round the country for months).  They don't need to pay less for it, they need to not buy it at all. 

[GMKAT7]

Good evening Tony,

 

Thanks very much for the tip about darkening the pick up strips on the underframe.

I need to acquire a black marker pen for another job, so it will be a useful addition.

 

Cheers, Nigel.

[MJI]

4 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good afternoon Nigel,

 

Thanks for showing these. I've certainly not replaced the handrails on the Hornby pannier, though I have painted it black and will fit replacement 'plates for 8729 when they arrive from 247 Developments. Why 8729? It was one of Chester's pet panniers all those years ago, where she could be seen on pilot duty all day long. 

 

One tip, if I may? Seconds with a lick of matt black paint and those bright pick-ups disappear (not where they touch the wheel, of course). 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

One of my first detailing was replacing hand rails on a Triang A3 with wire. Daylight under the boiler, a 5 pole motor and a repaint with white black white lining, just needs etched nameplates, one day it will get them.

[Ian Rathbone]

3 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

How about a picture which would rate very highly in the 'most-unlikely' situations?

 

 

A P2 on the loading dock road at Little Bytham.

 

I had some friends round to run the railway yesterday evening, and I'd parked 2003 in this position for them to observe it and pass comment (which they did, favourably). With it still sitting there this evening, I thought I'd take its picture. 

It’s a pity that the P2 is spoiled by the heavy (and slightly misshapen) white line at the smoke box. They can get the red lines looking good, so why not the white? 
 

This is more like it -

 

 

Model built by Mike Edge.

 

Ian R

[MikeCW]

I have followed the developing discussion, in this thread and elsewhere, on the financial cost of railway modelling and the possibilities which “budget modelling” holds to make the hobby affordable for more participants.  I agree with most of the contributions but have one significant reservation. All of us are probably familiar with the old saw that the young have no money to do the things for which they have the energy and enthusiasm and the old have the money but lack the “mojo”.  I think there is an analogous situation in railway modelling.

 

Earlier this year I went to a small-but-good model railway exhibition. A young family – Mum, Dad and two boys aged about 6 and 8 – were standing nearby, obviously captivated by some of the layouts on display. Later I saw the four of them approach one of the retailers’ stands and start looking at new Hornby train sets. The parents were visibly shocked by the prices and hastily moved on.  I’m certain that there will be no model railways in that house for some time.

 

There were no tables of second-hand stock at this venue but, even if there had been, I don’t think they would have made much difference to this family. Such tables are often filled with a mixture of junk and gems both cheap and overpriced. And here in New Zealand they often have a mix of European, American and British models of various ages and wheel standards. How would those parents know what second-hand items to buy and would they have the experience and skills to help their sons get a layout up and running – let alone to modify and detail the engines and rolling stock?

 

Which brings me to where I started. By and large one needs to have the experience to recognise a candidate for an upgrade and to have developed the skills to carry out the upgrade with a reasonable chance of success. So the second-hand tables and bargain bins may be a great hunting ground for the impecunious modeller with a modicum of experience but may not be a solution to the cost of entry for many, perhaps most, new-comers to this hobby.

 

My personal preference is to restore and upgrade older, second-hand engines and rolling stock rather than buy new.  But I have 50 years of experience to help me discern what is a “good buy” viz. an item which, with work, could become an acceptable addition to my layout.  And I have learnt (sometimes the hard way) the limits of my modelling skills. But for the complete novice the second-hand market can be a source of mistakes; perhaps less expensive than if buying new, but with a financial risk nonetheless.

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, Ian Rathbone said:

It’s a pity that the P2 is spoiled by the heavy (and slightly misshapen) white line at the smoke box. They can get the red lines looking good, so why not the white? 
 

This is more like it -

 

 

Model built by Mike Edge.

 

Ian R

Good morning Ian,

 

A superlative paint job, as always. However (there's always an 'however'), something didn't look right; then it dawned on me. The driving wheels have two too many spokes (20, instead of 18), making the 'underneath' look too green.

 

I know this might be akin to 'rivet counting' (and, certainly, nobody can count spokes as a loco bowls by), but the 'lack of space' between the spokes, made more noticeable by their being green, just looks a bit odd. Is the model to 4mm scale?

 

You're right about the nose-lining, of course, but I would make one comment, if I may? I've seen this latest Hornby P2 offered for sale at around £230.00 (at least £20.00 less than recommended retail price), which makes it (at least to me) excellent value for money. I don't ask you to disclose what you charged for your peerless painting of something like the P2 you've featured, but (assuming it's 4mm) might it not be far off the asking price for the RTR P2?

 

Do you remember painting this P2 for me?

 

 

 

I have never seen LNER painting any better! I built it from a scaled-down ACE kit (well, I used some of the bits, scratch-building/altering a fair amount).

 

The nearest RTR equivalent I've got is this.........

 

 

Hornby's manifestation of the new-build P2 (both have the correct number of spokes in their driving wheels). 

 

What's the point of this comparison, or should I say contrast? 

 

The one I built, with your matchless painting cost my customer (even at mate's rates) the wrong side of four figures! 

 

For that, you (the generic 'you') can buy four of Hornby's latest RTR P2s, and still have change for a a visit to the flics and a fish supper! 

 

Yes, there are areas where RTR locos can (and should?) be better, but we (the generic 'we') have never had it so good.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

14 hours ago, MikeCW said:

I have followed the developing discussion, in this thread and elsewhere, on the financial cost of railway modelling and the possibilities which “budget modelling” holds to make the hobby affordable for more participants.  I agree with most of the contributions but have one significant reservation. All of us are probably familiar with the old saw that the young have no money to do the things for which they have the energy and enthusiasm and the old have the money but lack the “mojo”.  I think there is an analogous situation in railway modelling.

 

Earlier this year I went to a small-but-good model railway exhibition. A young family – Mum, Dad and two boys aged about 6 and 8 – were standing nearby, obviously captivated by some of the layouts on display. Later I saw the four of them approach one of the retailers’ stands and start looking at new Hornby train sets. The parents were visibly shocked by the prices and hastily moved on.  I’m certain that there will be no model railways in that house for some time.

 

There were no tables of second-hand stock at this venue but, even if there had been, I don’t think they would have made much difference to this family. Such tables are often filled with a mixture of junk and gems both cheap and overpriced. And here in New Zealand they often have a mix of European, American and British models of various ages and wheel standards. How would those parents know what second-hand items to buy and would they have the experience and skills to help their sons get a layout up and running – let alone to modify and detail the engines and rolling stock?

 

Which brings me to where I started. By and large one needs to have the experience to recognise a candidate for an upgrade and to have developed the skills to carry out the upgrade with a reasonable chance of success. So the second-hand tables and bargain bins may be a great hunting ground for the impecunious modeller with a modicum of experience but may not be a solution to the cost of entry for many, perhaps most, new-comers to this hobby.

 

My personal preference is to restore and upgrade older, second-hand engines and rolling stock rather than buy new.  But I have 50 years of experience to help me discern what is a “good buy” viz. an item which, with work, could become an acceptable addition to my layout.  And I have learnt (sometimes the hard way) the limits of my modelling skills. But for the complete novice the second-hand market can be a source of mistakes; perhaps less expensive than if buying new, but with a financial risk nonetheless.

Good morning Mike,

 

A most interesting set of observations. Thank you.

 

My experience of yesterday (apart from having an excellent lunch enjoyed by Mo and me in Uppingham) was one of disappointment. I'm actively seeking 'bargain basement' model railway stuff for upgrades, but the prices asked (for in some cases, tat) were way beyond that remit. You're right, of course, that the inexperienced might not know what to look for and what to pay, but last weekend I obtained the models I've been featuring (two locomotives - which both worked well - and four items of rolling stock for £40.00). Even if not everything can be 'upgraded' to 'satisfaction', that's still relatively little to pay. 

 

Antique shops can be a source as well as second-hand traders. Last week, in Grantham, a Tri-ang Nellie was going for a tenner (I assumed it worked, but it's not an 'accurate' enough starting point for my articles), though almost £100.00 was being asked for a Hornby O Gauge clockwork trainset - a BR black 0-4-0T, two (slightly-dented) carriages and a circle of track.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

Edited October 1, 2023 by Tony Wright
to close brackets

[Michael Edge]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Ian,

 

A superlative paint job, as always. However (there's always an 'however'), something didn't look right; then it dawned on me. The driving wheels have two too many spokes (20, instead of 18), making the 'underneath' look too green.

 

I know this might be akin to 'rivet counting' (and, certainly, nobody can count spokes as a loco bowls by), but the 'lack of space' between the spokes, made more noticeable by their being green, just looks a bit odd. Is the model to 4mm scale?

 

 

 

Hornby's manifestation of the new-build P2 (both have the correct number of spokes in their driving wheels). 

 

What's the point of this comparison, or should I say contrast? 

 

The one I built, with your matchless painting cost my customer (even at mate's rates) the wrong side of four figures! 

 

For that, you (the generic 'you') can buy four of Hornby's latest RTR P2s, and still have change for a a visit to the flics and a fish supper! 

 

Yes, there are areas where RTR locos can (and should?) be better, but we (the generic 'we') have never had it so good.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I built this in 2005 (and it was supposed to be No. 2003, not 2004), I don't think the correct wheels were available then. These are Gibson 4874L which I think were the nearest I could get at the time. Yes it is 4mm scale, 00 gauge, one of only two streamined P2s I have built - although I've done lots more of the first two in their original form.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

17 hours ago, Northmoor said:

...So often at shows and swapmeets you can overhear the traders moaning to each other about how slow trade is, but I have very little sympathy.  How many of them are selling far too many very old models made in the tens of thousands, for which there is clearly very little demand?  They are pricing at a level that might cover their costs; the problem is that they keep building up their stocks with things that are very slow to sell (and then carting it round the country for months).  They don't need to pay less for it, they need to not buy it at all. 

I have no sympathy whatsoever. This trade is constrained to scoop up as much as possible at a low price to generate false scarcity, in order to have a selling price that makes the trade possible. The sooner it becomes commercially impossible the better.

 

At a small local show earlier this year at which the club's fundraiser sales stand was the sole such operation, the most useful old RTR wagons from Airfix GMR and others, and kit builds, were good buys at under a fiver. Plenty of custom as a result.

[polybear]

22 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Even though my 'really-cheap' models are not destined to run on Little Bytham, I thought I'd take a couple of pictures with the PO wagon and the brake van featured....

 

 

Between a kit-built LMS van and an ex-Airfix PO wagon, for 50p, some couplings, a set of wheels and weathering - tolerable? 

 

Far better than tolerable to my eye - I'd happily feel proud to run that; I rather like the weathering.

[Tony Wright]

18 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

I built this in 2005 (and it was supposed to be No. 2003, not 2004), I don't think the correct wheels were available then. These are Gibson 4874L which I think were the nearest I could get at the time. Yes it is 4mm scale, 00 gauge, one of only two streamined P2s I have built - although I've done lots more of the first two in their original form.

Thanks Mike,

 

It's beautifully-built; from scratch or from a kit?

 

I don't know when it was that Markits produced a 20-spoke driving wheel to go under LNER 6' 8" Pacifics and an 18-spoke driver to go underneath those fitted with 6' 2" ones (and the V2s and B1s), but they made a remarkable visual difference. That said, I still have at least a dozen DJH A1s fitted with the older-style 22-spoke, 26mm  Romfords (supplied at the time in the kits). I live with them, because I'm not going to order over 70 20-spoke Romford drivers to replace them! As noted, it is more-noticeable if the wheels are painted green rather than black.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

10 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Far better than tolerable to my eye - I'd happily feel proud to run that; I rather like the weathering.

Thanks Brian,

 

The weathering is applied using just a sable, matt black and matt brown enamels, thinners and cotton buds.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[thegreenhowards]

On 30/09/2023 at 20:01, Tony Wright said:

Speaking of really-cheap locos/stock, I visited a show today (and stayed little more than 15 minutes, so little did it interest me - apart from a small N Gauge branch line terminus) where second-hand stuff was anything but cheap. Having bought a new-style Hornby B12/3 (complete with DCC decoder) from Elaine's Trains last weekend for £75.00, I was astonished to see an old-style Hornby B12/3 for almost that! 

 

Obviously, it pays to shop around. 

 

 

My impression is that the second hand market has peaked. Prices rose dramatically 10+ years ago as eBay took off and created a much wider market for second hand kit. Traders took a while to catch up and there were still a lot of bargains at toy fairs and model railway shows. More recently I’ve noticed far less bargains at physical shows as traders have woken up to higher prices although a few bargains are still there where people are trying to shift stuff quickly.

 

However, in the last year or so, eBay prices seemed to have gone into reverse, perhaps due to the cost of living crisis or perhaps due to Tony’s oft quoted fear over the demographics of the hobby? In due course I hope that traders at shows will recognise this, but there will probably be quite a lag.

In the meantime, our club has just bought a job lot of old model railway kit and we have wagons at £1 and coaches at £3 for a short while!
 

Andy

 

[Tony Wright]

27 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

My impression is that the second hand market has peaked. Prices rose dramatically 10+ years ago as eBay took off and created a much wider market for second hand kit. Traders took a while to catch up and there were still a lot of bargains at toy fairs and model railway shows. More recently I’ve noticed far less bargains at physical shows as traders have woken up to higher prices although a few bargains are still there where people are trying to shift stuff quickly.

 

However, in the last year or so, eBay prices seemed to have gone into reverse, perhaps due to the cost of living crisis or perhaps due to Tony’s oft quoted fear over the demographics of the hobby? In due course I hope that traders at shows will recognise this, but there will probably be quite a lag.

In the meantime, our club has just bought a job lot of old model railway kit and we have wagons at £1 and coaches at £3 for a short while!
 

Andy

 

Good morning Andy,

 

Thanks for that. Most-interesting.

 

I have a certain sympathy for traders - in many cases, it's their living after all. 

 

Normally, I don't have the slightest interest in second-hand stalls at shows (unless, usually hidden away underneath, there's a kit, often at a very low price because it's not the traders normal market). However, charged with doing a series on low-cost modelling for BRM, I've been looking around more. I don't know if it's the done thing to recommend establishments (if not, the moderators will remove this post), but, from my recent experience, Elaine's Trains, Anoraks Anonymous and the model shop in Grantham have provided me with exceptionally-good-value items, ideal for the 'mucking about' I'm doing. Indeed, in the case of the Grantham shop, I'm invited to rummage through boxes of stuff to find just what I want. The same invitation has been offered by Elaine. 

 

I'm sure other traders will do the same, but there is clearly a wide disparity with regard to what some second-hand traders are asking for their wares.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

Edited October 2, 2023 by Tony Wright
clumsy grammar

[Northmoor]

59 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

However, in the last year or so, eBay prices seemed to have gone into reverse, perhaps due to the cost of living crisis or perhaps due to Tony’s oft quoted fear over the demographics of the hobby? In due course I hope that traders at shows will recognise this, but there will probably be quite a lag.

In the meantime, our club has just bought a job lot of old model railway kit and we have wagons at £1 and coaches at £3 for a short while.

You can look forward to those same traders buying up much of the stock, sealing each vehicle in a plastic bag and charging £4 for the wagons and £10 for the coaches.

 

Railway modelling for some has probably gone the way of a lot of new pastimes taken up during the pandemic.  People working from home for the first time suddenly had extra hours - especially if they were furloughed - to undertake the things they'd promised themselves for years.  Now back at work and returning to the office increasingly often, those half-finished projects are an obvious target if the cost of living is hitting home.  

 

It has happened in other hobbies; there was a strange period during the early lockdowns when an old motorcycle, not in great condition but with an MOT, was selling for LESS than an identical model straight out of a shed, usually described using terms like For Spares/Repair, Restoration Project, Barn Find etc.  A lot of those "unfinished projects" are now back on the market, probably for the reasons I've suggested above.

[thegreenhowards]

29 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

You can look forward to those same traders buying up much of the stock, sealing each vehicle in a plastic bag and charging £4 for the wagons and £10 for the coaches.

 

Railway modelling for some has probably gone the way of a lot of new pastimes taken up during the pandemic.  People working from home for the first time suddenly had extra hours - especially if they were furloughed - to undertake the things they'd promised themselves for years.  Now back at work and returning to the office increasingly often, those half-finished projects are an obvious target if the cost of living is hitting home.  

 

It has happened in other hobbies; there was a strange period during the early lockdowns when an old motorcycle, not in great condition but with an MOT, was selling for LESS than an identical model straight out of a shed, usually described using terms like For Spares/Repair, Restoration Project, Barn Find etc.  A lot of those "unfinished projects" are now back on the market, probably for the reasons I've suggested above.

It does amuse me how they think a nice sealed plastic bag adds value!

 

I don’t trade on a regular basis but when someone contacts the club with an estate sale, I see it as an opportunity to offer a benefit to club members. Anything left over, I flog on eBay.

 

Andy

[t-b-g]

It is interesting just how much second hand "tat" there is knocking about. Most shows have a few stands selling it, often at prices that no discerning modeller would pay for such poor models. Perhaps they hope to catch the family market, where the discernment level is just not there.

 

It is also interesting how different modellers approach the hobby from a "low budget" angle.

 

For me, tarting up a poor quality old RTR model isn't a route I have ever considered.

 

For many years, my spending on railways had to be very restricted but it didn't stop me enjoying the hobby. I have seen people posting on here about packing in the hobby because of the high cost of RTR items and it always makes me smile.

 

I just started less ambitious projects that allowed me to build more for myself. A sheet of 40 thou plastic will make quite a few 7 plank coal wagons and if you are half decent, they will be better than the poor RTR offerings from decades ago. I bought a few components like wheels, axleboxes, buffers and etched W irons, so the total cost of each wagon was probably more than the cheapest "tat" secondhand RTR but I wasn't trying to stock a huge layout so the overall outlay was reasonable. You can get etched brake gear fairly cheaply and easily too and sometimes I used etches, sometimes I made my own.

 

I taught myself how to scratchbuild locos, carriages and wagons and pretty much anything else I needed.

 

I wonder how many people there are in the hobby adopting that approach on expenditure grounds today? Not many would be my guess but it is certainly another way to enjoy the hobby with limited finances.

 

Nowadays I could afford to buy things if I wanted to but I still choose to make them myself, either from kits or from scratch because of the satisfaction that I gain from doing things that way.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

3 hours ago, t-b-g said:

It is also interesting how different modellers approach the hobby from a "low budget" angle.

Many angles, mine is probably best described as 'budget containment' to support my principal interest, which is operation. The advent of RTR OO of 'competent kit builder standard' was the game changer:  I am very happy for 'others' to operate the loco, carriage and wagon works, while aiming to acquire their outputs - much as the LNER got its O4's - for the best possible price, which usually means second hand. Happily this hobby appears to be rich in quickly bored personalities, the exercise of a little patience is all that is required.

 

Occasional bursts of kit building and bashing sometimes intrudes on the operational priority, but not for long; a distinct lack of numbers and the like is concealed by a combination  of steam railway filth and constant motion...

[Michael Edge]

12 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Mike,

 

It's beautifully-built; from scratch or from a kit?

 

 

A bit of both, I etched the frames, motion and a few other bits but the rest of it seems to be scratchbuilt.

[Tony Wright]

The usual monthly get together turned into six weeks since the last session, but Little Bytham was operated today by Sandra Orpen, George Stevenson, David Rae and me (poor Geoff West is isolating with Covid!). It was almost perfect operation (we really are getting better at this railway driving thing). Thanks you all for operating so diligently, and here's to the next get together (when we'll be driving Retford!). 

 

As usual, my interest was aroused by what was brought..............

 

Including............

 

 

 

This Crownline/PDK A2/1, brought by Sandra. She bought it from Hattons as a 'poor runner' (actually, a non-runner), but after some tweaking and adjustment it now runs very, very well. It tows a Bachmann tender. The builder is unknown.

 

David Rae brought along..............

 

 

This Bec J17 which he'd built/painted.

 

It made an interesting comparison with the same-numbered J17............

 

 

I'd built/painted from a Crownline kit, which Tom Foster weathered for me.

 

He brought along another Bec J17.......

 

 

Bought from the estate of the late John Brown of Spalding MRC. 

 

All fascinating stuff. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

13 minutes ago, Michael Edge said:

A bit of both, I etched the frames, motion and a few other bits but the rest of it seems to be scratchbuilt.

Superlative!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

8 hours ago, t-b-g said:

It is interesting just how much second hand "tat" there is knocking about. Most shows have a few stands selling it, often at prices that no discerning modeller would pay for such poor models. Perhaps they hope to catch the family market, where the discernment level is just not there.

 

It is also interesting how different modellers approach the hobby from a "low budget" angle.

 

For me, tarting up a poor quality old RTR model isn't a route I have ever considered.

 

For many years, my spending on railways had to be very restricted but it didn't stop me enjoying the hobby. I have seen people posting on here about packing in the hobby because of the high cost of RTR items and it always makes me smile.

 

I just started less ambitious projects that allowed me to build more for myself. A sheet of 40 thou plastic will make quite a few 7 plank coal wagons and if you are half decent, they will be better than the poor RTR offerings from decades ago. I bought a few components like wheels, axleboxes, buffers and etched W irons, so the total cost of each wagon was probably more than the cheapest "tat" secondhand RTR but I wasn't trying to stock a huge layout so the overall outlay was reasonable. You can get etched brake gear fairly cheaply and easily too and sometimes I used etches, sometimes I made my own.

 

I taught myself how to scratchbuild locos, carriages and wagons and pretty much anything else I needed.

 

I wonder how many people there are in the hobby adopting that approach on expenditure grounds today? Not many would be my guess but it is certainly another way to enjoy the hobby with limited finances.

 

Nowadays I could afford to buy things if I wanted to but I still choose to make them myself, either from kits or from scratch because of the satisfaction that I gain from doing things that way.

Good evening Tony,

 

Tarting up poor quality old RTR models isn't my normal route to producing locos/rolling stock, as you know.

 

It's for a series of articles for BRM, which I hope will prove to be of some interest. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[t-b-g]

4 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Tony,

 

Tarting up poor quality old RTR models isn't my normal route to producing locos/rolling stock, as you know.

 

It's for a series of articles for BRM, which I hope will prove to be of some interest. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

I would find it very odd writing a series of articles on "How I don't model".

 

Do as I say, not as I do!

[Tony Wright]

43 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

 

I would find it very odd writing a series of articles on "How I don't model".

 

Do as I say, not as I do!

'Do as I say, not as I do!'

 

Exactly! 

 

Have you ever been a teacher, Tony?

 

Seriously, if modellers with experience are not prepared to help those with little or none (not from the point of view of 'I've built over 600 locos, so this is the way to do it') then I see no point in carrying on. 

 

You've explained your (laudable) approach to your own 'budget' modelling, but not everyone has the skills or motivation you possess. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[t-b-g]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

'Do as I say, not as I do!'

 

Exactly! 

 

Have you ever been a teacher, Tony?

 

Seriously, if modellers with experience are not prepared to help those with little or none (not from the point of view of 'I've built over 600 locos, so this is the way to do it') then I see no point in carrying on. 

 

You've explained your (laudable) approach to your own 'budget' modelling, but not everyone has the skills or motivation you possess. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Absolutely agree with you Tony.

 

Like all of us, I started as a complete novice and took the time and trouble to develop whatever skills I have over 50 years (and I am still learning now). I accept that not everybody wants to go down the same route as me but that doesn't stop me wanting to put it forward as a possibility in the hope that some might try it and actually get to like it. I am sure there will still be many who will see a Triang wagon from the 1960s as more than adequate for them.

 

I am sure you will produce an interesting series of articles. I hope that you will cover the joys of making things from a few cheap raw materials as part of it.

 

I don't have 1% of your experience in writing articles for magazines but when I read about what you are doing for the magazine, the thought passed very quickly through my brain that if anybody ever asked me to write an article that isn't about how I actually carry out my modelling, I would really struggle. I will bore people silly all day long if they want to discuss how I build things but I wouldn't be too interested in writing articles teaching them how I don't.