Wright writes.....

[The Johnster]

If you’ve got money left for cars, pubs, and wimmin, you’re not spending enough on the railway.. 

[Northmoor]

8 hours ago, Northmoor said:

Actually I struggle even with that; the same problem that currently working from home creates.  Any "office" is temporary (build/dismantle daily) and so is a "workbench".  If my son does go off to Uni this autumn, I'm claiming squatters' rights to his desk.

My family has outgrown our house, but since our household income is still less than it was ten years ago.  A bigger house around here (big enough to justify the expense and upheaval of moving) is about £150k more than the one I'm currently living in, mortgage-free, but it's full, the garage is full, the loft is full.....

Having read everyone else's tragic (and they really are tragic in some cases) stories, I can see a connection between my house being full of stuff and the fact that my parents never threw anything of mine away without my permission, so I still have all my spotting notebooks, combined volumes and a lot of magazines.  In fact my Dad has barely got rid of anything in his life, so his house is worse.  One day I'm going to have to help him "downsize"; I'm not sure my employer will allow me that much time off.

[TrevorP1]

5 minutes ago, Jesse Sim said:

I’m in my mid 20’s and have the four most expensive hobbies in the world; Model Railways, Cars, Pub and Women....in that order 

You need sailing and flying for the full set!  

[Willie Whizz]

I honestly have no recollection of what became of my "Ian Allan Combines" etc. , and I was just too young to be allowed to go far afield on spotting expeditions before the age of Steam ended so had no other souvenirs ... but I do recall vividly what happened to virtually all the Airfix plastic model kits I built as a lad.  After hours of work they were proudly displayed on top of our TV (one of those which, as was common in the early/mid 60s, came in a large wooden flat-topped cabinet with closing doors) ... for about a fortnight ... until Mum decided it was time to give the house a good cleaning.  I don't know precisely what her 'duster technique' actually was, but invariably - even when she remembered to move them - she would every time snag and break-off propellers, wheels, masts, buffers etc.; and my skills in those days seldom extended to making an effective repair.  No amount of complaining and remonstrating had any effect; she would just say 'sorry' and give me a few bob to buy another kit, only to repeat the whole performance a couple of weeks later ... and repeat ad infinitum ...

[The Johnster]

47 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

2 hours ago, The Johnster said:

 

'cromulent'?

 

The Simpsons.  The main storyline is Lisa exposing Springfield’s town founder Jebediah Springfield as a vicious pirate. Jebediah’s statue is on a plinth with the inscription ‘a noble

spirit embiggens the smallest man.  Lisa’s teacher question’s that ‘embiggens’ is a real word; it is a local dialect word of the sort that many American towns have.  Bart’s teacher Mrs Krebapple responds that, to her knowledge, it is perfectly cromulent word, meaning valid or proper from the context.  
 

It was included in the OED recently, to

my absolute delight...

[MJI]

I have expensive tastes but I survive by not buying frequently, or buying used.

 

I love a decent TV, I have had 3 large TVs in my life. Buy best but buy carefully. I spent a reasanble amount of AV gear for films and games and the like. Did not buy low end stuff but nice midrange stuff I actually wanted. But here I am in my 50s with speakers bought in my early 20s and late 30s (new front pair).

 

I know of people who have gone through 3 or 4 TVs in the time I have had my large screen LCD TV because they bought cheap ones with problems.

 

I am totally unable to buy a boring car, but I buy S/H and keep as long as possible.

 

It is so easy to have nice things in life if you do not keep changing them.

 

But I have too many model railway coaches and not enough 47s.

[copleyhill007]

I'm lucky, I suppose. Have got my loco spotting notebooks and the combined volume I used at the time. I do look at them from time to time - certainly brings back great memories of places and people and being completely oblivious to responsibility of any sort!!!

[woodenhead]

4 hours ago, Killybegs said:

 

Too true. When I left home my father gave away all my model railway stuff without asking me. What was worse , he threw out all my 'spotting' records. These included numerous day long records of visits to the South Wales main line at Patchway that, in addition to loco numbers, included details of all the train types, reporting numbers, times, etc. He never approved of my interest in railways and argued that, as I hadn't taken them with me, I no longer wanted them. I was in 'Digs' at the time and barely had enough room to store my clothes. Such is life!

Something similar happened to me, however my Dad was responsible for my interest in trains but my old bedroom was cleared of my stuff without my knowledge and not long before he died he gave all his North American N Gauge stock away to his plumber because I didn't feel comfortable taking my 'inheritance' before he actually died.

 

I guess I had a difficult relationship with him, I dismantled the railway just before lockdown.  I took a circular saw with me to cut it up but I actually ripped it apart with my bare hands.  I loved my dad, he was difficult and he had his reasons for his behaviour which I will never go into, but I understand why he felt like he did about life and people.

[kingfisher24]

It’s always interesting to come back to this thread after a long (ish) absence. I myself have managed to get hold of a couple of older nu cast V2’s and a peppercorn A2 to keep me occupied during the enforced house arrest of corona.  They are coming along nicely as are several other projects, it seems every cloud has either mixed traffic or orange lining as during this lockdown I’ve done more modelling than I have done in a long time. 
My latest is an update of an old Hornby j83 which I have had lying about in a box for a few years, and while taking a break from kit building I thought I’d have a rummage through my bits and pieces and see what I could do with a very basic model for very little outlay. And here is the result of a couple of days work with not much else to do.  
The basic model, which is wrong in most dimensions (this I couldn’t do much about) has had all the moulded “detail” removed and all replaced with wire handrails and all the major plumbing has also been made from various gauge brass wire. A cab floor and basic cab detail added as far as possible, I can’t however fit a backhead as the gears and motor worm etc stick out too far. Strategically placed crew make this less noticeable. For the chassis I found a motor-less Bachmann pannier chassis at the bottom of a drawer plus a set of southern 0-6-0 wheels and married them together, I also found a suitable motor with the correct worn to match and the laid in in my drawing of a j83. The chassis is only out by 1mm on the rear four wheels. This I can also live with. So at the end of it I’ve gained another ex NBR loco to add to my collection.

[Jesse Sim]

3 hours ago, TrevorP1 said:

You need sailing and flying for the full set!  

That’s how I feel walking back from the pub 

[Iain.d]

Contributors on this forum/thread often mention time as one of the restrictions they have on their modelling. I’m much the same, so what I try and do is break my modelling into chunks of time or smaller tasks that can be done in limited time.  This might range from 10 minutes upwards to whatever time is available or appropriate among all the other things I need to do. Saying that, I don’t think I would have the ability to model all day – even if time allowed of course!

 

In achieving this I will often batch build things like subcomponents that I know I’m going to need for models in the to-do list. Coach underframes, corridor connectors are examples, that may even be broken down further (such as making all the queen posts for all the underframes and then all the brake hangers for all the underframes and then all the battery boxes and so on). I’m trying to use whatever time I have effectively.

 

We don’t watch much telly in our house, perhaps an hour a night when something of interest is on (currently Australian Masterchef…) and during that time I will normally bring a few bits and tools through to the TV room and work on them while the telly is on in the background. I’m happy and the family are happy that we’re altogether. I’m very lucky too that I have a modelling room office library where I can leave things set up and do the things I can’t do in front of the telly. I find that on the sofa I’m less rushed or distracted than when sat at my modelling bench. I’m also very lucky that my partner tolerates brass, white metal and plastic card filings on the furniture. If I lose something on the carpet she’ll often say, ‘don’t worry the vacuum will find it tomorrow!’

 

I also think one of the other skills we need (as well as being able to do the basic physical skills of modelling) is to think about what we are modelling and how we might want it to look it or put it together. Historically I would buy something like a Kirk coach kit or a Parkside wagon kit, get home and build it and paint it in an evening. I never really considered or took the time (…time again…) to think about what I wanted it to look like, what extras could I add to it, how I could make it better. That bit usually happened after I had glued it all together and it was too late, but then when I bought the next one I did the same thing all over again! Nowadays I make myself slow down and take the time to consider these things, this has helped my modelling no end; it often means I get things right first time so I don’t have to use valuable modelling time putting the errors right. Does it really matter if I it finish tonight or next week? Not really.

 

Gee, this thread moves fast, living in a different time zone doesn’t help……

 

Kind regards,

Iain

[St Enodoc]

57 minutes ago, Iain.d said:

something of interest is on (currently Australian Masterchef…)

Are you sure about that?

[Tony Wright]

8 hours ago, The Johnster said:

The Simpsons.  The main storyline is Lisa exposing Springfield’s town founder Jebediah Springfield as a vicious pirate. Jebediah’s statue is on a plinth with the inscription ‘a noble

spirit embiggens the smallest man.  Lisa’s teacher question’s that ‘embiggens’ is a real word; it is a local dialect word of the sort that many American towns have.  Bart’s teacher Mrs Krebapple responds that, to her knowledge, it is perfectly cromulent word, meaning valid or proper from the context.  
 

It was included in the OED recently, to

my absolute delight...

I'm delighted,

 

I've learned a new word today; many thanks.

 

Words are tools; the more you have, the more you can do with them.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, john new said:

 

I think there are two different strands running concurrently and this is a very sweeping generalisation to which there will always be exceptions:-

 

1) Those of us who fit the mould of the join clubs/societies & volunteer generation (pre war thro' to baby boomers) - in the main ageing and being replaced by a much smaller % of those younger than us.

 

2) Modellers and rail enthusiasts younger than set (1) - possibly a smaller absolute number, just as keen, but they don't join physical societies in the way set (1) people did, they buy in services rather than contribute by volunteering and via the internet get and share what they need. Modern life is different and I know from the circumstances of younger members of the family that it isn't that young people are lazy, their whole life pattern is now 24/7 not 9-5 and club activities can't necessarily fit or be afforded.

 

 

Thanks John,

 

I did express the perils of generalisation in a recent post.

 

Might we conclude, then, that model railway clubs will (naturally) die out - some in the not-too-distant future? And, because clubs are responsible for putting on the majority of shows, many of these will go as well? 

 

I'm lucky enough to belong to three clubs; two are still doing 'all right', but one is in terminal decline and I'll be surprised if it lasts more than 18 months. Of the others, though still with a healthy membership, one has an average age of 'retirement'. The other is the only one to have a junior section, but that's always in a state of flux, because, once further education occurs, few come back. Thus, there is always  big 'gap' in members' ages. 

 

One problem with junior members in clubs is that they must always be supervised by a 'qualified' member, or by an adult turning up with them - parent/relative. When I first joined Chester MRC, my friend and I just went along (being scolded for running our crude 'toys' on hand-built track!). We always felt 'safe'. 

 

Could it be then that Covid 19 has, unwittingly, given us a glimpse of the future of railway modelling? A virtual 'reality'! One where no tables/chairs have to be moved to clear classrooms for a show, nor great big layouts lifted in and out of vans, having travelled hundreds of miles? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[polybear]

32 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Words are tools; the more you have, the more you can do with them.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

I've got a hammer, a screwdriver, a monkey wrench and a crowbar then....

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Could it be then that Covid 19 has, unwittingly, given us a glimpse of the future of railway modelling? A virtual 'reality'! One where no tables/chairs have to be moved to clear classrooms for a show, nor great big layouts lifted in and out of vans, having travelled hundreds of miles? 

I do hope not.

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

One problem with junior members in clubs is that they must always be supervised by a 'qualified' member, or by an adult turning up with them - parent/relative. When I first joined Chester MRC, my friend and I just went along (being scolded for running our crude 'toys' on hand-built track!). We always felt 'safe'. 

 

1 hour ago, Lantavian said:

I joined my local club in my early teens in the 1970s.

 

I felt safe.

 

But one of the members was later jailed for being #######.

 

So I probably wasn't safe. Just lucky.

I was 15 when I first joined a local club (the Mill Hill & District Railway Circle), also in the early 70s. They had to get special dispensation from their landlord (a big brewery, as the club met in the attic of a tied house. They later moved to a bigger attic in a different tied house) for my schoolmate and me to walk through the bar to the back stairs to get to the clubroom.

 

I don't think there was ever a "safety" question as there were always at least half-a dozen adult members around - unless they were all "at it", which there was never any sign of. I suspect that our respective fathers would have done some discreet background checks before allowing us to join anyway.

[Hollar]

1 hour ago, Lantavian said:

I joined my local club in my early teens in the 1970s.

 

I felt safe.

 

But one of the members was later jailed for being #######.

 

So I probably wasn't safe. Just lucky. 

 

 

Like most men in their 70s, I can get irritated by some aspects of our more formalised society.  But safeguarding definitely isn't one of them, and when I was a cricket coach and umpire I was always perfectly happy with the bureaucracy surrounding children in clubs and with my responsibilities in law.  And I've seen too many predators coming through court to think that the current situation is foolproof.

 

Tone

[Tony Teague]

10 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

I’m in my mid 20’s and have the four most expensive hobbies in the world; Model Railways, Cars, Pub and Women....in that order 

 

10 hours ago, TrevorP1 said:

You need sailing and flying for the full set!  

 

I'm a little surprised that you don't include photography on the list, and speaking from experience, I am sure you will be amazed at some point, as to how fast women can move to the top of the chart!

[MJI]

Just been reading a thread about new Bachmann DMUs.

 

As usual complaints about the wrong type they want, liveries they want and the ability to mix and match.

 

However they are in the region of £300.

 

That is just too much for me and I see no reason to replace my 5 Lima 3 car sets.

 

Are they actually cost 4 times the price of a second hand Lima set with DMS section and Shawplan glazing? Especially when the razor saw comes out. Even if you remotor the Lima still around half at most.

 

Would be interesting to know Clives thoughts.

[Chamby]

10 minutes ago, Tony Teague said:

 

 

I'm a little surprised that you don't include photography on the list, and speaking from experience, I am sure you will be amazed at some point, as to how fast women can move to the top of the chart!

 

You’re obviously attracted to the wrong sort of woman.  I am very lucky, Having found one who is not high-maintenance, still loves me to bits and fully supports my hobby.

 

Owning a boat was my biggest money-pit by far.  Sustaining two 300hp Volvo lorry engines cooled by saltwater, mostly tied up against a very expensive berth in The Solent... although I really loved that boat I gave it up after five years of very negative cash flow.  If I recall this as a benchmark, I can erase any feelings of guilt about my spending on model railways!

[Wingman Mothergoose]

7 minutes ago, Chamby said:

 

You’re obviously attracted to the wrong sort of woman.  I am very lucky, Having found one who is not high-maintenance, still loves me to bits and fully supports my hobby.

 

Owning a boat was my biggest money-pit by far.  Sustaining two 300hp Volvo lorry engines cooled by saltwater, mostly tied up against a very expensive berth in The Solent... although I really loved that boat I gave it up after five years of very negative cash flow.  If I recall this as a benchmark, I can erase any feelings of guilt about my spending on model railways!

Amen to that!

I'm also lucky in having found a woman that isn't high maintenance and takes more than a passing interest in my hobby, to the extent that she is keen to accompany me on the various field trips I've taken to the two locations that were the basis of my last two layouts.

Speaking of money pits, I've owned various Alfa Romeos over the last few years, so I kind of do have a high maintenance mistress, in that these cars take a lot of looking after compared to others(although the driving experience is fantastic)....

[Coach bogie]

My wife is quite high maintenance but it very supportive, as long as I do not spread my models all over the house. You take your life in your hands if you dare belittle Hubby's hobby. Her instant response is 'he may have some funny habits, he thinks I don't know when he has sneaked some expensive into the shed but I know where he is and what he is doing. Where is your husband tonight? Playing golf. If you say so!'

 

Mike Wiltshire

Edited June 10, 2020 by Coach bogie

[Wingman Mothergoose]

24 minutes ago, MJI said:

Just been reading a thread about new Bachmann DMUs.

 

As usual complaints about the wrong type they want, liveries they want and the ability to mix and match.

 

However they are in the region of £300.

 

That is just too much for me and I see no reason to replace my 5 Lima 3 car sets.

 

Are they actually cost 4 times the price of a second hand Lima set with DMS section and Shawplan glazing? Especially when the razor saw comes out. Even if you remotor the Lima still around half at most.

 

Would be interesting to know Clives thoughts.

I looked at the Bachmann DMUs too Martin.

The price is staggering, and to think I was considering replacing my Hornby(ex Lima tooling) class 101 with the current Bachmann 101! Think I paid around £60 for my 3 car Hornby 101, and it's DCC ready too. Yes, the Bachmann is newer and the detailing is fantastic, and it has NEM pockets and is relatively close coupled, but the Hornby model is a great runner, the detailing isn't THAT bad, its flush glazed, and I'm in the process of updating it with the later Hornby bogies with NEM pockets at either end and will move onto close coupling and corridor connectors at some point too. 

 

[TrevorP1]

31 minutes ago, Chamby said:

 

You’re obviously attracted to the wrong sort of woman.  I am very lucky, Having found one who is not high-maintenance, still loves me to bits and fully supports my hobby.

 

Owning a boat was my biggest money-pit by far.  Sustaining two 300hp Volvo lorry engines cooled by saltwater, mostly tied up against a very expensive berth in The Solent... although I really loved that boat I gave it up after five years of very negative cash flow.  If I recall this as a benchmark, I can erase any feelings of guilt about my spending on model railways!

 

Small world. My cousin was into that kind of thing. As well as model aircraft and fast(ish) cars, he had a similar vessel. A pair of Volve Penta engines, it could make 35 knots on open water. Terry wouldn't spend any more that he had to though - he lived in Hamble but the boat was moored in Bursledon! Like yourself he didn't have that particular boat very long and was forced to 'downsize'.