westernviscount

The scope of the discussion has at times taken on the wider view of youtube. I thought this might be reasonable. I regret that you feel I dont like you. I don't know you. You are clearly highly intelligent and passionate about what you do. As far as I can see those who are disparaging of youtube or youtubers are in the minority here. If you say otherwise then I will take that as factual as I don't intend to analyse this.

Ok Colin. Again sorry to read that. Contempt and prejudice? I think we might need to preserve this language for issues and people that are deserving of them. The support for youtube on this thread is overwhelming. Wasn't a trillion views for minecraft vids alone surpassed recently on youtube? Everyone agreeing with me is of little interest and I might suggest the desire for universal adoration is apparent on the other side of the argument. It concerns me that with the overwhelming support here, the continual expansion of youtube and other platforms whilst traditional media recedes, what it is people actually want? Anyway, thoughts on a thread re-title are welcome. I have a couple ;-)

No, and I am sorry to read that.

Thank ESS. Got a couple more vans I need to knuckle down and crack on with. Bit cold for priming though!!

It will surprise you corbs but I am familar with your podcasts having enjoyed the Thompson episode and Mr Gravett although I prefer stuff about facts and method. I also bought 2 of your multi gauges, one gifted to my Dad. As I say, your podcasts in terms of your knowledge are great. The youtube ones are a little about mutual appreciation and the form so of less interest to me (but my thoughts are established there). In honesty corbs, i havent been near podcasts or youtube for a while now and am making decisions on how I consume stuff. If you were reliant on the likes of me there wouldnt be much hope but you make a strong case for there being a wide audience ripe for your stuff. Youtube is becoming my new facebook (switch it off, dont go back;-)) As for your youtube stuff I have not dabbled.

Because it's a good question which i felt appears to have a definite answer of YES but I felt NO. Because as I grow older I see the hobby change and in truth, it appears less accessible because of the showcasing of vast spaces with loads of DCC sound locos. I think also I had recently watched the famed sam's trains paddling pool video and one of a kit being built to an objectively poor standard.

I agree. There is a propensity for crowds to cherry pick "fun, cute" bits of ASC and wider SEN in order to perhaps virtue signal an accepting attitude but in turn fail to recognise the whole person. It is reasonable that lots of people have an incomplete understanding of various conditions. Many like to self diagnose OCD when they like to clean stuff which is a world away from just how debilitating it can manifest as. It isnt helped of course when assumptions are made about a person possibly or likely having ASC like Francis when they have not themselves said they are, based on their behaviours.

Cheers Jim. My attitude is certainly negative towards choobers but I don't think this discourages young folk.

Sorry, this passed me by earlier. How do MY comments and attitude make the entire hobby of railway modelling inaccessible to young people?

The form in general is suitable for criticism by virtue of its ubiquity. By virtue of how strong the support is for youtube and youtubers, despite the suggestion of being hard done by from the choobers here. I can understand this as you folk have skin in the game, ambition and aspiration to perhaps make youtube a full time enterprise. I am not so inclined as you can tell. Monetised youtubers should expect criticism in lieu of there being little in terms of any regulation of content in terms of accuracy and quality. Hobbyist choobers should be braced for critique by virtue of them putting their work "out there". It is the same in mags (have you read the letters section of MRJ?...WOW!!). As for naming folk, nope, not going there. Fair enough, but your attitude here has been one of providing a service and your comments most recently have been rather lofty in terms of the impact youtubers have on the hobby. Perhaps I envy the extent to which you value your own impact on the hobby. Have I inspired folk through my hobby? Nope, but my hobby has no utility which is the beauty of a hobby I feel this new approach fails to value. Everything is laced with the language of achievement and success and figures and aspiration which is anathema to me when applied to hobbying. No, I say Sam and Francis are taken as being representative of an "us" which doesn't exist. They are what they are because of youtube, not because of trains. Yes, by a long way. Previous generations did of course want to be the things you list, but even these roles have more definition than "youtuber". It is ambiguous and generally meaningless and to be honest, I think contributory to the sense of unease kids feel today. It just isn't though. Learning to play the guitar is not the same as filming yourself doing something. I still like to think people want to do something for the desire to be excellent at something for it's own right and that satisfaction can be achieved without likes and "reach". Model railways does have a stigma but because of years of media disdain for enthusiasm in general and trains specifically. It also has a stigma because of the apparent triviality of the hobby promoted by some of the above choobers mentioned and pounced upon by aforementioned media as proof.

I insist you do! An interesting insight. Perhaps I do see the the pursuit of personal interest, when personal interest is making oneself the event and relying on others to watch the event for money or data a threat of some kind. On the other hand I love the Bertrand Russell in Praise of Idleness ideal of leisure being for everyone and work being reduced to need and shared equally. I doubt Berty considered leisure and pursuit of personal interest as doom scrolling Youtube vids all night :-)

But, it was written that some in the hobby have forgotten it's meant to be fun. My point is that there appeared to be a narrow conception of what fun can be. Ok, excitement for "tones" appears to be the pinnacle of fun, but a serious face of concentration is also a sign of fun being had! Due to their status I am happy to criticise Sam and Francis but I don't want to get into naming folk. Examples include one chap pitching his presentation as hoping to improve modelling standards, some sign off with the hope they have inspired you to give it a go and there are countless titles with "how to create a stunning..." etc etc. And Tom, in the same response you ask this question, you go on to talk about correspondence from Mum's and potentially inspiring a new generation of railway worker. I feel the "One of Us" idea is more from your side of the debate. Is there a great "us"? My argument above is that youtubers have been used as representative of an "us" in a misleading way. I.e. Francis and Sam exposure on mainstream media as representatives. Both of these gentlemen have so little in common with my experience of the hobby, it is virtually a totally different hobby (which is fine of course). I am surprised you ask this. I recognise it is very much a part of everyday life for some, but imagining it not existing comes easy to me. Yes, i would rather youtube ceased to exist. i say this not just in terms as a hobbyist where, ok I can press the off button but as a Dad. Many children citing "become a youtuber" as their future aspiration makes me feel very uneasy.

Had they been set up next to a dcc sound diesel depot they may well have had to abandon the bell codes ;-)

Absolutely spot on. This is the nagging voice in my head everytime I try to get "with it". Warhol was right "everyone will be famous for 15 minutes plus adverts"

I have to also add that I am baffled by how youtubers are described and most self-define in incredibly worthy terms. Sharing passion? Inspiring the next generation? Passing on knowledge? Promoting modelling? Raising awareness? Really? Try talking so earnestly about running a layout well without critique. The raising awareness thing I have always found bizarre. There are many I am sure engagaing with Francis Bourgious but I would suggest on a superficial level. A bit like the old phrase "i am loving <insert craze> right now", which admits the transience and superficiality of interest. I would say if your initial engagement with something is superficial, and a parody of the actual thing, the engagement will remain superficial. A bit like power snooker. Invented for people who dont much like snooker and died a death because people who watched it didnt much like snooker.

Do many people engage in a hobby they don't find fun? Perhaps people have a narrow view of how fun should manifest itself. Perhaps some just don't get absorbed as much and find those who are absorbed slightly strange. They look so serious, how can it be fun? I watched a layout being operated to timetable, using bell codes and a telephone to communicate!! Perhaps I am completely off on this, but it looked like a lot of fun to me :-)

No i am afraid not. Do you know what number it features in?

If he does, let me know Terry. Internet pics are very hard to find of the layout.

Thanks Terry. Yes, as I wrote up thread it is virtually identical in terms of track plan and although not a knowing steal, it must have been in the subconcious. Carron Road was a little before my time in terms of proper modelling though. I must have seen though as it clearly influenced my decisions. Having looked it up since, I would have loved to see it in real life.

I imagine using a faded version of the colour you want to fade over the top would have better result than one colour like white or flesg tone. So a pink over the red and a very light grey over the grey. Perhaps apply as a thinned wash with a brush? I must say I havent ever done it myself! As for the sheet, I have had a look at Paul Bartlett and the sheets are one huge piece. Most pics are early 80s so someone with more knowledge than me is needed for any details. One pic shows 3 sheets, one on top of the other. I would be tempted to perhaps sculpt the sheeting out of das clay (the guy who did morfa bank sidings does this). Trying to get material or paper to sit right and crease to scale might prove tricky.

Some close ups of the yard lamp I built from copper tube... The telegraph pole effect was achieved by dragging heavy grit sand paper to form initial wood grain lines. Tgen the who think was primed with halfords grey then paint with a multiple of drak wood colours and other browns. The paint was applied in several layers, lots semi drying enamel dragged over and dry brushed together. Rust colours were introduced where metal fitments are attached to the wood.

Hi Steve. Wagons look better now lowered. I think MRJ 284 had an article about a cavelex BBA which involved the fading of the livery. I think it involved pink!!!

I have not picked up a modelling tool for several weeks, possibly months. Although winter is associated with modelling I find distractions away from the bench take over. Usually work and family which is to be expected. I had grown a bit tired of the layout given I have essentially completed it and as well as distractions mentioned, money is not unlimited (drastic understatement) and the things I want to do seem a bit out of reach or hard to justify, again given other priorities. So an invite to the Ely show this year has given me a bit of a target. I have turned the layout so the viewing side faces the wall so I can enjoy operating it for a while and this has made things a little more interesting. I also dug out a kit I had forgotten I had and made a start... It's a parkside vanwide and decided to replace the door grabs with brass .33mm wire. I do alot of this sort of thing and make use of the handrail jig from Bill Bedford. It's fairly easy to do without it but it certainly makes things look a bit more universal.

The Stanier reverse brake in it's completed state. ...and the first modelling in months took place this evening after a slump. Kitbuilding the parkside vanwide. Removing the moulded door grabs and replacimg with .33mm brass.

Yes, fair comment. However, I would suggest there is a fair share of worthiness from the pro-youtuber camp, especially the creators. There is not much more earnest than filming what you want and broadcasting it for free and giving oneself the title "content provider".