what do you hope to achieve from your model railway?

[luckymucklebackit]

For my future layouts, should I ever get the opportunity to build one - FUN!!!

I think many of us, and I have been guilty of this in the past, become too immersed in the project, trying to do something that we cannot realistically achieve, trying to impress our peers with our skills and creations but in the end it all has to be torn apart, so from now on I am going back to playing trains

Jim

[Mountain]

Now F U N is what this hobby is all about. If fun is not the key motivating element then we need to step back and ask ourselves what we are doing. I lost the fun once after years of modelling in 00 guge and I found fun back in droves with 7mm narrow gauge. Why? Because it was a completely different approach for me and yet brought in elements that I had learnt in 00 gauge, so it wasn't a huge step between them. A few dacades ago I saw a scratchbuilding article where the builder had mde some 00 gauge GWR locos and back then I was a GWR modeller. He then went into 7mm narrow gauge to continue his scratchbuilding and I thought in those days "Why do that?" It didn't make sense to me in those days as everything had to be GWR for me. Then I sold my GWR and became a B.R. blue era modeller as I could remember first hand B.R. blue running in my area. It was an ideal choice until I reached a stage where I had everything I needed and more to represent almost everything that passed and went into DCC a big way and then.... I became bored and frustrated. My income had gone from good to nothing. I was supposed to be going self employed but due to things happening where dad and grandmother went in and out of hospital so often all my savings went in a couple of years (As I had a house with a mortgage and was not allowed to sign on). It was during this time that the change happened for me. 7mmnarrow gauge enabled me to carry on modelling regardless. I could have carried on with B.R. blue era in 00 but I wasn't interested if I could not aford to buy something. I don't know why as I had all I needed except for a few smaller things like a few decoders short etc. Now I have FUN just thinking about it. The thought that I can build my own things! For me, that is now where the fun is. Using my own designs if I want to... No real rules except the ones that I make. Now that to me is F UN !

[Lysander]

At least trying to make silk purses out of sows’ ears.

Tony

[manna]

G'Day Gents

Good question.................Hard answer.

So many facets to Model railways,, Track, rolling stock, Locomotives, scenery, RTR, Kit built. Even researching a railway is Fun.

But we blend them together to get want we want, and that is what we hope to a achieve, a 'Blend' something that is Believable, to yourself and others.

manna

[b308]

Going back to that promotional video for a minute I do think you've all over-analysed it! It's a promotional video which shows what can be done with just Hornby products, so it's, in effect, a video of a train set made to sell to new railway modellers. As such it's actually OK and does it's job, some of the scenes aren't at all bad bearing in mind what it's made from. What would be the point of making a video with full details, weathering, etc., when that doesn't represent what you get "from the box". It shows what can be done, that's all it needs to do. And I don't feel it's aimed at the likes of many of us, though a true "New Railway Modeller" could take inspiration from it when designing and building their first model railway.




Going back to the title of the tread, I would like my model railway to provoke the reaction "I recognise that!" or "That really takes me back to when i visited that area"... Luckily, so far, many visitors at shows who either come from the Czech Republic or have visited the actual railway have very kindly said such words, that, to me, is the ultimate complement and what i aim for... One lady was kind enough to say "That takes me home!", that made my day and made all the hard (though enjoyable!) work worthwhile...

[DonB]

"That" advert is utterly dreadful, but that's just my opinion. If it encourages more people into the hobby and away from their Xboxes, etc., then job done.

I think this chap sums it up perfectly for me:

Railway modelling to me means five things.

1/ It needs to look reasonably realistic.
2/ I am not going to lose any sleep if it doesn't turn out perfect.
3/ Most of all I need to enjoy building and running trains.
4/ I don't care if things are not spot on perfect as I treat for what it is "an enjoyable pastime"
5/ The way I see it is that its my railway and I couldn't give a toss what others think about it.

I accept that I will never be producing work to a standard like certain contributors here (or on that other, dark, place), but such layouts inspire me to try and do better, or attempt different methods.

My own layout is modelled as a preserved line, with history (and, to a lesser extent, geography) mangled to suit. That said, prior to the running-in boards being fitted, several people recognised the location.

This hobby is for all skill sets. All should be encouraged.