Women in model railways inc some from N gauge groups around the world

[Modelrailwayquest]

There's a growing number of women getting interested in model railways - but women in the hobby are still in the minority.   I wanted to find out what's stopping women getting more involved in railway modelling and spoke to some amazing women in both the hobby and industry, including the executive director of the most famous model railroad museum in the US, and the woman behind Bachmann's fabulous LNER Thompson Teaks.
A huge thank you to:
Michelle Kempema: Executive Director of the Colorado Model Railroad Museum
Lucy Dormont, Social media and marketing manager for the National Model Railroading Association.
Louise Oliver, Graphic designer at Bachmann Europe
Railway modellers par excellence: Maggie Gravett, Gilly North, Carol Flavin and Rachel Harris
And to Zara and Kath - an inspiration to young women railway modellers everywhere.

[Paul B]

I haven't had a chance to watch your video yet, but my first wife and I were members of the Shoeburyness model railway club in Essex, helping the N gauge section build a display layout, which we helped run at a couple of exhibitions. The chair'man' at the time was a lady, Peggy, who was a great chairperson, as she was liked by all members! However, there are no female members at present in the Swindon model railway club, my present club, which is a shame.

[bluedepot]

thanks will watch it

bw


tim

[Steven B]

Very interesting - I must be doing something right with my 8 year old daughter who regularly comes with me to Yorkshire Area Group meetings.

This is the results of her efforts:


With a little help she was able to build and paint the Peco wagon kits without any specialist modelling tools. They're pictured on a T-TRAK module which she helped to build and is now close to finishing her own module featuring Gaugemaster/Kestrel buildings and a whole host of farm animals.


The comments in Dawn's video about needing an entry point into the hobby are interesting (and apply to anyone approaching the hobby without previous exposure from family or friends). Peco wagon kits and Kato Pocket-Line have a place.

Whilst there will always be a few knowledge snobs ("I know more than you so I'm better than you") in the hobby I think we're very much a community where putting in effort is soon rewarded through building self confidence and the confidence others have in you.

Getting over that initial hurdle can be a big challenge. Low cost kits certainly help. Finding your feet whilst playing around with non-traditional scenes, materials and techniques by building a Kato mini-diorama or T-TRAK module is worth considering too. From the outset they're seen as being less serious so any new modeller is less likely to be on the receiving end of snobby comments just because a loco is threading its way through the feet and legs of a AT-AT Walker.


Steven B

[Michael Shillabeer]

My late wife wrote a series of articles for the N Gauge Journal aimed at beginners.

Yvonne and I were on the NGS committee and after a meeting Yvonne suggested that the Journal needed a beginners guide but wondered who could write it. Len Rich replied "You", so she did :-)

N Gauge Journal Beginner's Guide

[Papyrus]

Thanks for nudging my memory, Michael. I have fond memories of Yvonne's articles from all those years ago when I was getting into the hobby. We definitely need more women in the model railway world.

Cheers,

Chris

[Madann01]

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/lifestylegeneral/model-railways-aren-t-running-out-of-steam/ar-BB1jHRBM?ocid=socialshare

 Iget the feeling that this story can be linked to the article in the link attached.