The Great Model Railway Challenge

[Chris Morris]

perhaps the best advice for anyone considering getting involved with this type of program is

don't

you'll get screwed to produce the required edits for 'entertainment'

rumours of some new programs to come out in the autumn..

strictly come shunting

trains off

shunting bee

I take the opposite view. The programme was fun. I couldn't take part this year but would happily take part if another series happens.

[Pjlons83]

I don't think that "we" (as the folk that already pursue the hobby) are the intended audience. I get the point about the sewing bee, bake off etc... I have watched those shows and enjoyed them; I really enjoyed the pottery throw down even though I have no idea or inclination to turn a pot.

I can imagine that anybody curious about the hobby or just happen to stumble across the show might see the finish articles and think "wow - that would look awesome in the spare room!" And then proceed to find the various forums, YouTube channels, suppliers etc. All said and done I think it's good for the hobby.

Others have mentioned the James May stuff. That only works because it's james May. Any random bloke pointlessly piecing a lawnmower back together I'm sure wouldn't get good reviews. That's just how TV land works. Good look to all involved.

[paulprice]

I thought it was a terrible television program, that was until the Domestic Overlord put the new Doctor Who on, what a load of TOSH

[Steve Brassett]

Love the new Doctor Who, where the baddie is Tim Shaw.

[acko22]

Right then where to start........

I thought on the whole it was an OK program and nothing more. The format certainly something to match Bake Off although in my eyes that isn't what modelling is about!

The whole idea of the scratch build challenge erm..... yeah a good idea but the items chosen well in the whole not all of us own a spare pair of heels or lipsticks (although for a fee I will wear both  ) so I thought that was a little stupid and would have rather seen more conventional items, unless I am missing something and should nick my better halves bras for hills on my layout.

But that been said what the guys did with them was good so full plaudits for that especially using the shavings a coal dust!

The idea of having themes maybe not what we would generally use for our own layouts but its is all about how you read into it so the guy from Porthcrawl went more literal with it where as the other teams used it more as a guide which is fair enough.

The Missenden Modelers by no stretch of the imagination took the  with the 6 prebuilt models rule, and I honestly didn't like their on screen attitude of we "ARE" going to win it, and in part of the show they stated that they run modelling classes, when you saw the finished product it was poor unless it was pre-built.
Maybe next time they will think about the reality before making grand statements of excellence and ability - but hand in hand with that to do truly amazing models it does take time (months not days).

As to the winning layout while basic (lets face it in 3 days you cant expect a perfect layout) it was actually really good and I say this as looking for cover from the face of it as good as some layouts I have seen at some exhibitions, with some TLC and detailing I think it could look very nice indeed if not prototypical.

So will I watch it again..... hmmm if I am not doing anything and its on yeah why not be interesting to see who wins the whole thing and how it plays out, if they are just tasked with building a proper highly detailed layout or just give 3 days to thrash it out. I truly hope that when it comes to the winners building the exhibition layout they actually let the modellers set the stall out and show the public what proper modelling looks like instead of what can we do as a quick slap it together job.

[Timofpenk]

Saw this the other night can't say it was really my cup of tea or beer for that matter would I watch it again? Maybe but it would really only be a morbid curiosity that made me a bit like opening a draw in a morgue

[ScottishModeller]

Hi all,

Now that you have had an opportunity to view the first episode. ....

Comments welcome!

What is exactly the reason for doing this challenge?

It isn't aimed at the already active modeller.

It's firmly aimed at getting more people involved - ie those who thought about doing a bit of railway modelling, but didn't.

Hopefully the series will give them enough enthusiasm to actually do something.

Thanks

ps - Just a shame that the short sightedness of the challenge meant that there wasn't any point in doing an N Gauge layout.

I say this as you could have had one in the heats, but would then have had to do an 00 one for the final.

[andymoore]

I hunted this down on the C5 catchup thingy & then watched it with the sound off while SWMBO watched some drivel about a woman who's baby had apparently been kidnapped. I'm a lone modeller & have shied away from joining any clubs as I have always felt a little daunted by the experts that I have seen at shows. Well after watching this I'm glad I've carried on as a lone modeller !  I must admit to feeling quite inspired though, as they have set the bar so low that most people could reproduce something of equal, or better, quality than what these guys did. There seemed to be a lot of talking involved (not great when the sound is off). I was quite surprised to see that each of the railways was pretty much going round and round - no signals, no stopping and starting, just round and round.... In fact the actual railway side of it was minor - maybe some track laying, but nothing clever & this, I believe, is what would inspire people to try/return to the hobby. I'll continue watching - in fact I may even get myself some headphones and watch it again tonight, but the program with the Battle of Britain models (also watched with the sound off) looked a lot more interesting to me.

[honestjudge]

This did nothing in my eyes to change the general perception of the public that we modellers are all weirdo's who need to get a life.

This general statement (and I am just using Pauls quote as an example) makes me smile as I believe all clubs, groups etc etc have their quota of weirdos. 

In my time, I have been  involved with two Model railway clubs, and two scalextric slot clubs. All have had weirdos as members. Over time, One of the scalex clubs featured in three TV productions. One was very well done, the other two were micky takes. The reason for the micky takes is that one of our weirdos could not keep away from the camera, and the producers of the program loved him for doing so, hence why the club was made to look silly.

Why am I saying this?     well the point I am making is that if you have a character, this will come out in a TV show like this.   The Missenden chap, love him or hate him, had a character and made it interesting, but no one in this first episode came over as weird. If you have sensible people in front of a camera, they will come over as ...sensible!

In my club of 12. There are two chaps that I would be wary of, if a newspaper or TV crew wanted to do an item on us. It would make an interesting article but I know it would make our club all look like weirdos. Maybe our hobby is over represented with weirdos, who knows?
I do like my weirdos, they are generally nice people but if you didn't know them you may think otherwise, I am sure you understand what I mean!
Generally, non model train people I know and who saw the show on Friday, like what they had seen and thought it was fun. This seems to bear out that this show was not aimed at the Model rail community.

Just my thoughts

[daffy]

We are now entering the Twilight Zone of just what constitutes the definition of "a weirdo".

After all, I doubt a weirdo considers themselves anything other than normal, though maybe a tad eccentric, different, or independent.

And in someone's eyes, each and everyone of us is weird in some way or another.

And sadly such is the lifeblood of so much TV today.

[GroupC]

All this discussion brings to mind a saying one of my old University lecturers (film & TV) had, that being "the man in the street [or in this case the modelling punter putting himself / agreeing to be placed in front of the camera] is at the mercy of the man in the editing suite".

This meaning that without seeing everything in context, and not presented in an edited format, almost any person, good / bad / annoying / conceited etc. can be reconstructed to be almost anything else. I don't offer this in the defence or prosecution of anyone, whether programme maker, participant or whatever, just as a point of interest, and something to consider from all sides... for example the "never meet your heroes" adage on one side, the "what a plonker" on the other.

Having said that though the Missenden bloke did seem like a right one!! He clearly gave the crew more than enough rope for them to hang him with. Glad I haven't paid any money to go on one of their courses, I'd hate to have him as the trainer.

Overall in my opinion the programme was OK, nothing more, it's not a must see but if it's on at a convenient time I'll give it a go.

[d-a-n]

All of the grumble, grumble moaning and groaning nearly put me off watching this... luckily I didn't and it turns out this show was a bit of light fun.

Regardless of who it's aimed at, it might shift a few more boxes of trains. This will keep the companies that supply us with lovely new things to covet in business; it might even mean that a new market is identified and a more diverse range of models is released... glass half full please folks - it's not all doom and gloom in Toyland.

[GroupC]

And another positive is that if you look at Kathy's online stuff, it'll blow you away and may improve your modelling. It's fantastic! I hadn't seen it before but now I have, I now feel:

(a) demoralised and inadequate

(b) inspired and hopeful

... depending on whether it's a glass half full or half empty day.

[Nick]

I've finally watched the recording, and I must admit to enjoying it.

More than few echoes of Masterchef and Bake-Off, but they are popular telly, so that's not a surprise. For once in these competition shows, I thought the right team won, and was delighted to see Missenden come an ignominious last. Their on-site modelling was below par to put it politely, and I thought that the only way to abuse the rules more would have been to build their layout beforehand on six interlocking baseboards, claim each one as a "pre-built item", assemble them together and put their feet up for the three days.

Over the weekend I was talking to one of the competitors on a later episode. He was exhibiting at our local exhibition. He said that the atmosphere at filming was great, it was a lot of fun to do, and, most notably, the producer had really done his homework on railway modelling and was keen. The guy I was speaking to had a Model Railway Challenge logo on his stand (he was exhibiting something else) and had spent Saturday surrounded by kids delighted to see the logo, because they'd watched the show and enjoyed it, and wanted to know how to start. Entertainment and hooking in kids to the hobby. That has to be good, doesn't it?

I didn't think it portrayed us as weirdos, just ordinary blokes enjoying themselves. But, let's be brutally frank, we're not exactly mainstream are we? Anyone who obsesses over the colour of a station door a hundred years ago, or when a particular loco wore a particular logo is only ever going to be an outlier on the bell curve of humanity. 

Full disclosure - I enjoyed the Battle of Britain aeromodelling show too. More modelling shows. What's not to like? It was entertainment after all. No mainstream channel is going to air an hour long documentary on static grass application and weathering techniques.

There's no such thing as bad publicity as I believe PT Barnum once said.

[The Q]

There's no such thing as bad publicity as I believe PT Barnum once said.

I believe VW sales went up after being caught cheating on emissions..