Quote from: Webbo on Yesterday at 07:52:43 AMI have the feeling that a significant factor may be the lack of room available to the young and not quite so young. Even a simple roundy-roundy will require a minimum of 2'6'' x 5' say which is a largish chunk of space to fit in a child's bedroom (even more space required for OO). For younger adults, a similar space will have to be found in a flat or bungalow competing with the kids' and the partner's living space. Octogenarians may have had the kids move out by that stage in life and so may have more space options (and time to build a layout too). Just a thought from me based on my personal experience. My layout Deadwood didn't really get legs until after I got a shed and I retired.

Webbo

Agreed. When I talk to my plastic modelling customers and friends, they very often express interest in model railways but always say "I don't have the space." When I show them shelf layouts and micros, they get quite excited and maybe half a dozen or so have actually given it a go, and I'm not even actively trying to sell them anything. They'll pick up a bargain Dapol loco at a show or something and get a few Peco wagon kits and make a box file or plank layout.

So perhaps there could be lots of meat on that bone if the wider modelling community had a broader picture of what railway modelling can be, in their heads.

I'm cooking up something that I think would be a good way to test this hypothesis but we'll see.

I never received the buffer that was missing from a cement wagon on arrival direct from Revolution. I contact them via the contact us and through a DM on RMweb. I've given up on getting one.

When I was a little kid it couldn't go under the bed. That's where monsters lurked.

Quote from: Webbo on Yesterday at 07:52:43 AMEven a simple roundy-roundy will require a minimum of 2'6'' x 5' say which is a largish chunk of space to fit in a child's bedroom

But that size could be a 'gazunder' (it gazunder the bed) and with some thought could be dustproofed. Maybe even some castors fitted

Quote from: Webbo on Yesterday at 07:52:43 AMFolks

Perhaps we can make trains a bit cooler for the younger generation by altering our tactics..



All seriousness aside, I agree with Nic in that I suspect price is not the major factor explaining why younger folk seem to be less interested in model railways. I have the feeling that a significant factor may be the lack of room available to the young and not quite so young. Even a simple roundy-roundy will require a minimum of 2'6'' x 5' say which is a largish chunk of space to fit in a child's bedroom (even more space required for OO). For younger adults, a similar space will have to be found in a flat or bungalow competing with the kids' and the partner's living space. Octogenarians may have had the kids move out by that stage in life and so may have more space options (and time to build a layout too). Just a thought from me based on my personal experience. My layout Deadwood didn't really get legs until after I got a shed and I retired.

Webbo

So far this year I have built 2 N scale layouts based on really small footprints with the aim of taking them to exhibitions and shows and entertaining younger children. They both feature moving buses and two N gauge tram stations. For a parent it is not so daunting to be presented with a layout based on a sheet of A2 paper 594mm x 420mm which in its simplest form could be less than 50mm thick with minimal bracing etc. The layouts are powered by phone charging banks so no mains electricity and use a Kato Pocket Line Controller which is also hooked up to a Brimal automatic shuttle module powered by a PP3 battery. An A1 sized version is at a show on Monday and hopefully will entertain some young and old visitors.

Folks

Perhaps we can make trains a bit cooler for the younger generation by altering our tactics..

Here is the transformer Astrotrain who transforms into a space shuttle as well as a railway locomotive.



All seriousness aside, I agree with Nic in that I suspect price is not the major factor explaining why younger folk seem to be less interested in model railways. I have the feeling that a significant factor may be the lack of room available to the young and not quite so young. Even a simple roundy-roundy will require a minimum of 2'6'' x 5' say which is a largish chunk of space to fit in a child's bedroom (even more space required for OO). For younger adults, a similar space will have to be found in a flat or bungalow competing with the kids' and the partner's living space. Octogenarians may have had the kids move out by that stage in life and so may have more space options (and time to build a layout too). Just a thought from me based on my personal experience. My layout Deadwood didn't really get legs until after I got a shed and I retired.

Webbo

I must be in a minority, as I have never had a problem with them answering me.
I do use the info@revolutiontrains.com email address direct though, which I believe the website contact form redirects to.

Normally Simon answers within a day.

Maybe @Ben A or @red_death would like to comment.

Quote from: Newportnobby on May 23, 2026, 08:38:39 PMDerek,
At the bottom of the Revolution home page there is 'Contact Us' with the option to e mail them from there

Thanks Mick never knew it was there
  stay safe regards Derek

I totally agree with this thread, even when they instigate an email to a customer for clarification and you return it you get no follow up, and the sender of the email is an owner of the company.

I'm afraid I have lost patience with Revolution Trains and now no longer place early bird orders, nor any orders directly with them.

I find it is far easier from a customer service perspective to buy from a dealer, usually at the standard industry discount for new models and increasingly found in the bargain bin over time.

Derek,
At the bottom of the Revolution home page there is 'Contact Us' with the option to e mail them from there