Quote from: njee20 on Yesterday at 02:29:40 PMI obviously don't represent the market, but for me they just grate visually. There are some US ones which are pretty good, I think it's Fareham or Gosport or someone who have a decent one, but in general I really dislike the wild variations from one module to the next, not to mention the fact they're generally just race track layouts with totally incongruous trains circulating endlessly.

Prob Gosport, there is a US Railroading N Gauge group round here, the Fareham group are more into UK prototypes, though think they are (mostly) OO if I recall right.

Quote from: njee20 on Yesterday at 02:29:40 PMI really dislike the wild variations from one module to the next, not to mention the fact they're generally just race track layouts with totally incongruous trains circulating endlessly. 

I understand the dislike of modular layouts, but from my experience they can bring people into modelling. The Yorkshire Area Group started with T-TRAK 3-4 years ago and since then we've seen more modelling being done by more members than we did in the 10 years before then.

By careful positioning of modules we avoid trains passing from 1960s Britain to modern day Swiss (without at least passing through France or Germany first). We've been successful enough to take home an award from an exhibition we showed at last year.

Modular layouts aren't for everyone, but they do offer a way into layout building with little risk of failure.

The latest outrage:

I have one n gauge loco in my cart. They are charging 44.50 for DHL Worldwide Express. I'm not being given the 17.99 Royal Mail option.

The person said the reason is, "The cost of the model."

That's such a low effort answer and is obviously not true. When I put the same model or a more expensive one in my cart at TMC it's... 17.99! Also, a few months ago I ordered a sound fitted loco and the shipping? 17.99.
 

Quote from: njee20 on Yesterday at 02:29:40 PM

Quote from: Will_J on Yesterday at 07:59:48 AMThe UK is generally much less interested in modular layouts than the US or Australia. Much less interested may even be grossly understating it. Established British hobbyists are comfortable with long established layout building traditions and are unlikely to adopt anything new I think, especially on the exhibition circuit.

I obviously don't represent the market, but for me they just grate visually. There are some US ones which are pretty good, I think it's Fareham or Gosport or someone who have a decent one, but in general I really dislike the wild variations from one module to the next, not to mention the fact they're generally just race track layouts with totally incongruous trains circulating endlessly. 

Don't get the appeal myself, I find it annoying when exhibitions devote a large chunk of floor space to a huge modular behemoth.

I think that's a reflection of how most of the British market feels about them from what I've seen and heard. They will tolerate micro layouts at exhibitions but it's definitely come across many times that disinterest veers into outright hostility towards module chains. I don't see it ever taking off here in the over 40s, and even with the younger market there's not much evidence of uptake. Which is a shame because it's a good way for people to achievably participate in the social/event side of the hobby without having to gestate a mature traditional exhibition layout for years.

I personally don't find any appeal in sprawling layouts which are prototypical, but feature lots of dead space with long periods of little or no train movement. But I know I'm in the minority, as those are the layouts that people pay to see at exhibitions.

So long story short, yeh that bit of the report doesn't apply to Britain.

Quote from: Will_J on Yesterday at 07:59:48 AMThe UK is generally much less interested in modular layouts than the US or Australia. Much less interested may even be grossly understating it. Established British hobbyists are comfortable with long established layout building traditions and are unlikely to adopt anything new I think, especially on the exhibition circuit.

I obviously don't represent the market, but for me they just grate visually. There are some US ones which are pretty good, I think it's Fareham or Gosport or someone who have a decent one, but in general I really dislike the wild variations from one module to the next, not to mention the fact they're generally just race track layouts with totally incongruous trains circulating endlessly.   

Don't get the appeal myself, I find it annoying when exhibitions devote a large chunk of floor space to a huge modular behemoth.

Quote from: Webbo on Yesterday at 07:08:31 AMI agree with Nick that having a detailed model line and a cruder line would further complicate the lives of manufacturers by reducing the volumes of each.

Indeed. Having spoken to a few manufacturers about this (including Bachmann and Revolution) they tell me that the volumes are the fundamental problem with an entry level range. The reason a Kato steam loco is significantly cheaper on the Japanese market than a British steam loco is because the Kato one will sell in massively higher numbers. The unit price from the factory is drastically lower if you can order 20,000 units vs 6000, regardless of model complexity. There just isn't a large enough market in the UK to make those numbers work, especially when newcomers will be a small part of the overall market.

So that one is pretty much a non starter. You just can't get the price of RTR models down any further no matter what features you cut.

Quote from: njee20 on Yesterday at 12:00:20 AMCouldn't care less about modular standards, indeed I generally really dislike modular layouts, but if they work for the builders then great.

I think we need to be careful what we wish for re: low detail 'entry level' models. The market isn't big enough for two ranges. I don't believe that price is a barrier to entry for young people in any meaningful sense, and I don't want models being 'dumbed down' to suit a market I'm not convinced really exists. What's the evidence for unmet demand?

The UK is generally much less interested in modular layouts than the US or Australia. Much less interested may even be grossly understating it. Established British hobbyists are comfortable with long established layout building traditions and are unlikely to adopt anything new I think, especially on the exhibition circuit.

Fair question RE unmet demand, I don't have that answer myself, maybe that applies more to other markets.

If I were entering the hobby right now, I would face a relatively limited number of models available to buy new. At least this is the impression I get from my experience mainly in N scale (North American). Manufacturers now release a few models every year in limited quantities to ensure, I'm assuming, they aren't faced with a large amount of stock that they can't sell. So, using Rapido (North America as an example) virtually all the stock they've released in the last few years becomes sold out quite quickly. If I'm a newbie and am keen on developing a model railway of Canadian Pacific passenger for example, I would not be able to find the locomotives and coaches that I need, but would have to resort to the likes of EBay to buy used items often at well inflated prices if I can even find them. There is an unmet demand that makes life for the newbie more difficult unless they are not fussy about what equipment they are running.

I agree with Nick that having a detailed model line and a cruder line would further complicate the lives of manufacturers by reducing the volumes of each. I think Kato manufactures models that to me have an optimal level of detail being less detailed than what is currently generally offered by other manufacturers. By not having large amounts of piping, fine details and grab irons added on, Kato models are more robust, presumably a bit cheaper to manufacture, but they still look good. Of course, the Kato innards work very well and this is of paramount importance.

By the way, does anyone out there know where I can get my hands on a Rapido skyline dome car in VIA Rail livery? I've been hunting for one for the last 6 months.

Webbo

Quote from: Newportnobby on May 01, 2026, 09:35:55 PM

Quote from: scottmitchell74 on May 01, 2026, 06:44:12 PM

Quote from: Newportnobby on May 01, 2026, 06:25:46 PM

Quote from: Moonglum on May 01, 2026, 05:46:40 PMOK, let's remind ourselves of Huggy Bear...
Mick, I don't think you meant Miami Vice!

Tim

I stand corrected. I remembered it was Starkers & Crutch but it came out wrongly as 'Crocketts Theme' was playing at the time

So much wrong!   

Let's just hope it was a minor aberration

Yeah, but just don't give up on us baby!

I got the ad for the spin to win the last time they offered it, went to the site and did not see the wheel at all. I asked rails if it was just for UK folks only, but they said that it was for all folks. I didn't even bother this time.