Crystal ball time anyone?

[trkilliman]

Just as a semi light-hearted thread, what do you envisage the coming year will bring for our hobby?

I'll kick it off with a couple of things...

1. I think some production will start returning to the U.K. from China.

2. I think that 3D printing will increase noticeably, and we will see some cottage industry type manufacturers evolving.

[Paul B]

Although it may not be to do with N gauge, I am sure that I read somewhere a few months ago that Hornby were considering moving production back towards the UK, although not all the way just yet - they were considering India!

[MalcolmInN]

a semi light-hearted thread,

You cant be serious !
/joke
sorry I couldnt resist 

1a ) some production will move to a.n.other country, other than China, maybe some back to UK ( I also thought I had heard similar to Paul) but perhaps only interim, so maybe this prediction of mine is for more than 1 year ?

1b ) I think more probable is that the Chinese economy will continue with its flu-like symptoms until either it is medicated with some strong state-sponsored asprin (I sortof hope),, or goes the way of other centrally directed economies in recent history ( I fear )

Now where is my light-hearted bit, ? ah here we go :-
that both cottage industries* and main-stream others will realise that N is not a specialist limited market of enthusiasts and that there is a whole big(-ish) consumer base given some effective marketing (like once was the time for 00) of little people living in little boxes ( altogether now "little boxes" remember that one ?) that are no longer being built on wide open flood plains.

* I followed a shapeways link given here recently to a "loco body", it said something to the effect that " a suitable chassis will be required" Well, duh, I think I could have guessed that !
I am sure 'he' was an enthusiast and knew exactly from his researches what was required , , ? , I am not that well qualified but   could  have been interested with some guidance -- debate, whilst I duck  !!

[NeMo]

1. I think some production will start returning to the U.K. from China.

Don't agree, if you're talking about Farish and Dapol, or even DJM. Increased labour costs will be (are being) passed onto the consumer, and so far, it's not like we've stopped buying model trains. But see below...

2. I think that 3D printing will increase noticeably, and we will see some cottage industry type manufacturers evolving.

Certainly agree somewhat, in the sense that the small cottage industries here seem to be getting better and better at what they do. Looking at the Langley loco kits for example, they seem to be something from the 80s or 90s, and while I get that there's fun to be had making them, whitemetal and resin kits just seem so "old school" compared to where we're getting with 3D printing (and dare I say it, vinyls).

On top of this, there are all these newer companies turning out really nicely finished kits that are a pleasure to put together. Peedie, Severn Models, Mill Lane Sidings, the latest N Gauge Society kits of course... I just feel the age of fettling with whitemetal and resin to produce something only slightly better than your average 1980s Lima offering just doesn't make sense anymore.

Cheers, NeMo

[silverfox]

I think that split gears and brand new (expensive) loco unreliability and jerky running will all be behind us..............Nah!........I think there may be some New Year's Eve indulgence still in my system!!!  

Oh well we can hope and dream!