A poll about what we do or don't do

[PGN]

I just thought it would be interesting to see what the modeling profile on the forum looks like. Choose the FIRST option that applies as you work your way down the list.

[Dorsetmike]

I can answer yes to all except the last one, I can't think of any RTR that I have kept in out of the box condition for more than a few days, the least I have done is renumbering, most have had detailing, The N class I received this morning will be renumbered and have smoke deflectors fitted within a week  if all goes to plan.

[PGN]

I can answer yes to all except the last one

Then you should vote for the first option, Mike 

[JasonBz]

In N gauge to me its about operation and scenery, so the locomotives come as they are (more or less)

In other scales I'm still not very lococentric at all, i prefer wagons and track to look "right" as well as the scenics - The loco is just there to pull the wagons through the scene

[railsquid]

Currently I am what was disparagingly referred to on another forum as a "box opener". I don't even add the little bits from the little baggies. Though I do have a small collection of AC locos in various weird post-privatisation liveries awaiting a respray to a proper shade of blue sometime this decade. I also like to resuscitate "non-runners" when I have the chance. However my main priority is getting some sort of layout for the locos to play in

[Komata]

All my locomotives are 'modified' in respect of very strictly-enforced height and width specifications, a process which involves the removal of fans and radiators etc. and any other 'bits' which are more than 14ft (scale) above the rail-top. It's not 'scratch building' or 'kit bashing' but because there was no category to cover what I've described, I had to vote for 'Only have Ready-to-Run locomotives, and have applied detailing and/or weathering'.   Perhaps there should be an additional category added: 'Altering the locomotive structure  to suit own purposes'?

Just a thought... 

[NTrain]

Not sure where I fit.

I have no layout, my trains are with my son in law..........

I draw N Gauge models in my CAD package and get them 3D printed etc, so that other people can build them

[Dorsetmike]

I can answer yes to all except the last one

Then you should vote for the first option, Mike 

I would suggest that does not give a fair representation of what I actually do, to me it would imply that I only scratch build, so far only 2 of my 30+ locos fall into that category a further 11 come near the other end of the classifications modified RTR, the rest are in between the extremes, mix of kits, partial scratch builds and more heavily hacked RTR

[PGN]

Mike - I was interested in finding out the rough spread of the most intricate thing that people are willing to do. No intention to suggest that if you vote "scratch build" it means everything you have is scratch built.


Komata - oops ... I forgot kit bashing! oh well ... you can't have everything!


Railsquid - it annoys me when anyone in our hobby is disparaging about what anyone else in the hobby does! If, like Jason, you're an "operations and scenery" modeler, what on earth is wrong with that?? Nothing, as far as I'm concerned ... and I have to say, some of the modern boxes appear to need at least a master's degree in advanced engineering to open them successfully without damaging the contents (which does rather defeat the purpose of the packaging ...) so "box opening" is definitely a useful skill to have 

[Portpatrick]

I have and sometimes still do make resin or whitemetal kits.  My recent 10001 has appeared on the Forum Facebook page.   On RTR I could not tick the boxes as they were worded "only", but I do all the options listed if/when the fancy takes me.  I also, on occasions "bash" kits and RTR to produce other locos.  Hence Langley B1s have been turned into K1 and K4.  I am considering turning another into a K2.  A UM J25 is now a J36,  2 BH D16s have been modified into D11 and D34.  In my Cambrian lines days I cut down a Farish 61XX into a 55XX, using a Minitrix Ivatt chassis.  And there have been a few others.  Of course a few of these are now available RTR.

Given the quality of most current RTR, no shame in  being a box opener if the boxes contain what you want.  when I started seriously in the hobby as a teenager (in the 60s/70s) there was a guy called Bill Oldroyd who, working in OO, produced all manner of models, mainly locos, by bashing and adapting kits and RTR.  An inspiration so perhaps I caught it from him.  It is probably from him I gained my take that looking reasonable is central over dead scale.  Though what is your own threshold for defining reasonable?

[Sprintex]

My question would be "does it matter?"


Paul

[PGN]

It does to some, Sprintex, even if not to others.

Those to whom it doesn't matter need not contribute to this discussion ...

[Mustermark]

For me it depends how much I want something that isn't available.  My 20 Shunter was built from scratch aid kit parts because I wanted it on my sidings.  But mostly I'm happy with the RTR plus repaint/remumber, or  just detailing and weathering in the case of most of the new stuff like 47 096 that is on its way now...

[D1042 Western Princess]

In my experience 'Ye law of Sod' dictates that having searched around to find plans, paid over the top for the bits, made a bodge of the painting, got the markings on all wrong and generally taken weeks to complete a kit Dapol or Farish will announce one which will be produced to a higher, maybe far higher, standard than all but the best scratch builders can manage and due out in a few weeks!
Why bother building it yourself?
As ever, this is my own opinion on the subject.

[Dorsetmike]

I've only really had that happen to me once, I took a Dapol 14xx chassis and hacked an ABS 0-6-4 highland tank kit to make an M7, and what did Dapol produce a few weeks after I finished??? Mind you mine with the white metal body is a somewhat better puller than the Dapol version!.