The Great Model Railway Challenge

bbdave · November 10, 2018, 02:31:46 PM

I thought as a series it had issues but willing to put my name down to any n gauge team formed and have a go myself.

Dave

Buffin · November 12, 2018, 11:18:13 PM

Just caught up with the final, which I thought the worst edited of the lot. With 5 layouts to look at, too much chat, too much time spent showing fitting the modules together, and the male/female connectors issue must have baffled many non-modeller viewers.

The winning layout was in a class of its own (so it shouldn't have been a close decision) but we got only glimpses of it so we were shortchanged.

Good viewing figures & I'm glad there's going to be another series, but the programme makers had fallen lazily in love with the format for the heats, which didn't suit the final. They prioritised forced chit-chat segments over really showing us the layouts, which was a big mistake. Fresh thinking was needed.

For series 2 I would replace Steve Flint, who is not a natural TV performer. I don't know who I would bring in alongside Kathy. The presenters and judges are trying to look casual, but smart casual would look better than downmarket.

A fun basis for series 2.

JJS · November 13, 2018, 12:39:36 PM

As a newcomer to Model Railway Building I was hoping for more focus on techniques and layout views from the programme - and less inane chat. But, that said, it has prompted me to actually get started now and the series was mildly entertaining.
Unfortunately my wife's first episode was the one with some "eccentric" folk in strange costume (episode 3???) and she did find that a bit of a turn-off in terms of sharing my enthusiasm for the hobby (Quote: " I hope that they're not all like that at the local MRG!") Haven't watched the last episode yet

port perran · November 13, 2018, 12:56:03 PM

Saw the final last evening and thought it was ok with the best layout winning.
Maybe a slightly longer episode (45 mins?) for the final would allow a bit more detailed coverage of the actual builds.
Overall, I thought the whole thing was good but there is room for improvement and hopefully the producers will learn from the first series and put a few changes in place for Series Two.
I'm not convinced that Tim Shaw works well as one of the presenters.
Similarly, I wasn't sure what Steve Flint contributed - maybe someone who is a little more comfortable in front of the camera would be better.

Newportnobby · November 13, 2018, 02:52:07 PM

Maybe it might teach some entrants not to be so smug/arrogant. I can't remember which team it was but one old chap, when told "I'm worried you might run out of time" replied "it's not your place to worry.It's mine" He then stomped off muttering "if we run out of time, then we run out of time".
What a surprise. His team didn't win.

daveg · November 13, 2018, 05:42:38 PM

Agree with the too much chat and not enough about each layout.

I can understand that the presenters need to have a word or two with each team but it always seemed to end up with a something along the lines of 'there's not much time left'.

The winner was certainly the best layout on the day.

Dave G

Bealman · November 13, 2018, 11:15:37 PM

Just watched episode 5 this morning and quite enjoyed it. Easily the best. The final hasn't turned up on YouTube yet, but I'll watch it.

joe cassidy · November 16, 2018, 06:37:42 PM

I just watched the final.

Aberdeen deserved to win, but I imagine that Kathy had to twist Steve Flint's arm to get him vote for such an unusual layout.

Maybe Chris Leigh could replace Steve for the next series - he is more natural in front of the camera - or Ben Ando ?

Best regards,

Joe

port perran · November 18, 2018, 07:32:48 PM

An interesting perspective on this show.
I have just finished two days of exhibiting Tregonning at the Model Engineering Showcase event at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth.
This event attracted lots of people (it was very busy) and, significantly, by no means just model rail enthusiasts.
Interestingly, many, many people mentioned the Model Railway Challenge. Most of these people were not railway modellers but without exception everyone I spoke to really enjoyed the TV show and felt that it was a great showcase for railway modelling.
So....it seems that the general public liked it and took it at face value.

joe cassidy · November 18, 2018, 09:33:55 PM

One of the things I liked was that there were plenty of young modellers in evidence, and at least one team 100% "young".

Perhaps the producers might consider having a special award for the best young team in the next series ?

Best regards,

Joe

bridgiesimon · November 18, 2018, 10:38:05 PM

Maybe even take it a step further and have a junior series along side the senior series in the future?

Best wishes
Simon

daveg · November 19, 2018, 06:00:31 AM

Great to learn of the interest the show generated.

We were discussing the show once again after watching the Lego Masters on TV we both thought the format of that program was much better.

Maybe there's point or two

to be learnt by the GMRC production team.

Dave G

Bealman · November 19, 2018, 06:06:09 AM

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 18, 2018, 09:33:55 PM
One of the things I liked was that there were plenty of young modellers in evidence, and at least one team 100% "young".

Perhaps the producers might consider having a special award for the best young team in the next series ?

Best regards,

Joe

Yeah, I enjoyed watching the young team. They tried very hard, and learned a few things in the process.

grumbeast · November 19, 2018, 05:30:33 PM

Binge Watched the whole show and final on YouTube and have a few thoughts

I enjoyed it kinda, I mean, lets face it, it wasn't really made for model railroaders, it just doesn't have anywhere near enough content. I really didn't like the presenters and the adversarial contrived format, but that seems to be a requirement for modern TV. The canned dialogue was horrible (especially the introductions of the judges, which were frankly insulting to them), The themes, while a good idea, I don't think worked and the incidental music was downright offensive (male voice choir in the background for the chaps from Penarth.. please, anymore stereotypes you want to reinforce!). Also the focus on animations and the absurd "scratchbuild something with this shoe" rubbish was demeaning to the teams.

My rant aside, I enjoyed it as its always great to see model railways on TV and there were clearly some good ideas and talented modellers. I think my biggest disappointment was that I would have loved to have seen what some of those modellers were capable of with a bit more time.

I think the right team 'won' even though I really don't like that extreme degree of fantasy, they showed tremendous imagination and execution.

I'll watch season 2 and enjoy it, but I do hope they heavily tweak the format and lose the idiotic puns. A cooperative competition would be better, with a more consistent theme that would really show off what some of these talented (and eager newbs) could do.

To conclude (and sorry for the long rant), the producers must get props for making a show that I both really hated and really enjoyed simultaneously.

Graham

Lawrence · November 19, 2018, 07:22:42 PM

I think @port perran comments sums it up, it did engage the non modelling public and may encourage future modelers clearly there are some caveats. Some of the features that teams were bound to include are perhaps not for the entry level modeler and there was little in the way of explanations given, this may discourage.
I would like them to better explain the art of track laying and basic scenery construction plus electrical/isolation theory before they get too tied up in the fluff. It may not make great TV and I realise there is lots of footage on youtube for this sort of thing, but I wouldn't want viewers to get a false impression of modeling as this could have the opposite effect to encouraging modelers.