Great Model Railway Challenge - Channel 5

[Captain Kernow]

Well, at least one independent reviewer seemed to enjoy it (Warning, some bad language, but a good read nevertheless)

 

https://medium.com/@piratemoggy/the-great-model-railway-challenge-recap-s1-e1-164625ed2e20

 

 

She did seem to enjoy it, you are correct, but it's such a shame that people like her feel the need to drop such bad language into their published pieces. Do they think that their readers are going to be impressed? And if there are people who are impressed by the use of such language, that is also a shame and regrettable.

[Scottish Modeller]

And if this is successful, and they realise there are hundreds of thousands of home modellers out there whom don't come to places such as this, then perhaps more straightforward how to do it, or why do it shows will emerge - as they have from Bake off and others. But, importantly, the best of these have 'found' some genuine talent - such as Nadiya. To me the biggest fault with this programme is that it doesn't allow individuals any time, or even introduce the teams properly. In 50 years I've never understood why this hobby is so reluctant to identify individuals or clubs, we have had few 'heroes' or mentors. Perhaps some will emerge from this.

 

And my memory of Bob Symes is of a very odd ball individual whom certainly didn't represent the modellers I knew in the 1970s, going on about making real diesel hydraulic and diesel electric locomotives in scales we could only dream of affording. Perhaps Model World was in my non TV watching years.

 

Paul

 

Hi Paul,

 

I agree with what you say - mostly.

 

There are loads of modellers out there that don't frequent web places like this, don't belong to a club and are solitary modellers who are happy to carry on that way with the occasional visit to an exhibition.

 

An introductory episode was filmed prior to the competition which would have provided the introduction to the modellers and teams and also set the scene for a lot of what happened at the event.

 

It's a shame the C5 decided that they didn't want this and just took the actual competition.

 

This competition has found some unknown talents, you have to keep watching to find that out though!

 

I agree with you about Bob Symes - not your typical modeller in my experience.

 

Thanks

[Steamport Southport]

But Model World wasn't a prime time general audience programme. It was very specifically an adult education programme made by the BBC's Continuing Education Department (where I made programmes for part of my career some years later and which no longer exists) It was at the "soft" end of adult education programmes, the hard end being things like language courses and adult literacy and numeracy. The aim of model world was to introduce the audience to model railway building and the other branches of modelling that the series looked at and to show them enough detail about the techniques to give them the confidence to try. It was shown later in the evening than prime time and went into more depth about actual techniques than any general programme would for an audience who wanted to learn something from it. It was accompanied by a book as were most such programmes.

 

Success of Continuing Education programmes was not measured by audience size, though you needed to get an audience before you could serve it, but by whether it enhanced the lives of enough of the people who watched, how useful they found it, book sales or take up of the free sheets that often accompanied them and, for some programmes, referrals to colleges and evening classes. The programmes needed to be engaging and entertaining for the audience but entertainment was not the real objective.  

A prime time series like this is designed to entertain but will probably encourage more people to take up railway modelling than Model World ever could. That's likely to be very satisfying for the producers, we all like to think our programmes  have a positive impact, but it's purpose is to entertain a large audience.

 

I'm 99% positive that it was shown on Sunday afternoons Saturday Mornings on BBC One.

 

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1975-10-18

 

 

 

Jason

Edited October 8, 2018 by Steamport Southport

[Guest teacupteacup]

I watched the show on sat night with my lady friend and I was thoroughly entertained, as was she,  She cant wait until the next episode.

 

It was great to see railway modellers not being ridiculed on TV for a change, and if the series brings in new blood of any age then its a winner

 

To those who are moaning about it, go and make a series yourself, get the funding, the crew, the presenters, the participants, get a prime-time weekend main channel slot, then come back here and tell us when its on.

 

It would be good if a main player in the model railway world were able to have an advert ran during the breaks - a manufacturer/magazine/box-shifter, or even an on-screen weblink - RMWeb for instance.  I guess costs stop this.  Golden opportunity though

[hmrspaul]

Yes, Paul, you're absolutely right but I doubt that many of the established 'talents' in this hobby would want to go in front of a TV camera, with the potential to be ridiculed, which even if this programme didn't do it, is the usual that we expect from British TV. If it produces some new TV-savvy talents, that will be great. Rod Stewart, who is an exceptionally good model-maker, had no hesitation in seeing his layout in Model Railroader but when his railway modelling was eventually mentioned in British TV, the BBC took the mickey and confronted him with a circle of track and a Thomas on a coffee table. 

Bob Symes was a unique character but was the kind of eccentric that TV people love - a 'posh' Fred Dibnah. Were you there when Bob Symes turned up, unannounced, at Egham club one Tuesday evening in his plus-fours, apparently to see if we had layouts worth filming? (CJL)

No, it was many years later I saw Bob perform at a model railway show. Until this discussion I'd never heard of "Model World", it was writing in Model Railway News and Tomorrows World I knew him for. I think it may have been during my student years when the only telly we watched was Magic Roundabout.

 

The personality that may have lifted this programme was the late David Jenkinson, I believe he would have seen the educational possibilities and been amusing. Mind, I thought Steve Flints' rather gentle style was very suited to the programme. As you mentioned, quite a commitment

 

Paul

[Robin2]

She did seem to enjoy it, you are correct, but it's such a shame that people like her feel the need to drop such bad language into their published pieces.

What bad language? I didn't see anything offensive?

 

...R

[RJS1977]

I think it's important to remember that the layouts we see in magazines are often the 'Premier League' layouts. The modelling magazines have a combined circulation of roughly 100K, so there are potentially a lot of layouts out there which will never grace the pages of a magazine. Many of them will be of a lesser quality and I'd venture there are probably more of them than the 'Premier League' types. The lower quality could be for all sorts of reasons - lack of skill, lack of time/other commitments etc. But they're just as important a part of the hobby as the Premier League types, just as much as a bunch of schoolkids playing 'jumpers for goalposts' is as much a part of football as the top-flight matches are.

 

So what if the layouts on GBMRC weren't top-standard (and they were pretty good). Nobody complains that ITV4's coverage of some of the lower-formula single seater motor races damages Formula One - if anything, by showing the lower rungs of the ladder it possibly helps encourage people into motor sport. Likewise the simpler layouts in GBMRC may encourage people to have a go who would be intimidated by the excellent layouts shown in the modelling press.

[rob D2]

What it did bring home to me is that it’s actually quite hard to make our hobby exciting and interesting to the public.

 

It struck me it’s a little like playing squash, fun to do but horrible to watch *

 

* more adult versions available

[Pacific231G]

I'm 99% positive that it was shown on Sunday afternoons Saturday Mornings on BBC One.

 

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1975-10-18

 

 

 

Jason

Hi Jason

That's probably when you did see it. Model World's second or third showing was at 10.00 on Saturdays on BBC-1 in Autumn 1975. The first showings were in spring on Thursdays at 18.40 on BBC-2. It did get later showings in 1977 on BBC2 on Fridays at 19.05 and in 1978 it was on Sunday afternoons at 13.25. Educational programmes for the general audience (so not schools or Open University ) often went out multiple times when first made and these weren't normally classified as repeats. 

 

(Thanks for reminding me about Genome. I've found a couple of programmes I produced or directed in the 1980s that I'd completely forgotten about) 

Edited October 9, 2018 by Pacific231G

[BlackRat]

Again all depends what you mean by....lesser quality'....?

 

The bedrock of the hobby is settrack, cardboard kit buildings and rtr, no ifs, no buts.

 

Even the largest of kit producerscannot match the output of the smallest rtr manufacturer.

 

Look at The adverts in any of the mags.

 

Again the prob is entertainment for the masses and a mass audience.

 

Don't over analyse.....

 

It works.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Have just watched it again - missed the first 3/4 minutes when it was live.

 

Found it on Channel 5's catch-up site - under the heading 'POPULAR PROGRAMMES' which is, in my opinion, very encouraging!

 

In fact enjoyed it even more second time around.

 

 

[Captain Kernow]

What bad language? I didn't see anything offensive?

 

...R

The piece I read was peppered liberally with the 'f' word, which added absolutely nothing to the meaning or feel of the information being given.

[APOLLO]

Get Tony Wright as a judge, along with his cane and detention book !!!!

 

Brit15

[Hobby]

But is "normal speak" these days, if you are offended by that word I wouldn't go to most places where people gather these days. (I'm not saying whether that's right or wrong, just pointing out that it's a very commonly used word these days in all sorts of situations - I agree that it's unnecessary in that article, though)

[daltonparva]

Speaking the "F" word is one thing, considering the micro-seconds between brain and mouth, with no take-back facility. Printing it, having composed, typed, and read it; with a delete key in the top right of the keyboard, is another.

 

PS. I can speak it with the best of them, writing it seems a whole lot different.

Edited October 9, 2018 by daltonparva

[Hobby]

Agreed, but that's the way of things, you see it regularly on stuff like FB and similar, just that they use ***!!!*** to hide the fact! Mainstream journalism like BBC or Paper Websites it's unusual to see it but that blog isn't mainstream so for her and the intended readers it's acceptable... Writes as she speaks i suppose...

Edited October 9, 2018 by Hobby

[dibber25]

But is "normal speak" these days, if you are offended by that word I wouldn't go to most places where people gather these days. (I'm not saying whether that's right or wrong, just pointing out that it's a very commonly used word these days in all sorts of situations - I agree that it's unnecessary in that article, though)

 

We older folk remember the days when the print unions would not typeset words which were classified as obscene. It all came to an abrupt end with the court case over D H Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover and the Obscene Publications Act. (CJL)

[Legend]

But is "normal speak" these days, if you are offended by that word I wouldn't go to most places where people gather these days. (I'm not saying whether that's right or wrong, just pointing out that it's a very commonly used word these days in all sorts of situations - I agree that it's unnecessary in that article, though)

The word and several like it get banded about all to often these days and sadly could be considered normal speak for some . It does add nothing to the article and actually in my opinion detracts from it . The problem is that bandying language about like that becomes self sustaining and younger people reading this blog will think that’s the norm and start speaking that way . It’s hard not to sound like an old fuddy duddy but you do need to set standards . I’ve already formed an opinion on the person that wrote it.

Edited October 9, 2018 by Legend

[TheQ]

But is "normal speak" these days, if you are offended by that word I wouldn't go to most places where people gather these days. (I'm not saying whether that's right or wrong, just pointing out that it's a very commonly used word these days in all sorts of situations - I agree that it's unnecessary in that article, though)

You obviously go to places I don't, I don't hear such use at work (in a factory ) or in any of the clubs(not all MRCs) I belong to nor generally out in the street..

Edited October 9, 2018 by TheQ

[GeoffAlan]

I managed to catch up on the programme last night. I was expecting to be disappointed and was pleasantly surprised. While not on my must watch list, I will try to watch them all.

[AndrewC]

The piece I read was peppered liberally with the 'f' word, which added absolutely nothing to the meaning or feel of the information being given.

Welcome to millennial speak. F has become the new ! on social media and blogging. C is creeping in as well, although still usually censored slightly. Reviews like the one posted are typical of today's online interaction. I must admit that I've become conditioned to seeing it and as a result developed quite a potty mouth at times. 

[Hobby]

You obviously go to places I don't, I don't hear such use at work (in a factory ) or in any of the clubs(not all MRCs) I belong to nor generally out in the street..

 

You'll hear in most pubs, railway messrooms, and many factories (your's must be a very nice one to work at!), and that's before you go out into the big wide world and sit on trains or go to some sort of sports event or walk down a high street... You must have some sort of hearing filter if you can honestly say you don't hear the "f" word or similar! Can I borrow it for a bit?!

[TheQ]

You'll hear in most pubs, railway messrooms, and many factories (your's must be a very nice one to work at!), and that's before you go out into the big wide world and sit on trains or go to some sort of sports event or walk down a high street... You must have some sort of hearing filter if you can honestly say you don't hear the "f" word or similar! Can I borrow it for a bit?!

No I just live in Norfolk it seems in somewhat of a time warp...

I haven't been in a railway mess room in 40 Years,

All the pubs round here I'd call restaurants with beer,

I haven't sat on a train other than preserved, since 2001,

I don't hear generally  swearing in the main shopping street in Norwich, which appropriately is called Gentlemans walk.

 and I don't hear any outside any of the 5 schools I pass at very slow speeds at kicking out time

 

I think we are just more civilised round here..

Edited October 9, 2018 by TheQ

[chuffinghell]

Removed content

 

Coaches?

[Penlan]

I think we are just more civilised round here..

And in west Cornwall