Killing the goose

"Kevin" wrote

As a kid in the 50s I only knew two others who had train sets, and one of them shared his Dad's railway.

There are all sorts of reasons why kids are not members of model railway clubs, supervision being one of them. Many kids don't go to school either, but that is hardly evidence that education is dying.

You must attend different exhibitions to me, as there is a significant 'junior' attendence at all the shows I visit, although that may only be the case at local shows. I doubt that the likes of Warley would attract many kids.

John.

Reply to
John Turner
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When I was a kid in the 1950s plenty of us had Hornby or similar clockwork O gauge. I knew nobody who had electric until later.

Reply to
Christopher A.Lee

I believe I got my first Hornby Dublo set (LMS 0-6-2 goods) at Christmas

1950 when I was 7. My friend, who was a year older, had O gauge clockwork. A school friend had the Duchess of Atholl, and another had Trix Twin. My cousin acros the road also had Trix Twin, but I thought they were crude models even then.
Reply to
MartinS

Lots of parents bring their kids, from age 3 up, to local train shows here in Canada, although I don't know how many of them develop an interest in modelling. Of course, it's mostly N. American outline; we do have an all- British show near Toronto every 2 years.

Reply to
MartinS

Just to add my two pennorth. My first was a clockwork OO gauge Trackmaster around 1949 (I was 6) which was actually more akin to the style of my first electric at Christmas 1952 (I think) which was Triang Rovex and consisted of a Princess Elizabeth loco and a couple of maroon and cream coaches together with an oval of track, a speed controller and a transformer. I believe Rovex actually bought the Trackmaster tooling.

Reply to
Keith Willcocks

"Kevin" wrote If it isn't dying then why are so many model railway shops going out of business and why are so few youngsters coming into the hobby. Kevin

Saturation of the market with so many manufacturers ? Ebay, car boot sales, Internet sales. Why bother with a shop when you can sell from your garage with no wage bills, lighting, electricity, extra rent\rates and still claim your benifit and run down the street in your neck brace and crutches (Sorry, did I go OTT there ??)

Sorry, my job makes me cynical !

Andy

Reply to
Andy Sollis CVMRD

How many high street butchers have closed? It doesn't mean that people are not buying meat. etc., etc. Retailing has changed dramatically in the last few years. I'll leave it to you to guess what the biggest factor is.

MBQ

Reply to
manatbandq

"Kevin" wrote Look at club memberships, exhibitors at exhibitions and what my son's friends are into. None of them are into railways. Kevin

Hmm, so why are there also many families attending exhibitions ? many because little Joey is "into trains" ? The enthusiasts etc are still there, but it is just that we have so many other things to occupy our minds and there is also a bigger population (Not all that have grown up around British Railways - if you catch my drift!)

No, I think it is here to stay for a good while yet, there IS still a following that is not over 50 (I'm 20 years from that age yet!) to keep the market boyant if not well afloat, otherwise why would new companies be venturing into the hobby ? Surely thet would be catching the next slow boat from China after all the local model shops have shut ?

Reply to
Andy Sollis CVMRD

A few years ago we ex-pats on the left hand side of the pond took our layout to the NMRA National Convention. Actually twice, in Long Beach and San Jose.

Excited youngsters were saying to fathers "ooh, look, there's Duck". Or Oliver, etc. One even recognised City of Truro.

Reply to
Christopher A.Lee

For what it's worth, my theory - based on personal experience - is that 50 years ago very few parents had cars and so the children used public transport when going to scholl, going on holiday etc. Therefore we could re-create, in our own way, the things we experienced with Dinky and/or Matchbox buses and taxis, with Hornby-Dublo and Triang representing the rail travel. In other words, us fossils grew up with public transport - some of today's children seem to have a life-cycle of bed/car/school/car/computer games/bed. They are probably adversely influenced by too much crass media reporting - Grayrigg was "another major rail disaster" with a single (sad) loss of life - and everybody seems to know that all the trains are always late, whereas the 4-wheel drive taking the satchel to school never gets stuck in traffic jams. I think it boils down to a mind-set, we are all the products of our age and will probably show interest in that with which we are familiar. Maybe I'm wrong, I await any comments with interest!

David Costigan

Reply to
David Costigan

Some might have had train sets, but how many had model railways?

I've been reliably told many, many times that in the past kids just had an orange at Christmas, and they thought they were lucky...

But youngsters are unlikely to be exhibiting, and club membership won't say anything about how many young people are into models but not members of clubs (or have been scared off from clubs by the old buffers).

Reply to
Arthur Figgis

I suppose that the true criteria of whether model railway is dead or dying is: Can you buy "it" in a tesco shop (lower case for generic shop)? In my limited visits to the UK to buy my tea ( French tea is impossibly weak), I have never seen MR artifacts on sale in any non model shop except as "Train Sets" so disloyally provided by the likes of Hornby to the seasonal sellers and crapping on their year round retailers.

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Reply to
Peter Abraham

My local toy shop has Hornby trainsets, and a cabinet with displayed engines and track and rolling stock available, admittedly half the cabinet is Thomas stuff but that has its place as well.

Reply to
estarriol

I think Thomas and Friends have been very influential in interesting youngsters in trains, even obsolete steam trains, and not just in the UK. The Thomas phenomenon is huge in Canada, on a par with Dora The Explorer.

Reply to
MartinS

There aren't many youngsters joining Saga either so that must be proof that the organisation is dying :o)

(kim)

Reply to
kim

Those train sets sold in Tesco have the potential to recruit new people to the hobby who will subsequently become customers of specialist model shops. As such, it's a very good move by Hornby et al to get them into supermarkets, especially at times when they're most likely to be an impulse purchase.

Mark

Reply to
Mark Goodge

I don't dispute that exhibitions are well attended by children but how many of them have or intend to have a model railway. My children have no interest in model railways. None of their friends have model railways. The average age at the club I attend has to be over 60. Will they develop and interest in later life, I doubt it.

Kevin

Reply to
Kevin

I can't speak for the fifties but certainly in the 60's many of my friends had model railways.

Kevin

Reply to
Kevin

So! It has already happened! Stand by for "Own Brand" railways.

Reply to
Peter Abraham

Tesco already do their own brand "Brio" wooden push along.

They could use all the old less detailed tooliong under the "Value" branding.

MBQ

Reply to
manatbandq

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