Whinge about whingers

[Dorsetmike]

On model railway and probably other hobby forums, people keep moaning along the lines of "Why don't the manufacturers make XYZ" even if it's only a particular variant of an existing model. I decided to post the following on one such forum, do others agree with such a statement?

[grumpy old fart] (in full whinge mode)
The problem I see these days is that there appear to be too many "collectors" and ones who "play trains" and not enough modellers. If you must have a particular loco which isn't readily available, get on and hack or kit bash or even scratch build ( read modify it yourself to suit), don't just sit there whingeing about manufacturers not doing everything for you; next you'll be moaning about there being no ready built, ready to run, layout of Waterloo in nineteenumptywhen - complete with all relevant stock for the period and with fully working signalling! Special offer - comes with fully insulated air conditioned garden building fully erected on site.

There are parallels in many facets of "modern living" prime example being ready meals instead of home cooked prepared from raw ingredients. Many will raise the "we don't have enough time for XYZ" to which my answer is "make time" - would the world come to an end if you missed an episode of some mindless soap on the box? (Or anything on the box come to that) Do you really need to spend hours on farcebook or twatter? Or endlessly texting every Tom Dick and Harriet? [/grumpy old fart]

 

[Corno Dolce]

On model railway and probably other hobby forums, people keep moaning along the lines of "Why don't the manufacturers make XYZ" even if it's only a particular variant of an existing model. I decided to post the following on one such forum, do others agree with such a statement?

I fully agree with what you have posted on another forum - Some people need to get a "life"...ALREADY!!!

 

[teddy]

To me half the fun was making things which often, as a kid, if I wanted it I had to make it. Its is true that with the "NOW" mentality that a lot of people seem to have, if they can't have it now, they don't want it.

teddy

 

[Dorsetmike]

All part of "the world owes me a living" mentality; they just can't or won't do anything to help themselves.

 

[teddy]

I have just created a flower bed. The flints at the back I dug up 25 years ago. The slabs the bird bath stands on where left over from the patio I laid twelve years ago. The gravel bed was left over from gravel I laid at my other house, and carted home rather than waste it. The stone trough the herbs are in came from the farm my family had in the 1940 s. The bricks I have dug up up at various times. Some of the plants such as the Cyclamen were growing wild in various parts of the garden. Total cost, £30.00 for the bird bath. It was too heavy to nick. Satisfaction rate...high.

teddy

 

[Corno Dolce]

I have just created a flower bed. The flints at the back I dug up 25 years ago. The slabs the bird bath stands on where left over from the patio I laid twelve years ago. The gravel bed was left over from gravel I laid at my other house, and carted home rather than waste it. The stone trough the herbs are in came from the farm my family had in the 1940 s. The bricks I have dug up up at various times. Some of the plants such as the Cyclamen were growing wild in various parts of the garden. Total cost, £30.00 for the bird bath. It was too heavy to nick. Satisfaction rate...high.

teddy

BRAVO Teddles...

 

[JHC]

The standing of a model railway enthusiast is the amount of scratch built stock and buildings he has on his layout so I agree with you Mike.

 

[John Watt]

My brothers and I used a plywood sheet to build an electric railroad vista.
We even sifted the driveway, with our mother's help, to get small stones to glue along the tracks.
But we sold it. Why? You couldn't race.
Once we got slot cars, it got very competitive.
I would take the motor apart, shave the magnets, using tape to get them closer.
I'd rewire the armatures for short or fast tracks, and those tracks got long,
when two of our neighbours would get together to combine all three tracks for an afternoon enduro.
I've been looking for an Eldon slot car set at flea markets and yard sales for over twenty years.
It's even fun to hold both controllers and race yourself.
If you take a six volt battery and wire it into your controller in reverse,
when you let off the controller it kicks in like brakes, when it really gets good.
What did I say when I sat behind the wheel of the Euclid truck at the quarry? Vroom vroom!

 

[teddy]

There is nothing as rewarding as making something yourself. As a keen railway modeler when young I made all the scenery and bulidings for my layout, which was 11' long and 6' at its widest. I made a couple of coaches from kits but did not have the skills to make rolling stock from scratch. When retired I hope to build, from plans, another radio controlled aircraft. I have managed to pass on this love of making to my youngest. We even designed and built a board game for schools which now that she is traing to be a teacher she may have a chance to use and develope. Who knows, it may be the new Monopoly!!!!

teddy

 

[JHC]

My brothers and I used a plywood sheet to build an electric railroad vista.
We even sifted the driveway, with our mother's help, to get small stones to glue along the tracks.
!

I believe you John solely because you said "glue" I did the same thing with black sand but purely to save money

When retired I hope to build, from plans, another radio controlled aircraft.
teddy

My dad and I built a line control plane (I was about 7-8) but he insisted controlling the maiden flight which which started off at 45 deg up and then 45 deg down, right into the ground. :bawl::bawl::bawl:

 

[teddy]

If there is anything worse than crashing your first model it is having someone else crash it.

teddy