To be fair, the raising of issues and equally importantly the resolving of these issues is really useful. The way this is done on WT seems to be far more objective than on the other channel .
Rob.
Absolutely right Rob.
And a major reason for that is WT does not get lost in "RTR trivia" for want of a better expression. When Cynric started WT off, this was largely manifested in what were called "wishlists". By now the world of RTR is much more complex, fragmented, consumer driven etc etc. All of which is in its way fascinating and a worthy subject for discussion.
There is much such discussion on RMweb, there is similar O Gauge related discussion on the Guild Forum, there is Scaleforum and there are many other forums besides where it is no doubt a lively topic of discussion.
But it is not what WT is about.
Consider three posters on WT, on the face of it all are using RTR models and all, I think, based upon comments on my "9 years after Cynric" thread may have felt that I was then suggesting that in some way they "didn't fit" into WT. Not so.
Rob, your sheep humour and chronicles don't owe any of their joyful inspiration to RTR, it is your approach to the hobby and the obvious pleasure you derive from it (and your weathering) that makes it so good and enjoyable to read.
Pencarrot's artful evocations of the Southern in the West Country feature RTR stock - but that is not what draws readers back into his world time and time again, rather it is his application of his knowledge of and feeling for his subject that makes it so compelling.
Alan's beautiful (previously OO) but now O gauge world might be based upon RTR models, but it is the imagination, creativity and skill that he always somehow brings to bear and apply to a relatively small area of plywood that makes it so utterly magical.
I could go on, there is so much here that is remarkable in all sorts of ways.
When I came here first, what struck me was how inspiring the whole place was, it made me want to get on and do stuff. It was Rob (Lancer's) Motorail flats at the time, whatever happened to them? It's the same now, I love the way Jordan has laid in to his cab and is sorting it out, Neil's clever and apparently "easy" transformations of basic models are inspiring and I was so impressed by Mick's 3D printing of Bulleid blast pipes that I have just shelled out for my own 1/32 piece of his genius. I look at the lathe work threads and try and visualise doing the same when I have plugged my ML7 in.
And so it goes on.
But, say it ever so quietly, discussions of why such and such a manufacturer got a something wrong, or how they deal with warranty issues, or a myriad of other issues are....
Well, I'll leave you all to draw your own conclusions, personally I'd rather they weren't here.
That's all.
Sorry for thread hijack Jordan, I didn't want to start another thread because I think it would be counter productive and highlight something that doesn't need or want highlighting.
Simon