Neil
Western Thunderer
That's an interesting question. I guess that part of the reason we like the image is that it's a result of craft, imagination, artistic sensibilities and human judgement. These things we applaud when we see them across a range of endeavours. AI seems not to do nuance; I guess we've all had the frustration of talking to the robot on the phone or conversing with one on the chat box when all you want to do is speak to a human in customer enquiries. AI may be good at number crunching but **** all use at replacing a human where judgement, flexibility or taste is required.
Willl
Western Thunderer
This is fantastic Dave, my jaw probably dropped a little when I saw it! I have been plotting to write a sort of fiction around the next layout project, accompanied by postcards, letters etc. (as Iain Rice and Bob Barlow discussed doing with the East Suffolk), so will have to make an attempt at something similar
On the AI thought, I also think the key is that editing photos requires skill… I have a long history of dabbling in photography and would argue that good editing can be almost as tricky as taking the photo in the first place. I’m sure there are those who would argue that prompt engineering is also a skill, but it feels a bit like asking someone to paint a portrait for you, and then claiming you were the artist!
Will
Or buying a model railway from its creator and happily revelling in the kudos of exhibiting it! Plenty of that going on from what I have seen.
Terry
Willl
Western Thunderer
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that as long as you aren’t passing it off as your own work - there’s an interesting piece on this topic in Ribbons 2 by the OTCM duo. Some layouts deserve to be exhibited, even after the original owner has moved it on or passed away.
Will
Flaxfield
Western Thunderer
I found the articles ( there was another one in a similar vein in another of James Hiltons books ) a bit odd. I mean, if you are going to exhibit a layout which was bought and not built by you, you need to be prepared to answer questions about it's construction etc.
My first ( and second, actually) layout was sold to a nice chap in County Durham and are exhibited, last time being at York this year where Sheep Lane was being shown. I was invited by the new owner to go along for the weekend to help operate, but being Easter, I had to sadly decline. A pity as I would have taken the original stock along.
As an aside, a couple of years ago now, I did see a piece on Sheep Dip on a club website, attributing the layout to the new owner with lots of inaccuracies about its construction. I did write to the club to correct things but never received a response from them..
Rob
My first ( and second, actually) layout was sold to a nice chap in County Durham and are exhibited, last time being at York this year where Sheep Lane was being shown. I was invited by the new owner to go along for the weekend to help operate, but being Easter, I had to sadly decline. A pity as I would have taken the original stock along.
As an aside, a couple of years ago now, I did see a piece on Sheep Dip on a club website, attributing the layout to the new owner with lots of inaccuracies about its construction. I did write to the club to correct things but never received a response from them..
Rob
I agree. But do the exhibitors deserve to be doing the exhibiting? It strikes me as a quick way to get into the joys of exhibiting without actually creating anything.
Terry
Sorry Will. I appear to be stealing your thread.
Last edited:
Vaughan45
Western Thunderer
Interesting - two of the small number of layouts I have sold during the last 20 years are still being exhibited.
The owner of the O gauge micro does credit me with the initial built and still posts entries on the thread I started on the other place, in addition to starting a separate thread for the companion micro he is building. The work he has done on the one I sold him has enhanced it greatly.
The O-16.5 / NG7 layout I sold about 15 years ago has been sold on two or three times since my initial sale and I believe the current owner has no knowledge of my involvement.
The owner of the O gauge micro does credit me with the initial built and still posts entries on the thread I started on the other place, in addition to starting a separate thread for the companion micro he is building. The work he has done on the one I sold him has enhanced it greatly.
The O-16.5 / NG7 layout I sold about 15 years ago has been sold on two or three times since my initial sale and I believe the current owner has no knowledge of my involvement.
Ian@StEnochs
Western Thunderer
Is it any different to buying a classic car and exhibiting it at shows?
Kane Clements
Active Member
Hi Terry
Who is the exhibition for, the exhibitors or the paying punters?
And would most of the visitors, who one would guess are generally less deeply involved with the hobby, know or care?
Also there is to a degree for some layouts an element of curation. Ruyton Road comes to mind. The layout history is well known and the current owner has done a great job of refreshing it whilst keeping the heart of the layout. Everything about that process is transparent.
simond
Western Thunderer
I guess that classic car & to a lesser extent, bike, events are largely showpieces where some if not all the work has been done by one or more professional restorers, few of us can do chromium plating, for example, or rewind a starter motor, so there is an assumption of at least some “cheque book modelling”.
That aspect of our hobby has always been seen as “less genuine” or even “less good” though I don’t really understand the attitude - we all have different strengths and it seems pretty obvious to me that if you don’t like / don’t have the space for / can’t be bothered with carpentry or some other aspect of our hobby, you can just buy what you need, or pay someone to do it for you, budget permitting of course. I’d much rather pay someone to paint and line a loco than spend a lot of time doing it badly myself.
I think the issue arises when someone shows something implying, if not actually stating, that “it’s all my own work” when it very definitely isn’t.
That aspect of our hobby has always been seen as “less genuine” or even “less good” though I don’t really understand the attitude - we all have different strengths and it seems pretty obvious to me that if you don’t like / don’t have the space for / can’t be bothered with carpentry or some other aspect of our hobby, you can just buy what you need, or pay someone to do it for you, budget permitting of course. I’d much rather pay someone to paint and line a loco than spend a lot of time doing it badly myself.
I think the issue arises when someone shows something implying, if not actually stating, that “it’s all my own work” when it very definitely isn’t.
I once scratchbuilt an O Gauge LBSCR wagon for a friend in our model railway club. Subsequently I left the club and a few years later, whilst attending the club's annual exhibition, I stopped to admire the exhibits in a display case, which were to be judged as part of the club's modelling competition. Among the items of rolling stock, there sat my wagon with my friend shown as the builder! I asked someone to open the display case and pointed out my name painted on the underside. Unsurprisingly, my friend was disqualified.
Terry
Terry
In my experience, as much for the exhibitors as the punters. Or why would we commit our time, often a couple of days, the hassle of transporting a layout, often many miles, for little financial (if any) return? Because we enjoy showing off our handiwork and the comradery of like-minded souls. And I'm sure there are other reasons.
Terry
alastairq
Western Thunderer
Exhibiting at model railway shows?
Taking a so-called 'classic' car to public shows??
I tend not to do either.
Neither would l I accredit items from either, to anybody.
Unless , of course, I was asked by someone, 'who did that?' Etc.
With the classic car shows, I somehow liken them to physical facebook-itis.
I don't bother when payment to park for the delectation of the public is demanded.
I don't have the 'spare cash' lying around to do so.
However, I have been known, in the past, to take my ol' bangah [abve, left] to local 'shows'....as a way of 'getting in', parking, and trundlin' around seeing what else is there....
I do get rather 'tired' of answering the questions, however.....Mainly because, to answer them properly, becomes a bit long-winded.
A simple 'no, it isn't a kit car' suddenly develops into an hour long lecture, if I'm not careful.
I do take advantage of modern technology, though.
By way of answering, 'what is it? I've never heard of them!' I tend to respond nowadays with a ''Google the name''.....
Sometimes I wish I just drove a Ford, or an Austin, or a Morris Minor.....A lot less hassle with explanations....
As for model railway exhibitions? Well, the covid era sorted that one out for me...
I used to take stuff to NMRA conventions, or local-ish NMRA meets...but as 'tools for a job' rather than to show off my handiwork.
Each to their own....
Taking a so-called 'classic' car to public shows??
I tend not to do either.
Neither would l I accredit items from either, to anybody.
Unless , of course, I was asked by someone, 'who did that?' Etc.
With the classic car shows, I somehow liken them to physical facebook-itis.
I don't bother when payment to park for the delectation of the public is demanded.
I don't have the 'spare cash' lying around to do so.
However, I have been known, in the past, to take my ol' bangah [abve, left] to local 'shows'....as a way of 'getting in', parking, and trundlin' around seeing what else is there....
I do get rather 'tired' of answering the questions, however.....Mainly because, to answer them properly, becomes a bit long-winded.
A simple 'no, it isn't a kit car' suddenly develops into an hour long lecture, if I'm not careful.
I do take advantage of modern technology, though.
By way of answering, 'what is it? I've never heard of them!' I tend to respond nowadays with a ''Google the name''.....
Sometimes I wish I just drove a Ford, or an Austin, or a Morris Minor.....A lot less hassle with explanations....
As for model railway exhibitions? Well, the covid era sorted that one out for me...
I used to take stuff to NMRA conventions, or local-ish NMRA meets...but as 'tools for a job' rather than to show off my handiwork.
Each to their own....
Willl
Western Thunderer
Enough thread drift for one day...
Unsurprisingly there's not a lot new to show on Rye Sands for now, so I will just plonk this photo of a new arrival on here.
I am currently in the midst of some light scenic work on Fordwich Haven, and contemplating how best to utilise (or dispose of) the many baseboards I have cluttering up the modelling room. More broadly, dabblings in EM are forming into ideas for a Butley-Mills-cum-Shell-Island freight only tramway... Hence the need to make some space!
Unsurprisingly there's not a lot new to show on Rye Sands for now, so I will just plonk this photo of a new arrival on here.
I am currently in the midst of some light scenic work on Fordwich Haven, and contemplating how best to utilise (or dispose of) the many baseboards I have cluttering up the modelling room. More broadly, dabblings in EM are forming into ideas for a Butley-Mills-cum-Shell-Island freight only tramway... Hence the need to make some space!