It's been a bad week...

The Warley National Model Railway Exhibition has been the premier show on the calendar for decades and now it looks like look that might be changing. Thank you to everyone who has been involved with putting on this wonderful show over the years.
Full statement here: / warley.mrc.exhibition
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[@bustedmuppet]

Part of the problem of a clubs membership getting older and not having younger members are: 1) older members not wanting children at club nights. 2) older members being entrenched in what they like to model and make derogatory comments about what younger people like i.e scale, county, era. 3) younger folks maybe don’t have as much room in their homes to build a layout and there isn’t an option of doing something within the club. 4) expectations of older members that you should know what to do. 5) the cost of annual club fees and then attendance dues being prohibitive, and that’s before the ever increasing cost of the hobby. I’m in my late forties with two pre teen sons and have experienced this and worse in numerous clubs we’ve visited when looking to join. By far the best club we experienced was Poole and district, along with Bearwood and the Bournemouth NTrak. Ever since we moved away we have tried to find a club that we could join, to no avail. Even with travelling outside our local area, we experienced at least one if not two of the above points in every one. Maybe if clubs were more welcoming , accepting of what people like to model I.e my kids like French railways which was passed to them by their grandad and I’m North American, so I do HO analog with them and N scale DCC for me. So the result is we don’t belong to a club, the kids aren’t getting as involved in the hobby and therefore the younger generation or two aren’t coming through within a club setting. So there are fewer people available to carry on the mantle.

[@landhopper4296]

I worry that it’s not just model railway clubs, but heritage railways and rail enthusiasm generally.

[@DentedPentax]

​@@landhopper4296I think sadly it's a mixture of both. A good portion of modelers are modeling what they are nostalgic for. And, some clubs are very much excluding to younger members. When I was younger (~14, I think) I wanted to join a club but when asked, the minimum age was 18. I still haven't joined a club but some of that is because I like foreign railways, as a person who likes UK railways in the US. I think it's just a bad time for most hobbies, which is sad.

[@_RandomPea]

Could start your own club? Why sit around waiting for others to do it when you just need to hire a community centre and drum up interest in your community. Alot of the issue is more the stigma attached to the hobby, I'm early 40s and even I find the stigma attached when you tell people a bit annoying, imagine being a kid who actually cares about being 'cool' and fitting in. Having been to a load of small open days etc, they never seem to have things to interest the kids. Best thing is they often don't charge, and one did have a track for kids but with guys standing guard on it and practically doing it for them. I personally think the manufacturers themselves could do more to inject interest in the hobby, rather than just slap out the new (old) models each year with a massive price tag. I do understand why clubs are for over 18s, but perhaps those clubs do more with schools or have a junior club attached? All that said, the current reality is that we are now much more closed off in society... Hence we are all on KZbin, and I will likely never join a model club 😂

[@_RandomPea]

​@@landhopper4296I'd imagine it's more the cost of maintaining and running locos on coal that would impact them than people losing interest, my local is MId Hants and most times we go for events it's packed out. Interest is still there, probably in part due to KZbinrs like Rob helping to promote it. The manufacturers could and should imo be doing more to build the interest. This year's announcement from Hornby was the exact opposite of building interest... But at least we have a bunch of Beatles memorabilia.. 😂 🎉🎉🎉🥳

[@djkevonator]

Having experienced what BustedMuppet has talked about here with my first model railway club as a kid, I couldn’t agree more!! Luckily, the next club I joined were far more accepting & fostered my interest & enthusiasm. Some of the members I would even consider family after all of these years.

[@timwilks666]

I organised and ran a club display for a big event at the NEC once. Never again. Unlike other venues where they realise their success depends on the participants and go out of their way to help you, the NEC admin and staff make things as difficult and expensive as possible and treat you like crap whilst you're there. Not surprised they've had enough.

[@JohnDavies-cn3ro]

I absolutely second that experience, tim. Uncooperative, insulting little Hitlers who relish the chance to throw their weight about.

[@FluidLoneknight]

As someone who has worked for a shop at Warley from 2012, the show has been getting smaller and more expensive for both traders and the general public every year, its sad to see it go but its not a surprise but when this year for example it was £25 on the door to get in and if you are driving its the best part of £20 to park, nearly £50 before you get in plus fuel and the over the top pricing of the NEC food its the best part of £100 before you even consider buying anything you go there for.

[@shauntaylor9251]

I'm in the angling trade and we have shows like these , the costs for retailers to have stand space at these events is ridiculous nowadays

[@FluidLoneknight]

@@shauntaylor9251 at a rough estimate to not give much away our stand at Warley roughly cost us £7000 not included wages for staff etc.

[@jamescollins3647]

The NEC is pricing itself out of markets. The condition of the floors etc. is deteriorating and it seems to be going backwards in many ways. After this years prices I had already decided not to go in future. I feel sure the Warley folks will come up with something good, they always have.

[@shauntaylor9251]

@@FluidLoneknight Sounds about the same rates as the angling shows . The space is per meter then the power point etc are added on as well . Farnbough is the highest cost and the punter all expect "show deals" as well ! It's getting to the point that the main retailers are not going to these shows ,with the angling shows there is very little else apart from shops and manufactures stands .

[@killakanzgaming]

@@jamescollins3647 Unfortunately I don't think the warley folks will come up with anything to replace the show with. The official statement very much hinted at the fact that they're all getting older and want to retire, and nobody from younger generations are stepping up to take over...

[@Carl_Parkin]

I'm building an indoor N gauge layout for my great neice/nephew/ whatever, in addition to our garden 16mm narrow gauge loop. Meet it head on and give them something to build whether like it or not. Set up a sweat shop making them produce little trees and kit built stations. Get them involved in wiring it all up and seeing the end product. This only works if you're a grand parent or grand something as their modern parents are obviously too busy trying to read the instructions on the ready meal packet. Rant over. This hobby could easily be saved. 😢

[@PolishThatHandle346]

Thanks for this - a really nice statement compared to some of the others that have been put out on the Internet. It's easy to find a lot of negatives (grumbles about parking, travelling and the cost of food) but having a central show and an ability to bring do many together was what Warley did so well. Warley is personally a very special show for myself and was fortunate enough to be able to take my one year old to it this year the day after his birthday (unbeknown it would be his last) - he would have gone last year as well other than the fact he wasnt even a day old by the time the Sunday had finished! We had a really.magical day and only regret that I didn't give enough thanks on the day for the people there for putting on yet another brilliant show. Whatever they get up to I genuinely wish them all the very best

[@raymondmarkesteijn3198]

A sad week for the hobby as said perhaps a smaller show or another organiser will step in the gap left the warley club did a great job for so many years thank you for all involved in creating what now has become a beautiful memory

[@mikeportjogger1]

Sad news indeed. The Hampshire Area Group of the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers exhibited their modular layout at the 2023 Show and felt privileged to do so. It was the highlight of our exhibiting year and also of the life so far of the layout.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

It's a lovely layout 👍

[@SkyeSoarer04]

If you can try get to the Stonham Barns Train show this march i went last year and it was amazing goodbye warley we will miss you

[@thomasthornton2002]

With the national scale and more importantly press coverage that warley gets it was a great way for smaller manufacturers to get their announcements out to customers, we can only hope that whatever show comes to fill the void offers the same opportunities

[@webmasterg3526]

I went several times as a stand volunteer for my society and had to pack-up and collect things at the end of Show. It was absolute chaos, with the access gete being kept locled by Security well after the time given in the Show Notes. Large numbers of pee'ed off exhibitors driving slowly around the inner ring road waiting to get in - a massive circular traffic jam. We'd paid a full days parking and asked to go back into the car park across from the gate to wait. "Sure but you will have to pay again" says the attendant. Once the gate did open, all hell broke loose with people drving like crazy to get a parkig slot near to the rear doors. Not blaming WMRC - the NEC is run by ill-organised/don't give a damn numpties. I never went back after the second time.

[@jamfjord]

Really sad but understandable. I visited once in 2022, persuading my sister, mum and my two nephews to come along on the Sunday. I had planned to visit again in 2023 but had to cancel in the end, thinking "ah well, I'll definitely go next year". There's probably a life lesson in there somewhere...

[@simplesimon2802]

I did not go - the combined cost of getting there (from Euston) and entrance fee was greater than the funds I had to spend.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

It did add up. I spent nearly as much getting there, parking, entrance and eating as I did on products.

[@adriancarter2863]

Didn’t go in 2023 due to the cost of travel from Inverkeithing (Fife 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿), plus cost of hotels adjacent to the NEC, as you cannot get there and back in a day from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 by train 🚆. Looked into flights 🛩️ from Edinburgh to Birmingham International but none in the morning, so again would have had to stay over. Would have cost me well over £400-£500 to travel and stay over, then there’s the Entrance Fee and the extraordinary cost of food/drinks at the NEC. Add in some Spending Money, and you’re talking £750+ easy. Could fly to Canada 🇨🇦 and visit my Relatives for that kind of money!

[@digitalcareline]

The Model World approach should be fun - The Large Dortmund show brings in all modelling disciplines and a combined show in a large venue allows people to see a much broader view - there are a lot of transferable skills between Railway modelling, Radio control and static models.

[@MrSlartybartfast42]

They should think about using the Telford International Centre as it is where the IPMS set up every year

[@jamescollins3647]

Telford International Centre has already scared off the Gauge O Guild. Pricing and rules such as, any exhibition has to be completely cash free. To go to last years IPMS show you had to buy a ticket online and pay extra for the privilege, I didn't bother. Stafford Agricultural Showground is a good venue.

[@cedarcam]

@@jamescollins3647 I was looking forward to going to Telford until someone in the model shop who was going for the first time said it was advance tickets only Glad I saw him that day and did not waste a day going for nothing.

[@timbervalleyproductions]

It is a massive shame - i have really enjiyed my (two!) times visiting, especially 2023 as i was exhibiting, and we were looking forward to ro doing so again this year. I guess we'll juat have to stick to more local shows.

[@Mousehole-Rail]

I went to last years show as well as 2022 which I enjoyed both of them and I will miss it at the NEC

[@LewisLocos]

It is tough at the moment. Loads of shows have been cancelled due to cost of running them. I think it’s just the times. We have to believe that they things will get better and in the timeline of our hobby. Just a blip.

[@chrisj6321]

What are these present market conditions everyone is talking about. Are sales way down due to high prices?

[@eurovnik]

Affluent boomers are the mainstay of the hobby, financially, and they're now dying off. This means less demand for models. So manufacturers have to increase prices to cover the costs of smaller production runs. At the same time, the dead boomers' models are flooding the secondhand market, further reducing demand for new models. Tough times ahead for manufacturers and retailers.

[@killakanzgaming]

I'm glad I was able to participate in the last show exhibiting my father's layout, but such a shame to see the end of the Warley show... My Dad achieved his ambition of exhibiting his personal layout at Warley in it's final showing, an ambition I will no longer be able to achieve.

[@modelrailfan37]

This is sad 😞 I really hope things pick up later this year for this hobby, things seem to be going downhill. Let’s hope that manufacturers start making more budget models so more younger people can get into the hobby, and hopefully nothing else like this will happen for a while. Even though 2024 has been rough so far for the model railway community, let’s hope it gets better from here. On the plus side, Hornby brought lots of railroad models back in their announcements earlier this week, so maybe all hope for people getting into the hobby isn’t lost!

[@The_British_Director]

First Hattons and now Warley it can't get any worse, right? Maybe I shouldn't say anything else or the hobby will be in danger

[@Darkbeettv]

You have jinxed us now

[@megamanmuppet]

Hornby announcement was rubbish too.

[@Darkbeettv]

@@megamanmuppet yh betels trains are weried but the e2 makes a little sence with thomas being an e2 and ringo narrating s1 and s2 the building is cool though

[@Darkbeettv]

@Trainrhys with ya there

[@garagewindowrailway]

I last attended Warley in 2022. The access to manufacturers, dealers and the range of layouts was fantastic. I had expected the 160 mile, 4hr drive to NEC but the killer was the 1hr 20min jam to get off the motorway, a 30min crawl to get to a parking spot and a 20 minute walk to the hall; leaving at 6am it took just over 6 hours to get into the show! And leaving at 5pm we got home about 10pm. 11 hours travel for 5 hours at the venue put me off going in 2023. Yes there are alternatives (train, overnight stay....) but with significant additional costs. I will still be supporting many shows closer to home, (upto 2hrs each way). My personal choice.

[@chairmakerPete]

Hope the GETS moves there from that joke of a venue at Milton Keynes. Thank you to the Warley men for years of shows!

[@rjc0234]

I have seen similar happen to a lot of other groups. As a child every year there would be a giant camp for the entire scout troop and their families. at one point 500 people were going. Then it went to every 2 years as it was taking MORE THAN A YEAR to plan camps. now its down to every 3 years as some paperwork has to be submitted 2 years in advanced. We used to roll up with a few giant circus tents and cook. Now we need professional chefs to prepare and serve food. Tables would be left in the rain to be washed, now we need training to clean tables. Fire plans, litter reduction plans (not just put bins everyhwere). I couldn't possibly imagine some new coming along and trying to organise events like that without knowing anything before. only the scout leaders who have been doing it for decades, and learning the new stuff as it comes along, could do it. I feel Warley have the same issue. Their dedicated staff have been doing it for so long, that when 50 new measures and regulations come in place from the NEC, its just a drop in the ocean of their vast knowledge. But someone setting it up from scratch? I use the example that when my father was young he made a go-cart out of wood and put a lawnmower engine on it. Why couldn't a child do that now? Well no store would sell them power tools needed to make it, no place would let them have some old tyres because everywhere now has to have recyclability tracing and to take some old wheelbarrow tyres off someone you need to prove you have a recycling licence. And they would probably be in the back of a police car 3 seconds after it ended up on the road for operating an unlicensed motor vehicle.

[@stephenbourne4872]

I honestly don't know how people are still affording the hobby. I haven't been able to buy new locos for a couple of years and with council tax due to go up another 100 quid according to news reports that's all my spare cash used on fuel bills and tax. To be fair , most young people are more skint then i am

[@speleokeir]

That's a shame. Warley was the easiest venue to get to for me. 10 mins on the train.

[@EForrest88]

Madness that it was run by (and for the financial benefit of!) just one club. In comparison, Model Rail Scotland is run jointly by dozens of Scottish clubs through the Association of Model Railway Societies in Scotland (ARMSS), every club contributes manpower and gets a share of the event profits.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Do you know how Model Rail Scotland compares in terms of size?

[@EForrest88]

@@LittleWicketRailway I mean, it's known as "the other national show" for a reason. Usually at least 50 layouts, support from all the major suppliers, both Rails of Sheffield & Hattons nearly always took a massive retail stand.

[@user-pf3ye6yi9n]

@@LittleWicketRailway It's normally in hall 3 of the SEC which is 5000 square metres. The SEC parking is extortionate, the venue catering is expensive, limited and doesn't take cash (although the show entry does). Last year I thought Perth was better.

[@user-pf3ye6yi9n]

Forgot to mention, one of the highlights of the Glasgow show is there is usually a big wedding show in one of the other halls at the same time and it is fun spotting the well dressed blokes who have sneaked out to look at the trains 🙂

[@adriancarter2863]

See you in Glasgow in February at the SECC. Have been going every year since the Show was hosted in the McClellan Galleries. Sadly will probably be my last visit due to Terminal Kidney Disease.

[@peterm7548]

I'm not really surprised. Model railways is a Baby Boomer hobby. Despite predictions of a growing market, given the cost of living crisis people cant spend money on model trains. Younger people are living from day to day in a state of crisis, even well paid younger people. Look at how the doctors are working these days. Brexit doesn't help either. Hattons mentioned this specifically as an issue leading them to decide to close. Also I don't think that young people feel as much of an affinity with railways as we Boomers do. Railways were a part of our universe while growing up and model trains were one of our most high tech toys. Kids don't play with model trains any more. Its also a very expensive hobby. A top range sound loco costs considerably more than a flat screen 24 inch TV these days!

[@djkevonator]

I wouldn’t exactly say the younger generations ‘don’t have the same affinity as the older generations’ with the hobby - In fact, here in Australia, I know quite a few young & talented modellers (I’d like to hopefully think of myself as a part of them, & I’m 34). Sure, on an overall basis I can see your argument of this hobby being a ‘Boomer’ hobby. However, I don’t think it’s as cut & dry as ‘the hobby dies with the older generations’…..

[@eurovnik]

It all has the makings of a financial death spiral for the model rail industry. Boomers are dying off. Demand, especially for the high margin, super detailed models which boomers can afford is reduced. At the same time, the secondhand market is flooded with dead boomers' models, further reducing demand for new models. It will be very tough for manufacturers and retailers.

[@colinnewmarch1106]

I am not surprised at all. The hobby needs to attract younger people. I went to Warley from Kent, twice, an expensive day out. Sadly the major companies are not catering for the younger market and pricing does not help. As a youngster growing up in the 1960s, I grew up on Airfix kits, something you had to MAKE with your hands, you learnt a lot. Todays kids ,my grandkids are a good example, are stuck on phones and tablets from a very young age and do not have to use their imagination at all, its all done for them . The same applies to DIY skills, not being taught by parents and an announcement this week says shows must oversee teeth brushing, so its not surprising. Hornby used to have a mail train that collected mail sacks, long gone, if the hobby wants to attract a younger audience, it needs to address this problem urgently by cheaper budget range geared for youngster with inter activity built in

[@eurovnik]

Sadly kids just aren't into model trains the way they used to be. So however cheap the budget models are, I just can't see them selling.

[@YaknCamp]

I live in the USA. If UK exhibits are anything like they are here, they have become really expensive. Travel cost, food (usually more in exhibition halls), exhibit entry fees. I have quit going it is just too costly.

[@railwaymechanicalengineer4587]

Shouldn't buy silly commercial toy train set junk then. Join a Club, & learn how to build professional layouts including track & trains to much higher standards than commercial crap at a fraction of the cost. But then in the USA I don't think you have specialist manufacturers producing items, like spoked wheels of various sizes for steam locos, coreless motors with bevel gearboxes or copper clad sleeper strip, so you can hand make your own track & pointwork, (at about 10% of commercial prices) as we have in Britain !!!

[@bustedmuppet]

@@railwaymechanicalengineer4587 there you go again with attitude of attacking someone without need. If you read the comment that was made it was making a fair point about the costs involved to going to an exhibition / show before any purchases, this resulting in them no longer go to shows. It’s something that I think most people can relate to, as even I consider what the cost of going will be before deciding. At no point did they mention about clubs or the general hobby market, some of what I’ve seen of the American market far surpasses our reliability / accuracy / operation. I’ve seen some really excellently made scratch build loco’s and stock so there must be suppliers for that, also there numerous suppliers of materials for building your own track. Again this post reiterates comments on my other post about people’s attitudes towards other who model what they like and enjoy and why clubs find it hard to attract younger members.

[@ModelRailwayShed]

I've neved been to Warley too expensive parking and entry fee, Such a shame about Hattons really feel sorry for all the staff involved.

[@AllensTrains]

Although a Model Railway show allows manufacturers and traders to showcase their models, you've got the fact there has been a lot of bickering. Manufacturers are often vying with each other and producing models of the same loco. Bachmann had even refused to supply Hattons. There is a lot of profiteering with very high prices being charged for things such as short sections of track and platform sections. It is not surprising that Hattons has literally hundreds of such items in stock that it has been unable to sell at those prices. You don't like to say Hattons deserved to go out of business, but you've got the fact that they were a very aggressive firm. There was always several pages of Hattons Ads in every magazine you pick up in Smiths. There was aggressive discounting, with Hattons undercutting many small model shops. We as KZbin contributors and modellers don't like to say, "Hard luck Hatton's, it serves you right!". But there we are. Thanks for your uploading your thoughts.

[@maltnz]

The model rail club I joined many years ago also had a children's branch in order to have an upcoming generation to take over the reins. This was 20 odd years ago and I have not attended for some time, so I do not know what success this plan had longterm, but certainly the kids then involved were very enthusiastic. The club (along with two other clubs) was involved with a regular Railex show and the kids shared operating the club's layout at the show. Sadly I suspect the sheer cost of getting into the hobby nowadays would make a children's affiliate a no runner 😞

[@eurovnik]

That's a fantastic idea. Even if the kids don't have enough money, open minded older club members could always donate some older models to the kids' layout, plus their time and experience.

[@davidhope7206]

Sad times for our hobby 😢

[@jackiedowse1097]

It's sad but it is hard to find young volunteers. Many groups and societies, of all sorts of leisure activities, are suffering as it is left to the older members to run them and when they need to step down due to age or ill health there is no-one to take over. Are the youngsters all sat at home in front of screens? Or is it work and family commitments?

[@_RandomPea]

Bit of both. There's many factors, for a start theres a huge difference socially in what's right, as a dad of 2 young kids, for me to swan off and sit around while the wife does everything just isn't the done thing, that and the sheer volume of entertainment options on demand with streaming services, and then games on top. Let us not kid ourselves, It's no surprise that kids choose to load the ps5 and play trainsim, where for £50 you actually drive the train, rather than get somewhere to spend hours building something, drinking tea and dunking biscuits to then have couple of spins round an oval and find a £200 loco has fallen on the concrete or disintegrated with mazac rot😂 lets not just immediately get on the young ones. Technology moves on and hobby's like most things need to evolve. Sadly the manufacturers themselves don't seem to be able to.

[@eurovnik]

Many of the younger generation have less time because of very long commutes due to housing near their work being unaffordable. Probably means they're further from a lot of clubs too. Not a problem for the retired boomer generation with paid off mortgages.

[@fatwalletboy2]

Seemed to me that half of it was taken up with eating area seating......just an expensive day now

[@LittleWicketRailway]

The main complaint I heard this year was a lack of seating.

[@royston600]

Having exhibited at the NEC with a classic car club it’s not cheap so I can see where they’re coming from and it’s too expensive for the visitors also the younger generation are not interested in model trains therefore ever decreasing circles !

[@user-wo6qn3vf9n]

Far too busy far too big, went a number of years ago and said I would never go again and never did.

[@cedarcam]

Same here I only went twice and found it so crowded, after paying a good amount to get in, so not able to see everything. I have seen better shows than this one closer to home.

[@m3cvfm]

I wonder if it is anything to do with liability insurance?

[@Gary-cvr23]

Hopefully no heritage railways shut down its unlikely though

[@martinsurridge7390]

It may happen, have you seen the price of coal, water rates, diesel etc. It is hard to meet costs and make a profit, so they can keep going.

[@Gary-cvr23]

@martinsurridge7390 I understand I work for the nymr I just hope I doesn't happen soon

[@TheHoveHeretic]

​@@martinsurridge7390I've certainly clocked the filthy emissions from whatever is masquerading as coal at the moment. Several 1st gen diesel locos and dmus are excessively claggy too. I just can't see the public mood tolerating that for too many more years.

[@eurovnik]

My impression is that heritage railways are doing a better job at enthusing children and young families than manufacturers, let alone clubs, which are generally curmudgeonly and myopic.

[@rikmorley6469]

Does that make Model Rail Scotland the largest show now?

[@CheshireLines]

That’s an interesting question - I guess it comes down to what you mean by show - the largest model railway show measured by people attending is - by a long way - Making Tracks, which attracted over 54,000 people to Chester last summer compared with Warley which had 11,000 visit. Clearly if you measure by traders/layouts then the Scottish show may well be it.

[@rikmorley6469]

@@CheshireLines I meant layouts and traders. I can't find attendance figures for the Glasgow event

[@user-pf3ye6yi9n]

@@rikmorley6469 My impression last year on the Saturday was it was quieter than the previous year and other "normal" years. In '22 they were doing on the day ticket entry at 10.30 and some sort of advance entry at 10; started selling tickets just before 10 but wouldn't let you in before 10.30. Last year same rules in theory but in practice they were letting you in as soon as you bought your ticket, I suspect because the ticket queue was minimal. As usual it got busy towards the middle of the day but fell off quickly. It will be interesting to see what it's like this year.

[@jackstrains4468]

First hattons, now this? This is the worst week for model railway people ever 😢

[@markrgreenlane]

I wonder if they’ve considered bringing it to the Telford International Centre, I’ve been to a few things there and it’s a good venue.

[@petercole2092]

I do think model railways are on their way out every hobby has it's moments of popularity then fades away. Hattons is closing because they know the generation that was their custom base is disappearing fast and not enough younger people are replacing them. The cost of models is way too high I do believe manufactures know this and perhaps know time is limited so trying to cash in while they can. I suspect Warley will be the start of the demise of shows as no one will want too run them as older generation will want to retire. All of this is down to changing society that's become more tech based and less disposable income due to higher cost of living.

[@eurovnik]

Spot on. Though I'd say that model railways aren't necessarily on the way out, just that the sector and hobby is going to change radically. Just like photography didn't kill off painting as a hobby. I think the industry isn't so much cashing in with high prices as identifying the few market segments where there is still demand. Currently there is still demand for super detailed models from hardcore collectors and the manufacturers price them accordingly. I imagine the margin is healthy on those items, but in the long term demand is going to dry up as the boomer generation dies off. The challenge is what happens when there are no boomers left and no demand for the "toy train" end of the product range either. I predict smaller model ranges, even higher prices, most of the big manufacturers going bust or merging and some of the smaller, more agile manufacturers surviving.

[@Benji_transport_vids]

For goodness sake...

[@bollinvalleyrailway]

Right ok so hattons is a private concern at the end of the day, if they want to shut they can, as predicted tge timly fashion has lead to confusion with preorders and hattons origonals, handled badly and shoumd have been a change of business plan to cater for everything goibg on, not closing if your still operating. Then we come to hornby and warley. Did they need to do there things this week, no it could have been delayed, hornby was just meh nothing great fairly boring, nothing wow to pick us up, could have waited and rumours of canceled wagons too. Then warley ok yes thanks for 30 years but if your tired ask for help or say look we need help if we don't get it then this will be the last one, give people a chance knowing its the last or give people a chance to rally round, if people didn't know it was going why intervien. Its all very selfish behaviour and makes the hobby look like its going. Its not thers still loads of new projects around that must be making money for them to exist, there is a whole new generation who are interested as there were many age groups. Its not just old people. Blame brexit, covid and the cist of living all you like. Lookm how many years and months those were away yrs things are harder but dont give up after the eye of the storm has passed.

[@kimmarsh5387]

Model railways have become very expensive, and have also dug there own graves by the elitist image.

[@alant1647]

The NEC is a huge rip-off for exhibitors and visitors, not somewhere I want to go again. On a more sombre note, the hobby is declining anyway. The old codgers of today that were young boys in the age of steam and a huge and diverse railway network (and had no alternative amusements such as internet games) are now dying off and the subsequent generations have little interest in the hobby - just ask anyone with sons and grandsons. Well done and many thanks to the Warley members.

[@martyn6792]

Just seems a shame