(Not) a box opening video

Perhaps an antithesis to the myriad of (sometimes useful) box opening videos, today I dig out an old model from my collection and reflect on the experience of 'box opening', of collecting and how this can actually enrich the hobby.
As usual, more on the blog: paxton-road.blo...

[@barneyleadhead2596]

As I've grown older I realise that doing what brings me joy is more important that sticking rigidly to one period/region/company. I've also come to recognise that I'm as interested in nostalgia for the hobby as I am for the prototype which is why a few classic locosthat 've had my eye on for decades have found their way into my hands recently - Airfix 14xx, Hornby Jinty '16440', Hornby and Wrenn 8F's. I know 'better' models exist but these ones are part of my personal rail history and I enjoy running them as much as the recent Hornby Ruston 88DS or Dapol Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0. There is enough room in this wonderful hobby for whatever we want to do. Some very personal thoughts and reflections there James - thanks for sharing.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

My pleasure and lovely to read your reflections too, thank you.

[@robdingwall03]

I impressed an enthusiast friend not long after the Yeoman 59’s had been in service by copping the whole class in one photo, wait for it, at some distance across fields a part of the depot was visible so wedged my binoculars in the car window , held my trusty Zenith E to the binoculars, focused as best I could and took the shot! Now was that a print long gone or a slide shot which may still exist. Whacky times. Thanks for reminding me James.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Hi Rob, my crappy 35mm camera wasn’t much cop, and back in the day before Google Earth and Real Time Trains there wasn’t much hope for me was there! That sounds a fantastic shot though, wow!

[@PrinceStreet]

6:49 this quote, exactly! As we’ve discussed our vocabulary is saturated with data describing the model in quantitive terms but also establishing that the model is less than the real thing instead of this beautiful ball of energy that it is. We have these dreams of trains; holding these models is taking that dream one step closer. Not “closer” like “closer to a layout” but closer to that beautiful thing in our imagination, inside our hearts, closer. It’s so easy to listen to your story of this model. Sure it represents a real thing but your beautiful and open story of why you have this, why you collected it, why it’s with you still are what makes it real. Gosh, I love this.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Thanks Chris - it flourished from our conversation last week.

[@stephenfrost2272]

You know, sometimes the affection lingers long after we part company with a favourite, for whatever reason. As a child at the start of the 1950s I was the proud owner of a Hornby O gauge train set, featuring a lovely green LNER tank engine and three tinplate teak carriages. I loved the little loco and the satisfying clicks as I wound it up with the large shiny key. In those days the 'Bettaware' salesman called door to door to sell household goods and occasionally would give my mother a tiny sample tin of furniture polish. The polish passed to me and my loco shone! Sadly, we do grow older and one Christmas an OO gauge train set appeared and my father said the O gauge equipment had to go, being passed on to relatives with small children. I sometimes look for one on eBay, but no! It wouldn't be the same, would it?

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Stephen, your memory sounds strong - so perhaps not the same but still wonderful, surely? Alternately what I have found is reliving the experience through ‘similar’ models can be a nice tonic. However, equally, the memory alone informs whom you are as a modeller, artist or collector today.

[@flymajj]

Nice video and sentiments. I sold all my OO gauge stock when I was in my my mid-teens, but since I got into N gauge in my late 20s, I have built up quite a collection of locos and rolling stock. One or two of the locos I have bought as a reminder to what I previously had in OO gauge - the Dapol Railfreight Red Stripe 58 being one of them. My first ever loco in OO was the same in the Hornby 'Midnight Freight' set, so it is nice to have one again, albeit smaller.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

A reflection I can completely understand - as often this ‘model’ nostalgia has informed my own purchases!

[@flymajj]

@@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways As regards 59s, I went to London a couple of times from the north east in the early-mid 90s on enthusiast coach tours when I was a teenager. I remember seeing an ARC one at Acton from a passing train when we had a day off the coach to do what we wanted. There was also a Yeoman one (59005, I think) at Old Oak Common when I 'unofficially' walked around there with a couple of my mates - that was the only time I saw one close up. I also remember seeing 4 of the National Power ones from the coach on the A1 at Ferrybridge. We were assured all 5 were there and most people counted 5, but having only seen 4 myself I couldn't claim any of them!

[@IanMay76]

Great video James and thought provoking too. For me KZbin is a fascinating extension of the hobby of railway modelling because it enables us to research locations and railways we remember from past trips. And, of course, research models we might look to add to our collections!

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Thank you Ian. Hope you enjoyed it!

[@royharris9808]

I've got "a few too many" locos. The great thing is that I sometimes open a storage box and find a loco I haven't seen for a while. It gives me the joy of re-discovering it and usually spend 30 mins. checking it runs and oiling it etc.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

I have streamlined my own collection on several occasions. I found the act of 'refocusing' to be not only financially beneficial BUT also it helped me feel less weighed down by the expectation that 'I must do something for that model' one day. However, I do recognise that 'joy' of rediscovering 'an old friend' in the stock box - indeed, the tinkering can be just as much fun as the discovery itself.

[@robwooding5046]

Hi James watching this video reminds me so much of my early time in the hobby looking back a my own locos I have what is now a 44yro mainline manor BR(w) in black which was bought for me when I was 12 yro very lucky lad at the time ok it’s been weathered renamed and detailed but the smell when taken out the box brings back all those memories of club exhibitions we used to do happy days indeed .

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Thank you Rob - I've got a few old steam locomotives I kept too, but I did sell on a lot of my childhood collection. It is nice to have these connection points.

[@michaelclaydon1200]

Not long after my dad passed away when I was 8 years old My mum bought me a train set as a Christmas present. And took me on holidays called Golden Rail in the BR blue days of the 70's. I have now returned to the hobby and alongside my layout models I also bought two old replacement models, Princess Victoria and a class 37. That were given to me. Now used as static momentous/ ornanents. On my fireplace. This connection with our models may explain why the purchases and era I have chosen. And why I get so much enjoyment operating the layout. Taking me back to happy times. Been really helpful recently getting me through a difficult time. Now modeling a fictitious part of Scotland, with plenty of class 37's and 47's !!!!!! Cheers.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Thanks Michael, for the memories and reflections. Enjoy your hobby, you sound on the right path.

[@nick-c]

I had the same feeling when picking up a book about preserved railways recently - said book had been written in the early 90s and the first photo I saw when opening it took me right back to childhood visits to the Isle of Wight steam railway. I think model railways is a broad church - there's room for everything from the most accurate of Finescale modelling right through to the pure collector, with most of us being somewhere in between - I've got plenty of stuff sat in boxes as there's not room for everything on the layout at once, and most of it still waits for detailing, weathering etc...

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Nick - indeed. I don't like the 'rule 1' or inverse snobbery that some who have 'trainset' layouts can exhibit, but on the whole there is no one right way of enjoying the hobby. The hobby itself is actually a broad collection of different pastimes linked by an interest in model trains, overlapping with real trains. We think of ourselves as the same, but really there are collectors, engineers, accountants, operators, artists and a whole lot more under the umbrella.

[@raymondmarkesteijn3198]

I totally agree when i buy models i allready start thinking about what train it would be in in mind.The excitement of buying something and unpacking it is great 😉this week i purchased a GF class 150 and a dapol yeoman class 59 for the yeoman i allready have some yeoman stock can't wait to run it

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Wonderful!

[@lucitonstjames3925]

Was on holiday in Bournemouth as a 14 year old in 1986 & my dad took me to Westbury to see the 59's , saw three of them ,the ride up to Southampton on the 4REP , then the 33 & mk1's upto Westbury all making the trip memorable, then not long after my dad bought the MTK class 59 kit to build. Bournemouth back then was superb for railway modelling , every holiday we'd come back with various amounts of secondhand / kits & bits from the various shops. Took a fair bit of badgering to get Riko Int to get Lima to make the 59 in rtr, couldnt get to the shop quick enough in August 1994 when they came out. Been modelling the ARC/Yeoman stuff from the early 80's with the mainline class 56's & a converted Lima 47 as 47901. The Lima 59 still holds up as a great model, still have the 2 i bought from Beatties in Manchester in August 1994. Last purchases form Beatties before they closed.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

I’m so glad my random meandering video reminded you of such wonderful memories! That sounds quite the trip. My Dad probably loved the art of model railways more than the real ones but he (and the family) entertained me when they could.

[@Madonsteamrailways]

Every model railway show I’ve ever been to has large supplies of portacases in which to carry your trains. The great thing about them is that you have your locomotives and rolling stock together in one case.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Thanks for the comment

[@jezbo7827]

Hi James, great video as always. Your cupboard full of 80’s-90’s locos very much resembles mine and I totally get the energy and memories that come with these older models. Currently adding some A1 models detailing bits to a Mainline class 56 using an old Model Rail article from the early 90’s. Really good fun and very meaningful. Have a good weekend, best regards, Jeremy.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Thanks Jeremy. I grew up with A1 and Craftsman kits (when I could get them) and Lima diesels - a great introduction to the detailing and modification work that led further to repainting and weathering and all the practice that followed. Now, 56s, I didn’t see until recently when Colas ones started working to Chirk, before that I’d always missed them. 58s though, I did see some when I went to Didcot as a child. Enjoy the 56, and the weekend!

[@reubenturner9919]

Models give us a sense of joy and a wonderful escape from reality whatever we do with them. I watched this video whilst painting a Games Workshop model to try and distract from having Covid, and it's working.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Thanks Reuben - indeed, the benefits of our hobby on our health shouldn't be under-estimated.

[@CNR5154]

Thank you for another thought-provoking video, James. Where my modelling and collecting seem to separate is that the former is associated with local/home region memories and operations, whereas I collect models as memories of trains I've seen in places I have traveled internationally. It would be nice to have actually bought the models in the countries I've visited as true souvenirs, but that's rarely practical. Nevertheless, I get quite a rush of reminescence when I unbox them or examine them on a shelf. It's a rather eclectic group, which is nice: Australian, British, Chilean, Czech, Mexican, Swiss. As a modular modeler -- with 1/10th of your talent -- it's easier to create diaoramas with some complementary structures, vehicles, catenary, etc. Oddly enough, I don't get the same feeling from my original models from 50 years ago. I've purged many of them or used them for practicing weathering or kitbashing. That said, I've held on to my very first locomotive and cars/wagons that I painted and was proud of. I can't quite let them go. Thanks again for the video.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Thank you - that's an interesting reflection too... when I came back from Canada the first time in 1989 I was smitten. Memories of CP SD40-2s in the Rockies and up close with a CN local in Drumheller, and the CN shops in Saskatoon with GMD1s... I had been bought a Bachmann trainset F7 for my birthday (which was whilst we were there) and I still have the model - albeit repainted into a faux VIA livery and modified over the years.

[@Madonsteamrailways]

I keep all my train gear in portaboxes with locking lids so that I can take them to my model railway club to run on a different layout.

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

I have most of my ‘current interest’ stock in similar cases - the Lima 59 is from ‘my collection’ of models that are not used as such, just collected.

[@Madonsteamrailways]

@@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways I don’t have any trains that don’t either run on my own layout or up at the club. I have a collection of trains that are awaiting chipping, but they still run on layouts.

[@mandrillfoden]

Excellent 👍

[@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways]

Thank you!