[FUNGUS]

Today was the day I expected hell to freeze over, The day when instead of talking the talk, my better half started walking the walk. She has for a while been saying she would like to get involved but I assumed nothing would ever come of it.
Well today I mentioned that as I was quiet on the work front Id take a trip over to Whitstable to visit East Kent Models and pick up a few items that were on my shopping list for the layout. Instead of just warning me not to spend too much (like I ever would..its not like im the kid in the sweet shop with a hand full of pocket money burning a hole) she came with me, and loaded me up with stuff to go on the layout. Mostly scenics and buildings. But also a few cars, vans and a bus for the layout.
Then when we got home I was dragged round to the artists shop in town to buy what she needed to make the scalescenes buildings I had downloaded! Ses sat in front of the tv. laptray on knees busy cutting and glueing her first attempt.

I even had to make dinner

Its enough to make me take up needle craft

Do anyothers share thier hobby with thier partner?

Does this mean no more nagging for playing trains

I think the visit to the Canterbury Model Railway expo inspired her, We're off to Dartford on Saturday for the Erith show!

Steve

 

[dwb]

QUOTE Do anyothers share thier hobby with thier partner?

We share an interest in trains. We both like travelling by them - see my latest blog entry for an example - and my wife likes to watch model trains go by. Her preference is for modern and related to trains we have seen on our holidays. The result of that is that /my/ 50's era steam layout plays host to an SBB IC2000 double decker set and the beginnings of a BLS rolling road (aka lorry train). It wasn't me who spent the big bucks in "The Engine Shed" near Arundel just after Christmas!

David

 

[10001]

Hi Bloomer. I'm not so lucky! !
Just after we were married ( that is just 3 months short of being 50 years ago ) I got my wife to build me a small country station . She put a lot of effort into it but unfortunately it looked more like a cow shed than a station. I was stupid enough to say so

. Needless to say that was the last time she made anything for my trainset.
In recent times she has come round a bit and has painted some backscenes ,does the photographs and posts them for me on this forum, and guides me through the idiosyncrases of computering.She has become very useful fetching and carrying and does not laugh as much as she used to when I get stuck under the baseboards.

Regards Tony (CME Goon Valley Railway)

 

[ebaykal]

Oh how I envy you guys.
Mine does not have the slightest/faintest idea of what I am doing.

A very jealous Baykal

 

[34C]

Probably a serious misperception on your part there, Baykal. The female of our species typically comes equipped with a radar for partner activity of exquisite sensitivity. Work on the basis that she knows 'everything'.

My layout boasts a disproportionate fleet of Pullman Cars thanks to my wife's interest. Despite my best efforts she has also discovered that there are narrow gauge models available, and has somehow learned of the Roco Double Fairlie. On a positive note this could well relieve me of any problems finding a suitable gift for some future birthday or Christmas.

 

[FUNGUS]

QUOTE (34C @ 23 Jan 2009, 10:24) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>On a positive note this could well relieve me of any problems finding a suitable gift for some future birthday or Christmas.

Here is photo of the building she knocked up last night. Im told she isnt happy with the guttering and are their any componants she can use to "detail it"

teve

 

[Tom Fernley]

I suppose I'm pretty fortunate -- my girlfriend is of artistic leanings and she really appreciates the craft of model making, and although she's honest enough to say she'd never have the patience for track laying, wiring or kit building, she's pretty keen on scenics, and animals. She enjoys going with me to exhibitions (although she sometimes cries off early to Starbucks or the shops, due to 'museum fatigue' and assault-by-rucksack!), and almost gets more excited than me when I arrive back from the model shop or collect an order from our doormat. She's enjoying the fact that I'm getting the chance and space to indulge in my hobby after many years.

We had a small epiphany about our 'spare' bedroom, actually the largest in the house, realising that we used it as a huge wardrobe with a double bed in it. So, we put the double guest bed in the box room (just fits...) where I'd been holed up previously with the trains, and I got the bigger room. It's about 14'x10', with a partners' desk in the middle for trains on one side and non-trains on the other, and the layout's going to be great fun. And if I go up there of an evening, she doesn't tut or roll her eyes, instead she settles in to some writing, web surfing or US crime drama (which I only enjoy up to a point

).

I don't say any of this to wallow in my good fortune, it just saddens me when people seem trodden down for their interests by the one person their supposed to be able to trust! I apply this as much to a wife with a passion for cookery, reading, theatre or their career as to a husband with a model making or other somewhat 'geeky' hobby. My situation shouldn't be fortunate, it should be normal

QUOTE (10001 @ 23 Jan 2009, 04:40) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>[...]
Just after we were married ( that is just 3 months short of being 50 years ago ) I got my wife to build me a small country station . She put a lot of effort into it but unfortunately it looked more like a cow shed than a station. I was stupid enough to say so

. Needless to say that was the last time she made anything for my trainset.
[...]

Ouch, Tony. Very ouch.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[frame69]

Hi Steve. My partner has involved herself from the very start,Its quite difficult not to in our house as my hobby has crept into every room. A large pile of noch trees and bushes she made up to surround her church waits in her office while im building the "holy" ground for it to live on.As a bit of a hobbycraft type of person she even painted each indivdual window of the church so at present Im constructing a lighting system to give them maximum effect. (Were not religious nutters ,we just like churches) Ironically the finished item is almost identical to Padstow church just a few seconds walk from our house, so I will be going up there to take some detailing, With permission from the vicar (hes a cool chap, he has "VIC"on his reg plate) and its also a rather splendid church. Amongst other things she also built me a wickerman to sit on top of my hill as Im a fan of the film.

 

[Brian Considine]

My wife tends to leave me to it from the practical side, but does provide an opinion on most things - the most important thing for me is to be honest about the amount I spend - no substituting price tickets for me !

 

[frame69]

The costs can be quite scary especially if all you do is point to an item and someone else deals with the financial side of it, my partner is very keen to keep my hobby going as my previous venture was rather more expensive considering bar prices nowadays!

 

[pedromorgan]

i think mine tolerates it more than anything. when she comes here to live in june i suspect that my workbench will quickly revert to its previous incarnation as a kitchine worktop. trains really to dominate my flat and there is going to be allot of comprimise when she comes to live. (especially when her piano arrives!!)

Peter

 

[Twiglet]

I think it is something of a tired old trope that wives and girlfriends are always agin model trains. My partner is not in the slightest bit interested in wiring, tracks or locomotives but she IS keen to get involved in scenery, backscene painting (if I ever get that far ... sigh) and so on. Building a model railway layout is as much an artistic exercise as one in engineering or 'geekery' so it is perhaps odd that this hobby is so much identified as a male pursuit. I do not think this is the case in other countries - I have heard, and I would be interested to know if this is true - that model railroading in the US is very popular with girls as well as boys.

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (pedromorgan @ 23 Jan 2009, 15:06) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>(especially when her piano arrives!!)

Peter

Well, if you get a bigger place with a grand piano you could always use the lid

BTW - are you going to Dartford this weekend ?

 

[10001]

Hi Bloomer .
I think your wife's model building is just fine. What's more you have a photo of it to keep for posterity. My wife's station building AKA the cow shed got trampled on by a stampeding herd of buffaloes in the heart of Central Africa some 49 years ago.

Well that is my story.
regards Tony .CME Goon Valley Railway

 

[john woodall]

I had model trains before my wife and I started going out.

She is more than happy for me to have model trains than be down out the local pub.

That being said, she has no interest in them at all (they all look the same!)

My children (miss4 and miss 7) enjoy some of them, but ultimately I think its more about spending time with dad rather than the trains.

My wife knows how much I spend, and probably has a vague Idea how much the entire collection is worth. I suppose that one day she will have to sell it!

Pre Kids I had a room in the house, post kids I have my garage (bigger than the room inside, fully lined, more lights, more power points!!!!!!)

John

 

[Madkitten]

Thought id add a reply from the other side !!!

I do more modelmaking than my husband and have started to teach him new things recently! I enjoy the artistic side of it the landscape , buildings and scenery more than anything else although i also scratchbuild a lot of 009 locomotives and rolling stock.

At the moment i am building 4 layouts - a oo gauge modern image dcc layout ( challingbrook junction ) a 009 Dcc mini layout ( unnamed ) an On30 Dcc American layout ( unnamed ) and an 014 layout ( the catfood factory!! ). There are loads of pictures of my work all over this forum.

I guess me and my other half and our son are luckly as we are all madly addicted to railways - spending most weekends restoring real locomotives as well!! Holidays are always geared to us visiting preserved railways with my mum and sister ( who are also quite mad on railways ).

The only thing i dont get with model railways is the fasination of running them !! After i have built anything it tends to go on a shelf until i sell it or bring it to exhibition.................................... Cant really be bothered to run them ..................... although i do collect OO Gauge Fragonset things........................ and i just brought an N15 which is a kewl looking loco i think..................................

Have fun >>>>>>>>

Nikki

 

[dwhite4dcc]

I too am blessed with a Dutch who has actively encouraged me in the hobby. Indeed, she frequently comes with me on forays at the local shop and readily gets involved in scenery and other artistic issues.

I wouldn't have it any other way and I can honestly say that it has brought us closer.

 

[FUNGUS]

Thanks for all your comments guys n girls!
It seems that the popular image of railway modelers is quite incorrect. Those that see us as "strange" for enjoying the hobby need to take off the blindfold of misconception and realise that to build a realistic (or even not) landscaped model railway takes lots of skill, lots of time and a hell of an investment.
Rod Stewarts railway modeling goes a long way to busting the myth, How cool is Rob, AND he has a model railway.
Peter Waterman, another case in point. I personally didnt think he was "cool" untill I learnt he had a model railway.

Before I got into this, I spent (wasted) an awful amount of time on the internet. Now I can build models, paint, do electrics, carpentry, even town planning (in miniture!) and I feel happier having achieved somthing other than sore eyes from staring at a screen for hours. The computer is used now for work, this forum and research only.

No more time wasting for me!

Having Alison involved has increased the enjoyment I get from the hobby as now we can do it together, We had started living almost separete lives, modelling has bought us back together and we have a great time, even if we are just sat on the sofa with a cuppa discussing how wede like to go about achieving the finished model.
Thanks for contributing
Steve

 

[dwb]

QUOTE Now I can build models, paint, do electrics, carpentry, even town planning (in miniture!)

That's what makes this hobby so satisfying; there's something for everyone if they look hard enough. In addition to those aspects you've mentioned, I enjoy researching the model I am building whether it's for historical information or building techniques. Then there's the photography side when the model's done and even writing about it afterwards if you feel so inclined! And then there's .... well I think everyone could add something more!

David

 

[madon37s]

I think its great that wifes/partners get involved with our hobby. I am very lucky that my wife has just started to help me with my scenery. She has made a row of beans on their sticks for my veggie patch at my house! See below

All I will say is Keep it up Girls and Thankyou for your input.

Kind reards
Paul