What is meant when reference is made to the "average modeller"?
It is often said that products are aimed at the "average modeller".
Peco used to say that Railway Modeller was for the average modeller however the layouts featured always seemed above average to me!
Is the "average modeller" a user of proprietory track who runs things straight out of the box and who powers track only with no baseboard wiring and who sets up a layout on a 6ft x 4ft board and uses kit built or ready made buildings and scenery?
And if there is an "average modeller" how do you tell if you are below average or above average?
Or now that the products offered are well above the average of even 10 years ago are we all now above average modellers?
Or is it simply the case that 80% of modellers by number fall into the catagory of "average"?
The reason for my thinking here is that I was going to suggest that Hornby Magazine was for the "average modeller" and then it occured to me that nobody actually knows who the average modeller is and it may be an expression that is now considered redundant anyway.
A good guide would be if a magazine featured a layout that is considered to be an average layout that 80% or more of modellers could reproduce fairly easily with little need to pick up specific skills.
Happy modelling
Gary
It is often said that products are aimed at the "average modeller".
Peco used to say that Railway Modeller was for the average modeller however the layouts featured always seemed above average to me!

Is the "average modeller" a user of proprietory track who runs things straight out of the box and who powers track only with no baseboard wiring and who sets up a layout on a 6ft x 4ft board and uses kit built or ready made buildings and scenery?

And if there is an "average modeller" how do you tell if you are below average or above average?

Or now that the products offered are well above the average of even 10 years ago are we all now above average modellers?

Or is it simply the case that 80% of modellers by number fall into the catagory of "average"?

The reason for my thinking here is that I was going to suggest that Hornby Magazine was for the "average modeller" and then it occured to me that nobody actually knows who the average modeller is and it may be an expression that is now considered redundant anyway.
A good guide would be if a magazine featured a layout that is considered to be an average layout that 80% or more of modellers could reproduce fairly easily with little need to pick up specific skills.
Happy modelling
Gary