What's the one piece of advice you'd give yourself, if you could go back?

[Will Hay]

If you could go back to when you started to show a real interest in this hobby as an adult, what's the single, most important piece of advice you'd give yourself?

Mine would be to buy far less locomotives and focus on only buying the far more beautiful, non-budget versions.

I have about thirty-eight engines, split 50/50 between steam and diesel/more modern*.

I wish I had half that and 100% were the 'super detailed, high-end versions'.

My problem is that I have no patience, I can't wait for anything.

I've never been any different.

*no, I don't run steam at the same time as the modern diesels.

[Ard Lochan]

If I knew then what I know now I would not have bought the 96 hornby points at a cost of over £1000.00 and yes they are flat with extra screws in the middle and droppers wired to the bus, Express points on the mainlines and short ones in the fiddle yards. If I had my way I would send half of them back as being unfit for service......

[ellocoloco]

I wonder if we would listen to our own advice if we went back?

Probably like many, I had a train set as a child. Each birthday and Christmas I would hope for a new locomotive and rolling stock and then lost interest for a few years. By the time I was 17 and could buy my own models I had a selection of Hornby/Mainline/Lima/Airfix in LMS/BR/GWR/CR/SR over many eras. Then I discovered beer!

When I drifted back I knew my mistake - there was no theme, and decided that I would concentrate on the KPEV in HO - Pre first world war Prussian Railways. For five or six years I collected a selection of stock all aimed at building my ultimate layout. The plan was right but my mind then changed. I was on to North America and the Montana Rail Link in the 90s and another selection of locos was collected. I now think I have fixed on era and location - Spain and the Renfe around the millennium in HO DCC. My wife being Spanish guided this choice and visits to Spain got me plenty of stock. Since 2001 I have amassed about 35 Spanish Era 5 locos and multiple units and numerous wagons. I have had the odd distraction towards British HO and of course bought Hornby's Capt Tom but have generally been quite disciplined in my acquisitions.

My main advice to anyone getting into the hobby would be pick your theme! My advice to myself would be; don't worry about repainting/modifying expensive models. They are just toys and when they get sold I'll probably be gone. I now find it very satisfying repainting locomotives and wish I started earlier and not been concerned about ruining an expensive model.

[M. Matthews]

1.) Don't build a layout using first radius curves. If space is too tight, look at a smaller scale.

2.) If you do use first radius curves, don't buy lots of stock that obviously cannot run on them.

3.) Build the layout in sections that can be dismantled so that you don't have to destroy it when moving house.

4.) Pick an era & location. I didn't and now I'm in the mindset of just wanting everything.

[Rana Temporia]

1. Buy a bigger house
2. indoctrinate your parter at an early stage so that he or she realises that boxes of old and broken trains are really treasure and fixing them is a worthwhile use of time.
3. Buy all the Tri-ang transcontinental trains from 50p boxes in the 1980s and put them away for later in life when they are desirable again.
4. Ditto with anything that doesn’t sell well at the time and will command a high price later on due to rarity.
5. Learn when to say no and also when to get rid of models you don’t need anymore.
6. In mental argument with point 5 above, don’t worry about it, you can have it, buy it now instead of procrastinating and wishing you had done later on. It’ll haunt you for months if it gets away.

 

[morairamike]

1. Have a plan.

2. Start with enough room to achieve your plan, if necessary knock two rooms into one.

3. Move the family into the room space.

4. Knock three rooms into one.

5. Move the kitchen into the garage.

6. Knock four rooms into one.

7. Move into a 7 bedroom home and return to 1. above.

[96RAF]

1. Start with O Gauge.
2. Sell it and buy Gauge 1.
3. Repeat incrementing scales until...
4. Sell it and buy 1:1.
5. In general, don’t waste time, get on with life before it passes you by.

 

[TVR1707822112]

Well, I have a few... here they are...

1. Add elevation to the track plan or scenery using styrofoam instead of separately fitted pieces.
2. Don't by excessive amounts of small locos
3. Place boards around the edge of the room not as one!

Best wishes

[Gethin-1247004]

Well, I have one piece of advice..

DONT LET MUM SET UP THE ELECTRICS!

 

 

[Gethin-1247004]

Dont let mum Destroy the electrics

[threelink]

Go with whatever takes your fancy and ignore any gainsayers - your railway, your rules.

[The son of Triangman]

Keep the old family shop open, should never have been closed.

[CORKY.]

To only buy G Scale , like the Playmobil that started for the children, and LGB, Aristocraft , USA Trains,

[Bulleidboy]

If I had known then what I know now, I think I may have built a layout around the room (10x7) instead of an end-to-end around three sides. Also, have a plan, which I did - probably the most important thing. I knew I would be using Peco Code 75 track and points, etc., - it can save so much time and money having a plan.

[Brew Man]

Yes, I have a box full of Set Track points and lengths of track that might never get used. disappointed_relieved

[Bulleidboy]

Yes, I have a box full of Set Track points and lengths of track that might never get used. disappointed_relieved

 

 

When I finished my layout I had two left-hand and one three-way points and two feet of Peco Streamline left over - that was purely luckblush