This is what happens with unsupervised kids at an open day

[KeithT]

Mmm, I did an open day earlier in the year, and yes, one little charmer thought he could stand astride the elevated section of track and watch the train go between his legs - unfortunately he wasn't tall enough. Of course, as the loco and stock tumbled about 18" to the ground, his parents were offering all sorts of apologies - this after they had been standing on my veg patch (unplanted but bare earth and obviously 'garden') to get a closer look at the depot area.

Fortunately the loco fell on to the grassed area, and although it was the most delicate loco that I have, it only suffered cosmetic damage.

Will I do it again? Probably yes, because the charity in question is our local church, which means that you have an automatic overseer - literally, if you get my drift

This was a church charity. No doubt my ear will be bent (he said, master of the understatement) in due course to relent. I have already had "the look" when I announced my ban.

 

[Tim Brien]

Several years ago I received a call from an LGB club member who was visiting a club day nearby. I am not a member so can only assume he obtained my phone number from a friend. He was travelling some distance and asked if he could visit and bring his two children (not quite teenagers). I obliged and he spent sometime with my railway. Unbeknown to me his two children got up to some mischief while I was engaged talking to their father. When they left I was left with a puzzle to solve. Not only had they switched every point on the railway (more than forty) but they had played around with the electrics as well.

All was sorted out eventually, however, it reminded me that when children are around without direct supervision of a parent then the lowest common denominator is brought to the surface. One child is not so much an issue, however, the more children the more mayhem that ensues.

 

[Rhinochugger]

This was a church charity. No doubt my ear will be bent (he said, master of the understatement) in due course to relent. I have already had "the look" when I announced my ban.

Oh well, tell 'em they didn't pray hard enough


Archbishop Desmond Tutu's alleged response - if I don't preach a good sermon it's because you haven't prayed hard enough

 

[3Valve]

Had a similar issue last year. Daughter came to visit with Grandson and introduced her new squeeze and "stepson"

Grandson has no issues running the railway, understands the value of the items and that care needs to be taken. Indeed he's visited a couple of open days with me and was no trouble whatsoever (better engine driver than me if truth be told).

His new "step-brother" however was like the Spawn of Satan and took great delight in frequently trying to ram trains off the track or coupling up to grandson's engine then throwing the throttle full tilt in the opposite direction. Result, trashed gearbox in one of my diesels.

Daughter and new squeeze just sat on the patio the entire time with their backs to the kids chatting away; leaving me to supervise. Have to say it was probably the least enjoyable running session I'd ever had.

When I explained about the trashed gearbox and said that it would need a strip down and replacement gears the new squeeze replied, "you sound like you're going to really enjoy that" - what a knob.

 

[tac foley]

Sadly, there are not as many normal persons as we would like to think. For some reason, our hobby is seen as toys. They're meant to be played with. If something breaks, well that's just the breaks, is the mindset of parents.

The look on one parent's face when advised that the Aster Big Boy he'd just seen steaming by with its consist of around forty cars coast the thick end of fifteen thousand plus change was worth the admission price...

Even my old RH seen in my avatar image was almost four thousand when new...add the compulsory 16-car consist to that and it's serious pennies indeed.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS

 

[tac foley]

When I explained about the trashed gearbox and said that it would need a strip down and replacement gears the new squeeze replied, "you sound like you're going to really enjoy that" - what a knob.

I've found that a quiet word in the ear of the child-owner, like 'cough up or you'll need a new set of wing mirrors' can work like a charm. Also, if the culprit is at an impressionable age, whispering as you hand him his bar-b-q that if he doesn't behave you'll break both his arms also works, for me, anyhow.

tac, all heart.

 

[Rhinochugger]

When I explained about the trashed gearbox and said that it would need a strip down and replacement gears the new squeeze replied, "you sound like you're going to really enjoy that" - what a knob.

Sad, but even worse when it's getting close to being a relative

None of our children have shown even the slightest inclination to marry, so much to SWMBO's disappointment there are no grandchildren around, either to behave or misbehave.....................

 

[KeithT]

Sad, but even worse when it's getting close to being a relative

None of our children have shown even the slightest inclination to marry, so much to SWMBO's disappointment there are no grandchildren around, either to behave or misbehave.....................

Marry?
Nowadays?
What dictionary is that in?

 

[Rhinochugger]

Marry?
Nowadays?
What dictionary is that in?

Yep, I agree, but I did see a report in the media (which means can't remember if was BBC website or paper) that a generation that has grown up in split families is tending to value the permanence of a partner for life: might even get back to thinking of marriage as a good thing in the end

 

[Paul M]

Yep, I agree, but I did see a report in the media (which means can't remember if was BBC website or paper) that a generation that has grown up in split families is tending to value the permanence of a partner for life: might even get back to thinking of marriage as a good thing in the end

All in a scathing indictment of today's generations. Surely it isn't any worse than before

 

[Rhinochugger]

All in a scathing indictment of today's generations. Surely it isn't any worse than before

Yes and no, minister - things are different and society has changed. Respect for elders is certainly diminished, and consideration of others seems to be very much in he minority

 

[dunnyrail]

Warned to stay off the track he hoofed my Annie clean off it.
Not sure if I can get this repaired.
Minutes later another almost wrecked the Zermatt-Bahm Steam Pub coach. Roof clips and coupling snapped.
Reaction from parents? NIL,
And these are people known to us.
I still had to patrol the layout and warn several times
V probably my last open day.View attachment 224896

When I had open days in my Luton Ground Level line I made a rule, No Kids. Simples. Problem is unsupervised kids do not understand or probably care that these are expensive and delecate items, they are just disposable toys to them.
JonD

 

[playmofire]

Until the late 19th century or even into the first quarter of the 20th century it was not uncommon for couples to "live over the brush/broom". Although it's often thought that the description was taken from the practice of a couple who intended to live together going through a ceremony that involved them jumping over a brush pr broom together this may not be the case and the term may simply mean an informal agreement to live together.

The introduction of the Civil Marriage Act in 1836 offered a civil wedding ceremony to couples who did not want a religious ceremony and the growth of an increasingly affluent middle class in Victorian times and increasing stress on respectability (sometimes shown in the pressure of employers on employees that they should be properly married) meant that marriage increasingly became the norm amongst the middle classes and the "respectable" working classes. For the aristocracy, however, marriage was often more a means of creating alliances of wealth/land and marriage could, for the man at least, be more or less open with other men's wives or single women.

The important thing, however, is a strong and stable relationship (to coin a phrase) irrespective of its religious or legal standing. I've known quite a few couples of, having lived together for many years and raised a family decided to marry to make things right in some sense of the word and, quite soon after, have broken up!

 

[spoz]

While I don't do open days as such I do have friends over who have grand children (or occasionally still children), and I do have grandsons of my own. I've never had problems with the visiting kids as far as damage goes (had one horror just sub team girl who wanted to walk the track, including the elevated bits, but it survived) but the boys, who were have both been train nuts since they were under 5 have over the years had the occasional misfortune. They are always mortified when that happens as is S-i-L who tries hard to supervise them - not always easy in my somwhat overgrown and in any case well planted 1/4 acre block. From the experience of others I don't think I'm inclined to vary my approach and start having open days, though!

 

[Paul M]

Until the late 19th century or even into the first quarter of the 20th century it was not uncommon for couples to "live over the brush/broom". Although it's often thought that the description was taken from the practice of a couple who intended to live together going through a ceremony that involved them jumping over a brush pr broom together this may not be the case and the term may simply mean an informal agreement to live together.

The introduction of the Civil Marriage Act in 1836 offered a civil wedding ceremony to couples who did not want a religious ceremony and the growth of an increasingly affluent middle class in Victorian times and increasing stress on respectability (sometimes shown in the pressure of employers on employees that they should be properly married) meant that marriage increasingly became the norm amongst the middle classes and the "respectable" working classes. For the aristocracy, however, marriage was often more a means of creating alliances of wealth/land and marriage could, for the man at least, be more or less open with other men's wives or single women.

The important thing, however, is a strong and stable relationship (to coin a phrase) irrespective of its religious or legal standing. I've known quite a few couples of, having lived together for many years and raised a family decided to marry to make things right in some sense of the word and, quite soon after, have broken up!

Very strange, the good and happy long term relationship failing to survive marriage, but it is common.

 

[gnm109]

I'm sorry to see and hear this. I love children, raised three of my own, but at certain stages they lack understanding of the importance of others' personal property. My Model RR is inside and is well-protected from damage caused by errant children and other humans, not to mention the incredibly hot weather that we have here. I'm not the richest model railroader either and it took more than 25 years to gather the rolling stock and track that I have. It would take me a long time to recover from such an occurrence.

I would reconsider the benefit of such "open days" if I were you.

Again, I'm sorry to see this.

GNM

 

[tac foley]

Well, folks, today we had our village fete - and it was a cracker. The weather was gorgeous and the locals and not so locals turned out in droves. In fact mrs tac and I have never seen such a well-populated fete since we've been hereabouts.

I had a bunch of 6ft folding tables from the local sports club, and the loan of a 12ft square gazebo, for which I, as a former redhead, was profoundly grateful. On the tables I set up 24 feet of 45mm track, and ran live steam and battery electric for four hours.

During that time, I guess that I was more or less surrounded by young children, not one of whom were burnt or mangled or even bruised by the rather large items trundling up and down the line, including an all-metal Accucraft K27.

In other words, they were great. Lots of question were axed, mostly sensible, and the dwongish ones were usually ridiculed by their pals in any case for asking stupid questions in the first place.

But here's a thing, take it as you will. There were many examples of the Justin Bieber hairstyle yoof wombling around, mostly on cells, I hafta say. But not ONE of them even looked at the the largest display of garden trains that had ever been shown publicly in the twin villages. Too interested either in each other, or in twitchfacing, I guess.

Their loss, IMO.

tac

 

[Zerogee]

Glad to hear it went well, Tac, and wasn't a "Fete worse than death"......

Re your observations on the local Yoof and their lack of interest - I've always said that in my opinion (which is of course worth exactly what you paid for it), trying to attract "the young" to the hobby - by which I mean those of teens and twenties - is, with the very odd exception, probably futile. The people we should be reaching out to as "new blood" are those like us, fifties, sixties or more (and maybe some very lucky and well-off forties), who are starting to have some free time and possibly even some disposable income - and may well be looking around for a hobby to do.... it's that demographic that I think we should be aiming a lot of our publicity at, showing them that at last they can actually have the toys they dreamed of when they were little kids!

Just my opinion, interested to hear what others think of it....?

Jon.

 

[Fred Mills]

One of the reasons I don't have "Open House".
My only other comment is; if you invite "Kids" to your house, their parents have to be Goats, and you get what you ask for.
I do promote the introduction of well brought up "Children" and young adults to the hobby. If the parents, usually adult human beings; are interested in the hobby to begin with, then quite possibly their CHILDREN will be too, and will possibly respect your toys.

 

[G-force1]

The ones you have to attract are the under 12s, before their hormones take over and they discover that some jumpers have lumps in, at which stage you will lose them again, but they have been inoculated, and the disease will reactivate in late adulthood.