Modelling structures tops poll as new favourite

Image from 'How to build a model church' – featured in BRM September 2022, on-sale August 12.

Saying "I enjoy scenic modelling" is a vague term – let's face it, that covers everything from static grass, to ballasting.

The majority of layout construction – baseboard, wiring and track-laying aside – falls under the category of scenic modelling. So, how to dissect one of the largest aspects of creating a model railway into simple categories so that modellers can share what they enjoy doing most? A poll, of course!

We asked Twitter followers (you can follow us there too, if you aren't already!) what they thought.

The poll had four simple categories:

• Grass / trees / shrubs: essentially, the vegetation and all that adds seasonal colour (or not) to a layout
• Figure cameos: these usually require more thought and are often used to tell a story. Plus, they didn't fall into the other categories
• Buildings or structures: houses, warehouses, even radio masts. Anything structural, but non-railway related.
• Railway infrastructure: tunnels, bridges, platforms, track and ballasting. Anything that wasn't in the landscape prior to the arrival of a railway

Railway infrastructure and buildings and structures received a total of 77.5% of the vote, though interestingly, buildings and structures narrowly beat railway infrastructure with 40% to 37.5%. 

In last place, with just 5% of the vote were figure cameos. Perhaps unsurprising, but we know many modellers who place these in high-regard.

The very verdant OO gauge layout 'Ewe', to feature in the October 2022 issue of BRM, where static grass, trees and shrubs have been put to excellent use. Only 17.5% of the vote from this poll prefer modelling vegetation, however.

Snap polls allow us to see what interests modellers the most in the hobby. Look out for our next poll on our Twitter feed, soon. 

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