I’m so glad you’re looking at the mental health benefits of groups and clubs, and building layouts and trains. My wife never understands that to sit on a station and watch trains go by is so therapeutic for me. I drive trains for a living, I love the railways, I love my model trains, but I really need to get building my layout. You’re all doing such a great job. Well done all of you .

I would like to express my admiration for you all. Thank you sincerely from my heart for your efforts.

You really are pushing that Final Frontier. After a busy and challenging work life, I have come back to having a model railway in the last few months. Watching you guys and being guided in the hobby by a handful of masterful KZfaq modellers has got me back into the hobby after over forty years. It unlocks creativity, imagination, develops new skills and a whole new level of satisfaction and relaxation. Probably, at times a bit of stress, mainly electrical, but again a fantastic sense of achievement when the problem is solved. A few friends have been to see it and a few seeds have been sown. Thanks for this brilliant series

I have PTSD and depression. I find model railways help me. I find it calming and relaxing. I am glad you are taking steps to help people who have mental health issues. I have been in a very bad way and starting to do a model railway. It is a very deep issues in both mental health and autism. Anything that can help would be a good thing.

As I explain to my guests at train shows, watching a model train go around in circles gives the same contentment as we get watching a fire in the fireplace. Something God has put deep in our soul.

Agree with everything that’s being said about mental health and railway modelling. Quite a few clubs and societies interact with various special needs groups (my old one in Hoddesdon, Herts) has regular special running sessions and definitely the attendees, their families and carers plus the club members all enjoy it and get a real benefit out of it. More clubs need to be aware of this aspect of modelling and be tolerant/understanding for their own benefit and the wider community. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

My heart went boom. When the announcer came on. As that was the line and train, I have used most of my life. I used to live at Harrow & Wealdstone . I now live in Dawlish Devon. And you all have seen what fun we have had here. Wow. All good now.

Dave pete and the railnuts what another great 👍🏻 video great to see making tracks 4 coming along brilliantly but you all have taken our hobby to another level about mental health men in sheds and making it available to everyone not just to look but to get the younger modellers into the hobby l have a 2 year old granddaughter who loves to come into grandpa’s shed to see the trains and just today she had a go with the dynamis dcc hand controller and when she saw the class 43 move and she blew the horn with function 2 the look on her little face said it all it was nice to see a mental health professional in your video talking about the report into what this hobby and others can offer us for our health and wellbeing is to be encouraged because even when we think we have built our layouts our brains kick in and we think we can still improve it as we still like to add more my 13 year old grandson phoned me the other day to say he had seen a poster in oxford for a model railway show next week and asked me if I would take l live in Sheffield so I looking forward to spending time with him and old and young day out can’t wait Any way take care and thanks for sharing all this information and videos Best wishes Kev Beighton Parkway Sheffield

What a great video, I can definitely relate to the benefits of railway modelling and mental health. The hobby has certainly helped me whether it's watching these videos, attending your exhibitions or finding the confidence, enthusiasm and motivation to get in my railway room.

Good to see the benefits of craft hobbies being recognised.

Hi Dave, what a great and powerful video. I got back into model railways after being diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2013. The cancer had spread from my bowel to my liver and I was given less than 12 months to live. I had a lot of time on my hands and went to visit the local model railway group. Unfortunately at 51 I felt like a new kid at school and after 3 visits I decided the club wasn't for me. I still went to shows, watched KZfaq and visited my local model shop. I bought a starter set and began my model railway. Ten years on and with great medicines, chemo and a miracle or 2, I've become a fanatic and have been to see Making track 1,2, & 3, The Great Electric Train Show and hopefully MT4. As Anita says the hobby has been a great distraction from the worries of my health. So pleased to see and hear that this subject has been brought up, although Dave doesn't realise it he's sharing his frustrations with the team and not bottling up to take home!! Please keep these videos going and at the NEC, as I'm away on holiday when you're there.

WOW! What a wonderful, fantastic, eye opening and thought provoking video, all rolled into one! First of all, after having been watching the amount of work done so far towards "The Final Frontier", I thought you Railnuts were getting there with the build ... well, not quite! As Pete points out, there is still so much work left to do, yet I know you will get there. Keep going, we are all cheering you guys on! I think anyone in the Model Railway World should watch this video, especially the 2nd part. We are generally such an inclusive and co-operative group of hobbyists, and are usually happy to share our interests with anyone! It is a hobby that can be so positive for so many. It's made me realise how much more we can do at our own Club's show. Brilliant, just brilliant! Thank you for helping me see how much more we can do!

Well done for addressing mental health, a much talked about but also mis-understood issue these days. And for getting involved in proper research with qualified experts. It’s taken a long time for the obvious mental and social benefits of engaging in a “craft” hobby to be properly recognised and openly discussed in the media and for us enthusiasts to be able to mention our hobby to the uninitiated without fearing ridicule. (Well, mostly, at any rate.) Ever since I became aware of the concept of “the spectrum” and the range of mild to more pronounced mental health, learning styles and complex needs, it’s struck me how many of us in the hobby exhibit such tendencies to varying degrees. What’s also clear, as is mentioned in the discussion in the video, is how people diagnosed with complex needs, such as, for example, Autism, find model railways fascinating and satisfying. As a volunteer at Blakemere, I witnessed a number of young people, some of whom were identified by their parents as being Autistic, getting massive enjoyment from watching and driving the trains. This is definitely an area that can be developed within the hobby but, as Railnuts are showing, ideally with professional guidance.

Wonderful project!

I’m really happy to see Pete engage and try to understand how the model railway hobby can help people with mental health issues. But it’s amazing also to see how he’s doing something, there’s always an action with Pete, he’s a doer, and we need more doers when it comes to mental health services in the UK. As an avid wargamer & part time model railway hobbyist I can say that painting and building models has always been my therapy. I’ve recently embarked on a journey as I have found out I have undiagnosed ADHD & possible autism (explains why I have an encyclopaedic knowledge of GWR locos) at the age of 37. Seeing how this is being talked about now within this community is amazing. Well done Pete & Railnuts team.

Many thanks for the trains Pete, but even more thanks for the music!

It is always good watching you videos as one sees something new and the progresses being made. Thank you Dave, Pete and the Railnuts team. The discussion at the end of todays video was very thought provoking as I hope it opens a bigger discussion to the problems out there experienced for all people male and female and how groups clubs and events can help.

208ft? …….if only This guy is still getting things done, such a positive man. Go Pete👍

It is fantastic that quite aside from providing a magnificent spectacle, you are now making an effort to use the railway as a focal point to demonstrate how the hobby can help those of us with mental health issues. It is refreshing to hear Pete’s views on the matter too, namely that he is big enough to admit he doesn’t understand it necessarily but does understand how important it is to provide people with these issues with something that inspires and excites them. I particularly love how the group seem to realise the importance of how it can help younger people and those who have learning or behavioural difficulties ❤️ It is very nice to know that people with issues are treated like ‘normal’ people by all of you. It upsets me when I still occasionally hear conversations among people that belittle those of us who are on the spectrum or who dare to have hobbies as though they are superior 😞 Anita and people like her deserve all the praise in the world, as it is only because of the Anitas of this world that I am still here. Heroes all of them and they inspire me to enjoy life and appreciate everything I have more than I ever have before. And you chaps deserve huge praise for realising the value of doing fun things with good people and opening our minds to the joys of creative arts and crafts. Can’t wait for the show in Birmingham 😎👍🍻

Great video guys 😊. Very thought provoking on issues that are more prevalent than anyone can imagine. Excellent work guys please keep it up .😊

Great video again. Amazing to see the progress and the ambition. Good news that the mental health angle is being explored. It's all as inspirational as always - and I can add substance to that now I've pre-ordered the Hornby Locomotion model after nearly 50 years away from the hobby.

We need something like this in Australia to handle mental health issues!

Interesting as always....and what a fascinating discussion !! I'd never really thought about it before but it all made such sense !!

My nephew, who is very much missed here, was a psychotherapist and although he had a passing in model railways was delighted that I had taken up the hobby after a 60 year break. He thought it was the perfect hobby to keep the mind active as it involves many skills. The reason I lost interest when younger was because, my father had built the layout and he scrimped and saved to afford one at the time so I understand why he took that stance, we are all different and I remember my father fondly. Chester Cathedral here I come, anyone know any B&B's/hotels in the area?

Another great video Dave great Friday tea time viewing.Thankz lads.

Two things I work in mental health and also do model railways. Add I can see how model railways can benefit people with mental health problems.

I belong to a Men's a Shed and regularly watch Making Tracks. They are indistinguishable from each other.

Thanks Dave for another wonderful video

Peter. At the Cathedral last year I was talking to you about corridor connections, to save the 4 ft jump passengers had to make. I have recently been using the black paper type, gluing them to one end of the coach only, they expand and contract and slide sideways at curves and crossovers. They are £4.00 for six, but if you have a smaller gap, you can cut them in half and do 12 coaches with one pack. You could ask also get Phil to knock some up??? They take about 2 minutes a coach to assemble and glue to the coach end!!! It's surprising how realistic the look!!! Phil could make some for pence! John Harrison. Wallasey (Ex Vintage Tramdriver at Birkenhead!!!)

Another great update

The team should make an extra baseboard that can replace the standard one. This could be made with 2 tunnels and 2 bridges and make the 4 lines in to 1 line that goes around the layout 4 times for one run. This would make the layout 4 times longer and would surely make and set some kind of indoor world record possible.

good vid on the channel nice build on the layout looks good thanks lee

EXCELLENT !!!!

you're now officially a public service

Chris, the one man Nissan car plant. Some go faster stripes maybe?? 😅

The D.C. Lines between Watford and Harrow & Wealdstone ARE NOT London Underground lines. LU only run as far as Harrow & Wealdstone and, I believe, this has been the case since the mid-1980s.

sorry found running trains in the background while the lady was talking mic pic up to start with was a bit poor.

Are use still going to GETS this yr? ❤

Worrying about bends being realistic when OO gauge is 1:76 models on HO 1:87 track! God give me strength!

Why oh why does such overwhelming noise have to be heard in the background almost obliterating the discussion from the psychologist on such an important issue as mental health!! It’s so stressful to try to listen to. Sensitivity would not go astray please. Otherwise great - Ernie Australia

That AI generated announcers voice is terrible ..give a Deaf person a sore head.

Joking aside I think you guys are doing a great job,and I hope it does have a impact on helping others

Exercise 😂😂doesn’t seem to be working looking at you lot round the table,apart from 1 or 2 😂😂😂