Jump to content
 

Great Western Railway Journal No 101


Neal Ball
 Share

Recommended Posts

Publishers Notice

 

We plan to end the publication of Great Western Railway Journal as a quarterly magazine at issue 103. Thereafter we may publish the occasional special.

 

 

The cynic in me says that as issue 103 is due as the Summer 2017 edition (101 - Winter 2017, 102 - Spring 2017) that we'll still be waiting for Issue 103 this time next year.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The problem with 'historical' railways in this sort of detail is that the people who even vaguely remembered then, even in this case Post Nationalisation GW, is that we're all dying off. It may not be that audience that is declining, but those with first hand knowledge are also not there. To produce something of this sort you need either good historical documentation (which probably doesn't;t exist) of personal knowledge of a sufficient number of people who are still able and willing to disclose that, either by documenting it themselves and making interested people aware that they have done so, or being available for interview which is a lengthy and sometimes costly process.

 

Railways are not, and certainly weren't "then", life changing. They were everyday modes of transport and people just used them. They weren't newsworthy until they went wrong. Just imagine the headlines - "The 10:35am Stopping passenger train from Swindon to Bristol was on time again." It's just not news, and therefore is not likely to have been recorded.

 

However today's possible news that '"The 06:45 from Brighton to London was on time and there were seats available at all stops" is such an unusual event that it would be newsworthy - but is unlikely to be reported. :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

You have to remember that John Copsey is past retirement age, and I expect the rest of the Cygnet team would like to take it easy as the output over the last forty years has been incredible. It is a very small team and I and sure with John stepping down as editor, they would need to find someone else, so the I would think they will use up the copy for the few issues and then, publish it a bit like British Railway Journal.

 

David

Link to post
Share on other sites

So as with all of us the Cygnet team is getting older. Recruitment of younger people with similar interests and knowledge is difficult if not impossible. I think that time is limited for the life of such publications, as per my previous arguments.

 

[EDIT] I, too, am past normal retirement age but still working because they asked me to.

Edited by Coombe Barton
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

It's a shame to hear that it will be finishing, but with the inconsistent publication this is something that has felt like it has been coming. Only need to find somewhere with it in stock now! Smiths in Camborne did't have it earlier.

Link to post
Share on other sites

It's a shame to hear that it will be finishing, but with the inconsistent publication this is something that has felt like it has been coming. Only need to find somewhere with it in stock now! Smiths in Camborne did't have it earlier.

 

NEXT ISSUE: NO 100, Due:29/12/2016 £6.30

 

So says http://www.newsstand.co.uk/166-Railways-Magazines/4055-Subscribe-to-GREAT-WESTERN-RAILWAY-JNL-Magazine-Subscription.aspx

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I guess the problem with Wild Swan was always that you never knew what was coming next. They published loads of great books, but if you were not in the know, they would pass you by.

 

The same now could be true of Cygnet, it's all very well saying we will go to occasional magazines... how will I know? Chances are I won't, which means they will miss my £.

 

It would be dark better to sell the title as a going concern and leg someone else pick it up.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I guess the problem with Wild Swan was always that you never knew what was coming next. They published loads of great books, but if you were not in the know, they would pass you by.

 

The same now could be true of Cygnet, it's all very well saying we will go to occasional magazines... how will I know? Chances are I won't, which means they will miss my £.

 

It would be dark better to sell the title as a going concern and leg someone else pick it up.

 

Well, if you looked in MRJ you'd see exactly what is going on, because they will most assuredly be flagging any publications up there.

 

As for selling it on, well maybe, but without Paul's input and John Copsey's editorship and contributions just exactly what would you have left?

 

There is nothing to stop anyone else starting a new publication of course, apart from the monstrous fees you have to pay to get WH Smith to put it on to their shelves, the printing costs, warehousing, handling subscriptions, oh and of course you've got to write it as well.

 

And then while you are working away on the next issue, you also get to enjoy hugely witty comments on Internet forums about how very stupid you are for splitting articles into several parts, being late etc.

 

And as for the books, well they have all been available and advertised and displayed by pretty much all of the specialist booksellers ever since they were first published right up until now, so I don't really understand how they could have passed anyone by without being noticed.

 

Simon

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

apart from the monstrous fees you have to pay to get WH Smith to put it on to their shelves

 

Do try to get the Ealing branch to reduce their costs, so that our Prominent Member from Those Parts can continue to frequent it and keep us all updated on whether whatever he's looking for is in stock or not!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Well, if you looked in MRJ you'd see exactly what is going on, because they will most assuredly be flagging any publications up there.

 

As for selling it on, well maybe, but without Paul's input and John Copsey's editorship and contributions just exactly what would you have left?

 

There is nothing to stop anyone else starting a new publication of course, apart from the monstrous fees you have to pay to get WH Smith to put it on to their shelves, the printing costs, warehousing, handling subscriptions, oh and of course you've got to write it as well.

 

And then while you are working away on the next issue, you also get to enjoy hugely witty comments on Internet forums about how very stupid you are for splitting articles into several parts, being late etc.

 

And as for the books, well they have all been available and advertised and displayed by pretty much all of the specialist booksellers ever since they were first published right up until now, so I don't really understand how they could have passed anyone by without being noticed.

 

Simon

Well said that man. It's remarkable the number of people out there who could have done it much better, shame none of them ever did!

 

Merry Christmas all Jerry

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Well said that man. It's remarkable the number of people out there who could have done it much better, shame none of them ever did!

 

Merry Christmas all Jerry

I completely agree, Jerry.

 

It puts me in mind of something that Captain The Mrs Kernow did a few years ago. One of her hobbies has been making beautiful cloth-sculptured figures (rather more sophisticated than cloth dolls), and for quite a few years she ran an internet forum, which was quite popular, especially in North America and Australia. She felt that there was a demand for a magazine of some kind, and in the end, she started producing it herself, using an A3 colour printer that we bought for the purpose. 'Cloth Figure Quarterly' ran for several issues, but in the end, the readership just wouldn't come up with the articles and other input required to sustain the magazine (despite having been asked many times). CTMK felt that she was doing it all herself, which she was, so reluctantly stopped production in the end, to various wailings and gnashings of teeth from the very people that hadn't bothered to provide any input in the first place! 

 

Of course, subsequent software changes by Microsoft mean that the A3 printer is now useless as well.

Link to post
Share on other sites

whats the overlap between the GW Study Group and the Journal? Was wondering if it would be logical to bring under one banner potentially also under the aegis of the GWS whose own quarterly magazine usually has some prototype articles. I'd wager that a fair number of us buy GWRJ and are members of the GWS.

 

David

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I guess the problem with Wild Swan was always that you never knew what was coming next. They published loads of great books, but if you were not in the know, they would pass you by.

 

The same now could be true of Cygnet, it's all very well saying we will go to occasional magazines... how will I know? Chances are I won't, which means they will miss my £.

 

It would be dark better to sell the title as a going concern and leg someone else pick it up.

 

There is a very simple answer as far as the magazine is concerned, in fact I think there area at least two.  I do not subscribe (which is one of those ways) but my 'local' modelshop keeps my copies for me and I collect - if they have arrived - when I drop in for whatever other reasons.  Equally you might well find that another retailer could be prepared to supply you by mail order if you found it inconvenient to call in to collect copies.

 

The same goes for WSL imprint books although we now have the particular advantage of having the new publisher in our midst on here and he does seem to be doing a good job in letting us know about forthcoming titles (all I've got to do is find the shelfspace - and that's after a day long shelf  checking/clearing session earlier this week).  Anybody interested in a copy of  the 'Handbook For Steam Locomotive Enginemen'?

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, if you looked in MRJ you'd see exactly what is going on, because they will most assuredly be flagging any publications up there.

 

As for selling it on, well maybe, but without Paul's input and John Copsey's editorship and contributions just exactly what would you have left?

 

There is nothing to stop anyone else starting a new publication of course, apart from the monstrous fees you have to pay to get WH Smith to put it on to their shelves, the printing costs, warehousing, handling subscriptions, oh and of course you've got to write it as well.

 

And then while you are working away on the next issue, you also get to enjoy hugely witty comments on Internet forums about how very stupid you are for splitting articles into several parts, being late etc.

 

And as for the books, well they have all been available and advertised and displayed by pretty much all of the specialist booksellers ever since they were first published right up until now, so I don't really understand how they could have passed anyone by without being noticed.

 

Simon

 

Well said - and a round of applause for that chap!

 

Yet again we are learning that you only realise what you've lost when its gone - or nearly gone in this case!  I too will miss it's regular appearence and it just reinforces the thought that the Great Western Railway really is disappearing into history.

 

The world certainly is changing - and not for the better!

 

Gerry

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Well, if you looked in MRJ you'd see exactly what is going on, because they will most assuredly be flagging any publications up there.

 

As for selling it on, well maybe, but without Paul's input and John Copsey's editorship and contributions just exactly what would you have left?

 

There is nothing to stop anyone else starting a new publication of course, apart from the monstrous fees you have to pay to get WH Smith to put it on to their shelves, the printing costs, warehousing, handling subscriptions, oh and of course you've got to write it as well.

 

And then while you are working away on the next issue, you also get to enjoy hugely witty comments on Internet forums about how very stupid you are for splitting articles into several parts, being late etc.

 

And as for the books, well they have all been available and advertised and displayed by pretty much all of the specialist booksellers ever since they were first published right up until now, so I don't really understand how they could have passed anyone by without being noticed.

 

Simon

 

 

Sorry that is a very arrogant response - despite everyone saying "Bravo"

 

I subscribe to GWRJ as I dont want to miss a copy. I don't take MRJ as I consider it to be above my modelling skills - you have to be realistic!

 

I dont have a local specialist railway bookshop, even the Bluebell with their excellent bookshop is now 1hr+ away and I simply can't get there these days as much as I used to.

 

I remain convinced that it is a shame the magazine is going to stop / reduce the number of issues and to me (living in the commercial world), it still makes sense to sell it onto a publisher who can do justice to it. BTW I have never commented about the stupidity or otherwise of splitting articles across various issues., Its not, it makes commercial sense, although some of them you might suggest could be made into stand alone books.

 

Talking of books - given that Wild Swan  / Cygnet never had a website, I am completely out of touch with what they will produce in the future... and I have supported GWRJ from the preview issue. 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Neal

 

I apologise if my reply sounded arrogant, that wasn't my intention, and I can quite see and accept that you are approaching the whole subject from the point of view of a loyal reader. 

 

I also accept that as a producer of a serial publication you do have some sort of obligation to your readers, which is why the journal will run for a further three issues, i.e. to complete outstanding subscriptions.

 

But that apart I stand by my comments, and as others have observed the times are changing, but that is probably subject for another discussion.

 

Best Wishes

 

Simon

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Although I was born and raised on the Southern and I just about remember steam, a trip to Brighton in about '58 at the age of 3, a move to Devon in '71 brought about enlightenment and all things GW, I have taken every issue since 0, including the bumper summer special. I shall mourn the passing of this informative mag.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello all,

 

A chance call into WHS (Windsor) today revealed some copies, and successfully obtained, after trailing round for the last few weeks of the quarterly hunt, which I do find part of the charm and building appreciation of the read!

 

I will be sorry to see the changes arrive but I can understand why. For such a specialist journal it has been a great legacy to modellers and historians alike.

 

All the best for the New Year,

 

GBMRG.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...