New Partwork "Mill Town"

[Steamport Southport]

I've not seen anything. The other one is still on the website. https://hachettepartworks.com/your-model-railway-village

 

But I would expect it after Christmas if it does appear. Most partworks start in the post Christmas period and that would fit in with the normal "waiting a year" after the trial.

 

 

 

I was only after the cheap brake vans. Then I found a couple of Parkside kits of the same prototype I didn't remember having.

 

 

 

Jason

[Hroth]

There's been a brief spasm of partworks involving knitting recently so I was keeping my eyes open just in case.  But yes, it was the brakevan I was interested in!

[Morgenergy]

Hello all,

 

This partwork recently came to mind and decided to check upon it. There's some good news, and some bad - It's website appears to be back up and running: http://milltownmodelrailway.com/ It's fully functioning, and there's a possibility to subscribe and get all the 'free' goodies. However, it doesnt seem accessible via Hachette's main site - I.E, it doesn't exist there and is only reachable directly via a link or Google - which is odd. Makes me assume it isn't quite ready for release yet, or is probably just around the corner? Maybe it's a glitch?

 

What kind of bugs me is the lack of info regarding it's public release, not only on the site, but everywhere else - I can't find poop...unless I'm late to the party or if this is all a bit under the radar.. Might send em an email. Wouldn't mind picking up that brake van of course, maybe even some of the buildings. Will be checking shops for it later on when I go into town and give updates if I remember to.

 

All that said, the site was offline after it's test run back in January or whenever, so for all I know, the website might be online by mistake...

[Hroth]

Hello all,

 

This partwork recently came to mind and decided to check upon it. There's some good news, and some bad - It's website appears to be back up and running: http://milltownmodelrailway.com/ It's fully functioning, and there's a possibility to subscribe and get all the 'free' goodies. However, it doesnt seem accessible via Hachette's main site - I.E, it doesn't exist there and is only reachable directly via a link or Google - which is odd. Makes me assume it isn't quite ready for release yet, or is probably just around the corner? Maybe it's a glitch?

 

What kind of bugs me is the lack of info regarding it's public release, not only on the site, but everywhere else - I can't find poop...unless I'm late to the party or if this is all a bit under the radar.. Might send em an email. Wouldn't mind picking up that brake van of course, maybe even some of the buildings. Will be checking shops for it later on when I go into town and give updates if I remember to.

 

All that said, the site was offline after it's test run back in January or whenever, so for all I know, the website might be online by mistake...

If the website is back up, then somethings afoot.....

 

I just calculated that if you want to get the locos through Hachette, then you pay £240 for the pair, plus some extra cork sheet and wire.

 

As the two from a reputable internet trader cost something like £177 inc delivery, it must be left to the potential "premium subscriber" to decide whether paying an additional £63 is worth it to spread the cost and get some extra cork sheet and a spool of wire in addition.....

 

Of course, if you wanted to economise, you could get Hornby equivalents from the reputable internet trader for nearer half the price, of course it'd be LNER rather than LMS, but there should be no objection to calling it a "Yorkshire Mill Town".....

Edited November 13, 2017 by Hroth

[Morgenergy]

If the website is back up, then somethings afoot.....

 

I just calculated that if you want to get the locos through Hachette, then you pay £240 for the pair, plus some extra cork sheet and wire.

 

As the two from a reputable internet trader cost something like £177 inc delivery, it must be left to the potential "premium subscriber" to decide whether paying an additional £63 is worth it to spread the cost and get some extra cork sheet and a spool of wire in addition.....

 

Of course, if you wanted to economise, you could get Hornby equivalents from the reputable internet trader for nearer half the price, of course it'd be LNER rather than LMS, but there should be no objection to calling it a "Yorkshire Mill Town".....

Hopefully something is indeed afoot, can't see why it'd be up for business otherwise. As for the locos - 240 quid?! Hope no sod falls for that one.

 

As an update to my post - my check in local shops and ones in town found - rather unsurprisingly - nothing. Also not got an email back from Hachette regarding my question regarding this partwork's release. I Guess we now play the waiting game for bargain brake vans.

[Steamport Southport]

I don't know whether it's significant, but the website seems to have been updated.

 

Maybe getting launched soon?

 

http://milltownmodelrailway.com/

 

 

 

They still can't spell gauge properly though.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[steve1]

Certainly interesting to see it's been updated and not quietly 'lost'.

 

steve

[sem34090]

Hmm...

 

It wasn't available down here last time round: hopefully this time I'll get the chance to stock up on brake vans!

[Neil]

Hmm...

 

It wasn't available down here last time round: hopefully this time I'll get the chance to stock up on brake vans!

 

I think lots of us will be waiting for cheap brakevans attached to a stapled pack of firelighters.

[rue_d_etropal]

Given the fact that Ch4 have just had a series on building a railway, and Ch 5 have something planned, maybe they have been waiting for right time to start. I still have all the buildings from last time, and need to find a use.Pity they did not start with this one first, as some of the buildings look interesting

 Some are repeats, but the school looks good, as does the chapel. The houses look like stone versions of the ones done last time. The mill is tempting, just not sure.

Sure to be loads of brakevans on offer .

Can't see how they can do new articles though, as they covered a lot last time. Mention of DCC, but that would not fill much space.

[Morgenergy]

Seems a bit odd, this partwork.

 

The direct link as you'll find in this thread leads to a 403 Forbidden (Access Denied.) page. Googling the partwork will find you the URL, but is a Microsoft Server page which makes me assume the domain has expired, or they've closed it, who knows.

 

However, once again if Googled, you can find the subscription page and - potentially - give Hachette your money for it.

 

What the devil is going on? Is it dead? Is this standard proceedure for a TBA partwork?

[Hroth]

Its possible that Hachette have realised that "railway modellers" cherry-pick the first low-price issue, which usually has something eye-catching and potentially useful outside the context of the partwork on it, such as the MK1 coach that was on the first issue of the Model Railway Village partwork, and the LMS brakevan with the first issue of Mill Town.  By getting a subscription to at least the first tranche of magazines, they remove the spike for the first issue, which won't otherwise make them much money.

[Steamport Southport]

Its possible that Hachette have realised that "railway modellers" cherry-pick the first low-price issue, which usually has something eye-catching and potentially useful outside the context of the partwork on it, such as the MK1 coach that was on the first issue of the Model Railway Village partwork, and the LMS brakevan with the first issue of Mill Town.  By getting a subscription to at least the first tranche of magazines, they remove the spike for the first issue, which won't otherwise make them much money.

 

Far from just railway modellers.

 

All of them have an eye catching offer whether it is knitting, sewing or cookery equipment like other recent ones. The knitting magazine had about twenty pounds worth of stuff on it. They flew off the racks.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[PhilJ W]

Far from just railway modellers.

 

All of them have an eye catching offer whether it is knitting, sewing or cookery equipment like other recent ones. The knitting magazine had about twenty pounds worth of stuff on it. They flew off the racks.

 

 

 

 

Jason

Mind you that will be the retail value, the whole lot will have been produced in some far eastern sweatshop for about 20 pence.

[Hroth]

Just tried the link I had and it gives:

 

403 - Forbidden: Access is denied. You do not have permission to view this directory or page using the credentials that you supplied.

 

so perhaps they've given up on the idea?

[rue_d_etropal]

I wonder if they have put it off till later in the year, given that ther is to be a Model Railway Challenge TV program  sometime later this year.Having the magazine come out around that time would make good commercial sense.

[Steamport Southport]

If it does get issued then I would expect it around Christmas time.

 

They're still advertising the last one on the proper website. https://hachettepartworks.com/your-model-railway-village

 

 

 

Jason

[rue_d_etropal]

They originally did a similar version of the magazine for the French market, which is actually better served with partwork magazines, and Hahette have a big market in France. Other railway themed partworks(not Hachette) for the French market have been a lot better that what has been offer in the UK. There has even been a series using some of the best French plastic kits(some kits even used parts from British Wills kits), now no longer available. This range ended up under the Hornby umbrella.

One Hachette partwork running at the moment is a large scale London double deck bus. There is also a similar partwork magazine(started before the UK one) which features the iconic French single deck Renault bus, in the same scale(1/12).

On the subject of the latest layout partwork,intersting though the original French version preceded the British version, I have no seen any sign of a second French one. That is probably more likely to be because the French model railway market is not as big as the UK one, and that Loco Revue magazine, already has a sort of partwork card building magazine under its umbrella, and has also created the complete model railway layout , delivered in a box as a kit to build called 'Train in a Box'.

[Morgenergy]

 

All of them have an eye catching offer whether it is knitting, sewing or cookery equipment like other recent ones. The knitting magazine had about twenty pounds worth of stuff on it. They flew off the racks.

 

This. Can't tell you how many issue 1's of partworks I have. The low price makes em worth picking up regardless of the contents, but especially if it's a model of sorts.

 

I wonder if they have put it off till later in the year, given that ther is to be a Model Railway Challenge TV program  sometime later this year.Having the magazine come out around that time would make good commercial sense.

 

Also this. Supply and demand will increase hopefully, with people maybe being inspired by the TV show.

 

Still rather strange how they made the website public and even offered subscriptions when clearly, they've possibly no intentions of releasing the thing, especially anytime soon. I remember sending multiple emails via the site's FAQ page asking when the artwork was to be released. Needless to say, I've heard nothing in response and it's been many months.

[PhilJ W]

I think that the 'take-up' of the trial issue must have been less than Hatchett had hoped for. After all we don't need as many LMS brake vans as we do Mk.1 coaches.

[cypherman]

I had an order with my local papershop for 6 copies of the 1st magazine if it came out in my area. Sadly it did not. Now like every one else I am still waiting.

[Steamport Southport]

I think that the 'take-up' of the trial issue must have been less than Hatchett had hoped for. After all we don't need as many LMS brake vans as we do Mk.1 coaches.

 

Someone was selling them on eBay at the time and they sold quite quickly for more than RRP.

 

 

 

Jason

[rue_d_etropal]

Just looked on website, and they still show the original part work, but nothing about Mill Town. I would hae thought now would be a good time withthe TV model challenge program just starting.

[Keith George]

Still hoping,  but very doubtful. !