Worth Subscribing?

[Sir TophamHatt]

Do you think it's worth subscribing?
Used some Tesco vouchers for a 6 month subscription, which was okay but nothing hugely exciting.

I'm looking at the J70, which has £13 off for subscribers, plus they're doing a deal with a free soldering iron. I already have one but if it goes rubbish, I'll always have another one then.
Sad to see it's £25 for only 7 issues though. £50 a year is quite a lot.

I do t know how much the Apt was when released but the all bells and whistles version is now around £500 on eBay. I don't want the J70 to go out of my price range.

 

 

EDIT:  Turns out the answer is NO.  There is something like "take your money then don't care" about this.  My Post Here explains a little more.

 

EDIT 2: To be fair, the magazine does have some helpful articles.  But beware clicking through from the Model Rail website automatically adds a hidden code to ensure you get whatever offer is on at that point in time.  Adding any other codes at any point will cancel out the first one.

Edited February 21, 2018 by Sir TophamHatt

[Dunsignalling]

I don't subscribe to any magazines these days. They get browsed and bought issue by issue on the merits of the contents.

 

That means any presented in plastic bags get ignored unless there's something on the cover to grab my attention. 

 

John

[dibber25]

Do you think it's worth subscribing?

Used some Tesco vouchers for a 6 month subscription, which was okay but nothing hugely exciting.

 

I'm looking at the J70, which has £13 off for subscribers, plus they're doing a deal with a free soldering iron. I already have one but if it goes rubbish, I'll always have another one then.

Sad to see it's £25 for only 7 issues though. £50 a year is quite a lot.

 

I do t know how much the Apt was when released but the all bells and whistles version is now around £500 on eBay. I don't want the J70 to go out of my price range.

 

If you are intending to subscribe for a year, there are cheaper deals. Check out the in-mag subs deals. They change from month to month but - basically, if there's a free gift, there won't be much, if any, discount on the price. There are also different deals depending on whether you pay by card, direct debit etc. There should be something to suit you. Subscribers get discounts on our exclusive models and events in appreciation of their loyalty. The APT was a Rapido model for Locomotion, not a Model Rail exclusive, so it has no bearing at all on the J70. Wherever possible we try to maintain the original price at the time the order was placed, even if the price increases in the meantime.  (CJL)

Edited November 30, 2017 by dibber25

[Sir TophamHatt]

So my mobile didn't actually show all the prices...

 

Turns out £35 for a years worth of magazine, plus £5 cashback.  Add the soildering iron I suppose and it might be worth it... for 6 months at least, which would be just £12.50!

 

Will pick up a magazine and see what it's like

Edited December 1, 2017 by anotheruser

[KymN]

If you are intending to subscribe for a year, there are cheaper deals. Check out the in-mag subs deals. They change from month to month but - basically, if there's a free gift, there won't be much, if any, discount on the price. There are also different deals depending on whether you pay by card, direct debit etc. There should be something to suit you. Subscribers get discounts on our exclusive models and events in appreciation of their loyalty. 

It is rare that those of us outside the UK have access to special deals or free gifts.  I subscribe because British mags at the local newsagent are ancient history.  We in the colonies have to wait until they arrive by square rigger.

[GWR8700]

I subscribed last week as the soldering iron looked like a good deal.  Less of a discount on the magazine though as others have said

[dibber25]

It is rare that those of us outside the UK have access to special deals or free gifts.  I subscribe because British mags at the local newsagent are ancient history.  We in the colonies have to wait until they arrive by square rigger.

 

Let us win the cricket and we'll put on a faster boat! (CJL)

[KymN]

Let us win the cricket and we'll put on a faster boat! (CJL)

 

Now that would not be in the spirit of the game....  Besides, we are off to a great start.   

[kevinlms]

It is rare that those of us outside the UK have access to special deals or free gifts.  I subscribe because British mags at the local newsagent are ancient history.  We in the colonies have to wait until they arrive by square rigger.

No problems getting Model Rail & Railway Modeller from my local newsagent in Melbourne. Do you ask for it to be put aside, or randomly expect to buy it?

[KymN]

No problems getting Model Rail & Railway Modeller from my local newsagent in Melbourne. Do you ask for it to be put aside, or randomly expect to buy it?

 

It has been random, but the mags usually appear on the newsagent shelves well after the subscription copies are available. That is why I prefer subscription, despite very good availability from the newsagent.

[St Enodoc]

No problems getting Model Rail & Railway Modeller from my local newsagent in Melbourne. Do you ask for it to be put aside, or randomly expect to buy it?

True enough but generally they are about two months late by the time they are on the shelves.

[kevinlms]

True enough but generally they are about two months late by the time they are on the shelves.

 

I keep them all, so a couple of months makes no difference!

[FPH 603]

I have a collection of Model Rail issues ranging from 2008 - 2011. Most of these were given to me by a friend (not sure if he had a subscription) after he no longer needed them. I have a couple of 1998 - 2001 issues as well. These are pretty resourceful, in my opinion more resourceful than some of the other magazines I own.

[KymN]

I keep them all, so a couple of months makes no difference!

 

I keep all my mags too (sad case) but I still like to see the news and reviews on time.

[faulcon1]

Let us win the cricket and we'll put on a faster boat! (CJL)

Have you not heard of the old song Chris,

The English the English the English are best I wouldn't give tupence for all of the rest.

All the world over each nations the same

They've simply no notion for playing the game

They argue with umpires they cheer when they've won

And they practice beforehand which ruins all the fun,

But the English the English the English are best I wouldn't give tupence for all of the rest.

 

If I order something from the UK it take around two weeks to get to Australia

However if I order something from DCC Concepts in Western Australia it can take up to four weeks to get to New South Wales. I heard that the parcel pidgin suffers feather fatigue along the way.

[GWR8700]

There was a good deal on recently involving screwdrivers, soldering iron and a mat.  Mine never arrived and now they are telling me a month later that they are out of stock.  So I'm pretty annoyed with them and I wouldn't have bothered subscibing if I knew this would be the case.  Thumbs down from me

[Sir TophamHatt]

Hmm.

That's the deal I went for.

Will have to contact them and see what's what.

[Legend]

There was a good deal on recently involving screwdrivers, soldering iron and a mat.  Mine never arrived and now they are telling me a month later that they are out of stock.  So I'm pretty annoyed with them and I wouldn't have bothered subscibing if I knew this would be the case.  Thumbs down from me

Can’t you cancel your subscription on the basis they haven’t delivered the promised goods? Looks like they haven’t fulfilled their side of contract . Even if there is small print somewhere, it seems pretty shoddy

[GWR8700]

Can’t you cancel your subscription on the basis they haven’t delivered the promised goods? Looks like they haven’t fulfilled their side of contract . Even if there is small print somewhere, it seems pretty shoddy

I think I may do, proper disappointed as I was looking forward to that.

[dibber25]

I will investigate this but cannot do so until the office re-opens on January 2. (CJL)

[GWR8700]

Been offered a 3 month extension at no extra cost which is nice of them, but given that the gift is advertised as being worth £45.84 the 3 month extension only covers a 3rd of that.

[GWR8700]

I want to just say that Model Rail emailed me and told me that their stock has been replenished and that they've sent out the missing gift.  Top marks guys!  Thank you!

[grahame]

I don't subscribe to any magazines these days. They get browsed and bought issue by issue on the merits of the contents.

That means any presented in plastic bags get ignored unless there's something on the cover to grab my attention. 

 

Of course you can also get a fair idea of the contents from threads like these on various on-line forums. It'll even save you the time, cost and trouble of going to a shop to find the issue in a bag or having browsed and read it that you weren't interested in the contents.

 

G.

[dibber25]

Of course you can also get a fair idea of the contents from threads like these on various on-line forums. It'll even save you the time, cost and trouble of going to a shop to find the issue in a bag or having browsed and read it that you weren't interested in the contents.

 

G.

 

I endeavour to post up a contents list on here just before each issue comes out. The next one is January 12 though it went to press before Christmas. Can't post the details yet, though. (CJL)

[Sir TophamHatt]

I want to just say that Model Rail emailed me and told me that their stock has been replenished and that they've sent out the missing gift.  Top marks guys!  Thank you!

 

Excellent!

Much better than having to look at cancelling

 

 

 

I endeavour to post up a contents list on here just before each issue comes out. The next one is January 12 though it went to press before Christmas. Can't post the details yet, though. (CJL)

I'll have to check to see when my subscription starts. I think it's the Feb issue though

Edited January 4, 2018 by anotheruser