Model Rail 243 JANUARY 2018

[hmrspaul]

I suspect it's 'O' gauge and the price is correct but I can't be sure until I get in to the office tomorrow. If the 'OO' is in one of those little heading blocks, it's a safe bet it's that which is wrong. (CJL)

Dapol/Lionheart have announced a 7mm BR brake van some while ago, and this was a representation of what may be produced. Yes a simple mistake with the heading block.

 

Paul

[paulbb]

in the review of the Heljan Lynton & Barnstaple Manning Wardle 2-6-2T (OO9), there was the assertion that Heljan liked a challenge referring to the class 17 as their first diesel in 4mm. Surely the Hymek was their first (and possibly best) loco?

[dibber25]

in the review of the Heljan Lynton & Barnstaple Manning Wardle 2-6-2T (OO9), there was the assertion that Heljan liked a challenge referring to the class 17 as their first diesel in 4mm. Surely the Hymek was their first (and possibly best) loco?

 

I thought the 17 came first? It was just an off-the-cuff comment - maybe it was the first narrow-bodied diesel? (CJL)

[D9020 Nimbus]

While the Hymek did precede the Clayton, the first Heljan model was the class 47 (this was before Bachmann produced their version). ISTR it was over-width.

[Legend]

I thought the 17 came first? It was just an off-the-cuff comment - maybe it was the first narrow-bodied diesel? (CJL)

No it was the 47 first, Hymek second . Not sure when the Clayton was , might even have been after the 26 and 27. It had a defective chassis/ motor of course , which took more than a year to get replaced if I remember correctly

[Butler Henderson]

Just read George Dents suggestion for removing acrylic weathering. I messed up adding the exhaust weathering to a Heljan 33 and corrected it by simply wiping off most of it with one those foam "magic" erasers that the likes of JML flog.

[jjb1970]

So it makes a company look bad? Well the Radio Times has them in, as do most of the national newspapers. The same goes for most websites with pop ups and clickbait.

 

 

Just ignore them. Simples.

 

 

 

 

Jason

 

These scratch card type scams prey on the gullible and vulnerable, to say it is just a case of ignoring them ignores the fact that their whole target market is a section of society that perhaps suffers from poor judgement, learning difficulties or other reasons why they might be vulnerable to scams and con people. Ordinary advertising is fair enough, I might not like inserts but if they're selling genuine products, particularly if they're products relevant to the subject of the magazine, then I don't object and it is a legitimate additional source of revenue. Personally I feel bottom feeding scams preying on the vulnerable and gullible is something different. For what its worth, I also avoid web sites that have a lot of these pop up type scams.

[Steamport Southport]

These scratch card type scams prey on the gullible and vulnerable, to say it is just a case of ignoring them ignores the fact that their whole target market is a section of society that perhaps suffers from poor judgement, learning difficulties or other reasons why they might be vulnerable to scams and con people. Ordinary advertising is fair enough, I might not like inserts but if they're selling genuine products, particularly if they're products relevant to the subject of the magazine, then I don't object and it is a legitimate additional source of revenue. Personally I feel bottom feeding scams preying on the vulnerable and gullible is something different. For what its worth, I also avoid web sites that have a lot of these pop up type scams.

 

Nope. They are totally legal and legitimate. They aren't a scam as people do actually win on them.

 

Do you do the National Lottery, football pools, play fruit machines, go to betting shops or the bingo? It's the same thing.

 

Do we have to ban everything because of a few people who are vulnerable?

 

I'm afraid I don't believe in the Nanny State. That might be harsh, but that's my opinion.

 

 

 

Jason

[Baldwin30762]

Ok first of all can i say i really liked the mag great would love to see more narrow gauge in fact I have been looking to find a copy of that MRC that Chris mentioned in his article,but still why not Chris re do the whole article and dioramas in 7mm scale for today's modellers?

 

I am sure there are other bigger point to raise, but the article gave the impression that the 5.5mm models are no longer available, That is not correct, as you can, if you want to play around in that size at the 5.5mm gauge Association if you follow the link http://www.5andahalf.info/msmloco.php it will take you to the loco kits and the rest of the 5.5mm gauge world.

 

Of course this diorama could also have be done in 009 with a Langley kit and a Worsley work's FR coach kit.

 

As for the L&BR Heljan review I though that was quite fair to be honest, I am not sweeping under the carpet the problems Heljan have had with this model, but this is the first RTR British outlined 009 loco to come to the market and I hold my hands up and can only applaud Heljan for having a go.

 

Bachmann's Baldwin also shows promise and I do have a couple on pre-order.

 

I know Model Rail is a magazine but if it can be encouraged to include more narrow gauge/ Industrial based layouts then you would find a rise in subscribers, I do appreciate that up to a point you have to know your core readers and there tastes, so you don't want to upset that sector which buys the magazine month in, month out.

 

However if you guys have any clout in the trade I would love to see you guys get behind the production of an 009 version of the L&BR 2-4-2 LYN model. in the same way Peco have with Heljan.

 

There was not much In this issue that I could say I didn't like. On the whole you have a great magazine keep going, just one little issue I know the narrow gauge world of modelling is not very big but please check the manufactures, Meridian Models as such are no more, but most of there kits are now available from Narrow Planet  https://narrowplanet.myshopify.com/collections/loco-kits.

 

There is a lot more available for the narrow gauge market than most people think, a check on the web will find most narrow gauge manufactures on there somewhere.

 

Besides that I look forward to 2018 and I can't wait to see what appears in Model rail next.

 

 

Regards

 

Colin

[Steamport Southport]

Funnily enough I was thinking that it was the Langley kit when I first saw it.

 

I've got one of those somewhere, along with a few unbuilt GEM Festiniog* carriages and wagons which must date from the 1970s and 1980s when we used to visit the old model shop at Harbour Station. You could also use the Wills Victorian cast iron bridge kit if you didn't want to scratchbuild one. I might built a "retro style" 009 layout one of these days. Just for fun.

 

 

*Old spelling 

 

 

 

Jason

[grahame]

 

I know Model Rail is a magazine but if it can be encouraged to include more narrow gauge/ Industrial based layouts then you would find a rise in subscribers,

Is there any qualitative and quantitative research to support that claim? It'd be interesting to see some factual breakdown of the model railway market segments and their effect on magazine sales.

 

On the face of the claim just to include more of every model railway interest would increase subscribers but size and cost would also increase and somewhat dampen that down.

 

G

[dibber25]

Is there any qualitative and quantitative research to support that claim? It'd be interesting to see some factual breakdown of the model railway market segments and their effect on magazine sales.

 

On the face of the claim just to include more of every model railway interest would increase subscribers but size and cost would also increase and somewhat dampen that down.

 

G

 

Every reader wants more of his or her own particular interest. The knack every magazine Editor has to learn is called 'balance', so that every facet of the readership feels well catered for, and that cannot be judged on any single issue but only over a period of at least a year. Even then, the issue of relative popularity of different aspects such as steam/diesel/electric, gauge, area etc all break up that balance. For instance, you could have an issue that is perfectly balanced between steam and modern image but if all the layouts are 'OO' gauge, what about the other minority gauges? Similarly, you can have layouts in N, O and narrow gauge but if you haven't catered for main stream 'OO'.....well,..... Then there's the Editor's own particular interests. He must NEVER indulge those at the expense of what he believes the reader will want but sometimes one's own enthusiasm can be quite distracting! And sometimes the readers actually enjoy it. Research, study, experience, gut-feeling, guesswork - they all have their part to play. (CJL)

[Steamport Southport]

I feel more diversity is a good thing. Even if it's not my interest then there is usually some value in it.

 

I found that all four major model Railway magazines were getting a bit too similar a couple of years ago. Just treading water. Nearly all RTR and reviews, the same layouts, too many layouts in one magazine, the same regurgitated articles about things like renumbering, etc.

 

However they all seem to have improved significantly recently. So I've gone from nearly cancelling the one subscription I had to pondering about having subscriptions for the other three as well.

 

 

Jason

[Baldwin30762]

Have to admit I have just got the MRC article that was not written by Chris, I would have been fooled as well into thinking that was a complete layout, I am sure an up to date FR model would be great, in 009. Most models of the FR appeared to be based on Harbour station, yet there is more to the FR than just one station, That said I am expecting an explosion of Lynton and Barnstaple style layouts to hit the exhibition circuit in the next year or so once Heljan have sorted out the running problems of their Manning Wardel locos.  

[grahame]

Every reader wants more of his or her own particular interest. The knack every magazine Editor has to learn is called 'balance', so that every facet of the readership feels well catered for, and that cannot be judged on any single issue but only over a period of at least a year. Even then, the issue of relative popularity of different aspects such as steam/diesel/electric, gauge, area etc all break up that balance. For instance, you could have an issue that is perfectly balanced between steam and modern image but if all the layouts are 'OO' gauge, what about the other minority gauges? Similarly, you can have layouts in N, O and narrow gauge but if you haven't catered for main stream 'OO'.....well,..... Then there's the Editor's own particular interests. He must NEVER indulge those at the expense of what he believes the reader will want but sometimes one's own enthusiasm can be quite distracting! And sometimes the readers actually enjoy it. Research, study, experience, gut-feeling, guesswork - they all have their part to play. (CJL)

Thanks. Sounds like there no definitive rules or supporting factual research and it's more about editors trying to get the balance right to maintain sales by giving consideration to feelings, what's in vogue, latest releases and fads, what is submitted, what's currently selling well, what is being discussed on forums, and so on. As well as their favourites ;-)

 

As I suspected, and as intimated above, the claim is probably just to promote an individual's particular interest. I guess we all do that. But a shame, it would have been nice to know the effect of more of particular interests on circulation.

 

G

[Baldwin30762]

Thanks. Sounds like there no definitive rules or supporting factual research and it's more about editors trying to get the balance right to maintain sales by giving consideration to feelings, what's in vogue, latest releases and fads, what is submitted, what's currently selling well, what is being discussed on forums, and so on. As well as their favourites ;-)

 

As I suspected, and as intimated above, the claim is probably just to promote an individual's particular interest. I guess we all do that. But a shame, it would have been nice to know the effect of more of particular interests on circulation.

 

G

 

I think you are on the money there Grahame, one thing I would like to add is one of the reasons why we see so much of the Magazine Team producing the models for master classes is very simple, the amount of model layouts you need for any one magazine must be in the region of five or six, times that by 12 and you get a figure of 72 models per year.

 

Having been on the edge of running a narrow gauge show every year, I can tell you it is not always easy to find layouts for just this one show.  Up until now, we have always had at least one European built layout at the show and of course everyone want to see it, all at the same time.

 

The point I am making I do wonder if enough people are active modeller?

 

Sadly we don't know yet if we can continue to do this due to transport and hotel costs. The paying public wince if we put the price up at any time, I think for a non member of a number of narrow gauge groups it was £7.50 per person this year which when you compare that to general model railways show charging £10.00+ per adult is not bad value for what you get if you came to the show at Swanley in October.

 

But coming back to the central theme of this thread are there enough of us building layouts that could fill the pages of this and any other model Railway Magazine for that matter.

 

Larger layouts take more time before they can be presentable in a magazine, Then at the other end of the scale you have the likes of Mr Rice turning out a new layout almost every year, beside looking for the fixed model railway, may be there is also a need to show off club layouts as well.

 

Finally as much as I like model railways, I don't think I could edit a magazine what with all the constraints on time and deadlines.

 

Regards

 

Colin Rainsbury

Edited December 31, 2017 by Baldwin30762

[grahame]

The point I am making I do wonder if enough people are active modeller?

 

Well, that is certainly current thinking. There does seem to be less model railway enthusiasts who are active modellers - building layouts, making and painting models, assembling kits, etc. And the associated rise of RTR and 'wish listing' rather than crafting personal wants and requirements. But it's a contentious issue - witness the many threads and disagreements about it on this forum.

 

But back to magazine content. It could be observed that editors have finely honed and optimized the balance of content for maximum circulation and that any change (more of less of particular interests) would be more likely to have a detrimental effect on sales rather than increasing. Perhaps Chris could comment.

 

G

Edited December 31, 2017 by grahame

[dibber25]

Well, that is certainly current thinking. There does seem to be less model railway enthusiasts who are active modellers - building layouts, making and painting models, assembling kits, etc. And the associated rise of RTR and 'wish listing' rather than crafting personal wants and requirements. But it's a contentious issue - witness the many threads and disagreements about it on this forum.

 

But back to magazine content. It could be observed that editors have finely honed and optimized the balance of content for maximum circulation and that any change (more of less of particular interests) would be more likely to have a detrimental effect on sales rather than increasing. Perhaps Chris could comment.

 

G

 

I should point out that, although I am an editor (small e) I have not been THE Editor of a model magazine since 2008 so I am no longer responsible for selecting content. The Editor leads this process but by forward-planning a long way in advance the rest of the editorial team contribute both with suggestions for articles of their own and suggestions of 'why don't we get Xxxx to do xxxx'. I think there are two primary considerations which are borne in mind at those meetings , articles which will enable the reader to develop or hone skills or to try something he hasn't done before, and of course to inspire the reader to actually DO some modelling, whether it be weathering, detailing or building a kit. In this respect, of course, there is cross-fertilisation with the model trade by featuring new kits, new materials, new manufacturers with such things as laser-cut structure kits which are easy to assemble and yet require some skills to be developed in finishing etc. If we show people how, and inspire them to buy it and try it, everyone wins and we are, hopefully, rewarded by acquiring another loyal reader. Of course, there are other factors which influence sales and a disproportionate amount of time has to be spent on covers. Conventional wisdom says that the covers sells, and that before you can get the reader looking at the actual content, your cover has 4 seconds to make him cross the shop and pick up the magazine. It's like modelling itself, a bit art, a bit science, a bit inspiration and a bit gut feeling. Like modelling, you don't always get it exactly right. (CJL)

[Dave 46]

I have left this post for a while, as it is probably off topic, and as a newcomer to the forum I'm not sure of the rule.

 

I looked out a copy of the august 65 model railway constructor (capitalisation as on the magazine cover) and there are four letters asking for prototype information.  They all had names and addresses published, and it struck me that nobody would put that information in the public domain today. Times change.

 

One of those letters was from a C. J. Leigh.  When i bought the magazine originally, there was no way that I thought that Mr. Leigh was the about the same age as me (I was nineteen at the time)

 

Dave Smit

[dibber25]

I have left this post for a while, as it is probably off topic, and as a newcomer to the forum I'm not sure of the rule.

 

I looked out a copy of the august 65 model railway constructor (capitalisation as on the magazine cover) and there are four letters asking for prototype information.  They all had names and addresses published, and it struck me that nobody would put that information in the public domain today. Times change.

 

One of those letters was from a C. J. Leigh.  When i bought the magazine originally, there was no way that I thought that Mr. Leigh was the about the same age as me (I was nineteen at the time)

 

Dave Smit

 

I can't remember what information I was chasing? Sounds like we're the same age. Lower case lettering was all the rage then. Nowadays marketing folk will tell you that capitals are essential to proclaim the message. (CJL)

[Dave 46]

I can't remember what information I was chasing? Sounds like we're the same age. Lower case lettering was all the rage then. Nowadays marketing folk will tell you that capitals are essential to proclaim the message. (CJL)

 

You were preparing drawings of the closed Staines West to West Drayton branch, and wrote "... in this connection I wish to obtain photographs of Yeoveney Halt, and the goods shed, engine shed and signal box at Staines West."

 

Regards

Dave Smit

[dibber25]

You were preparing drawings of the closed Staines West to West Drayton branch, and wrote "... in this connection I wish to obtain photographs of Yeoveney Halt, and the goods shed, engine shed and signal box at Staines West."

 

Regards

Dave Smit

 

Even after 50 years I'm still finding pictures of Staines west that I haven't seen before. Found a couple only last week, by the late, great, Henry Casserley. (CJL)