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BRM May '18 + NEW-LOOK Digital Edition


SteveCole
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I soend a fair bit of time driving buses and much prefer to carry a paper magazine than have to take my ipad with me.

 

Re the previous post, I often wear a ‘baseball’ style cap when driving, the last two have been ‘Royal Scots Grey’ and ‘Tulyar’, often results in my passengers starting conversations about trains.

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I first tried BRM digitally in 2014 when I was visiting family in Australia. For those overseas I can see the advantages both in terms of having a current issue of a mag rather than being weeks/months behind quite besides the lower costs, but I am afraid that despite trying a few since then I just don’t like trying to read a digital version of a magazine designed for the printed page. It doesn’t work for me at all and I won’t get any more.

 

Izzy

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Bought the digital version for the first time - love it - far better than having a ton of paper and much more flexible being able to expand the pictures etc. BRM isnt a regular purchase for me but I will certainly buy editions that do appeal digitally from now on. Despite the naysayers I do believe digital is the future of specialist publishing and BRM has embraced the benefits and advantages better than some competing titles. 

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I used to subscribe to BRM, but gave it up for a number of reasons.  However, I couldn't resist the recent £1.99 an issue digital subscription and rather to my surprise I've been very pleased with it.  The photographs in particular are truly excellent.  Basically it's a win-win; BRM gets a subscriber it wouldn't otherwise have had and I get access to a magazine that I wouldn't otherwise have bought.  I usually read it on my 10" tablet which gives me very nearly the same versatility I would have had with the print edition.  And I'm one of the older generation.....

 

DT

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Bought the digital version for the first time - love it - far better than having a ton of paper and much more flexible being able to expand the pictures etc. BRM isnt a regular purchase for me but I will certainly buy editions that do appeal digitally from now on. Despite the naysayers I do believe digital is the future of specialist publishing and BRM has embraced the benefits and advantages better than some competing titles. 

Not sure 'naysayers' is necessary. For many consumers, still the vast majority, paper offers a better medium. I guess it would help the BRM team to understand a bit more on your circumstances and how you read the mag. As some of us have said, for those who read it at work or commuting, the magazine is far more convenient if we have to carry it around. That will help them understand where the digital market lies. My guess is that digital will remain a niche in the specialist magazine sector, maybe only getting to 25% of sales until there is a vast improvement in the usability and functionality of digital devices. I suspect the penetration of digital into non-specialist mags (Hello, OK etc) is probably higher as the content is lower brow and readers have no interest in long term retention (i.e. it is disposable content).

 

Digital is simply a new means of delivering BRM's content, but for various reasons it is likely to remain a niche for some time. All credit to BRM to try to grow it, but it needs to overcome various hurdles around delivering what a broad range of customers require.

 

I used to subscribe to BRM, but gave it up for a number of reasons.  However, I couldn't resist the recent £1.99 an issue digital subscription and rather to my surprise I've been very pleased with it.  The photographs in particular are truly excellent.  Basically it's a win-win; BRM gets a subscriber it wouldn't otherwise have had and I get access to a magazine that I wouldn't otherwise have bought.  I usually read it on my 10" tablet which gives me very nearly the same versatility I would have had with the print edition.  And I'm one of the older generation.....

 

DT

I have to confess to being a little surprised by the double page spreads like the excellent photo on p40/41 having a line down the middle - I expect that on paper but on screen?

 

Being a demanding customer (!) I'd love to be able to have a shot like that as wallpaper on my PC, or at least double click to get the picture clear of text etc. I know this is down to Pocketmags and not BRM, but hopefully they can find ways to leverage the tech to maximise the benefit of excellent photography. I certainly expect to be able to see Andy Y's great photography without the non-existent binding being visible!

 

The line down the middle reminds me of Tom Petty's (RIP) comments half way through the CD version of his album "Full Moon Fever"

 

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Stuck in an airport terminal, waiting for a delayed flight, I'm going ask - How come no-one has mentioned the building plans in this issue?

 

We always get told people want them. Our designer went to great pains to ensure they are printed to the correct size for 4mm scale modellers, and retain the original measurements on the plan for those who like imperial 7mm. But not a mention. Nada. Zip. Zero.

 

Can we conclude that no-one is any more interested in plans than pretty photos? I'd like to think not and the silence is just people beavering away building models... ;-)

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I wouldn't draw that conclusion Phil. Just about every post in this thread, and the previous months thread, appear to be about the format of the magazine. There's generally very little comment indeed about the articles themselves, so the fact that nobody has mentioned the plan is hardly a sign of interest or disinterest.

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Stuck in an airport terminal, waiting for a delayed flight, I'm going ask - How come no-one has mentioned the building plans in this issue?

 

We always get told people want them. Our designer went to great pains to ensure they are printed to the correct size for 4mm scale modellers, and retain the original measurements on the plan for those who like imperial 7mm. But not a mention. Nada. Zip. Zero.

 

Can we conclude that no-one is any more interested in plans than pretty photos? I'd like to think not and the silence is just people beavering away building models... ;-)

 

I found the article interesting until I got to the plans - then I gave up due to the ambiguous information about them where we are told the measurements are for 7mm scale but the plans have not been reproduced to that scale.  Nothing is said about the scale to which the plans have been reproduced so one is left with the impression there isn't a scale and the plans have simply been shrunk to fit the page.  Agree they look about right for 4mm scale but the only way to check if that is correct is to take the 7mm scale imperial dimensions on the plans and then multiply them by 4/7ths to see what they are at 4mm scale then measure the drawing to see if it actually is 4mm scale - whereas it would have been a lot simpler to say the plans have been printed at 4mm scale but show the 7mm scale dimensions of the original drawings or even 'the plans are printed at the correct size for OO modellers but the dimensions shown are for 7mm scale ... etc'.

 

So inspirational article, inspirational modelling, then followed by possibly not quite so inspirational need for maths using imperial dimensions - which might not be very familiar to younger (than me) readers.  Yes - plans are interesting, yes the right plans can be extremely useful - especially if trouble is taken to get them correct to scale.  But at least say they are printed to a particular scale or print a scale to suit the size at which they are printed, please.

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Stuck in an airport terminal, waiting for a delayed flight, I'm going ask - How come no-one has mentioned the building plans in this issue?

 

We always get told people want them. Our designer went to great pains to ensure they are printed to the correct size for 4mm scale modellers, and retain the original measurements on the plan for those who like imperial 7mm. But not a mention. Nada. Zip. Zero.

 

Can we conclude that no-one is any more interested in plans than pretty photos? I'd like to think not and the silence is just people beavering away building models... ;-)

 

I was tempted, but it turned out some smarty pants had already built it  :jester:

 

It gave me an idea for something similar though, which is another benefit of plans.

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Stuck in an airport terminal, waiting for a delayed flight, I'm going ask - How come no-one has mentioned the building plans in this issue?

 

We always get told people want them. Our designer went to great pains to ensure they are printed to the correct size for 4mm scale modellers, and retain the original measurements on the plan for those who like imperial 7mm. But not a mention. Nada. Zip. Zero.

 

Can we conclude that no-one is any more interested in plans than pretty photos? I'd like to think not and the silence is just people beavering away building models... ;-)

No Phil.....drawings are good......silent majority and all that!

John.

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I found the article interesting until I got to the plans - then I gave up due to the ambiguous information about them where we are told the measurements are for 7mm scale but the plans have not been reproduced to that scale.  Nothing is said about the scale to which the plans have been reproduced so one is left with the impression there isn't a scale and the plans have simply been shrunk to fit the page.  Agree they look about right for 4mm scale but the only way to check if that is correct is to take the 7mm scale imperial dimensions on the plans and then multiply them by 4/7ths to see what they are at 4mm scale then measure the drawing to see if it actually is 4mm scale - whereas it would have been a lot simpler to say the plans have been printed at 4mm scale but show the 7mm scale dimensions of the original drawings or even 'the plans are printed at the correct size for OO modellers but the dimensions shown are for 7mm scale ... etc'.

 

So inspirational article, inspirational modelling, then followed by possibly not quite so inspirational need for maths using imperial dimensions - which might not be very familiar to younger (than me) readers.  Yes - plans are interesting, yes the right plans can be extremely useful - especially if trouble is taken to get them correct to scale.  But at least say they are printed to a particular scale or print a scale to suit the size at which they are printed, please.

 

I take your point - the text says it's not 7mm scal but doesn't say it IS 4mm scale. This might have been a late tweak just in case the plan didn't appear on the page correctly due to a printing issue, but we really ought to have taken the risk. I wonder if the original dimensions would be better edited away, but then think the plan is an attractive thing on its own and the handwriten numbers are very much part of the "look".

 

On the other hand, the maths is good for your brain I'm told. Persoanlly, I think it just proved metric numbers are easier. :good:

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I wouldn't draw that conclusion Phil. Just about every post in this thread, and the previous months thread, appear to be about the format of the magazine. There's generally very little comment indeed about the articles themselves, so the fact that nobody has mentioned the plan is hardly a sign of interest or disinterest.

 

 

No Phil.....drawings are good......silent majority and all that!

John.

 

Which means that the people who have greatest say on the content, apart from the editorial team, are those who shout loudly. When the magazine is full of N gauge modern image, then you only have yourselves to blame!

 

Seriously, it is VERY frustraiting when comments hardly mention the content. Even more so when the only mentions are negative ones. We're not looking for continuous praise, but if you like something, tell us and you'll get more of the same sort of thing.

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I was tempted, but it turned out some smarty pants had already built it  :jester:

 

It gave me an idea for something similar though, which is another benefit of plans.

 

There are two plans on the page - build the other one...

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There are two plans on the page - build the other one...

 

Yes, modified versions of both would make nice elements in a congregation of huts and sheds together with something like this.

 

30071278583_49f007f7a4_z.jpg

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The signal box dereliction article was very good, happy to see more of that - building kits but with adaptations. Prototype inspiration another enjoyable read, but I guess you need to be mindful of how much content you put in as there is already Traction magazine.

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Which means that the people who have greatest say on the content, apart from the editorial team, are those who shout loudly. When the magazine is full of N gauge modern image, then you only have yourselves to blame!

 

Seriously, it is VERY frustraiting when comments hardly mention the content. Even more so when the only mentions are negative ones. We're not looking for continuous praise, but if you like something, tell us and you'll get more of the same sort of thing.

 

That will always be the case Phil and it is even more so the case nowadays where instead of having to carefully write, and then post, a 'Letter to The Editor' you can sit down at your keyboard and dash off a 'comment' which all and sundry will be looking at without any sort of editorial discretion getting a look in.

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Stuck in an airport terminal, waiting for a delayed flight, I'm going ask - How come no-one has mentioned the building plans in this issue?

 

We always get told people want them. Our designer went to great pains to ensure they are printed to the correct size for 4mm scale modellers, and retain the original measurements on the plan for those who like imperial 7mm. But not a mention. Nada. Zip. Zero.

 

Can we conclude that no-one is any more interested in plans than pretty photos? I'd like to think not and the silence is just people beavering away building models... ;-)

 

The scale drawings was one of the main reasons I bought this month's issue--I'd like to see more of these in future issues for a range of railway structures, to help with scratch-building. Resizing drawings for use in other scales is easily done on a photocopier using size increase/decrease functions, but having a scale bar (in true scale) included on the drawings would help with this.

 

Scaled drawings for loco sheds would be great, for example for different companies/eras, done as a series?

 

all the best,

 

Keith

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That will always be the case Phil and it is even more so the case nowadays where instead of having to carefully write, and then post, a 'Letter to The Editor' you can sit down at your keyboard and dash off a 'comment' which all and sundry will be looking at without any sort of editorial discretion getting a look in.

 

But generally, the only comments are negative. Usually from people who like the idea of throwing a few brickbats and are under the impression that "customer service" means the team can't reply. When someone then dares to challenge them, they get really upset! The others are of the "Look at me! Look at me! I'm offended" variety.

 

When it's so easy to comment, you'd hope that there would be both good and bad comments. After all, how many wishlists are there for RTR locos? Where are they for magazine articles? Those requests are normally very specific such as "How to fit a DCC chip in my Hornby Nellie without having to take it apart, do any soldering or spend any money."

 

I'm not saying that everything would appear as an article, but the suggestions might inspire someone to get writing.

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The scale drawings was one of the main reasons I bought this month's issue--I'd like to see more of these in future issues for a range of railway structures, to help with scratch-building. Resizing drawings for use in other scales is easily done on a photocopier using size increase/decrease functions, but having a scale bar (in true scale) included on the drawings would help with this.

 

Scaled drawings for loco sheds would be great, for example for different companies/eras, done as a series?

 

all the best,

 

Keith

 

Glad you liked them. The scale bar is an interesting point - they are useful but not on the original drawings so we'd need to add them, but would a modern addition upset the purists? (Probably, but as a modeller, I'd be inclinded to tell them to shut up and build something).

 

I'm keen to do more work with the HMRS as you might have gathered from the DVD. The plan archive is terrific and a pleasure to dig through.

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Glad you liked them. The scale bar is an interesting point - they are useful but not on the original drawings so we'd need to add them, but would a modern addition upset the purists? (Probably, but as a modeller, I'd be inclinded to tell them to shut up and build something).

 

I'm keen to do more work with the HMRS as you might have gathered from the DVD. The plan archive is terrific and a pleasure to dig through.

I definitely like the idea of more such plans for buildings. I also think think the scale bar would be a great idea. Especially useful for digital subscribers. Screen grabs from differing devices are likely more size-variable than a photo-copy of a magazine page.

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Drummed into me repeatedly when I was taught proper engineering drawing were a few basic rules, including:

 

All scale drawings should always have the scale indicated (obvious really). This can be either stated on the drawing '1:100' (only good if the drawing is always reproduced the same size but commonly safeguarded by a statement such as '1:100 at A4') or graphically by using scale bar (enables you to see if the drawing has been altered). Just putting dimensions on was frowned upon in a drawing office. Sketches could be marked 'Not To Scale' or 'NTS' (commonly referred to as Not Too Sure!)

 

In addition all maps should always have a North Point and, if using Ordnance Survey base layers, a copy of the OS reproduction licence.

 

Lots of other rules that could get your work tossed in the bin if you were unlucky.

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I definitely like the idea of more such plans for buildings. I also think think the scale bar would be a great idea. Especially useful for digital subscribers. Screen grabs from differing devices are likely more size-variable than a photo-copy of a magazine page.

Knowing how graphical designers like to squidge and stretch images, I would suggest that a scale bar on the original in both X and Y directions would be a good idea. I've been caught out on a few occasions by a drawing that has been distorted when published.

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