Availability of current British model railway and train magazines in Canada

[GreenDiesel]

Question for people modelling British outline in Canada:  I used to buy several British model railway magazines at our main bookstores such as Chapters & Indigo. But recently, two of our Chapters locations have had almost nothing in the way of Railway Modeller, Model Rail, Hornby Magazine, etc. I asked and apparently they are having difficulty importing magazines from overseas due to COVID. He said that this may or may not improve after COVID. 

 

There is an international newsagent that sells British railway magazines, and I think they’re still getting them. At any rate, just curious if any other anglophiles having the same problem? Thanks in advance. 

[budgie9]

Same problem in Calgary no supply at all. I order the Railway modeller direct, Got every issue so far.  I have not bothered about the others, cancelled all, As delivery is problematic. Some get here and some do not. even direct post.

 

[BR60103]

Our local Chaptigo gets 4 copies of Model Railway Journal each month(?) and seem to sell 3 of them. They also get British Railway Modelling and Hornby. Supply has been erratic -- many issues never showed up during the lockdown. I haven't seen Railway Modeller or Model Rail for donkey's years.

There area few British prototype mags that I don't bother with.

I was once told that the magazines are not done by the store anymore. I was also told that when they come in the store staff rack them when time permits.

Removal of old issues is random. Does anyone need an August issue?

The selection of magazines varies from store to store -- there are four within a reasonable drive and all are different.

 

Ours seems to get about 6 N.A. railroad magazines. 

I now subscribe to 3 magazines; it would be more but I can't figure out how to send some of them money. 

 

[pH]

Chapters stores in Greater Vancouver used to get quite a few British railway and model railway magazines, including some quite specialized ones. At different times, I worked within easy walking distance of big Chapters stores in downtown Vancouver and in Burnaby, so had no problem getting latest issues. When I retired, I could still get the more common magazines at our local suburban Chapters. Not any more - I can’t remember (as in years) when I last bought a British railway/model railway magazine.

[brossard]

I used to get all of the magazines from my small newsagent in the mall.  The large book outlets seem pretty useless.  My advice is to find a small magazine shop and ask them to get the magazines you want.  They might be more keen to get the business than the big boys.  I still get MRJ quite regularly from my small shop.  I even get a phone call to tell me it is in. 

 

MRJ is one of the magazines that still operate in the steam age, but I believe the others are easy to get subs for.  You can also use Pocketmags for electronic versions, although that never appealed to me.

 

John

[peach james]

I just picked up copies on the big island of RM and MRJ from Bolen Books.  They certainly did have problems getting magazines for a while, once again I have a gap in MRJ.  I think there was Hornby Mag too, but I only bought the RM for adverts (!).      I'm not sure how Tanners in Sidney are doing, I haven't had to go out there in a while :).

I liked it when Britannia could get in magazines- it was like having a Canadian mail distributer for MRJ.  

[GreenDiesel]

44 minutes ago, brossard said:

I used to get all of the magazines from my small newsagent in the mall.  The large book outlets seem pretty useless.  My advice is to find a small magazine shop and ask them to get the magazines you want.  They might be more keen to get the business than the big boys.  I still get MRJ quite regularly from my small shop.  I even get a phone call to tell me it is in. 

 

MRJ is one of the magazines that still operate in the steam age, but I believe the others are easy to get subs for.  You can also use Pocketmags for electronic versions, although that never appealed to me.

 

John

Thanks... Yes, I'm thinking that the small international newsagent in the Beach (in Toronto) might be my best bet right now. I still prefer flipping through a print magazine -- using digital seems too tedious for me. 

[GreenDiesel]

Thanks for your feedback above. Sounds like it is a widespread problem. My wife (when she visits her native England) often brings back a batch for me as well. Sometimes she comes back with 3-4 copies which keeps me busy for months. 

[davknigh]

After ages trying to deal with Indigo for my MRJ fix I gave up and went through Newsstand and took out a sub via them. Still subject to the whims of the supply chain AKA Canada Post but most issues have come through. If things go pear shaped, as they did on one occasion when an issue disappeared, there’s always Titfield as a fallback. I get Bylines direct from the publisher and you could set your clock by them as the copy turns up every month right on time, I must ask how they can do it when others can’t.

 

Cheers,

 

David

[malcolmt]

In Calgary, two newsagents downtown carried most British modeling titles along with the rail magazines. Used to be a great excuse for a lunch hour walk. Unfortunately an economic downturn, high rents and the trend towards online subs lead to the closure of both around 5-6 years ago.  I have subs for Model Rail and Hornby Magazine and delivery is problematic to  say the least. I’ll often receive the mailed copy two months after the publication date.  Covid is partly responsible for sure.  I think though the bigger reason is the bulk mailing practices of the publishers as I’ve noticed non-UK postmarks. Oddly, the HRCA and TCS journals usually are delivered within two weeks of publication. So, Canada Post isn’t the problem, in this instance .
The online subscriptions are the way to go.  I have online subs to BRM, Railway Modeller and Model Railroader along with the others. Along with immediate access, the mags can be easily read on airplanes, in waiting rooms etc and I don’t have to deal with tons of paper. 
 

Cheers,

 

Malcolm

 

Calgary

 

[mjh]

Australia has gone the same way actually

[AndrewC]

On 17/12/2021 at 19:27, malcolmt said:

In Calgary, two newsagents downtown carried most British modeling titles along with the rail magazines. Used to be a great excuse for a lunch hour walk. Unfortunately an economic downturn, high rents and the trend towards online subs lead to the closure of both around 5-6 years ago.  I have subs for Model Rail and Hornby Magazine and delivery is problematic to  say the least. I’ll often receive the mailed copy two months after the publication date.  Covid is partly responsible for sure.  I think though the bigger reason is the bulk mailing practices of the publishers as I’ve noticed non-UK postmarks. Oddly, the HRCA and TCS journals usually are delivered within two weeks of publication. So, Canada Post isn’t the problem, in this instance .
The online subscriptions are the way to go.  I have online subs to BRM, Railway Modeller and Model Railroader along with the others. Along with immediate access, the mags can be easily read on airplanes, in waiting rooms etc and I don’t have to deal with tons of paper. 
 

Cheers,

 

Malcolm

 

Calgary

 

Harry's & Billy's news long gone and lamented. 

The Daily Globe on 17th SW was the last place I found them but that was years ago. MiL still gets her UK Gardening magazines from there, so maybe worth a check. 

[malcolmt]

Unfortunately, the Daily Globe on 17th is long gone too.  
 

Malcolm

[budgie9]

Billy's news and Smoke Shop on 604 1St SW. was you thinking of Malcom? That is where the wife used to get mine in 2017.

[AndrewC]

7 hours ago, malcolmt said:

Unfortunately, the Daily Globe on 17th is long gone too.  
 

Malcolm

I'll have to ask MiL where she is getting her UK mags from now. It was the Globe last time I checked. 

[GreenDiesel]

Sometimes, when I don't have any current magazines or when am not able to buy any new ones, I will search through my existing supply of old magazines and pull out 1-2. There is practically a 100% chance you will find something interesting to read, either an article you've forgotten or didn't get a chance to read the first time.

 

Right now, I'm re-reading an article on an LMS layout from from 2015. I'm currently really into LMS, and it's like I'm seeing this issue for the first time. :-)

 

Edited December 21, 2021 by GreenDiesel

[Dominion]

I used to see them regularly at Books and Company in Picton, (more than I noticed them in Toronto), but I have not been there since Covid started.  I agree with GreenDiesel, an old one off my shelves often seems as interesting as a new one.  Tom

[malcolmt]

5 hours ago, AndrewC said:

I'll have to ask MiL where she is getting her UK mags from now. It was the Globe last time I checked. 

I stand corrected (not the first time) and need to go for a walk along 17th.  The Globe has moved across the street and a block to the east from the location I knew. 
cheers,

Malcolm

[brossard]

On the subject of older magazines, since it has been brought up, I have tried to reduce the clutter of these (they build up amazingly fast) by cutting them up, saving articles of interest and scanning them.  Most mags have a lot of useless stuff such as ads and "new" product reviews.  My preference is to scan prototype articles and especially drawings.

 

This way you develop a good data base and can find info on things quite easily, providing the scans are filed well.

 

The only decent online index that I'm aware of is for MRJ.

 

John

[GreenDiesel]

2 hours ago, brossard said:

On the subject of older magazines, since it has been brought up, I have tried to reduce the clutter of these (they build up amazingly fast) by cutting them up, saving articles of interest and scanning them.  Most mags have a lot of useless stuff such as ads and "new" product reviews.  My preference is to scan prototype articles and especially drawings.

 

This way you develop a good data base and can find info on things quite easily, providing the scans are filed well.

 

The only decent online index that I'm aware of is for MRJ.

 

John

I don't keep all of them, just ones that I'm really interested in. I usually donate my extras to train clubs or hertitage railways. But I still keep enough on hand that I'm able to re-enjoy them.

[mdvle]

Not as good as a physical magazine, but check out your local library who may have online access to some British magazines.  My local library offers Model Rail as part of a reasonable selection of British stuff.

[GreenDiesel]

Hmm, good idea. I'll check it out. I would have thought a British railway magazine would be too obscure for a Canadian library but I'll check it out. FYI, I live in Toronto. 

[BR traction instructor]

Another vote here for getting the online/electronic version…makes sure that you don’t miss your fave publications issue by issue and doesn’t stop you picking up a hard copy when you see one. Pocketmags is my supplier of choice…very easy to use and you can flick between issues quickly.

 

BeRTIe

Edited January 6, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[GreenDiesel]

4 hours ago, BR traction instructor said:

Another vote here for getting the online/electronic version…makes sure that you don’t miss your fave publications issue by issue and doesn’t stop you picking up a hard copy when you see one. Pocketmags is my supplier of choice…very easy to use.

 

BeRTIe

Thanks! I've tried electronic versions and really don't enjoy them, especially for something like a thick railway magazine where I love to jump around from one section to another. I realize you can still do that with an e-version but I don't find it as easy or convenient. 

[Phil Parker]

If you can live with electronic mags, we have a World of Railways plus subscription that not only give you 5 new mags each month, but includes all the back numbers too. The search engine is excellent - all the team use it now as it works so well. As a bonus, you become an RMweb Gold member as part of the package.

 

https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/membership