Jump to content
 

RMweb is now part of the Warners family


Andy Y

Recommended Posts

I am pleased to announce that with immediate effect RMweb has moved forward once more in delivering the UK’s foremost online modelling resource.

RMweb now comes under the ownership of Warners Group Publications plc, guaranteeing its future availability and funding alongside their established magazine British Railway Modelling, their website Model Railways Live and the railway modelling festivals of Alexandra Palace, Peterborough and Doncaster.

Warners recognise the importance of an online presence in supporting their brands and customers and were the first to seek a formal relationship with RMweb as part of their development plans for the future to host a market leading environment for modellers, their suppliers and all matters of interest to the hobby.

RMweb, which started in March 2005, is the busiest online railway modelling community in the UK with a membership of around 15,000 attracting an average of over 85,000 unique visitors per month and continues to grow in terms of membership, traffic and content and ranked as the fourth busiest site in railway modelling in the world according to alexa.com.

Stephen Warner, Managing Director of Warners Group Publications plc, himself an active modeller, said “I am very excited by the opportunity that RMweb brings to our modeling activity and I am entirely convinced that there is a very firm basis to build a great service for the modeling community that informs, entertains and develops our great hobby.â€

I will continue to lead the site’s development and management into the future for Warners, continue and develop the production of Modelling Inspirations and stage RMweb’s Members’ Days.



What does it mean to site members and readers?

RMweb will continue to be free to read, free to join and free to participate with the emphasis of being written by the community for the readership and will be subject to exactly the same rules and conditions as previously. Therefore there will be little or any difference to RMweb’s users in that respect but we are looking forward to bringing more initiatives, content and quality to everyone whilst continuing to provide the leading platform for the exchange of ideas, information and modelling knowledge.

RMweb has previously been funded by voluntary donation, forum sponsors and raffles; the provision of the hosting service and software is now by Warners thus eliminating the continual and regular reliance upon donations to keep the server cogs turning.

RMweb will continue to be hosted by our current service provider aiming to continue giving a high level of stability to a very busy site.


Does this change the balance or independence of the site?

No, RMweb will continue in the same way with content largely driven by the wider membership. It doesn’t mean any material is ‘off limits’ as such but should be considered in light of the existing rules of the site.


Who owns the material I have uploaded to RMweb?

Content and images provided by site members is theirs. Any written content, images or other material uploaded to RMweb is and always has been the property of the originator; RMweb merely hosts that material and does not confer any rights of publication or re-use for anyone other than the copyright holder as originator.


What about our Members’ Days?

The costs for staging these events such as venue hire, insurance and catering for exhibitors which were previously met by donations will be managed by Warners with the aim of continuing such events as being beneficial and of interest to the modelling community maintaining the friendly and enjoyable atmosphere in such gatherings.


What about Modelling Inspiration e-mag?

The plan is to further develop and invest in the e-mag and establish a regular schedule.


Does this mean manufacturers, retailers, suppliers and publishers will not be welcome to participate as they have?

Not at all, subject to the existing rules, and to maintain existing 'independence' all are very welcome to participate in exactly the same way as they have been doing?


Does this mean I will be spammed or swamped with advertising?

No, your email addresses and/or names used at registration for RMweb are only necessary for logging into RMweb.

As previously, carefully chosen banner advertising will appear on the site including some new but appropriate spots, it is intended for this to be of interest or beneficial to the reader.



Personal comments

Firstly I would like to thank all of the members and readers who have been through thick and thin over the preceding years and the information and support given to each other over that time. The popularity of the site has continued to grow at ever faster rates as its quality, content and liveliness grew and had already passed the point where it couldn’t effectively be managed on a part-time out-of-hours basis. I was made redundant just under 12 months ago from a senior sales position within a service company and the economic environment in that field meant I’d had more than enough. Whilst job-hunting additional time was devoted to the running of the site and improvement of facilities. I had sought to see if RMweb could support itself and the associated time input through commercial channels on an independent basis. It was obvious to me that this was unlikely to be viable but I was approached by Warners and various proposals discussed. The best opportunity for the continued availability of the site for everyone was to enter an agreement where RMweb joins forces with established brands to move forward in its development with benefits for all parties.

I’d like to thank all parties at Warners, particularly Stephen Warner as MD of the family owned business, for this development opportunity and the manner in which discussions have been held. It has been evident throughout the process that Warners are keen to ensure that this progression for RMweb is good for the membership and readers and we have had nothing but agreement on the way site is to be used, managed and developed and my perspective is that this is the best result possible for moving the site forwards.

If this hadn’t happened? Continued personal and financial pressure along with unknown job needs would have impacted upon the development of the site and dampened my commitment to press forward.

Am I happy? Good god yes! I now have a job of a lifetime, a stable income and an opportunity to really work at the development of what I consider to be the leading edge of communication within railway modelling.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

A bolt from the blue, but the assurances are comforting, and the need for Andy Y to have a roof over his head for the future is a great relief for those of us who had concerns.

 

Onwards and upwards, RMWeb!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I would hope that all on here would wish you every success in this new direction.

 

Being put in a sound financial position for both yourself and the site can only be the right way to go.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Excellent news. I am glad that everything seems to be in place for this forum and all the wealth of information that it brings to continue for many many years.

 

Congratulations to you, and thanks for all the hard work and long hours that you must have put into making this site the great success that is has become.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I can't say I'm surprised by this announcement. I've been very conscious of the enormous commitment that RMweb has represented for Andy and others, so I can see the logic of the development.

 

My only concern would be that the unique ethos and club atmosphere of RMweb will at some stage be compromised by commercial imperatives. Andy's comments seem to suggest that this has been recognised by Warners, so here's to a stable future (and no, that's not a reference to Horsetan).

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Congratulations - I'm never comfortable when something as important as this relies on an unpaid person putting in many hours of work so others can enjoy the results for free so it's great that your efforts have been recognised. I think Warners have got a really good deal too, so everyone is a winner !

Link to post
Share on other sites

A bit of a surprise to read, but hopefully it will bode well for the future.

 

I just hope, that with Warner's now taking over the organising of the members' day, it doesn't mirror the problems I find at the bigger exhibitions (ie inability to get near layouts or stands due to crowds/people standing for ages etc) and continues to offer a different and welcome atmosphere like I found last year.

 

As the saying goes, time will tell what the future holds!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

And I was just about to ask if something had happened because the look of the website (e.g. colours) had changed....

 

If this change keep RMWeb moving forward then it can only be a good thing, If you're happy Andy, then so should we be...

Link to post
Share on other sites

I just hope, that with Warner's now taking over the organising of the members' day, it doesn't mirror the problems I find at the bigger exhibitions (ie inability to get near layouts or stands due to crowds/people standing for ages etc) and continues to offer a different and welcome atmosphere like I found last year.

 

Don't worry; it's still my job to organise the Members' Day. Everything for Taunton is proceeding to plan in CK's very capable hands too.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Don't worry; it's still my job to organise the Members' Day. Everything for Taunton is proceeding to plan in CK's very capable hands too.

 

Glad to hear it Andy :) my comment wasn't meant to seem critical, far from it. The atmosphere last year was great. At least you'll have less stress about the site continuing to exist now and have the support you'll need to keep it moving forward, which is the important point.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Andy.

Firstly congratulations on a successful conclusion to your job hunting.

Secondly, as the work load of maintaining and developing RMWeb increases, it makes perfect sense to enter into this arrangement. Again, congratulations on obtaining an agreement that will assure both the future and the ethos of RMWeb.

It’s interesting how things turn full circle. The idea for RMWeb was yours, following the lack of modern facilities on the old BRM Forum where us “oldies†first got to know each other.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I always felt that by donating to the coffers, RMWeb was partly 'mine' - I was helping to maintain it and prolong it's life.

 

Whilst I am wholeheartedly behind Andy's reasons for passing over the ownership and securing an income for his family, I echo some of the sentiments above that this might change the whole atmosphere of the forum, not necessarily for the better.

 

I aslo hope that the forum retains its independence from all magazines and manufacturers, irrespective of the owner or sponsors.

 

On the otherhand, it will probably make absolutely no difference whatsoever and will prove to be a superb move.

 

(Andy - congratulations !! )

 

Stu

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Congratulations Andy I will say I told you so! I remember saying after MI 2 that publishers would be foolish not to pick Andy up when he could produce such a magazine in such a short time.........

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well done Andy. Survival is man's greatest need and it sounds like you've been through a hell of a lot in the recent past. It couldn't be better news to hear that you will now be secure and, thanks to Warners, be able to continue to provide what is simply the most enjoyable forum on the net. Long live RMweb!

Link to post
Share on other sites

An interesting evolution. This is a step toward a possible future in which much that has previously been the territory of 'journalism' largely passes into the hands of the interested everyman. Quite how the process is managed is the challenge, and here's Andy and the RMweb membership prototyping an aspect of this. Let's wish ourselves collectively 'Bon Voyage'; and all respect to Andy for leading the project to this stage.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...