New Partwork "Mill Town"

[Steamport Southport]

Oh they know their market.

 

It would be interesting to know how many they actually sell after the first few issues though.

 

 

I reckon that most of this partwork has quite a lot which is transferable between the previous one and the continental ones they have done. Track, scenery, etc are probably bought in bulk and then they only need to supply parts which are specific for which ever project they are currently selling.

 

Expect another one of these in three years time.

 

 

Saying that it looks a lot more thought out than the previous one. At least people may actually have the space for this. ISTR that the Model Railway Village plan was huge.

 

 

Jason

[rue_d_etropal]

the big difference between this type of part work and other constructon ones, is that you do not have to follow the design religiously. many will, but far more fun and creative to use it as a basis of something else. It is a better collection than the first, but that is partly because I can see the industrial buildings being useful, and buildings from both can be used together, especially the terraced houses, which I might now use .

 

There does seem to be some duplication with first magazine, it is only really the track and scenary material that are duplicated with French version. I managed to look online at some and most other items are different.

£40 a month sounds a lot, but £10 a week is not that much for many. Just add up what some spend on stuff. Spending a £1000 in one go would be hard for many, this is spread over 2 years. My reference to 10 locos is purely for comparison,  to show what that sum of money gives you. The two locos you can get with this magazine work out too exensive, but probably suit some people who would not otherwise have access to buying them. Also some people would rather just follow a set of instructions, that is how the trackmat layouts work. Looking at some threads on this forum, and it is not uncommon to find someone who is planning to build, or is actually building a layout very similar, sometime identical to one they have seen.

[sp1]

the big difference between this type of part work and other constructon ones, is that you do not have to follow the design religiously. many will, but far more fun and creative to use it as a basis of something else. It is a better collection than the first, but that is partly because I can see the industrial buildings being useful, and buildings from both can be used together, especially the terraced houses, which I might now use .

 

There does seem to be some duplication with first magazine, it is only really the track and scenary material that are duplicated with French version. I managed to look online at some and most other items are different.

£40 a month sounds a lot, but £10 a week is not that much for many. Just add up what some spend on stuff. Spending a £1000 in one go would be hard for many, this is spread over 2 years. My reference to 10 locos is purely for comparison, to show what that sum of money gives you. The two locos you can get with this magazine work out too exensive, but probably suit some people who would not otherwise have access to buying them. Also some people would rather just follow a set of instructions, that is how the trackmat layouts work. Looking at some threads on this forum, and it is not uncommon to find someone who is planning to build, or is actually building a layout very similar, sometime identical to one they have seen.

Some good points there - if I had only spent £10 a week over the last few years I would probably have two locos and a working layout....

There have been a few threads detailing constricting layouts based on, say, Model Rail projects

[Hroth]

Saying that it looks a lot more thought out than the previous one. At least people may actually have the space for this. ISTR that the Model Railway Village plan was huge.

The L shape does disguise the fact that its an ordinary oval, but if you take into consideration that the ruling radius (ie what the G2A can get around) is 2nd Radius, than the boards are going to be approx 4ft wide to accomodate the curves and scenery. Bodging up an equivalent track plan using Hornby set track in Anyrail produced something that looked like it needed two sheets of 8x4... 

 

Again, the curve on the left hand side of the layout in the illustration on the website looks a little dodgy, as if a graphic designer has run amok with some flexible track....

 

It'll be interesting to see the actual dimensions!

[cypherman]

Hi all,

My newsagent has just had confirmation of the new partwork,They just do not know when the 1st issue will be released. Anyway they are going to order 3 copies for me when it comes out.

Edited February 5, 2017 by cypherman

[rue_d_etropal]

The L shape does disguise the fact that its an ordinary oval, but if you take into consideration that the ruling radius (ie what the G2A can get around) is 2nd Radius, than the boards are going to be approx 4ft wide to accomodate the curves and scenery. Bodging up an equivalent track plan using Hornby set track in Anyrail produced something that looked like it needed two sheets of 8x4... 

 

Again, the curve on the left hand side of the layout in the illustration on the website looks a little dodgy, as if a graphic designer has run amok with some flexible track....

 

It'll be interesting to see the actual dimensions!

does it actually matter. Would you build a layout using trackmat and have every bit exactly where is saus it should go?We are more creative than that.Maybe a better design might have been some type of end to end, but outside the hobby many think the only type of layout is a circular one, and the space that takes up is a big problem for many these days.  Introduce an auto shuttle and it means you can have continuous running. I have found that youngsters love trains coming in and out of tunnels. Bachmann did do a shuttle type set with their On30 tramcar, but the lack of foresight from manufacturers is not helping these days.

[Steamport Southport]

does it actually matter. Would you build a layout using trackmat and have every bit exactly where is saus it should go?We are more creative than that.Maybe a better design might have been some type of end to end, but outside the hobby many think the only type of layout is a circular one, and the space that takes up is a big problem for many these days.  Introduce an auto shuttle and it means you can have continuous running. I have found that youngsters love trains coming in and out of tunnels. Bachmann did do a shuttle type set with their On30 tramcar, but the lack of foresight from manufacturers is not helping these days.

 

But surely this is aimed at people that do follow instructions to the letter. Isn't that the point of it?

 

 

Otherwise you would just go to a model shop and buy what you want yourself, rather than need to have a step by step guide.

 

 

 

Jason

[Steamport Southport]

The L shape does disguise the fact that its an ordinary oval, but if you take into consideration that the ruling radius (ie what the G2A can get around) is 2nd Radius, than the boards are going to be approx 4ft wide to accomodate the curves and scenery. Bodging up an equivalent track plan using Hornby set track in Anyrail produced something that looked like it needed two sheets of 8x4... 

 

Again, the curve on the left hand side of the layout in the illustration on the website looks a little dodgy, as if a graphic designer has run amok with some flexible track....

 

It'll be interesting to see the actual dimensions!

 

 

I've just had a look at that. Looks like something from a OO9 rabbit warren layout. See how tight you can bend your PECO flexitrack.

 

 

Jason

[Hroth]

@ rue_d_etropal:

 

It matters only in the sense that the published layout is going to take up a large amount of space, which is at a premium in modern houses.  The only pity is that the publishers are so hide-bound that they stick to ovals of one form or another.  In a partwork of this nature, it would be possible to run two layout strands, one for people who have the space, one to introduce the beginner to a similar theme but on a smaller scale, using most, if not all of the buildings, trackwork and rolling stock.

 

@Steamport Southport:

 

A CJ Freezer rabbit layout.....   Eeek!

Edited February 2, 2017 by Hroth

[Steamport Southport]

Funnily enough I've always fancied doing a CJ Freezer rabbit warren layout. Or one of those coffee table OO9 ones that you used to see in the magazines in the 1970s.

 

 

 

Jason

[PhilJ W]

I had to pop into Martins newsagents today and they had plenty in stock.

[Hroth]

I had to pop into Martins newsagents today and they had plenty in stock.

I think we need to know where in the UK these are popping up.  "County" level would do.

 

For example, they don't seem to be being trialled on Merseyside at the moment!   All I've seen locally are a couple of "new-agey" partworks in early issues and a National Geographic one about mathematics....

[John M Upton]

The WHSmiths in Sutton (London) and Chichester are no shows so far.

[PhilJ W]

They seem to be plentiful here in south Essex.

[rue_d_etropal]

But surely this is aimed at people that do follow instructions to the letter. Isn't that the point of it?

 

 

Otherwise you would just go to a model shop and buy what you want yourself, rather than need to have a step by step guide.

 

 

 

Jason

Firstly, many people do not have a local model shop.

 

Secondly, even if something is designed and marketed to those who just want to follow a set of instruction,it does not mean that there are not also a considerable number of people who just want to use it for the bits. Plastic kits for military modelling have instructions, but many if not most serious military modellers adapt and change the models. Many railway modellers will adapt kits and r2r models. Otherwise we would see identical layouts at every exhibition(in fact it worries me that there is a trend in that direction).

 

Thirdly, and one important reason I subscribed to first magazine was to find out what people were being told. Often at exhibitions I am asked how to do something, it was even more common when running shop, and it is easier to explain something when you know a bit about why the person is asking the question. There is a lot of mis-infortaion out there, much of it out of date now, much driven by a few who are only interested in their particular ideas. I have had many thank me for offering a sensible alternative, which has helped them get over a problem which could have been avoided.

 

Fourthly, the buildings in this and previous magazine are totally different in both design and method of construction to any others I have seen(I just wish someone would release them as a proper range in their own right). They have faults, but are proper 3D , not printed brick and stonework, and are easy to put together. This makes them easier and better to adapt. Nothing against printed card kits, they are low cost and a good start point, but I am not keen on them. I am starting to think that my 2D/3D perception is different to some people, and that might be one reason why I prefer proper 3D buildings. By contrast I prefer more abstract backgrounds and they don't outshine the models in front of them.

 

Finally, at least they are doing something rather than just talking about it, counting rivets, and complaining that the handrail is at wrong angle! The hobby is (or should be) about modelling not collecting.

Edited February 3, 2017 by rue_d_etropal

[45568]

So Hornby are the bad guys for 'dumping' surplus stock at selected retailers. Meanwhile, 'white hats' Bachman dump their surpluses in multi-part magazines for the innocent and gullible, (apart from the smartar!es who have already snaffled 10 brakevans at 2 quid rather than the 22 at Hattons to flog on Ebay!).

 Cynical. moi??

Peter C.

[30801]

So Hornby are the bad guys for 'dumping' surplus stock at selected retailers. Meanwhile, 'white hats' Bachman dump their surpluses in multi-part magazines for the innocent and gullible,

 

Er, yes that's exactly what it is.

It is absolutely not a publisher commissioning a run of a model from a manufacturer to sell however they see fit. 

[Steamport Southport]

So Hornby are the bad guys for 'dumping' surplus stock at selected retailers. Meanwhile, 'white hats' Bachman dump their surpluses in multi-part magazines for the innocent and gullible, (apart from the smartar!es who have already snaffled 10 brakevans at 2 quid rather than the 22 at Hattons to flog on Ebay!).

 Cynical. moi??

Peter C.

 

If it's like the coach from last time then it's a copy of a Bachmann model rather than a Bachmann model. No way was it a Bachmann model.

 

The track and buildings were some continental rubbish.

 

 

In fact it was only the Jinty which you had to buy separately that was actually Bachmann.

 

 

Jason

[Steamport Southport]

Firstly, many people do not have a local model shop.

 

Secondly, even if something is designed and marketed to those who just want to follow a set of instruction,it does not mean that there are not also a considerable number of people who just want to use it for the bits. Plastic kits for military modelling have instructions, but many if not most serious military modellers adapt and change the models. Many railway modellers will adapt kits and r2r models. Otherwise we would see identical layouts at every exhibition(in fact it worries me that there is a trend in that direction).

 

Thirdly, and one important reason I subscribed to first magazine was to find out what people were being told. Often at exhibitions I am asked how to do something, it was even more common when running shop, and it is easier to explain something when you know a bit about why the person is asking the question. There is a lot of mis-infortaion out there, much of it out of date now, much driven by a few who are only interested in their particular ideas. I have had many thank me for offering a sensible alternative, which has helped them get over a problem which could have been avoided.

 

Fourthly, the buildings in this and previous magazine are totally different in both design and method of construction to any others I have seen(I just wish someone would release them as a proper range in their own right). They have faults, but are proper 3D , not printed brick and stonework, and are easy to put together. This makes them easier and better to adapt. Nothing against printed card kits, they are low cost and a good start point, but I am not keen on them. I am starting to think that my 2D/3D perception is different to some people, and that might be one reason why I prefer proper 3D buildings. By contrast I prefer more abstract backgrounds and they don't outshine the models in front of them.

 

Finally, at least they are doing something rather than just talking about it, counting rivets, and complaining that the handrail is at wrong angle! The hobby is (or should be) about modelling not collecting.

 

They may not have a local model shop but I bet they have a branch of Argos that sells train sets or have access to the internet.

 

 

But if people want to waste money then it's not my business. Just that I wouldn't recommend this route if I was asked for advice by a beginner.

 

 

Jason

[modelpara]

They may not have a local model shop but I bet they have a branch of Argos that sells train sets or have access to the internet.

 

 

But if people want to waste money then it's not my business. Just that I wouldn't recommend this route if I was asked for advice by a beginner.

 

 

Jason

What about someone new with no clue of modelling and cannot make it to a clubs night?

 

Don't fall into the trap of it's all bad.

[Mike Buckner]

The hobby is (or should be) about modelling not collecting.

 

Why?

[Steamport Southport]

What about someone new with no clue of modelling and cannot make it to a clubs night?

 

Don't fall into the trap of it's all bad.

 

What have people been doing for the last fifty odd years before these magazines came out?

 

 

Buy a train set which can be up and running in less than an hour. Rather than the months that it'll take by this route. How long is it before you even get a circle of track?

 

 

Quick search of Argos brings up this page. Just buy some of these and it's cheaper.

 

http://www.argos.co.uk/search/Hornby/

 

 

If you want information then there are libraries, book shops or the internet. They even sell magazines apparently.

 

Clubs? The only club I've been in is a night one.

 

 

 

Jason

[Signaller69]

A couple of those brake vans are just what I need, will have to look out in the local shops. Beats the £22 each Bachy super detailed model for my purposes.

 

Like the Mk.1 coach in the other publication its interesting to see that a slightly more basic version can be produced (by whoever) for a fraction of the comparitive mainstream model, even if not everyones cup of tea.

[rue_d_etropal]

it doesn't surprise me that many outside the hobby perceive railway modellers as grownups just playing with trains. Collectors are quite often perceived even worse, unless it is either something valuable or something trendy. I do collect some things, and can understand the pull of it. It can be very negative because you are looking for your next fix, yes it is adictive. But railway modelling would be nothing if it as just collecting. Apart from swapmeets there would be no 'exhibitions', and I don't think there would b many magazines. There might be a different type of club around, where members compare their collections and their knowledge, but apart from some historical research there would not be much else. There would be no creativity, and not much actually put into in.

 

As for buying trainsets, what do you get for your money. Apart from a circle of track just a train and a controller. There might be a trackmat, so then you have to get the buildings to put on it, not cheap. For advice, you might be lucky to have a local model shop and having run one, i know how much my advice was valued. Model railway clubs might not appeal to everyone, but at least they get you out of the house, and have a chance to talk to real people. Exhibitions are possibly even more important these days, and if you are lucky you might get some advice and help. Trouble is it can be busy. If you are in a shop you actually have the time to talk, but not so much at an exhibition. This just leaves online forums, and over the years I have noticed too much negativity,or back patting , and quite often anyone new to the hobby will find it offputting.

 

What surprises me is that none of the UK magazines has thought of putting together some type of layout creation package, similar to these part works. one French magazine has launched a 'layout in a box' , but it makes use of some relative low cost mateials including card building kits. For me it is a good idea, but using the wrong parts. It also starts with a circular plan, which as has been said before, is difficult to fit in many homes. The idea of an end to end or shunting layout goes back to the 20s. What if a part work type package, or even a trainset, has a couple of points, a few lengths of straight and curved track, and all the basic accessiories to build a small shelf based layout. It is the type ofplan that has been suggested time after time in magazines, so maybe it is time to move that idea into a month by month project. It would probably mean cover price would have to be increased. Many of the items are not that bulky(think Wills market stall in recent Railway Modeller). In fact Railway Modeller would have a big advantage having Peco in the side wings.

 

I will leave it at that.

Edited February 3, 2017 by rue_d_etropal

[darrel]

If they can produce wagons that cheap. Or coaches like the previous series. Or even static locos like the Great British locomotives series. Would they not be better doing a run of magazines with just rolling stock? If they did say a 12t van at £4.99 most of us would buy several copies. Or a mk1 TSO for 8.99