Model Railw Journal Index

[Departmental]

I understand that somewhere there is an Index of the contents of Model Railway Journal Issues. I have tried locating it by using the search mode in this site, but to no avail. Could someone post a link to the index... if it still exists?   Many Thanks.

[jollysmart]

11 minutes ago, Departmental said:

I understand that somewhere there is an Index of the contents of Model Railway Journal Issues. I have tried locating it by using the search mode in this site, but to no avail. Could someone post a link to the index... if it still exists?   Many Thanks.

 

Try:- https://www.modelrailwayjournal.com/index.php#content

[RichardT]

When you visit the site you will notice that the index hasn't been updated since August 2019.  I have contacted Chris Baker (the index site admin) to confirm that the site is still live.  He has told me that he updates the index in batches and that he will be doing another update soon.

 

Incidentally, if you find the index useful you might consider doing what I do, which is to make a small donation towards the site upkeep costs, either one-off or regularly.  I send him £1 per month, which is a small price to pay I feel for being able to make use of the information contained in my 35 volumes of MRJs.

 

I would happily contribute much more if there was a comprehensive sustainable online index to all model/railway magazines - and would be happy to help with the indexing work, perhaps via a wiki?  So many of the online indexes turn out to be just concerned with the index creator's own personal interests, rather than being an index to all contents.

 

RT

 

 

[Departmental]

Thanks guys

[kevinlms]

On 14/08/2020 at 07:35, RichardT said:

When you visit the site you will notice that the index hasn't been updated since August 2019.  I have contacted Chris Baker (the index site admin) to confirm that the site is still live.  He has told me that he updates the index in batches and that he will be doing another update soon.

 

Incidentally, if you find the index useful you might consider doing what I do, which is to make a small donation towards the site upkeep costs, either one-off or regularly.  I send him £1 per month, which is a small price to pay I feel for being able to make use of the information contained in my 35 volumes of MRJs.

 

I would happily contribute much more if there was a comprehensive sustainable online index to all model/railway magazines - and would be happy to help with the indexing work, perhaps via a wiki?  So many of the online indexes turn out to be just concerned with the index creator's own personal interests, rather than being an index to all contents.

 

RT

 

 

Probably such an index could be compiled. Problem is some one still has be capable of managing the project, which covers many things, not least that the information is in a compatible form.

I can fully understand why some people create indexes of their own personal interests. Why, because it is time consuming work, so why would they 'waste' time on items that are of no interest? Better to do some other titles or, gasp, do some modelling based on what one has found in an index!

 

If I remember correctly, the original compiler of the ONLINE version of the MRJ/BRJ indexes offered others the software to create other indexes of other magazines - but not to do the work. How many took him up on this offer, I wonder. Where are the results?

 

 

Certainly it can be done, for example all copies of Model Engineer are available in one index - this goes back to the first issue in 1898!

 

The introduction gives an insight to the work involved, especially if you want it to be meaningful and consistent. There is always the issue of what to include and what to leave out?

 

http://www.groundlevel.demon.co.uk/me_index.html

Edited August 18, 2020 by kevinlms
Additional words highlighted to clarify.

[RichardT]

16 hours ago, kevinlms said:

 

If I remember correctly, the original compiler of the MRJ/BRJ indexes offered others the software to create other indexes of other magazines - but not to do the work. How many took him up on this offer, I wonder. Where are the results?

Interesting!  IIRC that would have been the late Monty Wells. I have never heard about this offer and now, of course, it’s too late to do anything about it.  Of course, the software would almost certainly be obsolete by now.  
RichardT

 

PS I’m an archivist by profession so I know just what work creating an index would involve.  Part of the problem is that enthusiast compilers want the index to include every snippet of information, and so the compilation becomes a burdensome task. We either need a searchable full-text scan of the magazine or, if we accept that the best shouldn’t be the enemy of the good, a simple list of titles & authors as a starting point which could be expanded later.  I’m experimenting with OCRing a set of Peco’s Railway Modeller indexes...

[kevinlms]

2 hours ago, RichardT said:

Interesting!  IIRC that would have been the late Monty Wells. I have never heard about this offer and now, of course, it’s too late to do anything about it.  Of course, the software would almost certainly be obsolete by now.  
RichardT

 

PS I’m an archivist by profession so I know just what work creating an index would involve.  Part of the problem is that enthusiast compilers want the index to include every snippet of information, and so the compilation becomes a burdensome task. We either need a searchable full-text scan of the magazine or, if we accept that the best shouldn’t be the enemy of the good, a simple list of titles & authors as a starting point which could be expanded later.  I’m experimenting with OCRing a set of Peco’s Railway Modeller indexes...

Monty Wells started the index, but it wasn't him who did the online version. 

 

The Peco indexes don't include the author and the title often is not descriptive enough. 

[RichardT]

18 hours ago, kevinlms said:

Monty Wells started the index, but it wasn't him who did the online version. 

 

The Peco indexes don't include the author and the title often is not descriptive enough. 

You said “the original compiler of the MRJ/BRJ indexes” not the original compiler of the online index. 
 

Limitations of the Peco indexes: yes, but as I said, we have to get away from the best being the enemy of the good.

 

RT

[kevinlms]

5 hours ago, RichardT said:

You said “the original compiler of the MRJ/BRJ indexes” not the original compiler of the online index. 
 

Limitations of the Peco indexes: yes, but as I said, we have to get away from the best being the enemy of the good.

 

RT

OK fixed my statement to clarify.

 

Authors name is a key part to an index and certainly should be added ASAP. More information makes it easier to find, with a bit of a description too.

[corneliuslundie]

I have done many indexes in my time, the first about 45 years ago for work, a 10 year index of the IEE Proceedings (done on typed cards which slotted together on a steel shaft!)

I did the indexes for the first five volumes of Welsh Railways Archive, and have done them some recent HMRS books.

And I am still learning. Also over that time the things expected in indexes have changed. When I first started the WRA indexes there was very little interest in railway personalities, it was all about hardware. But in more recent years I have started indexing every reference to an individual mentioned in the text. Of course every locomotive and identifiable item of rolling stock (ok, not every wagon!) in the text or a photograph gets indexed, as do all place names mentioned or illustrated.

This is not to boast, just to point out some of the issues. As I said I am still learning, and still having to make additions to what is covered to cope with changing interests.

There are some pitfalls, especially place names in Wales (which do you index, English or Welsh versions?), places with more than one name etc. And many articles give little indication of the content of the article.

In the early days of the HMRS Photocat system it was decided that one thing which was necessary was to list all place names on the railway system so that there were standardised references in the  computerised lists. With a colleague I did the job for South Wales, but I don't think we ever finished it and I don't think other areas were completed either.

So I am not volunteering to produce any indexes to long runs of magazines!

Incidentally, many years ago Sydney Leleux produced a printed index of model railway drawings. He asked recently whether there would be a market for an updated version. Of course, as soon as it was published it would be out of date. The future is probably on-line, not print. Excel is a very good start as it is easy to search. And it would be possible for several people to work together and combine their results.

Which brings me to a question: which is more useful: indexes to individual magazines or indexes to topics which cover all sources?

Jonathan

PS A specialised index available on-line is one for private owner wagons. A lot of work and excellent.

[kevinlms]

5 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

I have done many indexes in my time, the first about 45 years ago for work, a 10 year index of the IEE Proceedings (done on typed cards which slotted together on a steel shaft!)

I did the indexes for the first five volumes of Welsh Railways Archive, and have done them some recent HMRS books.

And I am still learning. Also over that time the things expected in indexes have changed. When I first started the WRA indexes there was very little interest in railway personalities, it was all about hardware. But in more recent years I have started indexing every reference to an individual mentioned in the text. Of course every locomotive and identifiable item of rolling stock (ok, not every wagon!) in the text or a photograph gets indexed, as do all place names mentioned or illustrated.

This is not to boast, just to point out some of the issues. As I said I am still learning, and still having to make additions to what is covered to cope with changing interests.

There are some pitfalls, especially place names in Wales (which do you index, English or Welsh versions?), places with more than one name etc. And many articles give little indication of the content of the article.

In the early days of the HMRS Photocat system it was decided that one thing which was necessary was to list all place names on the railway system so that there were standardised references in the  computerised lists. With a colleague I did the job for South Wales, but I don't think we ever finished it and I don't think other areas were completed either.

So I am not volunteering to produce any indexes to long runs of magazines!

Incidentally, many years ago Sydney Leleux produced a printed index of model railway drawings. He asked recently whether there would be a market for an updated version. Of course, as soon as it was published it would be out of date. The future is probably on-line, not print. Excel is a very good start as it is easy to search. And it would be possible for several people to work together and combine their results.

Which brings me to a question: which is more useful: indexes to individual magazines or indexes to topics which cover all sources?

Jonathan

PS A specialised index available on-line is one for private owner wagons. A lot of work and excellent.

 

My vote is for indexes to topics, which cover all sources, if possible. Although I can see why individual magazines is easier, you start at the oldest one and work forward!

 

I suspect a database is a better means of compiling an index, because it has better search capabilities than Excel, especially as the database gets larger.

[26power]

I think that the MRJ publishers produce(d) indices as I’m sure I have seen occasional mentions of them in issues.  I think I might even have some of the early ones!
 

I did suggest some years ago supplying copies to subscribers as part of the subscription might be an idea, especially when you could subscribe for eight issues, having subscribed myself since the early years.  Suffice to say suggestion not taken up!  I’ve no idea to what depth the indexing went - reading some of the above comments has been educational!

 

Further thought, would this topic not be better in this part of the forum:  https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/forum/17-other-magazines/ ?  I very rarely look in this part so found this topic by chance.  More MRJ readers etc. might be able to comment/advise if they were aware of this thread.

Edited August 20, 2020 by 26power
To add last thought/paragraph.

[kevinlms]

1 hour ago, 26power said:

I think that the MRJ publishers produce(d) indices as I’m sure I have seen occasional mentions of them in issues.  I think I might even have some of the early ones!
 

I did suggest some years ago supplying copies to subscribers as part of the subscription might be an idea, especially when you could subscribe for eight issues, having subscribed myself since the early years. 

The best place for an index was/is within the magazine itself, or at least a future edition, say January with the index of the previous 12 months.

 

Some magazines managed to do this - Model Railway Constructor for one. Model Railways was another.

 

Much easier than a separate page(s) to be sent out separately to those subscribing, or in Peco's case, asking for a copy. If the index is in the magazine, it can't get separated or lost. Obviously everyone acquiring a copy, gets the index, even years later - assuming not ripped out!

This days with editorial content covering many more pages than the 20 odd from the 1950s, a 4 page index is well worth the space IMO.

[26power]

12 hours ago, kevinlms said:

The best place for an index was/is within the magazine itself, or at least a future edition, say January with the index of the previous 12 months.

 

Some magazines managed to do this - Model Railway Constructor for one. Model Railways was another.

 

Much easier than a separate page(s) to be sent out separately to those subscribing, or in Peco's case, asking for a copy. If the index is in the magazine, it can't get separated or lost. Obviously everyone acquiring a copy, gets the index, even years later - assuming not ripped out!

This days with editorial content covering many more pages than the 20 odd from the 1950s, a 4 page index is well worth the space IMO.

You may be right, although not sure I want the limited MRJ page count diluted by an issue containing a multi page index.  Regardless, I was just reflecting on current(?)/past Wild Swan practice.