Popular Post Ian Holmes Posted May 22, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 22, 2021 (edited) It's called The Micro Model Railway Dispatch. I have been working on it for the past few months. The preview issue is out now. I hope you like it. You can down load this preview issue through the Dropbox link below. Hopefully it will be a new way for micro layout fans to share their passion for this branch of the hobby. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ophuj2uvq82uj3y/AAAxyOu9VECNQk71Ll3j2zGka?dl=0 Ian Edited May 22, 2021 by Ian Holmes 32 1 6 2 1 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 What a great idea. I’m all for it. Can’t wait for more editions. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry1975 Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 Ditto previous post, excellent idea. Jerry. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 Great idea Ian, look forward to seeing some more. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold slow8dirty Posted May 22, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 22, 2021 (edited) A very interesting read and well presented too. Well done hope to see more of the "scrapbook" for the next generation Edited May 22, 2021 by slow8dirty I can spell better than my phone 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold D9020 Nimbus Posted May 22, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 22, 2021 Excellent. I don't know what size the "paper" is (A5?) but it fits neatly on my iPad screen and the text is easy to read. Well done! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 Thank you Ian for a great concept. Look forward to seeing more. Regards John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted May 22, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 22, 2021 I like this a lot. I like ‘Issue 0’ and hope we can see lots more 0 (scale or gauge) in it. I like the international outlook with UK, US, Canadian, Indian & scope for lots more settings. I quite like the idea of writing for it... Dava 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 15 minutes ago, Dava said: I like ‘Issue 0’ and hope we can see lots more 0 (scale or gauge) in it. I for one will do my best This mag is a brilliant idea, I think it's going to really take off. A teaser from me, my old O in a boxfile attempt... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted May 22, 2021 Author Share Posted May 22, 2021 48 minutes ago, Dava said: I like this a lot. I like ‘Issue 0’ and hope we can see lots more 0 (scale or gauge) in it. I like the international outlook with UK, US, Canadian, Indian & scope for lots more settings. I quite like the idea of writing for it... Dava Thanks. The address for submissions is MMRDeditor@gmail.com Ian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted May 22, 2021 Author Share Posted May 22, 2021 31 minutes ago, F-UnitMad said: I for one will do my best This mag is a brilliant idea, I think it's going to really take off. A teaser from me, my old O in a boxfile attempt... I would totally be in favour of showing this layout in The Dispatch sometime. I'd forgotten all about it. Shame on me! The address for submissions is MMRDeditor@gmail.com Ian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 I enjoyed your preview issue. What would the largest area by scale that you would consider acceptable as a micro layout? Gordon A 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManofKent Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 23 minutes ago, Gordon A said: I enjoyed your preview issue. What would the largest area by scale that you would consider acceptable as a micro layout? Gordon A Yes great first issue. Interesting question on whether scale impacts the area that can be considered a micro layout. I've always considered micro layouts really need to be under 4 square feet, but that is very much with a 3.5/4mm hat on (I've seen some people describe 4x2 as micro, whereas to me that's 'small' rather than 'micro'.). Should it be straight physical dimensions or should it be 2sq foot for N and 7sq ft for O? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted May 22, 2021 Author Share Posted May 22, 2021 42 minutes ago, Gordon A said: I enjoyed your preview issue. What would the largest area by scale that you would consider acceptable as a micro layout? Gordon A Same as it has always/traditionally been. Four square feet. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted May 22, 2021 Author Share Posted May 22, 2021 12 minutes ago, ManofKent said: Yes great first issue. Interesting question on whether scale impacts the area that can be considered a micro layout. I've always considered micro layouts really need to be under 4 square feet, but that is very much with a 3.5/4mm hat on (I've seen some people describe 4x2 as micro, whereas to me that's 'small' rather than 'micro'.). Should it be straight physical dimensions or should it be 2sq foot for N and 7sq ft for O? It has always been four square feet. I've seen modellers create micro layouts in 16mm scale in four square feet. This is one of the points of the introduction of the publication. To get people back to thinking of a micro as 4 sq.ft. and smaller. There's no need for any complicated fudging and mathematics to adjust sizes dependent on scale. Accept the 4 sq.ft. limit for what it is and work within it. I'd like to see a return to the early days of micro layout design and the creativity shown. The fiddlestick and the train turntable were developed. Sector plates and cassettes were used in ways previously unthought of. It was a great time. Ian 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
decauville1126 Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 Thanks - an excellent production. Is there a way we can "sign up" to receive future editions by email or will it be just watch out for updates on this thread? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted May 22, 2021 Author Share Posted May 22, 2021 20 minutes ago, decauville1126 said: Thanks - an excellent production. Is there a way we can "sign up" to receive future editions by email or will it be just watch out for updates on this thread? Glad you like it. It’s early days yet. This issue was to “test the waters”, so to speak. To gauge the interest. Which seems fairly positive right now. As things develop I’ll see about adding email sign up lists and such like. Ian 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 Rigidly enforcing "4 square feet or less" will disqualify my latest diversion, a little plank for American O Scale that is shorter than 4ft long but 19inch wide. It would also rule out another small US O layout I built called "Schiller Point", that was a set of stabling spurs viewed 'head on', that Carl published in one of his 'scrapbook' pages (I forget which, now). That was 4ft wide at the viewing side and 8ft deep from there to the far end of the hidden staging - definitely not 'Micro' but still small when your locos average around 12 inches long each!! I know this new mag is a wholly new and independant production, and if the 'micro' area rule is enforced so be it, but some comparisons are bound to be drawn with Carl's website, as the target audience is most likely one and the same! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted May 23, 2021 Author Share Posted May 23, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, F-UnitMad said: Rigidly enforcing "4 square feet or less" will disqualify my latest diversion, a little plank for American O Scale that is shorter than 4ft long but 19inch wide. It would also rule out another small US O layout I built called "Schiller Point", that was a set of stabling spurs viewed 'head on', that Carl published in one of his 'scrapbook' pages (I forget which, now). That was 4ft wide at the viewing side and 8ft deep from there to the far end of the hidden staging - definitely not 'Micro' but still small when your locos average around 12 inches long each!! I know this new mag is a wholly new and independant production, and if the 'micro' area rule is enforced so be it, but some comparisons are bound to be drawn with Carl's website, as the target audience is most likely one and the same! It's important to remember that even Carl drew a distinction between micro and small layouts. His website started off as the "micro layout design gallery". Then after the gallery had reached 200 schemes he expanded to include the "small layout scrapbook". Parts of The Dispatch will have a scrabook feel, but the content will be exclusively micro. Ian btw: Schiller Point is still one of my favourite small layout scrapbook schemes of all. Edited May 23, 2021 by Ian Holmes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Sweet pea Posted May 23, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 23, 2021 Excellent idea Ian, enjoyed browsing through some of the layouts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neil Posted May 23, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 23, 2021 Excellent stuff Ian and so well presented. Like it lots. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 5 hours ago, Ian Holmes said: It's important to remember that even Carl drew a distinction between micro and small layouts. His website started off as the "micro layout design gallery". Then after the gallery had reached 200 schemes he expanded to include the "small layout scrapbook". Yes that's true. Don't get me wrong - I can understand why you want to keep it to 'micro' as that is a defined (& for the most part, accepted) measurement; the definition of 'small' is extremely vague in comparison, and varies not just by scale but also by individual modeller & the space they have - or don't have!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enfys_Rainbow Posted May 23, 2021 Share Posted May 23, 2021 Just to echo the other comments - excellent idea and presentation! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold jollysmart Posted May 23, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 23, 2021 This is a brilliant idea, well done for bringing it to us. I think keeping it micro within the "standard" micro dimensions is the way to go, there is plenty of flexibility with the size and it also allows 2 things, relative attainability and the possibility of re-imagining what you can do in a small space, rather than going for a fixed oblong, as you don't have to use the maximum size. Looking forward to how this project develops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium HillsideDepot Posted May 23, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 23, 2021 Another vote for this - a great publication, and looking forward to it developing. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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