MRJ 303

[adrianmc]

 

 

Subscription copy through the letterbox yesterday morning.

 

Edited by Jerry Clifford

 

1) Letters

2) Drws-y-Nant by Nigel Ashton

3) Accurascale Manor to EM by Gerry Beale

4) 'Project PGA' by Guy Molyneux

5) Drifting Away from Eye by Barry Norman

6) Wheels and Axles by Adrian Garner

7) EB1 Locomotive Build by Alex Duckworth

8) Mike Doherty Obituary

9) The First Great Project Part 2 by Jerry Clifford

 

Edited May 3 by adrianmc

[NHY 581]

So glad the retro look has been maintained and they do seem to be arriving a bit quicker as of late. 

Seems to be a good spread of content as well. I'm particulary intrigued by Barry Norman's contribution. 

 

Hopefully available at the Bristol show. 

 

Rob. 

 

[adrianmc]

NG&IRM Review Issue 138 has also just arrived - so that's my reading material for the weekend sorted!

 

[queensquare]

5 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

So glad the retro look has been maintained and they do seem to be arriving a bit quicker as of late. 

Seems to be a good spread of content as well. I'm particulary intrigued by Barry Norman's contribution. 

 

Hopefully available at the Bristol show. 

 

Rob. 

 

James at Bill Hudson books should have them - Simon has had his delivery. I’m hoping to get one soon although I’ve already read it several times! 😊

 

Jerry

[Hroth]

I shall pop along to my purveyor towards the end of next week!

They ought to have them by then...

 

[2mmMark]

Very interested to see the forthcoming Wild Swan book on the Staines branch.  It's a line I've known since maybe 1965 or therabouts.  Not many layouts depicting it though. The Egham & Staines MRS built one in the mid 1960s.
 

[NHY 581]

4 hours ago, queensquare said:

James at Bill Hudson books should have them - Simon has had his delivery. I’m hoping to get one soon although I’ve already read it several times! 😊

 

Jerry

 

All sorted, Jerry. Picked up a copy from Booklaw........along with a couple of other.....cough........"essential reference items "

 

Rob

[RichardT]

10 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

 

So glad the retro look has been maintained

 

I would say not so much retro as “classic and timeless”!

 

Richard

[Not Jeremy]

"Simon" does have them in stock, but hasn't got them on to the website yet. He is at the Bristol show over the weekend with James Hudson, from whom MRJ 303 is available, so what with all the jolly banter and ribaldry (not to mention looking at model trains) they will probably not now make it up to the Titfield website until Monday, weather and wine permitting....

 

By the way, the magazine records the very sad passing of Mike Doherty, creator of Cavalier Coaches amongst much else, a great character with real wit, charm and a slightly mischievous "twinkle in his eye" who I was remembering with Nick Salzman and company at the Bristol show earler today. I will miss him very much.

 

Simon

 

 

[djparkins]

17 hours ago, Not Jeremy said:

"Simon" does have them in stock, but hasn't got them on to the website yet. He is at the Bristol show over the weekend with James Hudson, from whom MRJ 303 is available, so what with all the jolly banter and ribaldry (not to mention looking at model trains) they will probably not now make it up to the Titfield website until Monday, weather and wine permitting....

 

By the way, the magazine records the very sad passing of Mike Doherty, creator of Cavalier Coaches amongst much else, a great character with real wit, charm and a slightly mischievous "twinkle in his eye" who I was remembering with Nick Salzman and company at the Bristol show earler today. I will miss him very much.

 

Simon

 

 

 

Simon,

 

I totally echo your comments re-Mike Doherty.

 

I feel honoured to now be the owner of the Cavalier range and we will do our very best over the time ahead to re-introduce and develop further most of the products that he created.

 

Some aspects will be brought into line with more current thinking on kit construction - which in this old dinosaur’s head has still not been entirely eclipsed by the ongoing march of plastic RTR coaches.

 

In all events the detail and accuracy of Mike’s original masters will be faithfully preserved.

 

David Parkins

www.davidjparkins.com

 

 

[Goldhawk]

Having discovered the Staines West branch through Sunday afternoon bike rides as a teenager back in the 1960s, I shall looking out for this book too. 

We can fully anticipate a book to Wild Swan’s usual high standards.

22 hours ago, 2mmMark said:

Very interested to see the forthcoming Wild Swan book on the Staines branch.  It's a line I've known since maybe 1965 or therabouts.  Not many layouts depicting it though. The Egham & Staines MRS built one in the mid 1960s.
 

 

[NHY 581]

And on the subject of anticipation,Barry Norman's next layout should be a corker. East Anglian branchline, J15, love it. 

 

Rob. 

[adrianmc]

15 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

And on the subject of anticipation, Barry Norman's next layout should be a corker. East Anglian branchline, J15, love it. 

 

Rob. 

 

I agree - another East Anglian branch line layout originally based on Eye with a Y14 (J15) will be great.

 

 

[NHY 581]

1 hour ago, adrianmc said:

 

I agree - another East Anglian branch line layout originally based on Eye with a Y14 (J15) will be great.

 

 

 

Yum. 

[queensquare]

1 hour ago, adrianmc said:

 

I agree - another East Anglian branch line layout originally based on Eye with a Y14 (J15) will be great.

 

 

Gorgeous 

 

Jerry

[NHY 581]

1 hour ago, queensquare said:

Gorgeous 

 

Jerry

 

Darling Jerry sounds more arty. 

[RichardT]

1 hour ago, Doncaster said:

  £6.20 for a mag that arrives damaged in a plastic bag is OTT.  Well disappointed.  I think I'm done with it.

I’d be disappointed if my magazine arrived damaged, and in that situation I’d contact the publisher and ask for a replacement. Which also alerts them to the damage-in-transit problem.

Or I’d set up a standing order for it at a newsagent or model shop that could order it for me in decent condition. But  saying “I’m done with it” because of this seems a tad…excessive?

 

Incidentally, how much do you think a specialist magazine should cost? In my, admittedly relatively limited, experience many modellers have no idea what it costs to produce, print and distribute a niche magazine with a restricted advertising base.
 

I noted a lot of complaints, on the thread about Kalmbach selling their railway mags to another publisher, that Model Railroader was now very thin for the price. Well, that’s the size of magazine you get when you have to pay proper journalists out of the revenue from the cover price only, because advertising has dried up thanks to the internet. And yet I remember lots of moans from modellers in the old days about how much advertising they had to wade through before reaching the content…

 

Personally I think MRJ should be nearer £10/issue. (And posted out in board-backed envelopes again.)  And people need to realise that decent stuff has to be paid for at a realistic price, because the people producing it have to live.

 

RichardT

 

 

Edited May 5 by RichardT
Spelling

[Torper]

2 hours ago, Doncaster said:

My copy of 303 arrived creased and with the top abraded.  The only uncreased part was the subscription renewal form!

 

If you have a look at the subscription renewal form, and indeed in the publication details within the magazine, you'll find that there's a telephone number for enquiries, so no need for snailmail.  I'd give them a ring and ask for a replacement copy.  Like you I'd prefer the magazine to be delivered in the cardboard backed envelope formerly used, but having said that all my magazines have arrived in good order.

[Bonafide]

11 hours ago, Doncaster said:

My copy of 303 arrived creased and with the top abraded.  The only uncreased part was the subscription renewal form!  

 

I once had a copy arrive in a cardboard-backed envelope that had been seriously damaged in the post.  A quick phone call and another copy duly arrived a couple of days later; excellent service.

 

More recently, my copy along with two other items of mail arrived during a massive thunderstorm. The two other items of mail in paper/card envelopes were saturated together with the contents, yet MRJ was in pristine condition.  I was mightily pleased it was in a plastic bag!  

[NHY 581]

10 hours ago, Doncaster said:

 I think MRJ would have been knocked off its perch, but was saved by the sad and untimely demise of Bob Barlow.

 

 

 

Do expand upon that remark. I suspect I know what is meant but at face value that seems rather insensitive and unpleasant. 

 

11 hours ago, RichardT said:

 

Personally I think MRJ should be nearer £10/issue. (And posted out in board-backed envelopes again.)  And people need to realise that decent stuff has to be paid for at a realistic price, because the people producing it have to live.

 

RichardT

 

 

 

Careful what you wish for. £10 an issue may be affordable for yourself but many might not be in that fortunate position. Such s move could ultimately affect sales. End result ? There'd be no MRJ. 

 

Rob. 

[Captain Kernow]

11 hours ago, Doncaster said:

Thanks for having a pop.

To contact them involves snailmail, so add a pound to the cost, with no guarentee of a nice new copy which wasn't damaged.  Would the new publishers immediately improve the packaging?  No.

My experience of newsagent orders is that my copy of the magazine has my address written on it.  So, again, not a pristine copy.

For my money, I expect appropriate quality.  MRJ has its  specialist mag niche with old fashionedness a major feature.  Yet, they're sending out their quality product in flimsy plastic bags.  I think MRJ would have been knocked off its perch, but was saved by the sad and untimely demise of Bob Barlow.

Your reference to people earning a living might be appropriate for the publishers.  But MRJ contributors are hobbyists and have their living elsewhere.

 

12 hours ago, Doncaster said:

Well disappointed.  I think I'm done with it.

I was just curious how you find life without a nose? Do you miss smelling stuff? The wonderful odours of the emerging natural world as Spring progresses?

 

Because you have clearly cut yours off, to spite your face and yet you appear to be someone of discernment, who appreciates a magazine with good quality modelling.

 

If you want a guarantee of a pristine copy each time, just ring Simon Castens up at The Titfield Thunderbolt bookshop and order a mail order copy from him (Simon is @Not Jeremy on this forum). I've never had anything arrive in anything other than tip top order from him.

 

[Gilbert]

54 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

Do expand upon that remark. I suspect I know what is meant but at face value that seems rather insensitive and unpleasant. 

I too would be interested...

[stewartingram]

You may have bought the magazine, but it has to be transported. That transportation is contracted out to the courier (in simple terms they put a stamp on the bag and post it). You have no involvement on that. The responsibility lies with the courier, and the the publisher/sender has to contact the courier.

[melmoth]

11 hours ago, Doncaster said:

 

For my money, I expect appropriate quality.  MRJ has its  specialist mag niche with old fashionedness a major feature.  Yet, they're sending out their quality product in flimsy plastic bags.  I think MRJ would have been knocked off its perch, but was saved by the sad and untimely demise of Bob Barlow.

Your reference to people earning a living might be appropriate for the publishers.  But MRJ contributors are hobbyists and have their living elsewhere.

 

 

You are right that your copy should arrive in a suitable condition, but your errors regarding means of contacting MRJ have already been corrected on here and yet you're still throwing your toys out of the pram.

 

Also remember that if you're receiving a subscription copy, you're not actually paying anything for postage, so in that sense it could be considered that you're getting your 'appropriate quality'. As you go on to say, the publishers have to make a living, but even so, they choose to subsidise subscription holders by not imposing postage charges. 

 

And your comment about Bob Barlow is a rare example of a tasteless non-sequitur.

 

 

[Bernard Lamb]

11 hours ago, Doncaster said:

Thanks for having a pop.

To contact them involves snailmail, so add a pound to the cost, with no guarentee of a nice new copy which wasn't damaged.  Would the new publishers immediately improve the packaging?  No.

My experience of newsagent orders is that my copy of the magazine has my address written on it.  So, again, not a pristine copy.

For my money, I expect appropriate quality.  MRJ has its  specialist mag niche with old fashionedness a major feature.  Yet, they're sending out their quality product in flimsy plastic bags.  I think MRJ would have been knocked off its perch, but was saved by the sad and untimely demise of Bob Barlow.

Your reference to people earning a living might be appropriate for the publishers.  But MRJ contributors are hobbyists and have their living elsewhere.

 

No need for the thanks. I will join in and have a go at you for free. Numpty of the year award is almost certainly coming your way.

You are not forced to buy it.

The contributors may well earn the bulk of their living elsewhere, they are still entitled to be paid for what they do.

A lot of post comes in plastic bags these days. I have never had a problem. Unlike card that can get wet and is easily damaged.

As for the old fashione comment. Yoy clearly do not read it on a regular basis. If you did you will soon find cutting edge articles on all maner of topics. The Manor chimney being a case in point in this issue. Improving the latest RTR coach articles have also been a revelation.

Could you please change your forum name to something more suitable such as Meldrew.  

As for the damage,Take it up with the Royal Mail.

Bernard