Club magazines and newsletters

[Mark Forrest]

Within my local club I'm amongst a small group of members who regularly contribute to our club magazine. Of those on here who are members of clubs and societies (particularly, but not exclusively model railway clubs) I would be interested to know, how many of these clubs produce a regular magazine or newsletter? Would be interested to find out what format these take and at what frequency they are published? These days can a club website be an alternative to a newsletter?

 

Please feel free to add further comments and replies below.

 

Cheers

[Kris]

I have added from a non modelling club perspective. It was produced ever couple of months and was about 32 A5 sides.

[Colin_McLeod]

Would be interested to find out......... what frequency they are published?

 

Hi Mark

 

Unfortunately your poll does not ask that question!!

[PLD]

Two contrasting situations:

 

Hull MRS has 'Topline'.

 

Four editions are published per year but not necessarily evenly spaced to fit in with the Club calendar (and at times the Editor's supply of "round to-its"!) Each one is between 8 and 16 A4 pages dependent on what material the members have submitted.

 

As well as the content mentioned by Mark it is also the main way of communicating with distant members and irregular attenders for 'business' items such as reports from committee meetings and notice of the AGM etc.

 

All members are encouraged to contribute but 90% of content still comes from 10% of the membership...

 

The possibility of making it available to download from the club website was considered, but decided against as occasionally there are items which would not necessarily be appropriate for distribution to a wider audience.

 

 

Another prototype group I belong to (which had best remain nameless!) publishes a monthly mag, but that consists of very little other than the editor's misinterpretation of what others had posted on the associated web group in the last month plus apologies for the errors he introduced last time! So in that case the website is doing the same job better and more timely; and the paper version is only of any real benefit to the few without internet access.

 

PLD

[edcayton]

Stevenage locomotive Society produce "Aurora", an A5 format part colour stapled magazine of about 40 pages each month.

Content varies according to contributors, but generally there is a description of a UK rail tour and something from overseas. The most useful bits to my mind are the diary which gives :

dates,times and information of tours, steam movement and meetings at other local societies for the forthcoming month

 

: a log book of unusual movements on our local GN main line (ie all the stuff I miss!)

 

The club has many excellent photographers, and a lot of their work is published, although the paper, printing etc does not really do it justice.

 

However, the mag is excellent, and could hardly be better value as it is free and posted to all members.

 

Ed

[ANT]

Hello

 

‘Footplate’ is the Risborough & District Model Railway Club quarterly A5 magazine that comes out at the beginning of Jan, April July and October.

Containing, what happening in the club, what projects members are involved in both in the club and at home, exhibition reports and notices, club diary, always an editorial written by out club chairman who is also the editor, plus anything else you care to write about that is to do with trains, both real and model.

 

All members receive a paper copy, whether they pick it up on a Friday night or for those who live further away or cannot make it by post.

 

Thanks

SEEYA

ANT

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

The High Wycombe and District Model Railway club (my local club) has the Wycombe Flyer, which is edited by RMweb's very own GWmark and comes out once a month.

 

It's a fantastic Flyer which keeps the whole club informed of events within the club. I have contributed myself a few times, and it's nice to write an article for a issue and then get some positive (or even negative) comments from fellow members.

 

If a club hasn't got a newsletter , then I would urge it to think about one!

 

Simon

[Mark Forrest]

Thanks to all who have responded to the poll so far and for the replies too.

I suppose it's no surprise that so many of those who have responded so far are contributors to their clubs mag as we are bound to feel more strongly about the publications.

Apologies for missing the frequency of publication question from the poll; some how slipped my mind when composing the questions; perhaps more easily answered in a reply to the topic anyway (as some already have - thanks).

 

I guess there is also a question of value for money? I don't suppose there are many club newsletters which alone would justify your membership subscription, but I would imagine there is a certain level of expectation that you would get them as part of the membership deal?

[Mark Forrest]

I have contributed myself a few times, and it's nice to write an article for a issue and then get some positive (or even negative) comments from fellow members.

 

If a club hasn't got a newsletter , then I would urge it to think about one!

I'd whole heartedly agree on both points. I just wish I had more time to contribute more to ours as I know it can be frustrating to the editor to struggle to fill page space.

[2ManySpams]

Great idea for a poll Mark - don't think it's been asked on here before. I know I'm no longer a club member but the old SRC mag 'Linesider' was always a good read. I did guest editorials from time to time when John got bored and the odd article from time to time. I guess the success of a club mag depends upon how much effort the membership put into writing it. Common mistake is that the membership believe it's down to the editor to do it all (write and edit).

[DaveF]

The Northumberland Area group of the n gauge society has a monthly newsletter, 'The Shunter' which has a brief report of our monthly meeting plus any articles and photos submitted by members. It is distributed by e mail, but printed copies are sent to members who are not on the internet.

 

One of the members produces an annual DVD featuring the "How To Do It" bits of our meetings, our layouts and other interesting things. It is given to each member.

 

David

[Adrian Wintle]

I'd have voted no, but the poll forces you to respond to the other questions as well and they don't make sense if the first answer is no.

 

Adrian

[2ManySpams]

I'd have voted no, but the poll forces you to respond to the other questions as well and they don't make sense if the first answer is no.

 

Adrian

 

I think Mark's idea was first to find out a rough proportion of clubs that did / didn't have a mag. Hence a simple yes / no first question. If your answer if No then that's you done, none of the other questions apply. If yes then the remaining questions find out about what's in it and some simple thoughts about it. are you saying that if you answer No then the software won't accept leaving the other sections blank?

[Mark Forrest]

If your answer if No then that's you done, none of the other questions apply. If yes then the remaining questions find out about what's in it and some simple thoughts about it. are you saying that if you answer No then the software won't accept leaving the other sections blank?

Just checked and it does require a response to each question.

 

I've now added a "not applicable" answer to each subsequent question for those who answer "No" to the first.

 

 

Thanks