Rail Express 163

[Brambles]

I'm not a reader of Rail Express, for various reasons , some of which have been touched on above.

 

However I do think the supplement format is a mixed blessing. (And this is something which has implications for Traction's efforts in the same direction). Railway Modeller runs out at about 75 pages of editorial material per month. REx , once adverts are removed is about 16-18 pages a month I believe, sometimes less. But what might be called the "editorial overhead" - editorial, cover page, contents list, takes up nearly as much space. Although REx reviews a more limited range of stuff than RM, it does so at rather greater length. Although REX has 20% of the editorial pages of RM, it's reviews occupy a lot lot more than 20% of the pages devoted to reviews in RM... And reviews are essentially opinion and comment

 

The Mostyn column is, broadly speaking , a comment/opinion feature. SS3 is comment/opinion and news. Take all this out and you have very few pages left for constructional articles, layout feature articles, prototype background etc. One decent feature on a layout and you've used up the lot. Rebuilding a 56 has to be run over 3 months. (So if 56s don't interest you, that's a quarter of the year that's a blank on the constructional front). Etc

 

Traction is of course squeezed even more severely because its supplement has only about 2/3rds the number of pages of REx's - it suddenly becomes clear why Traction's efforts don't register .

 

As I don't really feel like buying a mag for one article, this means I'm unlikely to buy REx , regardless of other considerations. However, the key point for this discussion is that REx , because of its format, is inherently a comment /opinion driven mag

 

This of course makes it more vulnerable to debates and objections about it's editorial line - that represents a much higher proportion of the total pages than in any of the competition. If you disagree with them , it will bulk much larger in your eyes. It also suggests why they may need to supply more dramatic or controversial comment and opinion than the other mags - if opinion is a large part of what they sell, then the opinion had better be eye-catching and provoke reactions

 

There has been a reduction in the number of new D+E releases. Prior to Warley we had essentially seen just 3 items of 4mm traction released all year - 17, Kestrel , and 150. This is hardly going to fill the pages of a mag heavily focussed on product reviewing, for 10 issues. Even the releases we are getting are hardly the subjects that spark froth-fests: multiple units, especially 3rd rail, and shortlived classes that much of the target readership hasn't seen in the flesh (This applies to the Javelin too) .

 

The economic climate also encourages sobriety. Compare the feeding frenzy when Falcon appeared or even Deltic with the quiet arrival of Kestrel. Where are the silly prices on ebay as the "ordered 5 and selling 4 at twice the money" brigade pile in? "Flipping" of this kind is classic top of the wild boom behaviour. We are now in the worst global recession since the 1930s and people are starting to worry about job cuts and future tax increases

 

And many of the subjects being announced are very esoteric and it's surprising to see them at all - there won't be a rival version (Baby Deltic - class of 10,12 year service life, limited geographic range). In the present climate everyone expects manufacturers to be more cautious and avoid projects that aren't cast iron certainties - the confidence isn't there (I know no-one seems to have told Heljan or Kernow but these specialist types haven't yet reached the shops barring Falcon and Kestrel, and it isn't yet proven that the market is really there...) Roco Fairlie anyone???

 

This must raise issues if your magazine's formula is heavily focussed on strong comment and extensive product reviewing. It's not necessarily so well suited to the current environment as opposed to that of 3-4 years ago

 

 

Ravenser, a genuine thank you for that contribution, very thought provoking and whether we aagree or not it's quite a critical look at the possible philosphy behind REx. There's always a reason behind every behaviour ...

 

Brams

[rob D2]

Well thought out input ravenser

[Guest Phil]

I know what you mean Brian,

the language can be a bit emotive at times - I re- read their initial review of the bachy 47 the other day: it was like someone had come into their house and shot their dog !

 

I like that simile !!!

 

I do get fed up with the kind of attitude that 'we are SERIOUS modellers' and if you don't aspire to their level of detail you don't count as such, this is furthered by somewhat pompous angle (at times) of the guy who does 'Mostyn'.

 

For me, Mostyn is one of the very few reasons why I look at REx. Their batch approach makes me smile ;

 

"right lads, we've got 27 Met Camm DMU cars to be rebuilt by Tuesday, can we do it ? yes we can"

Sorry lads thats a bit tongue in cheek, but I really do enjoy Mostyn.

 

For me the recent vilification of the Hornby 56 has been a bit of a waste of time, as I don't have the time, energy, or interest to do 'extreme' detailing to this level. I bought some older bachy 47s cheap, I can live with the bogie/fuel tank faults ( short sighted anyway), they will be renumbered and maybe weathered and I'll be happy.

 

But I,m not a SERIOUS modeller am I ?

 

Vilification Rob - a very descriptive word actually - you've summed it up pretty well IMHO.

 

The truth probably is that no more than 150 Hornby class 56s will ever see that kind of treatment, out of however many thousand Hornby produce. The 3 piece article will have served a purpose undoubtedly, and I'm glad they have done it, so for me it wasn't a waste of time. I do think the REx style of model railway journalism is an acquired taste, and I've yet to acquire it.

[rob D2]

Yes, I think you are right Phil. Problem is I feel like they are looking down their collective noses at times at anyone who doesn't aspire to their level.

 

I read MR as well and they are enthusiastic rather than elitist.This said there is alot right with REX - i do appreciate in depth reviews (even if they have back pedalled on a couple)and I used to like Mostyn but I feel it has been done to death now - I admire their persistance because they seem to have been recreating the N wales line in 1977 from, what feels like, 1978 !

[Guest jim s-w]

 

But I,m not a SERIOUS modeller am I ?

 

Who is Rob? Unless modelling is your source of your income aren't we all just doing it for fun?

 

Cheers

 

Jim

[shortliner]

Dons Fire retardant suit

 

Never did understand how people can get upset about "dimensional inaccuracy on details and number of rivets", and yet live happily with their models running on OO track! Some people need to get a life!

 

Collects coat and leaves stage left!

[craigwelsh]

Who is Rob? Unless modelling is your source of your income aren't we all just doing it for fun?

 

Cheers

Jim

Ah but are we all doing it for SERIOUS fun? . sorry...

 

 

Dons Fire retardant suit

 

Never did understand how people can get upset about "dimensional inaccuracy on details and number of rivets", and yet live happily with their models running on OO track! Some people need to get a life!

Well to be fair many of those writing for REX are modelling in P4 and Mostyn in obviously in P4 too so you can't really get them for that one. Whether some of the opinions given or the style of the delivery of the content is the best argument for the gauge i'll leave off!

[NickL2008]

"Adding my two pence worth", but may be up to a pound worth , as a regular reader of REXM, I can agree that sometimes REXM doest go a bit OTT with the opinions of some detailing issues on RTR releases, its like they do expect every model to be perfect, but as a "Serious" modeller ( whatever one of those is ), I can realte to some of the issues they raise. But i'm more than happy to alter something on a model as long as It doesnt involve changing the paintwork as I dont have the skills too! Ill probably continue buying, but only when theres a more interesting issue as these days I think it has gone quiet as of recent over the years from the very first issue of it ..

 

The 56 article for me was good, but nothing more, and I think the fact that it dragged out to three issues made me grow bored of seeing it rather quickly.. I do miss the earlier REXM which had a layout, and a certain locomotive detailing project in annotated form and a nice arm's length list of shopping parts to go with it!!

 

Mostyn I think we can all agree is a nice layout, but maybe, they could feature another layout now, as it is getting rather old now (well i think it is) hearing about the same layout, I mean no offence to it, theyve done a grand job with the layout and stock dont get me wrong, but who really takes note of how many screws they put into it?! Id probably love to go and see it in action someday after all the apprent hyping it gets ...

 

Whilst I dont cry over spilt Milk, or inaccurate detail in this case, some reviewers will word things so that you think that theyre right, but end of the day, is it not your layout??? Going back to an earlier part of this thread the Vi trains 47 was compared to the Bachmann one, now sorry if im also going off topic, but for me the Vi 47 does it better ... When I saw there was inaccuracys i didn't go off in a rant about it, Why would anyone really to be honest? instead i put my money where my mouth was and just got on a detailing it the best I can, i mean ok the front nose paintwork is C%* but im happy with it... the bogies are too plasticy and the steps look wrong, but im more than happy with that ... I have a long discontinued Lima 73 im detailing and having dam well enjoying, and im happy with that!

 

Ok thats my brain cell used up now

 

NL

[grahame]

Hmm, I'm not a 'serious' modeller (I??™m not quite sure what that is but I do it for serious fun and enjoyment) nor am I a particularly good one. However, I do also contribute fairly regularly to REx Modeller by writing many of the N gauge reviews and reports (recently the class 67 and class 153).

 

I certainly hope and don't think that I come across as pompous, looking down my nose, elite, that my reviews are the final word on the product, or all the other disparaging remarks mentioned above. I try to be objective and, due to the nature of N gauge, generally try to assess more by the character and honesty of the model, rather than it's adherence to absolute rivet counting accuracy, although where there are obvious differences from the real subject I???ll point it out as I feel that is my duty to do so.

 

Does that approach not come across in my reviews? And isn??™t that a fair stance to take?

 

G.

[S.A.C Martin]

Hmm, I'm not a 'serious' modeller (I??™m not quite sure what that is but I do it for serious fun and enjoyment) nor am I a particularly good one. However, I do also contribute fairly regularly to REx Modeller by writing many of the N gauge reviews and reports (recently the class 67 and class 153).

 

I certainly hope and don't think that I come across as pompous, looking down my nose, elite, that my reviews are the final word on the product, or all the other disparaging remarks mentioned above. I try to be objective and, due to the nature of N gauge, generally try to assess more by the character and honesty of the model, rather than it's adherence to absolute rivet counting accuracy, although where there are obvious differences from the real subject I???ll point it out as I feel that is my duty to do so.

 

Does that approach not come across in my reviews? And isn??™t that a fair stance to take?

 

G.

 

Hi Grahame,

 

I think your stance is pretty much spot on. There's a review in this months Rail Express reviewing the Dapol Megabox that sums up my feelings on the other reviewers of Rail Express. Rather than accepting the compromises of the model that are necessary for fitting couplings for 00 gauge, the reviewer has been rather scathing of Dapol's efforts with that particular wagon and also stated that their entire modern range is out of kilter with the rest of the manufacturers.

 

Now, that may well be true - Dapol's modern releases may not be as good as, say, Bachmann's (I wouldn't know mind - I'm not a modern day modeller particularly). But the overall tone and phrases of the article would not make a manufacturer run out and fix the problem - far from it, if I was Dapol reading that review I'd think, why bother in the future?

 

There's means and ways of getting across a point, and on the subject of model railways, civility must surely be key?