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Revamped Model Railway Express Site


Blue Horizon

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I get the immediate impression that is is now almost a sort of sales site?

 

Domain name: mremag.com

 

Registrant:

MyHobbyStore Ltd

Hadlow House

9 High Street

Green Street Green

Orpington, Kent BR6 6BG

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I've just had my first look at it (I only visit occasionally nowadays) and I'm sorry to say that if this is the 'finished version' I am finished with it; poor layout, wasted space and lousy to navigate. A great shame really as it really was a good introductory site with some excellent contributors and calm leadership from Pat; I get the immediate impression that is is now almost a sort of sales site?

After being redirected here following my own duplicate post, (thanks AY, I had searched for MreMag and missed this topic as a result), it appears the SM says it all for me too! I had contributed to the old MREMag over the years and PH moderated it very well. Latterly the same few names seemed to dominate proceedings, but I guess he could only work with what he had.

Sorry to see it go though, still had it's moments, now indecipherable to me.

Cheers,

Peter c.

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Been reading MREmag from day one (13 years) never been a problem to me. I always found the content interesting, there have been some good debates and thoughtful writing. The format has changed but the articles are still there, some people do not like the new look of the site, reading between the lines those people never liked the MREmag format anyway, preferring the open nature of RMweb. However I was not particularly enamoured when RMweb became part of the Warner group but the content is still there. Railway modelling sites have to move on its part of life we all have to learn to adapt, if you look you will find that there is not a lot of change just the way it is presented.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The beauty of MREmag was that you could leave news page 1 open in a browser tab and just refresh the tab (Monday, Wednesday and friday) to get all the latest news, with new staff it would probably be back to daily frequency like in the olden days. Not possible now that you have to click on things to find all the different bits of news so it has been rendered pretty useless as a quick source of news. Looks like the big shortcoming of only having three pages of archives has been addressed so that it can now be referenced as a source of information, but too late to be of use.

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We may soon start to see the improvements that many have been calling for as a new Editor has been appointed.

 

I am also pleased to inform readers that an editor/webmaster has been appointed. He will be known to readers of The Hornby Magazine for his regular feature - Parker's Guide. It is Phil Parker, who will shortly be taking over

 

Mike

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I'd missed seeing that yesterday Mike although Phil did tip me the wink at the weekend.

 

Congratulations to Phil and he'll be a good pair of hands to take things forward hopefully bringing his wide modelling skills and humour to invigorate the site.

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Thanks Andy

 

Don't expect any dramatic changes straight away. I'll be getting used to the software and general flow of the site initially. It isn't a ful time job either so will anyone thinking they have the model railway equivelent of BBC News 24 is going to be disapointed. Having said that, there are loads of posibilities and suggestions are always welcome - more on this on the site in September when I officially start.

 

Phil

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. It isn't a ful time job either so will anyone thinking they have the model railway equivelent of BBC News 24 is going to be disapointed.

Phil

Just as well - i couldn't stand the same stuff being repeated issue (bulletin) after issue ') Best of luck with it and I'll look in again once you've settled in.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Been reading MREmag from day one (13 years) never been a problem to me. I always found the content interesting, there have been some good debates and thoughtful writing........

 

I was an enthusiastic reader and contributor on the old MREmag a few (10?) years ago and recall some interesting “conversations” with your good self. There was always good natured debate even from people with opposing views. I felt that the flavour seemed to change and it became rather unfriendly. I gave up writing to the letters page but continued to read it. I got to a point where I found some contributions downright offensive and this is not what I seek from a hobby / past time / indulgence / obsession (A phrase I once used on MREmag). In recent times I only read MRE when directed there from here so to speak. This was all a great shame as I found Pat to be a decent chap both in correspondence and in person.

BTW Andrew, I didn't stop writing on MREmag because I couldn't cope with the imposition of the 200-word limiit....honest!!!

 

Roy Palfrey

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The only part that seems to be blocked is the current news issue. I was able to navigate around the book reviews and model reviews but the latest news for 5 Sept asks for a password.

 

However in the section about 'Why Join' it says

You do not need to become a member to read articles, the current edition of MREmag, or any archived editions.

Perhaps it's just a temporary problem while Phil gets used to the new software - as he said in his post above there won't be any dramatic changes. I'm sure he'll be along soon to explain.

 

Mike

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Yes - it was caused my me ticking the wrong box amoung a list of them when setting up the articles. It's all fixed now and I've replied to everyone who e-mailed me including the hysterical gentleman.

 

To be honest, I'm not even sure what the "subscribers only" stuff does. There isn't a manual for the site !

 

There are no plans to block content, at least not deliberatly for the foreseable future.

 

Phil

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Dear All

 

I'm sure you are all aware that MREmag is flying through some severe turbulence at present. However, I have every confidence that new editor, Phil Parker, has the skills required to get out of that turbulence and start flying straight and level again soon. Not only that, I think he'll be flying higher and faster than ever before!

 

I would ask those of you who have 'given up' on the site to reconsider and have another look in a few weeks. Phil has had to work with what was given to him - it is therefore unjust to lay the blame fully at his door. Let's give him a chance.

 

Brian Macdermott

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The first new feature went live on Firday - MREmag has an events guide. It can be found as a tab at the top of the page ro from this address: http://www.mremag.com/events/

 

At the moment, if you want an evenet listed, send it to the editorial e-mail address: editor.mremag@myhobbystore.com

 

More developments soon, watch the site.

 

Phil

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I must confess that I feel a bit like a batsman who's just been stumped without realizing the ball was delievered.

 

Distracted with other things, I hadn't spent a lot of time here through the late part of the summer and spent no time on MREmag, so I was a bit surprised to via a post on the B17 thread (thank you Simon) that there was a brand new implementation of MREmag with a new editor to boot.

 

I long appreciated that through Mr. Hammond's relationships with the manufacturers, MREmag was occasionally a source of direct comments from manufacturers - particularly Hornby.

 

When was the baton actually passsed? I did look up the editorial history to see Pat Hammond's last editorial, but no dates are recorded. I'm guessing from context in this thread, that was around August 20.

 

Anyway, despite the imaginary wicket-keepers' grin, good luck to Phil Parker for the new generation of MREmag.

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Hello Oz

 

Phil took over from the start of September.

 

I am pleased to say that (as hoped for in my posting #42 above) he has got the plane flying straight, level, faster and higher! There are a number of new innovations - as well as re-establishing the 'one page' format that was appreciated by many.

 

Brian Macdermott

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  • 3 weeks later...
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The MREmag Quiz is back!

 

£300 on offer for the winner.

 

Visit the MREmag quiz

 

Read the current MREmag including the quiz

 

This might sound daft Phil but how do you reply to 'Have Your Say' nowadays? I can't readily find that from a (admittedly quick) search around the emag and I could easily settle the question about the sheets that were used on the clay wagons before the blue plastic ones arrived - standard sheets is the answer (basically the standard material but they might have been specially sized for the job).

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At the bottom of every "Have your say" page is this:

 

Join in the discussion - send an e-mail to: editor.mremag@myhobbystore.com

 

In the case of e-mails published in MREmag, individual responses from the editor are not usually sent unless there is an issue to be raised or answered. Our thanks to all those who contributed their thoughts, questions and answers which develop the topics covered above. A special thanks to Brian Macdermott, Trevor Gibbs and Dick Flower for their regular features.

 

If you have suggestions for the model manufacturers to consider, or if there is anything else you would like to discuss within the British railway modelling and collecting subject base of this magazine, please send me an e-mail, giving your ‘first’ name and surname (no pseudonym please) to editor.mremag@myhobbystore.com Please read the Notes for Contributors and keep your postings to 200 words maximum, as well as being positive, polite and definitely not libellous. Anonymous comments cannot be published. Your contributions will be edited for readability and acceptability within the unbiased policy of the magazine. Care will be taken not to alter the views expressed but they remain those of the writer of the e-mail and are not necessarily shared by the Editor.

 

Remember! The manufacturers are our friends - not our enemies. They read this magazine and so, when you comment on their products, you are talking directly to them. Choose your words carefully as you would with a friend.

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