New Magazine?

[Donw]

I really don't NEED anymore magazines but it does look interesting ......Seems very reminiscent of the Model Railway Digest ( have I remembered it right ) from Ian Rice which didn't thrive.

 

I spent 4 years editing the Gauge 0 gazette. I was fortunate in that I had some knowledgeable friends whom I pressed for articles. Those good articles encouraged others. In most cases the articles come from the people who read the magazine. Aim for the low skills end and you may find the articles tend to be more low skills. The secret is to cover a range without putting off anyone.

Best wishes with the magazines Bob

[Giles]

I've been really looking forward to this magazine coming out - the Narrow Guage and Industrial Review is probably the best publication available, both in terms of content and presentation - and I therefore have high hopes of this one.

 

I've ordered my copy!

[Iain Popplewell]

If this new magazine features the "Sugar Candy" photoshopped to death model images that BRM,MR, and Hornby seem to specialise in I for one will not be buying it.

 

Give me the photo's and articles in good old RM any day, and the adverts are separated from the articles too.

 

BMJ MRJ. I buy occasionally if the articles/layouts are of interest.

 

Edit:To correct British Medical Journal (BMJ) to Model Railway Journal (MRJ).Senior moment this, we do actually have copies of both journals about the house,but MRJ is by far the better journal for model railway related articles.

[The Stationmaster]

Interesting - I wonder how big their target market is?  And what impact it might have on MRJ sales as effectively it would seem to put a competitor into their market area?

[grahame]

Interesting, very interesting.

 

There doesn't appear to have been a concerted marketing effort for the launch issue (or at least I've not noticed any) having only found out through this thread by someone posting a link (thanks, BTW). I'd have thought that their target market ('those that do rather than buy' - presumably active modellers rather than collectors) would include at least a substantial number of members of RMweb.

 

I certainly look forward to reading a copy.

[31A]

The background to those gas tank wagons looks familiar....

 

Good luck to them, I'll look out for a copy and buy at least one to see what it's like.

[Arthur]

 

I've always admired the work of both Bob Barlow and Tim Shackleton and I subscribe to the excellent Narrow Gauge & Industrial Review.

 

So, go on then, I'll give it a punt.

 

Just taken out a years subscription, I wish it well.

[Sparta-rb]

Hello everyone, and many thanks to those who offered supportive comments. The magazine is out now so you can judge for yourself, but the point about Finescale Review is that it is new - it is not based on the philosophy of any other magazine. For some years I've been thinking that what I have always called 'the finescale state of mind' is not necessarily any longer about scratchbuilding, kit-bashing or rivet-counting, although it can be all of those things for people whose pleasure derives from that approach. For me, it is about achieving a satisfying degree of authenticity by whatever means. The cover photo on the new magazine - un-Photoshopped I hasten to add - is RTR stuff almost straight out of the box, lightly weathered and photographed inside a diorama box largely made from cereal packets and lit with six-quid downlighters from the DIY shop. It works for me. But then so does our major blow-by-blow account of converting a Heljan Garratt to EM, which was fiddly to say the least, and our piece on the rescue and restoration of Peter Denny's Buckingham, one of the great inspirational layouts of my youth.

You can judge all this for yourself when you see it, but really we are aiming at hands-on modellers who want to make their models as convincing as they can. We will be relying on full colour and high production values, but there will be no barmy Photoshopping and no elitism. That said, if someone makes a convincing model by hand-sticking every rivet, we'll be glad to show that too. Readers can take from it what they want and what they feel is helpful to them.

Incidentally, our other magazine Narrow Gauge & Industrial Railway Modelling Review has reached its 100th issue as a direct subscription quarterly and that's the key reason we are going the same route with Finescale, backed by a small number a trusted, reliable traders around the country. Smiffs and the like are not keen on quarterlies and demand much larger numbers than we are prepared to print, especially as they pulp, rather than return, unsold copies. We'll see what the future holds, but meanwhile, thanks indeed for your interest.

Bob Barlow

Greystar Publications   

[Arthur]

Seems very reminiscent of the Model Railway Digest ( have I remembered it right ) from Ian Rice which didn't thrive.

 

 

Nearly, it was the more awkwardly titled 'Rail Model Digest'. There was a preview issue then 6 further issues whose publication was a bit erratic. Until very recently, maybe still, Dave Cleal at Mainly Trains had the remaindered stock was selling them off.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Is this the new mag?

http://www.greystarpublications.com/fsr/

 

Khris

Glad to see that the cat is now out of the bag - it's the one I was referring to all those months back and I am glad to see it

 

That's the same for their other publication, Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Modelling Review, which is soon to celebrate its 100th issue

http://www.greystarpublications.com/ngi/index.htm

 

and of course its edited by Bob Barlow - who does have a bit of experience in Finescale Railway modelling as well as magazine editing and publishing ! !

 

 

.

I have the feeling, with the NG & Ind Review that Bob Barlow seems to welcome quality layouts and modelling - it just so happens that many modellers who's article are published are now modelling to FS standards. Stoke Summit was in MRJ and that layout - an all time favorite of mine - was to 'OO' standards on track to the correct standards (not HO), so although I cant speak for BB, perhaps that's the sort of ethos the new mag will follow? If so this will be most welcome as the HO track issue - for 'OO' - seems to have stagnated and stalled, which marrs - to my eyes/mind - many a good layout. I was also a fan of the late, great Jack Ray's 'Crewchester' as was the likes of the late David Jenkinson, for it's 'railwayness'. Jack often referred to this marvelous layout as 'crewdchester' - he had a great sense of humour - as it was course scale, with fettled locos and stock (perhaps one could say the zenith of this scale/gauge format), yet it oozed character and authenticity, not easy with a garden railway on raised baseboards. I know that MRJ have stated that they like to publish articles about layouts and models with character and not just 'finescale', yet I have seen little evidence of that mantra (please dont think that I am knocking MRJ - because I am not), judging by BB's NG & Ind Review I think that we will see the level and quality modelling that follows on from 'the Review', which will be a good balance.

 

I've been really looking forward to this magazine coming out - the Narrow Guage and Industrial Review is probably the best publication available, both in terms of content and presentation - and I therefore have high hopes of this one.

 

I've ordered my copy!

I couldn't agree more Giles - your modelling included. I shall order mine too then!

 

If this new magazine features the "Sugar Candy" photoshopped to death model images that BRM,MR, and Hornby seem to specialise in I for one will not be buying it.

 

Give me the photo's and articles in good old RM any day, and the adverts are separated from the articles too.

 

BMJ I buy occasionally if the articles/layouts are of interest.

I doubt that it will judging by NG & Ind Review. I like the appropriate use of 'Photoshop' but like 'slap bass' in '80's pop when its over used then it becomes an annoyance. I have heard several say that they prefer a hybrid when it comes to articles, a blend of old and new if you will. The issue with some of the new format step-by-step photo feature articles is that they can lack the meat of an old fashioned article and thus IMHHO prove the exception to the rule that a picture paints a thousand words - leaving the reader no better informed/educated (this has been mentioned to me several times over the past year or so).

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93VqyeUz8Z8

 

Interesting - I wonder how big their target market is?  And what impact it might have on MRJ sales as effectively it would seem to put a competitor into their market area?

From an outsiders POV - and as fan of MRJ - I have found myself, whilst still inspired by much within MRJ, buying it less and less and becoming frustrated with the format and rather narrow band of modellers featured (true to say that an editor can only publish what he is given), I also find too many B&W photos a bit of a put off nowadays (okay when used appropriately). If NG & Ind Review is anything to go by we are in for a treat and I am sure that the low key start up will enable the mag to grow at an appropriate pace. I would have thought that the target audience will be those who view MRJ as I do, and those modellers, who are not convinced by the mainstream mags' new direction?

 

Interesting, very interesting.

 

There doesn't appear to have been a concerted marketing effort for the launch issue (or at least I've not noticed any) having only found out through this thread by someone posting a link (thanks, BTW). I'd have thought that their target market ('those that do rather than buy' - presumably active modellers rather than collectors) would include at least a substantial number of members of RMweb.

 

I certainly look forward to reading a copy.

I agree, yet with NG&IND Review the likes of Shackleton et al are not opposed to taking a RTR model and using weathering and other fettling making it that little bit better, whereas MRJ seem reticent, until fairly recently in doing so? In fact I have the feeling that when Tim Shackleton was editor there was more RTR FS fettling and he encouraged diesels and modern image a little more. As much as I admire MRJ and what they have achieved I get the feeling that they are now trapped in their own little bubble (I dont mean that to sound harsh - it's just my perception).

 

Off to order my subs to the new mag then <he says with a spring in his step and a sense of excitement>.....

 

UPDATE - wow three Posts were published whilst I was writing this Post, I will leave this Post as it stands though.

[t-b-g]

Many congratulations on the launch!

 

I have to admit a vested interest (Buckingham article) in the first issue but I can really see that a quarterly magazine, of the quality of the "Narrow gauge and Industrial Review" one will find its place in the world of finescale model railways.

 

With 8 MRJs a year and 4 of these new ones, the finescale market is hardly swamped and if, for example, there was a monthly magazine of this type, I would still get every issue.

 

Every month I thumb through the more mainstream magazines in the newsagent with a view to buying them if there is anything of any interest to me. There seldom is. The articles in most of them are presented in a way that is almost unreadable. Model railway magazines trying to bring flashy "sound bite" journalism and photoshopped (make that faked) images to the table just leaves me cold. Those little boxes with "Interesting fact - the track was stuck down with glue" type inane comments. Grrrrr!

 

So I heartily welcome a new magazine that is being produced by people with a track record of quality and I wish it well.

 

I will certainly be taking it, perhaps even by subscription if I can't get it in my local newsagent, which is where I get my MRJ.

 

Tony

[Iain Popplewell]

This sounds like  a quality magazine.Bob Barlow and Tim Shackleton if you ask me you can't go wrong with those two at the helm.Glad to see that Bob's eschewing overly enthusiastic photo-shopping.Think I'll bang in an order for the first issue.

 

Edit:Order now banged in.Ooh I'm really quite excited now!

[Grafarman]

I like the appropriate use of 'Photoshop' but like 'slap bass' in '80's pop when its over used then it becomes an annoyance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93VqyeUz8Z8

 

Not entirely sure why you used an epic slap bass solo by 'Mr $1m thumbs' played in 1992 to illustrate the overuse of the genre in 80's pop music, but thanks for the video, cheered me up no end!!  Now, where's that thumb-tape...?!

 

 

David

[Sparta-rb]

I wasn't sure about the slap bass vid either, but I forgive Level 42 anything. Saw 'em live 1986 - brilliant.

Bob

[alant]

Have just ordered issue 1 as well.

 

Alan.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Not entirely sure why you used an epic slap bass solo by 'Mr $1m thumbs' played in 1992 to illustrate the overuse of the genre in 80's pop music, but thanks for the video, cheered me up no end!!  Now, where's that thumb-tape...?!

 

 

David

Hi David,

 

I know, whilst not a huge fan of the gent in question (he seemed to popularise the technique and start it all ha ha!!) - his musicianship is not in question though - I didnt really choose a good clip to demo what I meant, because that little solo was very good indeed, sadly, like two handed taping used on 6 strings, in the 80's these techniques, instead of being used as a passing 'phrase' on one or two songs per set, became played out IMHO. Glad you enjoyed it though a smile is better than a frown ;-)

 

What about the rest of my Post - to your satisfaction? <laughs out aloud>.

 

ATVB

 

CME

 

I wasn't sure about the slap bass vid either, but I forgive Level 42 anything. Saw 'em live 1986 - brilliant.

Bob

Hi Bob,

 

Not sure I could forgive Level 42 anything but it was a nice little clip of skilled musicianship - and looking back on the 1980's vs now, and Level 42, all is forgiven Level 42, all is forgiven!? LOL!

 

I have to say that John Paul Jones, Geezer Butler, Flea, Steve Harris, Billy Gould et al....trumps Mark King IMHO..

 

Kindest,

 

CME

[alant]

I have to say that John Paul Jones, Geezer Butler, Flea, Steve Harris, Billy Gould et al....tops Mark King IMHO..

 

Kindest,

 

CME

Going off topic, but Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash) was (is) my favourite bassist.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Going off topic, but Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash) was (is) my favourite bassist.

Hi Alan,

 

Yes indeed - seen him live too (circa 1995)!

 

Kindest (off Post)

 

CME

[alant]

Hi Alan,

 

Yes indeed - seen him live too (circa 1995)!

 

Kindest (off Post)

 

CME

First saw them early 70's - showing my age now!

 

Best get this back on topic as well, discussing what looks like a great new publication.

 

Alan.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

First saw them early 70's - showing my age now!

 

Best get this back on topic as well, discussing what looks like a great new publication.

 

Alan.

Time flies Alan!

 

It was the 1980's for me!

 

Yes back on topic - or else we will get sent to the back of the class!

 

Kindest,

 

CME

[Mike Riley]

It's a bit expensive compared with the mainstream magazines but I've signed up for a year anyway.  Look forward to seeing the first issue.

 

Mike

[Arthur]

 

For comparison, the aforementioned Rail Model Digest was intended, I think, to be quarterly and that cost £6.45 in 1995.

[Iain Popplewell]

One of the nice things about a quarterly publication is you forget when it's due for delivery.So that when it drops onto your doormat it's such a lovely unexpected thrill.

(I'm a member of the North Eastern Railway Association and the delivery of their North Eastern Express is always an occasion for joy.)

 

I know I sound like a  saddo, but I have so few unexpected thrills nowadays that any thrill is to be welcomed and encouraged from whatever quarter.

 

Mind you, I did get a cheque for £25 from the premium bonds last week and I've still not quite got over it.

[Clive Mortimore]

As somebody who buys magazines when there is an article of interest to me, the thought of subscribing to any publication could be one year’s expensive recycling of paper. Unless my local model shop is included in the selected traders and finescale outlets then the chance of me buying a copy should I be tempted is very slim.

 

I do wish Bob all the best with the publication.

[Donw]

One of the nice things about a quarterly publication is you forget when it's due for delivery.So that when it drops onto your doormat it's such a lovely unexpected thrill.

(I'm a member of the North Eastern Railway Association and the delivery of their North Eastern Express is always an occasion for joy.)

 

I know I sound like a  saddo, but I have so few unexpected thrills nowadays that any thrill is to be welcomed and encouraged from whatever quarter.

 

Mind you, I did get a cheque for £25 from the premium bonds last week and I've still not quite got over it.

Life changeing as they say?

Don