We have a very limited selection of railway modelling magazines over here, well we get most titles, but one month you can get - Model Rail, next month - British Railway Modelling, next month - Railway Modeller etc etc.
I suppose I could subscribe to one, or all of them but I dont see the value in it. I like the content in Model Rail the best, I dont know why it just seems to read better than the others I've read, and I feel the few times I've bought Railway Modeller that I've wasted my money but that may be the only one available that month (this month July they still mention xmas 2010 in one advert). The only magazine I get that I really look forward to is N Gauge society mag.
Are there any better magazines out there that I am missing out on.
Paul
ps I find this forum the most interesting, entertaining and informative, and maybe I should save my money and buy more n gauge stuff.
I'm the same as you Galway Model Rail is my favourite, closely followed by the modelling section in Rail Express. I also read Railway Modeller, got all 3 on subscription and they generally arrive a few days before the publication date.
I think its the content in Model Rail and Rail Express(wish there was more in this one) and the ad's in Railway Modeller that attract me.
HTH
Mark
hi,
to be honest i find that the model train magazines get a bit samey after a while....
i usually read them all in whsmiths (hornby, brm, model rail, railway modeller, continental modeller, rail express... sometimes american ones too) then i just select one to buy, depending on the articles. i think model rail is my favourite if i had to choose. whsmiths don't seem to mind if you stand there for ages reading them....
nowadays you can use the internet to get advice / tips etc. so i guess the learning side of it is covered, not to say you dont learn through reading magazines as well.
at the moment i like rail express and traction (not model magazine, it's 70s-90s br diesel and electrics)
i get the ngs magazine but don't subscribe to any others...
do libraries have these magazines in them i wonder????
tim
Rail Express is a magazine I hav'nt heard of over here, I'll have a look for it next time I'm in Easons (our WH Smith).
Thanks both for mentioning it.
Paul
rail express modeller is nearly all modern stuff (well... 1970s onwards) and it's a supplement to the main magazine http://www.railexpress.co.uk/ (http://www.railexpress.co.uk/)
to be honest i'm not bothered about this supplement, it's sometimes interesting, but i just buy the magazine because i like the rest of it...
best wishes,
tim
I guess I am pretty lucky as I buy my magazines s/h by the bag full at 10 cents or 7p each, they are out of date by two or three years but that doesn't worry me, the price of a current Model Rail mag in Oz is $12 or about 9 quid UK so I tend to give them a miss.
I tend to only buy model railway mags if thier is something of interest in them now a days...
But I do just pick up rail express with out flicking through it :thumbsup:
I gave up buying magazines years ago. Everything in them is just one big advert and I'm not talking about the advertising pages. I found I was spending more money on them than on actual models.
For those living in Aussie Trailier there's the online N Scale Modeller available as a free download.
http://www.nscale.org.au/
I have a good mate at work that subscribes to Model Rail, Hornby and Rail Express. He brings them in each month..... :wave: cheers Martin
I dont mind both Model Rail and Hornby magazines. Both have very interesting articles. I particularly like articles that focus on a specific operation eg milk traffic. Also find their product reviews worthwhile. Featured layouts are well presented, and the macro cameo type shots are great - I think it would be worthwhile to also have a complete photo of the full layout to complement the close ups.
It would be good if publishers a list of the featured articles and reviews online. I get frustrated searching for info through volumes of magazines.... plus it would no doubt boost sales of past editions.
I model GWR steam so Rail Express is not that relevant.
I generally like Railway Modeller and Continental Modeller best, and the US Model Railroader, but it does vary from month to month. Each month I say I'm not going to bother but I always end up buying one.
But after two or three months, I cut out any pages I want to keep - usually boils down to just one or two articles at most - and chuck the rest away.
Rod
I find RM good value; although it's published by Peco, it doesn't push the Peco barrow too hard.
But the best for my money are the NGS Journal (members only, but what great value membership is!) and Nspirations from Grahame Hedges - a bit ad hoc as far as "schedule" goes (like a good ole BR timetable), but great when it comes out.
- Michael
model rail is pretty good but I do find it very biased in favour of 00. They tend to forget that we even exist sometimes. Having said that a lot of the stuff thats generic, scenery tips and what have you can be very good.
I think most model railway magazines are pretty good but like Digital Camera Reviews I take Locomotive Reviews with a pinch of salt, I remember some reviews on locos that got rave status that turned out to be real dogs.
QuoteEach month I say I'm not going to bother but I always end up buying one
yeh i'm the same....
the reviews are over the top i think, hailing each new loco as the best yet... i think the reviews could be made shorter as well, do they need 3 pages or whatever....?
anyway.... we do have a great selection of magazines available so that's a good thing i think.
tim
I wish there was some English language Japanese publications available. I know of 2 books, one of which I have, the other I saw on single copy on Amazon a while back, second hand, but at over $250 I gave it a miss.
Fortunately the JNS forum is a good source of information and there are a couple of other web sources, but unlike when I started with the Baltimore & Ohio where I was able to pick up loads of books and Model Railroader easily enough, my venture into Japanese modelling is a real stab in the dark ::)
Try looking at Sumida Crossing. Ken Shores has loads of information about modelling Japanese railways on his blog. http://www.sumidacrossing.org/SumidaCrossing/Home.html
I generally go for Rail Express magazine (gen/gossip/news) and my favorite is Traction (Diesel/elec nostalga/good pictures).
I dont bother with Railway Modeller anymore as in my view it is totally biased towards 00 Gauge modellers who indulge in quaint little model branch lines of the Great Western Railway, set in Rural 1930's England :sleep:
(its just more of a posh, expensive, model railway'ers advert magazine who will always favour Hall Class's, 14xx's and cream tea, scones and Pimms in 00 scale rather than the general model scene :P)
Rarely buy any of them!
In fact the last new mag I bought was Model Rail September 2010. :o
Have bought a few old ones on Ebay in the last few months but mainly from the 1950's.
(Good source of drawings from back then!)
The NGS journal satisfies me as well as places on the WWW like :NGaugeForum: :thumbsup:
This months (July) issue of 'Railway Modeller' is rather good for N gauge articles/content. And overall the magazine is continuing the high standards that Steve Flint (the newish editor) has instilled. The last few issues have been particularly good.
In contrast I'm starting to find that 'Model Rail' (a magazine I was once keen on) is going downhill, especially with N gauge coverage. It still feels like poor quality flimsy paper despite the perfect binding and has what seems like temporary disposable content as well. For example I was looking forward to the article about LT underground modelling but I thought it was very weak with only two pages and very little mention of LT N gauge products. In fact I think I'll pen an article about N gauge undergroupd for N'spirations as a result.
H.
Hi
I only got a few issues of Railway Modeller, I haven't got july's issue but I must say the photographs are outstanding in the June issue Especialy the Wendale one , I honestly thought the page with the viaduct was a real life picture! I was thinking to myself how did they manage to build these viaduct/bridges in the olden days then started to look at and read and found out it was a model.
So when does N'sprations come out? or can you only get it through the NGS, I will have a look for it tomorrow at WHSmith cause I think I will get the July issue of Railway Modeller.
N'spirations is available from the NGS shop (if you're a member) or from a number of specialist traders like N Brass Loco, Plus Daughters, Osborns and Lytchett Manor Models. It's also available by mail order on ebay; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121123681195?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_738wt_1255 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121123681195?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_738wt_1255)
For other details see thread; http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=12852.msg130723#msg130723 (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=12852.msg130723#msg130723)
H.
I find Model Railway Magazines are pretty boring with reviews that in some cases are not worth the paper they are written on, layout reviews and new products that have been released and in some cases sold out before they even get to the shop display cases.
I get more of a kick out of reading Steam World and British Railways Illustrated mags, I bought over 250 of these mags for £10 some time back and enjoy the nostalgic trip into the past.
Quote from: longbridge on June 15, 2013, 02:47:55 AM
I find Model Railway Magazines are pretty boring with reviews that in some cases are not worth the paper they are written on, layout reviews and new products that have been released and in some cases sold out before they even get to the shop display cases.
New product reviews are certainly a problem area with all the commercial magazines (and also the NGS journal it seems; http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/72625-ngs-journal-reviews/ (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/72625-ngs-journal-reviews/)). Hornby Mag are the worst, Railway Modeller and BRM not a lot better and while Model Rail were once the pick of a poor bunch, a lot of mistakes seem to creep in lately. But perhaps we should be making it clear what we expect them to include and what we want to read. Which is?
But I'm not sure what you mean by layout reviews. In general they are written by the ayout builders.
H.
Quote from: longbridge on June 15, 2013, 02:47:55 AM
I find Model Railway Magazines are pretty boring with reviews that in some cases are not worth the paper they are written on, layout reviews and new products that have been released and in some cases sold out before they even get to the shop display cases.
I get more of a kick out of reading Steam World and British Railways Illustrated mags, I bought over 250 of these mags for £10 some time back and enjoy the nostalgic trip into the past.
I used to buy the railway mags and found that there was precious little N and even less on current day :(. I get the Modern Railways magazine delivered now and find all the advice I need for N gauge from this forum (and a tiny bit from other forums too)
Quote from: Pengi on June 15, 2013, 07:24:59 AM
I used to buy the railway mags and found that there was precious little N
For me there doen't have to be lots of N gauge in commercial magazine although it would nice and more would be appreciated.
There is much to be learnt from other scales (like modelling techniques) as well as inspiration, eye candy and ideas. Many things (like baseboard construction and electrics, and products like tools) are applicable to all scales. Expecting them to be chokka full of N gauge is just not going to happen. And relying on one source, no matter how good, will ever provide the full picture.
H.
I'm the same as H.
Yes it's good to see N Gauge articles but there is so much unspiration that can be gleaned from modelers in other scales that there is always something of interest to me.
They have also proved invaluable in planning my layout - pinching ideas from different bits.
I suppose it's the same as being involved in model forums that aren't specifically N Gauge. I can see some great models and learn how they were created and apply the ideas to my own plans
Hi
I took out a year's subscription to 'Model Rail' in January (for a great bargain price). I don't think I will ever buy it at the full price so unless there is another great offer at Xmas this year I will stop it.
I find that some articles issue to issue are very repetitive and it must be hard trying for a new angle. My main plus is the contact web addresses I find in the adverts and these have led me to products new to me that I have bought. Also there are always tips and these can be in the articles for any gauge. The latest one I have used is to PVA some scatter on the otherwise not realistic foam hedging I bought a bout a year ago.
My main gripe is about the reviews that I suspect are very biased and rarely deal with proper running with loaded trains and rarely tell about noisy running or poor pickup or not going round first radius or over points.
I often wonder about the overall scores given. How can you award 85% to a coach that has no pickups and no fitting for adding cabin lights? The reviews, especially for locos, seem mostly to be about how accurate the model is when compared to the prototype, but how the authors know these fine details is a puzzle.
On the other hand, the photos are great and it is a joy to see other people's layouts.
Cheers
Mac
:beers:
What about N'spirations? The publisher H, is a forum member and it's a great read. Back copies are available on eBay the latest copy will be announced on the forum.
If you do a search for N'spirations you will find lots of info.
My favourite mainstream mags are Model Rail, Hornby Magazine and Railway Modeller all of which I get digitally because overseas subscriptions are so expensive. I can now get all three for the price I used to pay for one.
:NGF:
Quote from: porkie on June 23, 2011, 09:51:37 PM
I tend to only buy model railway mags if thier is something of interest in them now a days...
But I do just pick up rail express with out flicking through it :thumbsup:
Likewise! I buy Rail Express every month, and other real / model railway magazines only if there's something of particular interest in them.
Rail Express (both the general magazine and the modelling section) are diesel-era only, and the modelling section frequently has well-researched articles on particular types of freight wagon (and occasionally passenger carriage) and typical formations of trains where they would have been used.
I really enjoy reading a magazine but find the Model Railway Magazines are a waste of money, instead I but "Steam World" and "British Railways Illustrated" a far more interesting read than seeing one layout after another and reading one review after another, like digital camera reviews they are not worth the paper they are written on.
Quote from: longbridge on April 19, 2016, 03:13:36 AM
I really enjoy reading a magazine but find the Model Railway Magazines are a waste of money, instead I but "Steam World" and "British Railways Illustrated" a far more interesting read than seeing one layout after another and reading one review after another
Well what do you expect to see in a Model Railway Magazine? - Herds of B1s sweeping majestically across the plain?? :hmmm: :confused2: :no:
(B Fawlty)
Quote from: PLD on April 19, 2016, 07:42:28 AM
Quote from: longbridge on April 19, 2016, 03:13:36 AM
I really enjoy reading a magazine but find the Model Railway Magazines are a waste of money, instead I but "Steam World" and "British Railways Illustrated" a far more interesting read than seeing one layout after another and reading one review after another
Well what do you expect to see in a Model Railway Magazine? - Herds of B1s sweeping majestically across the plain??
:hmmm: :confused2: :no:
(B Fawlty)
Great question PLD, maybe you can enlighten me as to what you expect to see in a Model Railway Magazine :confused2: :claphappy:
Quote from: longbridge on April 19, 2016, 03:13:36 AM
like digital camera reviews they are not worth the paper they are written on.
Hello Dave,
Is that comment fair or necessary?
You are entirely entitled to your views, of course, but seeing as Railway Modeller sells around 45000 issues every month it seems apparent that there is a market for these publications.
Having said that, it is to my shame that the publishers of Model Rail (to which I occasionally contribute) use printstock that feels so cheap I fear the paper "it is written on" is not worth very much!
cheers
Ben A.
Hi Ben sorry you think I may have spoken out of line but I am afraid I call a spade a spade and say or type what I really think, I didn't think I would offend anyone an as an ex mod on this forum I would not have worried about what was written.
I do believe there are far to many layouts pictured and described in some model railway magazines, I also believe some of them are just space fillers, I also know full well that adverts pay for the mags but there are many railway publications that have survived for generations with far less ads than the current range of major model railway magazines, with regard to product reviews and after reading model railway magazines since the 1960s I do think some loco reviews are a waste of time, the reason being not all locos run the same, I have read glowing reviews of a loco that has proved to be a disaster for many owners sadly many of them were British N Gauge, everyone has the right to read whatever they like and good luck to them, me I like reading stories about real locos and those that drove and fired them, I have also found that Steam World and British Railways Illustrated have been a great reference for my modelling hobby.
Please note that this is a personal point of view, no way am I trying to influence anyones thinking how we go about our hobby or whatever we read so long as it brings some kind of enjoyment thats all that counts.
I think at the end of the day it's a case of 'horses for courses' in that the monthly model railway mags are not gauge specific, don't carry many 'how to's' and have lots of ads. However, I get Railway Modeller as it seems the best balanced of the lot and has features I like. Very rarely do the monthlies criticise their review samples.
The NGS Journal doesn't carry so much about layouts and has more 'how to's', especially under the current editorship and, of course, is gauge specific, as is N Gauge Now! which is the quarterly 'new kid on the block'.
I guess one man's meat is another man's poison (and other trite adages)
Quote from: longbridge on April 19, 2016, 08:25:54 AM
Quote from: PLD on April 19, 2016, 07:42:28 AM
Quote from: longbridge on April 19, 2016, 03:13:36 AM
I really enjoy reading a magazine but find the Model Railway Magazines are a waste of money, instead I but "Steam World" and "British Railways Illustrated" a far more interesting read than seeing one layout after another and reading one review after another
Well what do you expect to see in a Model Railway Magazine? - Herds of B1s sweeping majestically across the plain??
:hmmm: :confused2: :no:
(B Fawlty)
Great question PLD, maybe you can enlighten me as to what you expect to see in a Model Railway Magazine :confused2: :claphappy:
Erm how about Model Railways.... ::) (the clue is in the title)
Whereas you appear from your comments to expect/want something else... :dunce: ??? :hmmm:
Longbridge
You still haven't actually said what you would like to see in a modelling magazine (you have said what you like about railway mags which are not the same thing)! You don't want reviews or layout articles which takes out about half of the potential articles! Perhaps you just don't like modelling mags...
I agree with you about not all locos running the same, but I'm sure that doesn't completely invalidate a review! For most locos for every 5-10 people with problems there has to be several hundred with no problems (we have done that argument recently on here so no need to restart it here).
Cheers, Mike
You are right of course Mike my problem is I am not fond of model railway magazines, I find most them boring that is why I mentioned to many layouts and reviews, IMO it is the same old same old with very little variation, I think regarding layouts the problem is with the magazines themselves, always the same format, my name is Joe Blow I used Peco points, some buildings are scratch built others are modified card kits blah blah blah, now what would be wrong in a layout review where the mag asks simple questions like OK Joe tell us how you built the scratch built building and what you did to modify the card kits, I believe there is to much repartition and not enough input from the modeller, of course there are exceptions, also what would be wrong with modellers doing a review of a product, I believe we would bet a less biased view, I believe the most interesting mag is Model Rail and Model Railroader at least they have a few "How To" sections and can be a decent read, I stopped buying those mags about two years ago.
The Railway Magazine has a supplement '40 years of high-speed travel' which I found interesting and informative. Another good read was http://www.classicmagazines.co.uk/product/5465/duchess-75-mallard-s-greatest-rival-britain-s-most-powerful-steam-locomotive-bookazine-by-robin-jones (http://www.classicmagazines.co.uk/product/5465/duchess-75-mallard-s-greatest-rival-britain-s-most-powerful-steam-locomotive-bookazine-by-robin-jones) . Cheers john.
I tend to agree with longbridge on this. I used to buy the magazines but found there was not very much on modern EMUs which is my interest.
My preference is to get most of the information I want from the internet - particularly as it is more interactive, e.g. videos, forums etc
So I've had a subscription to Modern Railways for some years now which caters for the era that I am most interested in and does give me inspiration for future layouts.
Hello Dave,
Increasingly Model Rail does tend to write its layout articles by having photos of the layout taken, then one of the staff contributors calling the builder and asking them how they planned, built or approached various key aspects. However, it is then written up as "by" the layout builder as that is what readers say they prefer.
Personally, I can see the merit in a layout article that is written more as a Q&A between MR and the builder and I will suggest it.
The internet certainly has its place, but it can get tiresome wading through uninteresting or irrelevant postings or content and and a website or forum is harder to casually flick through than a magazine.
cheers
Ben A.
You certainly get a variety of different views when discussing magazines. I really enjoy getting them and don't need to worry about paper as I get digital versions.
In my opinion they all seem to go through boring patches when I wonder why I subscribed but what I think is boring someone else might find fascinating.
To someone living overseas they are invaluable as we don't really have model railway shows here or easy access to railway reference books.
I've been getting magazines for years but I never tire of looking at pictures of layouts whatever scale they might be in.
I got to say the reviews in the mags I treat with more of a pinch of salt than it's possible to fit in the bag they enevitably come-in. In some cases it's really quite obvious to me here's a bias (same fpor some "themed" project layouts). That said it the same everywhere and you make your own mind-up though I have naver really gone by a magazine review in any hobby.
I fully support the mags and recently they have allot of basic how to's which I think allot of internet yet web only newbies are missing. I've ordered N gauge specific mags and found them a little too concentrated on the scale rather then the bigger pic of creating the landscape etc.
I don't keep all my mags -do a purge every 6 months, but I usually find interesting things even if I don't read them first pass. I am bad for probably buying most modelling mags each month but I really do resist when there is a plastic wrapper and usually don't buy them as a poinmt in principle. The rest I do a good shake so all the guff phamplets fall out on the shelf (I tuck them in place) before I put it in my basket.
...I think the mainstream mags agre doing great these days and plasantly surprised how much N gauge is in there but they could be 50p cheaper and no plastic wrappers!!!
I buy RM most months, and have done since I was little - To me it is the hobby newspaper :)
I buy MR quite often too, but mainly when there is an article of interest; it seems to have improved recently following a dip in standards that lasted several years ( IMO!)
I buy MRJ often too, though for some reason not the latest issue....Its like fine wine, it gets better with age
The other mainstream mags just dont do it for me at all, I'm afraid.
I like Model Railroader a lot, but having had a subscription, it can get a bit like Groundhog Day if you take it too often :D
I agree with Jason when he says that to him, RM is the model railway magazine. I have every copy from circa 1957 through until 1968, then a large number of assorted issues from the1970s through until 1986. At that point I began getting it monthly again until 1998. I had half a dozen artlicles published in that period, all of which were about my layout, but with several "how I did it" bits in them. In fact one entire article was devoted to the signalling system. You'd have to like that, Dave! :thumbsup: ;)
Since then, I've only bought the odd issue that has had something that interests me in it. As Dave says RM is running at around $13 in the newsagents these days, and to me that's a bit pricey.
However, I remain loyal to RM.... let's face it, it's been a big part of my life since I was 5 years old!!! :uneasy:
Personally, I genuinely like the magazines very much indeed, and subscribe to both RM and MR (along with the NGS) print editions even though the combined annual cost for me overseas is quite high - almost the cost of a couple of new locos now. I find them entertaining, informative, inspirational, and well worth the cost, even while I now find new models are priced so dear that I have had to resort to looking for bargains or buying used stock!
I look forward to the review of new items, too, and on more than one occasion magazine reviews have influenced my decision to buy (or not buy) an item.
To be candid, at this my point in life (almost 50, mid-career, with a wife and daughter), I really don't have a lot of time for modelling. I do a little here and there and am Secretary of my local modular club, but my priorities are really elsewhere. Reading the magazines (and the NGS Journal) help me feel like I'm still a part of the hobby and engaged in it.
Matt
As stated previously I do not buy Model Railway Magazines I do however read Model Railway Express online which pretty much keeps me up to date on what is going on with the British mode railway scene, I also enjoy the input from ordinary modellers, the only other mag I read is also online which is Model Railroad Hobbyist from the USA, full of information regarding American modelling including plenty of tips and tricks, IMO we never stop learning with our hobby and I personally get a lot more out of free online mags than I ever did with hard copy, no I am not to tight to buy mags but I do appreciate my own style of what I expect from them.