Quote from: newportnobby on August 25, 2013, 09:38:05 AM
I always enjoy Railway Modeller as, even if there's not an N gauge layout featured, many ideas can be transferred across. After getting Steve Flint (RM Editor) to judge our Photographic Competition and having exchanged many mails with him, the solution to getting more N gauge in RM lies with us - the N gauge modellers, so don't be afraid to send anything in. We have had at least 2 of our members layouts featured in the mag

If you buy Railway Modeller than keep an eye out next year for my layout featuring at some point. 

I buy three historical railway mags and subscribe to DEMU which has an excellent modern magazine with stock features that are right up my street. N'spirations I find very useful as a relative new-comer to N and the N gauge journal has interesting product information and at least one useful article each edition given that my N gauge interest is 'post-modern' image.

I get most of the others second hand via a regular 4-monthly magazine swap with a friend which doubles up as a reason to meet him for a pint or three.  There is invariably something of interest regardless of scale. Inspiration comes in many track gauges!

I probably spend too much on magazines, but i'm never stuck for something to read....

Quote from: Cooper on August 28, 2013, 10:45:15 PM

If you buy Railway Modeller than keep an eye out next year for my layout featuring at some point. 

Excellent - congratulations and I look forward to seeing the article

Quote from: newportnobby on August 28, 2013, 10:47:32 PM
Excellent - congratulations and I look forward to seeing the article

Seconded and... seconded! 

As a published RM author myself (yes, I am bragging  ), I too look forward to seeing your article! 

RM arrives in Australian newsagents a few months later, so let us know the issue and I'll keep my eyes peeled for it! 

Bearing in mind my area of interest (Deutsche Bundesbahn / Osterreichisches Bundesbahn), I subscribe to N-Bahn magazin (bi-monthly) from Alba Publikation:

http://www.alba-publikation.de/oxid.php/sid/480258d837857bbd8ec562d5bb5d05f2/cl/alist/cnid/130

Nothing but N scale 

In addition, for prototype info, I take Eisenbahn Modellbahn Magazin when I find it on my travels abroad:

http://www.alba-publikation.de/oxid.php/sid/x/shp/oxbaseshop/cl/alist/cnid/105

CT 

A few pages back, there was some comment on plastic wrapped issues. Whilst I like a pristine, unthumbed copy of any mags I buy, I do like to know what is in it - and the cover info is not always as correct as it should be. A recent mag I purchased (relating to classic motorcycles) advertised a test of a new "retro" bike, but the mag was plastic wrapped as there was a free gift. When I read the article (which was why I bought the mag), it was mainly an interview with a press release (supposedly with the MD of the manufacturer, but pure PR speak). The "test" ride consisted of a small "sidebar" within the article.

My daughter gave me a Years subscription to BRM after I mentioned I had enjoyed the last couple of issues. Well, during the Years issues there was not a lot to get me excited and I felt disappointed. I think they all have their good and bad issues depending in your area of interest. I have no allegiance to any particular magazine on model railways, preferring to thumb through the front copy on the shelf before I buy...as many others do!                                                              I will not buy one in a plastic wrapper as there may be nowt in there to interest me between the adverts duplicated in all of the mags. I'm not tight, some months I might buy 3 mags, and just one the next. They have to have something that interests me if I am to part with my money.

Steve

Falmouth.

Yeah, I'm a bit the same way, Steve. Some months I'll buy two or three, others none. I'm pretty loyal to RM, though. I find I buy the others if they are offering some sort of workshop manual that month.

 

I used to buy the railway modeller on a regular basis from the mid 1960's till recently but now I buy it on and off depending if their is any thing n gauge in it.

Being a pensioner now it is the cost of magazines that puts me off buying them monthly

Mike

Sounds like you and I are of about the same vintage, Mike. Yes, I agree - the mags are a bit pricey to get on a monthly basis, especially when you're not working any more.

George

used to have Model Rail, Hornby, and Railway Modeller on subscription, plus have a nose into BRM  to see if anything of interest, but now I have let all the subs expire and just have a look through them at Tescos when SWMBO has dragged me down there.

to be honest, most months there is not much of interest between them, and certainly not enough to make me buy them.

when you've discounted the adverts and the 'reviews' there are very few pages left.

rather put the money towards another carriage or loco 

That's one way of looking at it! 

Hi

Having had Model Rail on a cheapie subscription for 10 months now I have found:

The 'how to' articles a bit repetitive and very biased towards 00 even though they are billed as 'any scale'. Many of the suggestions would need a skilled micro surgeon to attempt in 'N'

The few and far between 'N' reviews are nowhere as good as the comments on the Forum as they seldom focus much on performance only appearance.

The adverts from main suppliers are often out of date with items sold out.

I do not think I will be renewing for another year.

Cheers

Mac

Quote from: macwales on October 16, 2013, 01:47:34 PM

The 'how to' articles a bit repetitive and very biased towards 00 even though they are billed as 'any scale'. Many of the suggestions would need a skilled micro surgeon to attempt in 'N'

I have to agree with this, and not only because of the skill requirement but often they do not take in to account;

* the differences (sometimes necessary) in modelling N gauge, such as materials, tools and part availability,
* or recognise (and consequently don't play to) the benefits of the scale (such as the ability to construct and set the modelling in a realistic scenic environment outside of the railway boundary, run full length scale trains, etc., etc.)
* nor do they mention alternative model/part availability in N gauge in general scale projects (by assuming everyone and everything is OO and only listing those).   

I'm getting a little disillusioned with Model Rail - the content, the poor paper quality and it's deference to N gauge. Once it used to be a great mag with master-classes and so on, now IMO, it's slipped and others have caught up and overtaken it.

H.

H.

Quote from: H on October 16, 2013, 04:27:05 PM

Quote from: macwales on October 16, 2013, 01:47:34 PM

The 'how to' articles a bit repetitive and very biased towards 00 even though they are billed as 'any scale'. Many of the suggestions would need a skilled micro surgeon to attempt in 'N'

I have to agree with this, and not only because of the skill requirement but often they do not take in to account;

* the differences (sometimes necessary) in modelling N gauge, such as materials, tools and part availability,

Also in techniques. In 7mm you for example build a card wagon out of chunky card and there are usually no folds. In N its on photo-paper and if you don't use folds you'll go nuts, same with etches, which is what makes shrinks of 4mm kits so horrible to build.


Alan