Magazine Recomendations?

[RichardBattersby]

I've been in the N Gauge Society three times now, as other interests and commitments have taken me away from the hobby from time to time.  First time was in the mid-1980s and I suppose I'd have a really low membership no. now if I'd have stayed throughout.

The magazine is a very well-produced A5 publication with lots of colour.  Mainly contains well illustrated articles of varying length about members' layouts, or plans, or kit-builds and useful tips and hints from other members.  Some of the layouts are inspirational, or cause jealousy.  It comes out quarterly.  An additional benefit of being in the Society is that members are able to buy specially commissioned bits of rolling stock that are not available to non-members.  For instance a recent snow-plough, siphon wagon and an inspection coach that's due out next year; I ordered the latter at N Gauge show last month.

I'd recommend membership, it always feels like good VFM to me.

Non members can get hold of a sample copy of the magazine at exhibitions where the society has a stand, you may have to pay for the sample; can't remember.

On a similar subject, I've noticed that some people on the forum are also members of the 2mm society.  Does anyone have a view on whether 2mm membership is useful to people like me who don't want to go down the fine-scale route?

Thanks for that! I'll definitely be joing now then! Plus, I'm desperate for that brake van and snow plough! I, too, would be interested to hear what the 2mm Society has to offer.

[longbridge]

Here's the link Poliss, a great mag.

http://www.nscalerailroadn.com/

[Crackerbill]

Received my copy of N'spirations Year Book - seems N'teresting - will have a good read later.

Another success story H.

By the way has anyone got a spare N'spirations No. 2? 

Bill

[red_death]

The magazine is a very well-produced A5 publication with lots of colour. <snip> It comes out quarterly.

It actually comes out every 2 months now (not quarterly).

 An additional benefit of being in the Society is that members are able to buy specially commissioned bits of rolling stock that are not available to non-members.  

And exclusive kits as well, which are excellent.  Furthermore the NGS has a shop that sells lots of useful, hard to find bits and pieces (often discounted).

Does anyone have a view on whether 2mm membership is useful to people like me who don't want to go down the fine-scale route?

I am a member of both the NGS and the 2mm Association (and a member of DEMU as well - well worth it for "modern image" modellers, particularly for the quarterly mag and forum) and both offer different things.  Depending on what you are interested in the 2mm Assoc also offers some useful kits and bits and pieces that are only available to members - have a look at the website for details of all the products.  the 2mm Assoc also produces a bimonthly mag which is very good and often full of inspirational layouts and/or tips and techniques that are often equally applicable to N.

Cheers, Mike

[RichardBattersby]

The magazine is a very well-produced A5 publication with lots of colour. <snip> It comes out quarterly.

It actually comes out every 2 months now (not quarterly).

 An additional benefit of being in the Society is that members are able to buy specially commissioned bits of rolling stock that are not available to non-members.  

And exclusive kits as well, which are excellent.  Furthermore the NGS has a shop that sells lots of useful, hard to find bits and pieces (often discounted).

Does anyone have a view on whether 2mm membership is useful to people like me who don't want to go down the fine-scale route?

I am a member of both the NGS and the 2mm Association (and a member of DEMU as well - well worth it for "modern image" modellers, particularly for the quarterly mag and forum) and both offer different things.  Depending on what you are interested in the 2mm Assoc also offers some useful kits and bits and pieces that are only available to members - have a look at the website for details of all the products.  the 2mm Assoc also produces a bimonthly mag which is very good and often full of inspirational layouts and/or tips and techniques that are often equally applicable to N.

Cheers, Mike

The kits do look good. I particularly fancy the snow plough and the new brake van. Do the kits come with wheels, bogies and couplings? Are there guides on how to paint and suggested liveries? What do you do about lining and numbers etc. - are there transfers available to finish the kits off? Will definitely join at some point.

[red_death]

Do the kits come with wheels, bogies and couplings? Are there guides on how to paint and suggested liveries? What do you do about lining and numbers etc. - are there transfers available to finish the kits off?

All the kits come with wheels, bogies, couplings etc.  All the later kits from about NGK24 include transfers, most of the earlier kits you can get transfers from the NGS shop to go with the kits.

Most of the instructions include paint diagrams or instructions.

For the modern kits if you can put together an airfix kit then you can put together one of the NGS plastic kits (just don't choose one of the etched brass kits as your first kit!).

Cheers, Mike

[RichardBattersby]

Do the kits come with wheels, bogies and couplings? Are there guides on how to paint and suggested liveries? What do you do about lining and numbers etc. - are there transfers available to finish the kits off?

All the kits come with wheels, bogies, couplings etc.  All the later kits from about NGK24 include transfers, most of the earlier kits you can get transfers from the NGS shop to go with the kits.

Most of the instructions include paint diagrams or instructions.

For the modern kits if you can put together an airfix kit then you can put together one of the NGS plastic kits (just don't choose one of the etched brass kits as your first kit!).

Cheers, Mike

That's good. Thanks. I'll just not start with the brass ones then!

[EtchedPixels]

A lot of the early brass stuff is also shrinks from larger scales rather than designed for N. I would work through the simpler kits, then brass and other etched kits designed for N, then shrinks.