What model rail magazine do you read

[Portpatrick]

When I was 14 - many years ago - I started buying the Railway Modeller.  The Railway of the Month was Portleven.  I got it every month until c 2000.  With occaisional MRN, MRC and others if I happened to find an article I liked.  ButI got bored with the RM so started buying Model Rail.  I have subscribed to it ever since and still like it.  But if I happen to see an article in an other I may buy that as well.  Yes I am sometimes a freeloader but why should I fork out £3 or so unless it meets a need?  I naturally want to check what I am buying.

[Bealman]

I'm sorta sorry in a way I started this thread goin' again, but your comments are extremely interesting. Unfortunately, I get a vibe from Veronica's comment that paper mags are on the way out. I tend agree - forums like this sorta suggest the way things are going. But I still love that RM 1959 issue! Look at the cover photo... what sort of track was that then? Ballast? Probably budgie grit! And the weathering? Fantastic! Ok, it was 00, but the atmosphere is brilliant.

Long live nostalgia, and we can learn from their work. Having said all that, lightn' up! 

[Bealman]

Just that minute saw your post, Portpatrick. I have also seen that layout, and it's thanks to the printed media that I have. (Oh, and old age, of course).

[H]

Ok, it was 00, but the atmosphere is brilliant.

Atmosphere. Now that's an interesting comment. It's something many strive for, but how do you achieve it and what makes a layout have atmosphere?

Should be an interesting discussion. Something I was considering writing about so contributions would be welcome. 

H.

[red_death]

A few thoughts - I find I buy mags less and less.

Model Rail used to be superb, but I find increasingly little of interest.

Railway Modeller - hit and miss, but can have some gems in.

MRJ - inspirational stuff even if I only pick and choose the odd issues.

2mm SA - a bit like MRJ, inspirational modelling even if the prototypes aren't always of interest to me.

DEMU's Update - normally levels of detail that mainstream mags don't cover.

Rail Express - normally something of interest (to me!) plus I like the mix of modelling and prototype info.

Cheers, Mike

[Bealman]

Thanks for that, H. It's all about atmosphere, not scale. There are some historical layouts out there that were not anywhere near scale, but had character and atmosphere. You don't have to be dead scale and model real prototypes to achieve this. I personally feel that a major ingredient is a sense of humour. 

[Newportnobby]

Ok, it was 00, but the atmosphere is brilliant.

Atmosphere. Now that's an interesting comment. It's something many strive for, but how do you achieve it and what makes a layout have atmosphere?

Should be an interesting discussion. Something I was considering writing about so contributions would be welcome. 

H.

New thread started in General Discussion..........
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=12026.0

[Paddy]

Well, here goes...

* I subscribe to Model Rail and Hornby Magazine (both from issue 1) and I have kept them all - they are in official binders.

* I used to subscribe to BRM but it went downhill when Tony Wright left (IMHO) and went all "digital".

* Railway Modeller I buy when something interests me which is quite often thesde days - it has improved enormously over the last 12-24 months.  Good content and high production values.

* I am an NGS member so I also have all of the journals since I joined.  Actually I go back to when the journal was relaunched (not sure how many years ago that was now).

I would rank them as follows:

1) Hornby Magazine
2) Railway Modeller & Model Rail
3) NGS Journal
4) BRM

It seems a little unfair to list the NGS Journal in third as it is truly remarkable when you think it is put together by volunteers.

Paddy

[macwales]

Hi

I have taken out a 'bargain' years subscription to Model Rail. Only had two issues so far and the last had very little N stuff in it. I also find many of the techniques articles are very 00 biased.

Since I returned to my layout after a 15 year gap I found Model Rails annual of all the locos and rolling stock very useful in deciding what locos to buy. I bought this two years in a row but there was not much of an update between the two years and an update is needed as newer models of the same locos do vary. A good example was the Dapol 9F which received a great improvement modification when the pony truck spring was fitted.

I have found some magazine full reviews disappointing, particularly the scoring. It seems to me that they over score Farish on livery colours and do not make enough account of a locos running and haulage capacities. It would be nice to feel the locos reviewed had experienced a proper running test over the types of 'dodgy' running and heavy hauling that they will experience at both fast and slow speeds on real layouts  with all their imperfections. This would equate the 'looks' scores with running ability more. I have even seen two or three page spreads where the loco appears never to have been run at all due to the 'test track' being unavailable.

Cheers

Mac 

[Newportnobby]

Hi

I have taken out a 'bargain' years subscription to Model Rail. Only had two issues so far and the last had very little N stuff in it. I also find many of the techniques articles are very 00 biased.

Since I returned to my layout after a 15 year gap I found Model Rails annual of all the locos and rolling stock very useful in deciding what locos to buy. I bought this two years in a row but there was not much of an update between the two years and an update is needed as newer models of the same locos do vary. A good example was the Dapol 9F which received a great improvement modification when the pony truck spring was fitted.

I have found some magazine full reviews disappointing, particularly the scoring. It seems to me that they over score Farish on livery colours and do not make enough account of a locos running and haulage capacities. It would be nice to feel the locos reviewed had experienced a proper running test over the types of 'dodgy' running and heavy hauling that they will experience at both fast and slow speeds on real layouts  with all their imperfections. This would equate the 'looks' scores with running ability more. I have even seen two or three page spreads where the loco appears never to have been run at all due to the 'test track' being unavailable.

Cheers

Mac

To be fair to Railway Modeller, as it's a Peco publication they do run all their test locos/units on their layout and usually comment on haulage capabilities

[508111]

do they warrent the £4 odd price tag? Discuss.

Use a supermarket points card.

[Paul B]

I have to admit that I regularly buy Railway Modeller - I find the magazines layout and style to be good, and the articles are well written. Also the adverts are extensive (and expensive when you start buying from them too!  ) and the exhibition lists do come in handy for those empty weekends! The other readily available magazines I do look at, but only buy if I can see that there is something specific that I want to read.

However, as I have recently become interested in European railways, I have also been buying Continental Modeller - a good read if you like the alternatives to British outline!

And, of course, I get the NGS Journal - brilliant little magazine, and as good a reason for joining the N Gauge Society as anything, as I feel it is worth the subscription alone (although I have bought RTR and kits and other bits from the club too - more money!)

[Sea Mills]

I guess a lot depends on your background and experience.   As someone new to both modelling and railways I have been buying a lot of magazines over the last two years and have found my interests changing over that period.

As an example, I am much more interested in prototype articles than I was when I first started reading them, and less interested in reading (yet again) how a baseboard was made.

Generally I like Model Rail the most, not least because they seem to be prepared to be more critical in reviews then Hornby or RM.

Hornby comes second and RM an imprving third.

David

[bluedepot]

I flick through them all in the shop. I prefer to buy a real trains magazine now. I like railways illustrated, rail express and traction. I do sometimes buy model rail or continental modeller or hornby but not so often. I find out most things to do with modelling on this forum or other websites.

Tim

[Buffin]

Me too, Buffin! I love that opening shot of the tank loco arriving with a surburban and the Triang turntable in the foreground! Full of 1950's town atmosphere and character. The layout was, of course, modern image at the time! Considering there was not the huge range of models and modeling materials we have access to today around at that time, it was excellent modelling. I've just dug it off that shelf (Heaven knows how I'm gonna get it back) and it still stands the test of time. The layout still looks great. I know as a kid, I used to drool over that layout.

That's a great point about modern image, bealman! As we lived in Greater London, Stephenton to my boyhood eyes was far more realistic than the rural branch lines. And the black and white photography added to the dingy atmosphere