Whos up for sling-shoting N gauge into the forfront?

[polo2k]

Hi all.

As we have all noticed (im sure). N gauge tends to take a back seat in the modelling press.

I was pondering, maybe if we approached one of the larger magazines as a representative group from the forum then we could suggest an N gauge special (perhaps in the run up to TINGS).

From dealing with Magazines in a previous life (advertising and articles but not modeling), the plans are laid out months and months ahead. perhaps if we could approach them with a list of suitable layouts, showcasing the forum they could be swayed.
It goes without saying that the photos provided would need to be very high quality as if their photographer needed to come to 5-10 layouts then it would cost them a fortune in fuel.

I was wandering which magazine we should approach for max exposure and impression:
Railway Modelller - High UK profile but no exposure for non UK layouts
Continental modeller - High global profile but little to no UK exposure.
Etc
I think that a specialist publication would be like singing to the converted.

Perhaps we could use this oppertunity to show that N is no longer glitchy, lumpy, pan scourer scenery, and is now a condender against the larger scales.

Another possibility would be to approach multiple mags with the intention of multiple features on the same month, but I doubt they would work together like that.

I would also like to hope that there would be a space for works in progress for layouts that arn't complete, but that have good looking scenes.

what are other peoples thoughts?

[Newportnobby]

Probably no bad idea to have a go at the best selling magazine (anyone know which one it is ) to do an N gauge special on the run up to TINGS, and it would be great for the NGF to push for this and lead the field. How about this for a suggestion?:-

We have a poll on this very forum as to which of our members layouts are considered the favourite top 3. This would cut down on photographers travel time hopefully, or if suitable pics are available from the owner they could maybe be used.
I am not only willing to liaise with the selected magazine, but would also stump up a prize for the Number 1 voted layout in the form of a trophy. This could be also used as a trophy for those who would like to enter their layouts in an annual competition.
Thoughts anyone??

[Lawrence]

In the past I have discussed the lack of N gauge stuff in the press with Ben the Editor of Model Rail and he told me he can only publish what he receives at the office.  So if you want to see more N in Model Rail, get your pictures and articles in to him.

[scotsoft]

One problem would be the quality of the photographs.
Photographs we might think are good are no where near good enough for magazines.
So this is going to be the biggest stumbling block.

Brilliant idea and I see no wrong coming from approaching magazines.

cheers John.

[PLD]

Probably no bad idea to have a go at the best selling magazine (anyone know which one it is )

Last report I had was sometime last year.

I cant find the exact numbers now but IIRC the ranking in decending order of sales, the big four were:

Railway Modeller
BRM
Hornby Magazine
Model Rail

However, only Railway Modeller and Hornby Mag's circulation was independently verified, the others were the publishers own numbers...

As to the general idea, I doubt any of them would be willing to devote an entire issue to one scale - it would impact too much on their other sales. A more feasible idea may be a pull-out 'TINGS preview' suplement, probably with some commercial sponsorship to fund it, and as well as 4/5 layouts include some big feature such as a new product launch anounced in that suplement rather than on the day at the show...

[edwin_m]

Didn't Model Rail co-sponsor TINGS this year?  If so and if they are doing so next year then this may influence the attitude of the other mags to such an idea. 

I've seen many excellent N gauge layouts in the pages of the magazines, some belonging to members of this forum, and if we voted for our favourites I think most of the winners would have already have been seen in print one or more times recently.  So perhaps the focus should be on high-quality N gauge layouts that haven't already been featured in magazines? 

[H]

Railway Modeller has the largest circulation. It used be a massive lead but it's slowly being whittled away. And all the main mags feature British outline only so you might as well forget American and continental layouts.

It's not difficult to take acceptable photos for the commercial magazines (although phone snaps generally won't cut it) - I took all the ones that were used in Railway Modeller as Railway of the Month and one was blown up and printed over two pages. But you need to take care and time. Decent lighting and a large depth of field is necessary.

To get acceptance and interst by an editor you need a USP - a reason or something special that links the layouts and scale/gauge. The 50 anniversay of N gauge and the 45th for the NGS is this year (2012) so that has been missed. But 2014 will be the 50th for Peco starting production of their N gauge track and formulating British 1:148 so Railway Modeller would probably be interested in that. Perhaps five layouts featuring Peco track and representing each of the decades.

Good luck

H.

[Lawrence]

I'm sure that if even amateurish 'snaps' were sent in to Ben, if they gave an inclination of a bit of a gem they would send the doyen of model railway photography, Chris Nevard, round to take a few shots to show it in all its glory.

Irrespective of you abilities with the camera, if you don't plant the seeds with the modelling press, the scale wont grow.

Quite agree with PLD, can't see an entire issue being devoted to N, but as H mentions with the anniversaries coming, well you just never know