#116

shortliner2001 · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 846

will hopefully be arriving in letterboxes in UK this weekend.

Jordan · Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 1388

You posted that before Steve asked the question!!! Shocked

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What is this thing called "Spare Time"...??

steve · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 627 Location: North Yorkshire

steve
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ERFG, DEMU, EMGS

shortliner2001 · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 846

Anticipation - that's the name of the Game! Laughing

ruedetropal · Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 4:45 pm Post subject:

arrived today. Odd thing is that it is quite often very wet on the day it arrives. Luckily my copy was dry, but I have had slightly damp copies in the past. Shocked

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Simon Dawson
Will try anything once, looking for the ultimate easy to set up portable exhibition layout, preferably French narrow gauge and with lots going on, not necessary on the rails.

http://www.rue-d-etropal.com

Blackcloud Railways · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 2083 Location: Sandbach UK

That's 'cos you live in the Pennines Simon! I used to have the same problem when I lived in Glossop but, happily, now have a less moist version of rain to contend with.

Interesting On30 nano-layouts by Bob Mason. Very Happy

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Bob Hughes
Playing Trains

Once there were mountains on mountains and once there were sunbirds to soar with and once I could never be down.

steve · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 627 Location: North Yorkshire

My, dry, copy has arrived today.

steve Very Happy

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ERFG, DEMU, EMGS

shortliner2001 · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 846

up here in the windy frozen north, the bridges have been shut, the trains have been cancelled, the leccy died, and we had no post!

giles b · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 2278 Location: London

Mine arrived today - haven't had time to do more than read some of the shorter items, but it looks chock full of layout ideas/prototypes to model. Also impressed with Graham Weller's conversion of a cheap Hornby wagon - amazing what a new underframe does to it. A good reminder to keep an eye on trader's scrap boxes.

Interesting comments from Chris in his Editorial and also the letter from Chris Arnold, regarding repeated articles and what belongs in print and what online. As a magazine contributor who also uses the website I'm aware when writing up my layout projects for the magazine that a lot of the info has already been transmitted "live" as the models were built. In consequence I try and make the content different, though this can tend to make it a bit "conceptual". However I'm also aware that there are magazine readers who do not follow the MTI Forum, and they would probably like a bit more of the "nuts and bolts" description. It's quite a difficult line to tread. On the subject of repeats, I think anything from over about 15 years ago is probably OK if it hasn't aged. On looking back through some early copies of Model Trains a lot has dated badly, but a few things do still stand out and might be legitimately updated for those who missed them the first time around. Case in point:- I've just bought a second hand Piko railbus with the thought of carrying out the Piko/Dapol conversion described by Richard Gardner somewhere back in the archives. Yes, I know there will soon be a new RTR version, but I can't afford the best part of £100, and my version will probably cost well under half that.

ruedetropal · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:15 am Post subject:

I think there is a lot more in old articles than people appreciate. Some might look dated but are probably a good reflection on the hobby at that time, and some who grumble these days about lack of models in shops(if they have one nearby) should read them.
I have a lot of older magazines, RM back to issue 1 (but missing a handful, and not regularly now), MRN bound copies from 1940s showing how austerity affected the hobby, with some ingenious ideas.
Giles, I would not worry about repeating yourself in articles , as online forums are probably read less than real paper magazines anyway.
My real gripe with some in the hobby, are those who complain about lack of articles they are interested in, yet they never even submit a letter, let alone an article. It used to be more difficult with photos, but in digital age it is very easy.
The world of publishing is far too complex, with rules still set in the pre-digital/internet age. The result will be less historical info being around for people in the future.
Look at the vast amount of info coming out about WW1 , mainly because it does not have those same restrictions. As a hobby we are pretty good at sharing our ideas, but there are a few who are making it difficult. We would not have online forums, let alone the internet, if the internet had been restricted in the same way.
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Simon Dawson
Will try anything once, looking for the ultimate easy to set up portable exhibition layout, preferably French narrow gauge and with lots going on, not necessary on the rails.

http://www.rue-d-etropal.com

Jordan · Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 1388

#116 arrived West Mids. Very Happy

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What is this thing called "Spare Time"...??

Roger · Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Posts: 208 Location: Wales

Over here in balmy Cardiff, my copy arrived yesterday in tip top condition.
Always such a treat to find it waiting patiently in our post box especially on a Friday.

A mighty fine read so far - thanks!

Roger

Wonders - just how many layouts does Mr Ellis have ?!!

Cool

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Jordan · Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 1388

Re repeats of articles, I don't mind them. The Warren series was iconic, although the part that had the most impact on me was the last, in Sept 1980, where Chris described with pictures how a freight train worked the layout. I don't think I'd ever read anything like that before, & it opened my eyes to both layout operation & the potential of modelling US outline.
I wouldn't mind some repeats from the later Scale Model Trains in fact, as I missed a lot of those first time around, as SMT had distribution problems then so it wasn't always available, & I was in my late teens "hiatus" from the hobby we all seemed to go through as well.
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What is this thing called "Spare Time"...??

Blackcloud Railways · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 2083 Location: Sandbach UK

I don't keep back issues due to lack of space so to some degree I have to agree with Jordan there, the Warren layout is one that stuck in my mind and I'm glad to be able to read about the layout again.

I have a copy of Conrail's employee "timetable" (in effect a combination of rule book and sectional appendix), which I treat as a bible when planning layout operations, but before I obtained this I was totally in the dark as to US freight operations... Which are a lot more lax than goods workings used to be here in the UK.

Propelling is a lot more common, with or without a caboose leading, so don't dismiss strange looking moves as unprototypical, there's probably a full sized version of just about anything somewhere!
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Bob Hughes
Playing Trains

Once there were mountains on mountains and once there were sunbirds to soar with and once I could never be down.

pdbrooksburke · Joined: 05 Apr 2009 Posts: 43 Location: Manchester

I also agree with Jordan about repeat articles, though the hobby is way different from 1980 when Chris started his model magaziine editing. The major paradox here is that most of the currnt MTI subscribers are modellers of many years standing even though MTI itself claims that it is for people starting out. The articles are really about providing inspiration to us all, and MTI STILL does give me personally more to think about than the 'glossies' such as Model Rail and the Hornby magazine, beautifully produced though they are.
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Paul