SRI 5

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

Look out! No. 5 is about!

Arrived in my letter box today - looks like a good read, just flicked through so far.

Cheers
Roger
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Goblins are less than helpful

The Lea Bailey Light Railway - follow us on facebook.

gwyn1946 · Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Posts: 23 Location: west yorkshire

Ah no5,another interesting edition.
I agree with Chris's editorial, lets have plenty of variety in railway modeling.
Keep it up Chris.
Don.
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don,still trying to finish a modelrailway after 40yrs.!!!!

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

Anyone else got no.5 ? Gone a bit quiet on the Article Discussion.
Its a good read and a good mix as always.

Cheers
Roger
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Goblins are less than helpful

The Lea Bailey Light Railway - follow us on facebook.

C Ford · Joined: 05 Apr 2015 Posts: 36

They all went out at the end of Feb. So.... ?

ruedetropal · Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2016 7:40 pm Post subject:

As I am not subscribing at the moment(given the way sensible ideas were thrown back in our faces), I have kept out of discussion, but when I read these threads iy looks and feels like a private club. sorry to have to say that, as a lot of hard work has obviously been put into the magazine.
So far I have not come across anyone up here who has said they have the magazine, and given the extremely well supported narrow gauge groups I am surprised no-one has mentioned it at the exhibitions I have been at.

Any mention and support of variety will always get my ear. It is the lack of variety that is holding back parts of the hobby. The differences between several of the current magazines is not much, and that is not good. Why buy 3 magazines when I can get the same from one. Part of the problem I think stems from them not being contributor driven. I am always willing to write articles on subjects that interest me and hopefully interest others, but sometimes feel I am not wanted. Luckily I do have a good working relationship with one editor, and another has also been supportive.
As I am currently involved in 3D printing design, I have used that as a common thread, but it does disappoint me that there is still very little written about it in the model railway press. French magazines have had quite a few articles on the subject, including one that used one of my designs. I find I get a lot of interest at exhibitions, but still get the impression more should be in the magazines, as the hype over what can be done and the limitations of what can be done are not properly talked about.
It is important to talk and listen. Quite often that is what I do most off at exhibitions I am visiting. Interestingly it has been said that many who spend time talking on forums don't actually go to exhibitions, and might not even buy magazines, yet they seem to know everything. This quite often results in misunderstandings and bad feelings, but similar discussions face to face at exhibitions result in positive actions. It is worth the entry price just to be able to talk to other enthusiasts.
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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

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

Ho hum..

No 5 certainly made for an interesting read.
I like the cover picture - a loco in the sunshine brings out the details very nicely and the Ransomes shunting tractor was interesting - I'd never seen one before although I've sat behind many a Ransomes mower cutting the grass on cricket pitches many years ago!

All in all a good read and just as with MTI, SRI broadens my outlook on railways generally, which is always a good thing! (it can't all be 15" or 2' gauge!)

Thanks

Roger

ps I'm off to get inside "Carl's Cupboard" again..
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Goblins are less than helpful

The Lea Bailey Light Railway - follow us on facebook.

ibareham · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 45 Location: Ipswich, England

I have replied to latest editorial by Chris Ford in SRI 5, he mentioned about not please all the people all the time. Well I think Chris is getting the mix about right, he can only publish the articles he receives. So if you have an interesting article or photos of both models or prototype let Chris know.

Over the years of I have been a reader of various Chris Ellis model titles and developed an eclectic interest in railways worldwide. I have an interest in everything and anything it common dominator been the iron rails the railways run on. I have submitted article on unusual subjects, the Old Pool Bank Quarry Railway featured in SRI 3 & a photo of Ransome's Small Shunting Tractor in SRI 5. With an article of the Island of Mallorca, Soller Train & Tram also submitted. Hopefully some of my prototype photos will provide inspiration for modellers.

I have put many of my eclectic interest in photos up on my Flickr site, in different albums. https://www.flickr.com/photos/75088377@N06/ The one that sums it up is my 35th Years Album as going through older photos I find my oldest taken photo from 1978 of a Douglas Horse Tram, so the Collection features 1 photo a year since then, with horse, steam, diesel, electric & battery powered trains, freight & passenger, modern & heritage, 1st and Last days, oldest ones to then newest on special or plain ordinary days, all types of railways including funiculars and rack in the UK, Ireland, Europe & Canada.
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Ian Bareham

Ipswich England

Graham W · Joined: 15 Jul 2014 Posts: 25 Location: London

I've had my copy for a couple of weeks now, but have only just finished reading it. Another excellent issue, and as for variety...it's got standard gauge, narrow gauge, OO, HO, OO9, O9, Modern, Old Time, British, American, Norwegian, WW1 and even a Bulgarian railways article!
As far as I'm aware, the Mag is going from strength to strength and Issues 1 & 2 are sold out completely. It now appears to have it's own identity, although it's good to see articles from former MTI contributors including a couple from our very own Chris Ellis.
As for a private club, then surely that's what it felt like being a subscriber to MTI? As MTI was subscription only, then being a subscriber was like becoming a member of an exclusive group, everyone felt like they knew everyone else (even it was by name only) and the whole set up was friendly and familiar. Anyone who wasn't a subscriber was on the outside.
SRI is no different, anyone can join in the fun...just subscribe or submit an article and be a part of it.
I'm definitely looking forward to further issues of the mag and will submit a couple more articles myself on my Eastern European TT gauge project.

Graham

ruedetropal · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 7:14 pm Post subject:

'private club'- thing is MTI was intrinsically linked to this website, so most people here were subscribers, and although independant the forum fed and fed off the magazine. Also Chris Ellis had been far more pro-active to get magazine out, I seem to remember getting a sample of issue 1 through the post. Also it was International and had subscribers outside UK.
The first posts for this new magazine were from a new member(looking at his post count at the time), and Chris Ford was a total stranger to me, and normal practice on any forum is to post something about yourself. This I can't remember seeing, but I do remember him asking people to support his new magazine with money. Sorry, that just rang alarm bells. No-one at the time came forward to explain who Chris Ford was. Again a bit of a 'private club' feeling there.
The magazine might be the best thing since sliced bread, but its launch has been extremely badly handled. Is there any advertising- the normal means of funding magazines? As a business person, I would be asking a lot of questions, and the negative response to free and good advice, does not bode well.
I have deliberately kept quiet over past few months, but am just feeling it is too inward thinking. The hobby needs people who want to shout from the roof tops, and be proud of the hobby, not small groups of people who are happy as long as everything is OK for them. That will not grow the hobby(to use much hated modern management speak!).
Railway Modeller has a superb article on the health advantages of the hobby. They are asking the right questions, and broadening the discussion forum(I need to see what comments there are over on that other forum).
Something else about the old MTI and this forum, well the official MTI page linked to it and what was actually in the new copy of magazine. This is totally different to the new magazine.
Having said that, from what I can gather from comments, this new magazine is OK, but until mud is not being chucked at those who tried to be helpful, I won't subscribe or submit any articles.
I have been in the hobby for 40 years , the past 25 involved with local clubs and exhibition, have run or tried to run a model shop, helped set up local businesses, been involved in community and environmental work, and spent 20 years in IT, and that included some extremely well known companies. I am now trying to get my 3D printing business beyond the pocket money stage, and know all about using the internet and the pros and cons of traditional (ie cheques) and internet banking.
_________________
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

C Ford · Joined: 05 Apr 2015 Posts: 36

Thistles...

C Ford · Joined: 05 Apr 2015 Posts: 36

... and I'd like to add:
I'd been a reader of Model Trains, SMT and MTI and felt that something should take it's place post CE's 'retirement'. As far as I'm aware I was the only person to put their hand up and have a go - and it has been a very steep learning curve.
We, and it is a we not a me, are on No 5. No6 is at proof read stage, Nos 7 & 8 are in construction with a fairly wide base from std gauge quarries to London termini via US switchers and NG railbuses.
SRI is not MTI - it wasn't supposed to be, but here seemed a good place to start - the obvious place to start.
It has taken off quite well, better than I'd hoped, and the feedback has been positive. Subscribers include three current MRJ writers - which I didn't expect, and a host of very talented modellers and enthusiasts as far afield as San Jose CA and Whitby.Where most of them have come from is word of mouth - people seem to be recommending it to friends which is lovely.

If people wish to discuss SRI here, then that's up to them, but this is a different place and although SRI was launched with the MTI reader in mind this is the MTI and not the SRI forum. What is very noticeable is that all the dissent has come from here and not outside. Why that should be I don't know. What I do know is that it's an open 'club', details are on the web page. No 6 (!) is out 1st May.
Chris

Blackcloud Railways · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 2060 Location: Sandbach UK

Admittedly I don't subscribe to the latest print version but I still take an interest in the layouts discussed here on the forum. MTI, its fore-runners, and SRI as its successor, all have a valid part on this forum. They're a sequence of magazines with the same basic small layout interest.

Even if the name of the forum were changed MTI would still be discussed, just as the earlier magazines always have been, so I have no issue with SRI being discussed on the MTI forum or MTI being discussed on an SRI forum, there's no difference providing the archives are maintained.

But - It's a lot simpler to just carry on with the status quo than it is to start up an entire new forum and transfer files over. Starting a new forum is guaranteed to lose existing forum members on the way, so it's best to just carry on with the current website.
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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.

C Ford · Joined: 05 Apr 2015 Posts: 36

I think you might have mis-interpreted what I meant. There is no SRI forum and nor is there likely to be in the near future. The MTI forum will keep going for as long people want it to and a good thing too. SRI is an entirely separate thing. The only link is that the ethos is basically the same, and there is a bit of crossover with writers.

ruedetropal · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 10:56 am Post subject:

It is not the discussion that bothers me, but the fact that I have no idea what it is referring to because I can not see what is in magazine. For MTI the cover and contents list were online. On RMweb Chris Leigh publishes the contents list and cover picture online ,mainly to promote magazine, but it acts as a good foundation for discussion. Might be a good idea for other magazines(just realised RM and CM don't do this).
So here are some suggestions. I am not trying to be negative, but actually help.
Publish cover picture and contents list online. Might have to consider copyright issues on photos and text font.
Have a standard form online, which can be printed off and posted to Chris .
Extend subscriptions to outside UK. Ignoring potential customers, some of whom have supported MTI for years is crazy.
Introduce Paypal option for paying. I know this adds costs,and I keep getting negative comments about it, but suspect most people who have problems have not been as careful as they should. I prefer cash and cheques, but this is the 21st century, and most young people are not offered cheque books by their banks, and with bank reorganisations having a local branch is becoming a luxury.
_________________
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

C Ford · Joined: 05 Apr 2015 Posts: 36

The contents for each issue ARE online as they are published, as is the next issue's contents as they are finalised. You just have to bother to look. California is not outside the UK? Ireland? France?

The entire index for Vol 1 was done last week, has just been checked, and will appear online at the publication of No 6. So thanks to all that supported it without question - we've got to the end of the first year and still growing.

Of course every time this conversation starts I get a flurry of new subscriptions, so thanks to all for keeping the conversation going.

No5 out now. No 6 1st of May.
Join the fun for a little over twenty quid - what a bargain!