New Australian model railway magazine!

David Peters · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:09 pm

I got hold of a copy of the new magazine today called "Model Railways in Australia" while not bad to lure new modellers into the hobby the first issue is a bit of a fizzer, will have to see how it goes later on if it survives. Cost is $5 per issue as stated on the front cover!

I got mine from the NRM bookshop at Port Adelaide. It states that there will be 4 issues a year of it, my honest opinion on it is if you are new it will be of some value, but if you are an old hand it is just like doing a refresher course, and may be a bit boring.

It also states that "the magazine itself will not be widely distributed by newsagents or model train shops but rather handed out at exhibitions and museums". Best to get hold of a copy and have a good gander at it and make your mind about it!

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HMC1989 · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:39 pm

They were handing them out at the Newcastle Exhibition. Good for a read. The young fellow thought so anyway.
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Aaron · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:49 pm

I too noted the *clever* marketing strategy on the front cover...

I saw one of these a week or so ago, I am happy to admit that I wasted 10 of my valuable minutes looking at it. I didn't find much in there for me, but that is generally the case for me with AMRM too.

I don't think it'll ever be something for me to take home, but to stand in a shop and read it every few months, in between the general moments of time wasting I do there will be good.

Aaron
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wongm · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:02 pm

Is it the one associated with Powerline Models, and all of the shemozzel of exhibitions in Melbourne a year or two ago?

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Hendo · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:17 pm

Wongm,

Yes it is. Looked at from the persepctive of an entry level helper and advertising, updated with ads for the next quarters shows and sold at those shows, not a bad idea and probably no competitor for existing magazines.

cheers,
Hendo

K160 · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:39 pm

I found one really good article that will help me with building some of my recently aquired brass and whitemetal kits. Brian Chester of BGM is running a multi-part article on soldering. Otherwise I did find the magazine to have more plugs for Powerline than a bathtub.

Regards
Matthew Davis

Last updated January 5th 2009.

WUISKE · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:49 pm

"more plugs than a bathtub"???? would that be two?

We've got one of them old timey bath tub type things and its only got one plug. Gunna have to get me one of them multi plug tubs... is 10 plugs too much?
Sorry, couldn't resist.

Cheers,
Adam

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K160 · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:53 pm

lol...I had to keep it clean Wink

Regards
Matthew Davis

Last updated January 5th 2009.

73LJWhiteSL · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:46 pm

I found it too full of advertising personaly. Its no competitor to AMRM for me. I did notice Powerline ads were on many pages.

Steve

Steve
Torana Nut and Train Nut

SPSD40T2 · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:51 am

I take it you all did read the editors intro etc. Its not really ever meant to be sold. The $5 is just somethig they need to put on it. It is intended to be handed out FREE at expos ( in the main ) . if yo bought it..well ..goo...thats not its raison d'etre. If yo bought it..wel lgood on you, I suppose..!!

Yes to those of us in the hobby for more years than we can remember it seems a bit cute. But we all had to start somewhere. There are a lot of newbies at exhibitions and I appluad Brian etc for this initiative.( Its essentially a Powerline production with the greater good of the hobby as its theme

Its no real competitor for AMRM..and if thats your take then youve missed the whole point of it, its an introduction to the basics.

robertc · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:05 am

While any attempt to encourage new modellers into the hobby is to be applauded I do think the front cover belongs on an American publication.
regards
Bob Comerford

dthead · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:58 am

There is a advert for AMRM in the mag. "If" they were in "compitition" - that would never happen. I'll agree it is something else, not for the experianced modeller, but for the novice. And being freel available - it's the right price. Yes lots of advertising - pays fo rthe printing.

Now if 10% of us on Railpage Australia™ who are active here wrote a "beginner's article" of some sort they would have a huge article base. And that's excluding all the people here who DO contribute already or in the past.

Anyhow that's all from me !

Regards,
David Head

Aaron · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:31 am

As soon as I picked it up I saw the $5 and realised (hoped) it was part of the something for nothing plan, I was surprised then when I read it in the editorial! The illusion of the something for nothing was lost at the first page, and I did think that was a bit odd.

This magazine (if it doesn't lose it's focus) could even do AMRM a favour by cutting back the number of letters asking about beginner articles...

Aaron
Chief trouble shooter and resident myth buster NMRI Inc.

My NEW gallery! Finally online again

No trams, more dams!
TA, in charge of less now than before...

David Peters · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:13 pm

Personally I only see it as one big advertisement for Powerline and associated company's, but it may encourage some starter modellers but it would be better to have them availible at hobby shops as this is the main point of contact for most modellers rather than museums etc.

After further reading of the fine print inside, the $5 is the postage fee for each issue if you want to subscribe to it. $20 for a full year! I think I will just reserve myself a copy at the NRM bookshop! Cool

National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
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DQ2004 · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:03 pm

This was also around at the recent exhibition held in Hobart (photos to follow at a time to be advised).
I also noticed the Powerline exclusive advertising, I couldn't help but wonder if the other major producers had been asked or not.
Being of a slightly patriotic nature I was also put off-side by the picture on the cover.

As has been pointed out however, any magazine has to start somewhere, and few start with everything every consumer wants.
I hope that it continues it's theme of introducing people to the hobby and encouraging those who are looking for beginners type articles.

It's a pity it didn't start from neutral ground and get the other producers advertising in it too, to truly introduce newcomers to the breadth of Australian outline models now available and on the way.

Warm regards,
Toby

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