Model railway magazine wrap

Like a true armchair modeller, I read a lot of model railway magazines. I subscribe to some and then I buy the odd one or two from the newsagent when I see something of interest. And now for the first of my model railway magazine wraps...

The June issue of the Australian Model Railway Magazine (AMRM) featured the O scale layout Queen's Wharf by Trevor Hodges. Besides some very nice photos and some excellent modelling, the article was brilliant because Trevor went into detail about much of the thinking that went into developing and constructing his layout. For me, the key quote was : "this hobby is about balancing the dreams and expectations you have for the layout you want with the real world challenges and limitations you're presented with". The other quality article of note was Malcolm Smith's piece on modifying the Redfern Models BD wagon.

I recently resubscribed (after a short delay) to US magazine, Model Railroader. However, I had to buy the latest issue from the newsagent - the June issue. The issue has a couple of good articles on adding lighting to model scenes. There are two layout articles that are a bit thin on text but with good accompanying photos and excellent track plan illustrations. I note from the Model Railroader website that the July 2009 issue is out so maybe check out the website and see what's coming up. I see that Model Railroader is looking to leverage the website more in conjunction with the printed magazine - this is an excellent thing to do.

I also picked up a copy of the UK magazine, Railway Modeller. It was the April 2009 issue and featured the usual half dozen layout articles of varying quality and length. I have noticed, however, that the quality of the layouts on offer in this magazine has improved from a few years ago. The featured layout was Trevellyn Bridge in OO gauge but Ashbourne Midland (EM) and the delightful Two Sisters Farm (1:32 scale) were highlights. I also liked the article on adapting plastic kits, although experienced modellers may find that article a tad simplistic. These days, Railway Modeller seems to maintain a consistent, if sometimes uninspiring, formula for magazine production and content. It's definitely one of those magazines that I buy on an ad hoc basis. The Railway Modeller website features the July issue, so we're a few issues behind down under!

There are three more model railway magazines I need to report on - perhaps in the next blog post.