A musing about MRJ

[Martin Shaw]

There I was sitting last evening with a recent MRJ on my lap and a suitably Christian piece of music on the gramophone, Berlioz Requiem which I find magnificent, when my mind wandered to question my relationship with the magazine. Issue 295 has just been published so another 5 will see us at 300 and me likely 70 years old which means I have been reading it since I was 31, eek. Of late I have found that it has become a habit, not an unpleasant one mind, but none the less at £6.20 a copy do I want to carry on regardless? I do little enough actual modelling these days and in addition after nearly 40 years there is inevitably some repetition of subject matter type, even if individual articles can be most absorbing. Having collected it from issue 0 I am perhaps reluctant to give it up however 300 seems a nice round number to stop at, and then of course how do I dispose of them, they are surely worthless monetarily at least. It is of course a first world problem and frankly given the over abundance available secondhand probably the nearest skip is the pragmatic solution. Anyone want a near mint collection, 0-294 plus compendia?
Martin

 

[Herb Garden]

Martin,

If you are getting rid of an MRJ collection like that I would be very interested in giving them a good home.... Not having been modelling when most of them came out I've never really caught up/built a collection up of them

Herbie

 

[Malcolmcelyn]

There I was sitting last evening with a recent MRJ on my lap and a suitably Christian piece of music on the gramophone, Berlioz Requiem which I find magnificent, when my mind wandered to question my relationship with the magazine. Issue 295 has just been published so another 5 will see us at 300 and me likely 70 years old which means I have been reading it since I was 31, eek. Of late I have found that it has become a habit, not an unpleasant one mind, but none the less at £6.20 a copy do I want to carry on regardless? I do little enough actual modelling these days and in addition after nearly 40 years there is inevitably some repetition of subject matter type, even if individual articles can be most absorbing. Having collected it from issue 0 I am perhaps reluctant to give it up however 300 seems a nice round number to stop at, and then of course how do I dispose of them, they are surely worthless monetarily at least. It is of course a first world problem and frankly given the over abundance available secondhand probably the nearest skip is the pragmatic solution. Anyone want a near mint collection, 0-294 plus compendia?
Martin

Monetary value low? I’m surprised. I’d certainly be interested in a collection. I had early issues, perhaps 1-120, that I gave to a model railway club. I regret that now and would love to replace and add to.

 

[tanatvalley]

Issue 295 has just been published so another 5 will see us at 300 and me…

These are my sentiments as well Martin and like you I go back to issue 0. I have taken the decision to stop subscribing when MRJ reaches 300.

Alan

 

[stuartp]

Having bought them all since No. 16 (and later backfilled 0-15 from the excellent Vintage Carriages Trust magazine room at Ingrow) I wouldn't be able to stop, even if I wasn't actively modeling. I can't articulate why other than it would be a shame to stop having got this far. Reading the early ones does make me feel old though !

 

[Osgood]

I too have been collecting (and retaining) since No 0.

One aspect that I find quite surprising but in a pleasant way is the fact that I can pick up any early edition (as I did only yesterday to read up on a specific layout) and find the content almost without exception to be as refreshing as the day it came through the post (minimal advertising a huge bonus in this respect).
And it is surprising how much more content proves of interest than when first read too.

Having spent so many years enjoying and appreciating the modelling skills of others I am reluctant to stop now.

 

[Renovater]

It's always just after getting rid of something that you suddenly need it the most !

Colin

 

[Dog Star]

As most of you I have taken each issue since "0"... I have no worry about when to stop because when that time comes I shall pass the baton to my Son and let him continue acquiring each issue.

 

[GrahamMc]

Rightly or wrongly I'm under the impression MRJ struggled in the pandemic and sales in my local WH Smith seem to have declined as there seem to be more remaindered than there used to be (pre-pandemic). Bearing in mind the contribution MRJ made to finescale modelling I'm going to keep buying it, I wouldn't like to see it disappear.

 

[Captain Kernow]

I would be most reluctant to stop subscribing and even get rid of my collection (also since issue 0), but then again, I look at the amount of space that the earlier issues especially take up and the fact that I hardly ever look at them now...

 

[Dan Randall]

Like many others, I’ve bought every issue since No. 0 and certainly don’t intend giving up now. However, I gave up subscribing, once the traditional board-backed envelope, gave way to a flimsy polythene bag - I’ve had to replace some damaged issues, after they’d been folded, then rammed through the letterbox, then sustained even more damage from the doormat.

Luckily, there are two stockists within an 8 mile radius of home (and one of those is only about a mile away), so once I know it’s been published, I can pop down and get a copy. It’s my favourite modelling magazine by far and long may it continue. I can’t help thinking Compendium No 4 is well overdue mind…


Regards

Dan

 

[AJC]

I can understand the sentiments expressed here, and, although I’ve been aware of MRJ from its early days - and, aged 9 and just about two thirds - went to the Central Hall show, didn’t see Hursley, but a genuine ‘moment’, I don’t have that early connection with it.

Of course, however you cut it, that’s a generation ago now, and a lot of magazines (about 250 editions for a start) so relentless forces of demographics take their toll. One day, all this will pass: 300 editions of anything is a great achievement, especially for what is a relatively niche publication, and, of course, only bit of the model press I’ve ever written for, which makes it special, at least for me. It’ll go on for as long as it does, I’m happy to celebrate that.

Adam

 

[Neil]

A contrary view; well would you expect anything less? At one time I had most issues but about five years ago I gave most away (just kept a few, North Shields, Chee Tor, etc) and found it most liberating. I still usually pick up a copy from the newsagents here in Tywyn and look forward to reading it but it is as disposable as the Modeller, BRM and the rest.

 

[AndyH]

I’d say keep them if you have space. That is a good journey together. I remember my father buying it, then after issue 5 as he gave up I did jobs for neighbours so I could buy it. Even at an early age I appreciated the clean design, and space to think and revel in the skill shown. It influenced my visual aesthetic as I moved into my career. I have filled in the gaps of my hiatus in my twenties and early thirties and re-read them all as an antidote to working through lockdown. In my view it has no peers as it raised the bar on every level. I’ll continue to buy it as long as it is published.

 

[Lyndhurstman]

I think it's always been a very good magazine. And - unlike the other trade offerings - has been supported by a very useful searchable index (although I see it hasn't been updated for a while Model Railway Journal Index). I thik it's certainly responsible (at least in part) for helping me raise my modelling game (well, at least I think I've improved But I haven't bought it in a while; the cost/benefit equation has a significant moment to bear on this.

Cheers

Jan

 

[NHY 581]

When I retired from the day job at the end of 2021, I set to filling in the gaps in the collection and now also have all issues from 0 ( having missed it and started buying from No.1 ) and the compendiums. They're a great resource though much of the kit/scratch building features are way above my skill set.
Content of late has wavered, primarily the quality of some of the photos accompanying articles which have been questionable and I do think there is a need for a tweak or two in order that standards are maintained. No one minds paying for quality..........if that quality remains high and a high bar has been set. It's now the only magazine I habitually buy and has been for sometime. Others are purchased on a 'good article' basis, but not that often.
I do look forward to obtaining my new MRJ and it is perused accompanied by a nice glass of port whilst seated in the chair of comfort. Long may it continue but if it is to continue then as I say, a tweak or two is needed.

Rob.

 

[DavidB]

I have every issue, and the 'specials, from Zero but have not subscribed for several years. I bought from my local newsagent but they closed a couple of months ago. The nearest outlet is now some 9 or 10 miles away in the city which I rarely visit. MRJ today has moved a long way from the original aims and quite frankly, at £6.20, I don't feel worth it any longer as I rarely get anything of use from it. The first 30 or so issues are still, to me, the best. Like others here, I am toying with the idea of getting rid of my copies as I very rarely refer to them and they are just taking up space. If and when I do, I will let people know should they want to have them.

 

[-missy-]

Hi.
Changing subject (slightly). I have noticed that the guest MRJ editors have started adding their own articles when editing the magazine. Has that always been the case with that magazine? It just feels a little odd to me.
Julia.

 

[AJC]

Hi.
Changing subject (slightly). I have noticed that the guest MRJ editors have started adding their own articles when editing the magazine. Has that always been the case with that magazine? It just feels a little odd to me.
Julia.

I suspect that it’s partly a nature of the beast - Martyn Welch and Tim Shackleton did too (as might Barlow, but I can’t remember offhand). There’s never been an obvious way in which submissions were solicited, though that’s true of all the hobby magazines so far as I can see, so in the event of a gap in available copy, the guest editor drops in something they have to hand. Is that ideal? Probably not.

Adam

EDIT: Whether or not this is an ideal arrangement is moot, it’s the one the proprietor is happy with and, ultimately, that’s down to Paul Karau.

 

[76043]

I had the first 150 or so and sold them for a tidy sum, possibly on eBay. I can't recall now. I also had a collection of modellers and other mags and was extremely glad to have freed up the space. Collectively they weighed a ton. I did keep the compendiums though. No regrets. Unfortunately during lockdown I bought a couple and quite a few modellers, so am going to strip out the drawings and chuck them in due course.
Tony