009 News Feedback

[Brandyman]

As mentioned in previous issues of the News, Volume 21 starts with the October issue. This is the first issue where Steve and I have applied the refreshed design.

Copies should be with members before the Convention - we'll be interested to know what you think.

Sorry I am confused. My 009 latest News is "Volume 40 Number 12) September 2013.????

[invercloy]

Typo, I mean volume 41.

[Krizzy]

Tom and Steve

Received my copy of the latest NEWS this morning. Very well done and refreshing, nice to have larger photographs in two columns instead of three. Mark did a good job compiling the News over his tenure but time stipulated refreshing the format. Again well done.

Roger

[tedp]

Mine just came in and it really does make a difference. I also like the Branchlines page at the back. Well done!

[Hugh Norwood]

My copy arrived yesterday. It looks great.

BTW the current Mrs N doesn't know about Ashby-de-la-Zouch, so I'd thank you all for keeping quiet!   ;D

[petersmith1942]

agree with posts to date, always enjoyed News via Mark but evolutionary change is part of life and from my initial whiz through-cant resist that- I like it. I will still read Branchlines from end to end
Peter Smith

[tedp]

One more suggestion. On the last page I saw the title page of the Sept 1998 issue which has see-through titles. I think this looks nicer than the title page of the Sept 2013 issue which has the white of the titles blanked out. Compare the two and you'll see what I mean.

[MickT]

I also agree with posts to date - and congratulations to the packing & distribution team, mine came this morning and I think this may be a record to receive it mid week in the 3rd week of the month?

I like the easy to read housestyle typeface and also the topic headers. New page 2 layout is good and nice to see a contents index! I still wait in vain to see the complete committee's names and contact details published however - there must be many members who aren't actually aware who is on the committee and it would be nice to be all-informed!

Layout excellent and the new design allowing larger photos is very much welcomed. Branchlines looks much better and must have taken quite a bit of work to arrive at a standard format. Still 2 Groups continuing to use first names only - come on Group secs please acknowledge that the other 1390 members don't know who Bill, Fred, Peregrine etc are unless you tell us their full names the first time they are mentioned! Not sure how you are going to control Branchlines in 2 pages if every group sends something in at the same time, but I'm sure you'll be able to cross that bridge when you come to it!

The idea that Tom piloted about doing a modelling idea feature on particular narrow gauge lines has a lot of potential but obviously needs to be handled with care. The L&MV "pilot" is good, featuring an excellent layout idea plan - I very much like the innovative idea regarding the backscene that Paul Steedman has used. For the benefit of those who aren't fully L&MV educated I think a summary of the lines locos and stock would have been a good idea to include. Something to bear in mind for future articles perhaps? Rather than reinventing the wheel with the well known lines in this feature, perhaps some of the less well known ones such as Rye & Camber, one of the dam construction railways or a preserved operation like the Bredgar and Wormshill would be good material?

My only slight concern is with the new cover page, which has the cover photo using most of the page, This is great if you have a suitable photo, but when I was part of the editorial team we rapidly discovered that Portrait format photos with the loco in the right place to avoid being hidden behind the title banner of the mag were much more difficult to source or crop to fit than the much more common landscape format photos.

But that is not intended to be a negative

[Frank]

Just seen mine, it was waiting when I got home this afternoon.

I must say it is a great improvement, very readable, nice and clear, well set out.  The bigger photos are very effective.

I like the greater range of articles too, the layout idea for example is stimulating.   

Well done, keep it up!

Frank

[garrywhiting]

I also agree with posts to date - and congratulations to the packing & distribution team, mine came this morning and I think this may be a record to receive it mid week in the 3rd week of the month?

Mick

Don't get too excited, the slightly earlier dispatch date is a one-off special this issue only, in order to ensure it was in member's hands at least a week before the Convention. Normal service will be resumed next month, - - we try to arrange packing to be on the 3rd Wednesday of the month so UK based members receive it about the 3rd Saturday.

Garry

[MickT]

The efforts of all concerned in Leeds with getting the News to everyone, consistently every month, is still very much appreciated Garry.

Mick

[invercloy]

Thanks all, pleased you like it! Like Steve has said above, we've been wondering what the reception would be...

We'll take on board comments about the cover and look at options, as mentioned we'll be revising the masthead once the anniversary year is over. Perhaps we can review options for the cover then.

I think we can now take photos specifically for the cover with the new design in mind - we already have next month's planned (hope you like it!).

Mick,re the L&M article. We'll certainly look at unusual prototypes, but I'm keen to look at common prototypes in a different way to normal as well. I did initially draft it with a stock list, but there just wasn't the space. If there's a way around this in the future we'l explore how to make it work - it may mean expanding it to 2.5 or even 3 pages, but I'm conscious of detracting space for genuine member produced content as well. Like the rest I'm sure this is something we'll find our way on with time. I've got an idea of what the next one will be, just need to discuss drawing the track plan with Paul. I don't see this being a monthly feature purely because of the pressure of drawing the trackplans and compiling the info on that regularly, perhaps bi-montly.

Other regular features we've discussed are features on members (bit like a set question list interview) - perhaps going some way to addressing Mick's comments about the committee, but obviously open to all. Another idea is also a feature on manufacturers who serve the society and our members - I've got something lined up on this for publication soon. Finally we've also discussed re-running old content from several years (decades) which many members may not have seen, again being conscious of not taking over new, member produced, content.

I'd welcome any other content ideas people have.

Thanks to the distribution team, glad we've got it out there in good time for members to see before the Convention!

[Scott Rixon]

I'm liking the look... Only just got home to look at it, but at first glance, very good :)

[tat2drod]

Short answer: I like it.

Slightly longer answer: it seems "floppier" than usual - have you changed the paper weight in order to accomodate the extra 4 pages?

I like the larger font and I am much happier with the page numbers having been moved to the outside. Thanks for that.

The standardized Branchlines layout is good and I like it. However to pick up Mick's point about surnames and speaking from experience, some people don't want surnames used. There's a fine line between privacy regs and publishing some things. I'm out of date on UK regs but NL ones even require explicit permission to have your photo published (recently had a case with the online phone book in work).  Not trying to be controversial, just wondering where the line is.

Personally I'd knock the article headers down a font size or possibly two but that's just personal preference.

As for the content... may post on that when I get round to reading it all :-)

Job well done. Congrats and thanks.

[invercloy]

No changes to the paper, I hadn't noticed any appreciable difference in 'floppiness'.

Managing Branchlines is another of the things we'll have to work out how to deal with as we progress, we're conscious of the conflicting views of much of the membership on this section of the News, so will treat it with caution as we refine the changes in future issues.