Garden Railway Forum

I'm waiting for mine to come like an eager boy! I have wrote a few articles and urge anyone to have a go as the Mag sorts them out and makes your article even better! It enhances the experience of the mag too. I love it and think it really is the best Magazine ever!Tell us why you like it too. Could it be the Volume? or the photos? Let us know...

I can't put my finger on it but just the overall excellent quality and consistency. I do like the fact that you get a good thick magazine that is not overburdened with irrelevant advertising whereas a commercial magazine has to take advertising from outside of 16mm. And commercial magazines have to have a much higher percentage of space given over to advertising. I doubt any organisation commercial or otherwise could match SMT.

I agree. Excellent publication.

I think its value for money.. and being honest When i joined I thought it would be a few pages with a load of ads inside and in black and white with no colour photos...

We don't bother to buy any of the commercial garden railway mags any more. SMT and the various internet sites usually satisfy our requirements. After SMT anything else pales into insignificance. However as we are first and foremost scratch builders I have been tempted with Narrow Gauge & industrial mag which is also a four times a year publication with an extremely helpful editor and lots of nice scale drawings. Another mag to read cover to cover and keep as file copies. SMT though is definitely a "must read" for 16mm though.

As long as I have taken any notice, Andrew Charman has been the editor and designer of SMT.  He has very wide knowledge and experience of narrow gauge railways as well as 16mm/ft ish models.  He also has knowledge and experience of modern publishing methods and technology.  
These attributes combined with the fact that he is willling to expend a lot of his own time in the production of SMT makes it the publication that it is.  Clearly, the content is dependant on contributed articles and images but its what happens to this contributed material that differentiates SMT from many other hobby related publications.


I have no connection with Andrew Charman other than as a satisfied customer.

I think it is great, I have only been a member for a few months so only have 4 mags. I look forwards to getting many more.

I just wish it was available as a .PDF file...

Sorry, is this a web version of SMT, or something completely different?

Matt:92529 wrote:Sorry, is this a web version of SMT, or something completely different?

There isn't a web version but Tony wishes there was, there would be a few benefits, for example not having the "clutter factor" of a hard copy and being able to keep the articles you want.

laalratty:92617 wrote:

Matt:92529 wrote:Sorry, is this a web version of SMT, or something completely different?

There isn't a web version but Tony wishes there was, there would be a few benefits, for example not having the "clutter factor" of a hard copy and being able to keep the articles you want.

I love to keep interesting magazines like SMT and others. Without them we would have limited or no access to features from the past. I much prefer to hold a paper copy and be able to view the item than simply see it on screen.
I often wonder what will happen in the future when all of the digital images which never get printed are lost, deleted or simply no longer available due to changes in technology?

laalratty:92617 wrote:There isn't a web version but Tony wishes there was, there would be a few benefits, for example not having the "clutter factor" of a hard copy and being able to keep the articles you want.

Absolutely. I used to have a loft full of old magazines, and then a nice man came round to install additional insulation. His words still echo around my head: Get rid of that lot or your ceiling will fall in!

With nowhere else to store them, I no longer keep paper copies of any magazines and I just scan the pages I find of interest. And if I lose them one day, well, c'est la vie.

It wasn't so bad when it was black and white, but I also feel a bit guilty chucking the full-colour Bulletin in the recycling bin...!

I agree with Tony regarding the bulletin.

The Internet and the 16mm org website can surely cover the roll now of the bulletin and save some trees in the process.

I do enjoy receiving the SMT and the Bulletin, but I do find the Bulletin a bit pointless nowadays as it could easily be incorporated into the 16mm website.

However, I imagine some members are without the internet so they would not be able to access it.

The recent articles on buildings using 'real' building materials have been of real interest.

I give the Mag away after use and so spread the word. As for paper or internet well, the computer sucks time and in some way stimulates, BUT a magazine can be very portable and restful late at night. Glad everyone loves it as I do...