Garden Rail and Narrow Gauge World Magazines

[robc_wa]

For several years I have been subscribing to both these magazines as digital editions through "Exact Editions". Particularly useful since it gave one access to all back numbers

My subscription for both has come up for renewal and it seems that they no longer carry them. They seem to be available through something called Pocketmags. Does any body have experience of
using that?

Regards
Rob

[GTB]

My subscription for both has come up for renewal and it seems that they no longer carry them. They seem to be available through something called Pocketmags. Does any body have experience of using that?

The same thing happened to me, the subscription was cancelled when it ran out in Sept. Warners seem to use Pocketmags and have cancelled the deal with Exact Editions since they took over the magazines.

I don't think I'll bother renewing. I had a look at the Pocketmags site, the reader software is slow, the online mag seems to cost about the same as a paper copy in an Oz newsagent and the 'archive' only goes back to May 2016.....

Graeme

[SimonWood]

This is bad news! If the 10 year archive goes, I'll have to think about whether to resubscribe.

I remember I got an email saying Exact Editions cancelled my auto-payment on 1 Sept. I meant to investigate, haven't got round to it. I'm astonished that subscribers weren't emailed with an explanation.

My previous payment went out about a week before, so I guess I'm good up to late November... I'd better make sure I re-read all my bookmarked archive articles before then!

[Enginehouse]

My subscription for both has come up for renewal and it seems that they no longer carry them. They seem to be available through something called Pocketmags. Does any body have experience of
using that?

Regards
Rob

Pocket mags have been well reviewed on the net. Not an organisation I would use, even if their "services" were provided free. Main complaints are mags paid for not available or indeed incorrect mags provided and customer details "lost" However, based on bitter experiences over some years, I will never ever subscribe to any Warners service, be it magazines, exhibitions, or any form of subscription whatsoever. Their contempt for customers is almost legendary among the camping and caravanning fraternity. It seems that Warners are actively seeking to dominate the service provision within garden railway hobby. I do wish you all well.

[IanC]

I was wondering why my subscription had been cancelled without proper explanation. I shan't be renewing with pocketmags or anyone else.

I'll go to the newsagents and if there's anything of interest, pick up a copy. If not it'll stay on the shelf.

Ian

[sstjc]

This is very sad but understandable. Given the hard work put in by Tag, and others no doubt, to build up the subscriber base for GR it seems Warners will do what they damn well like with no consideration for the end user. I have never made and secret of my unhappiness with Warners but they seem to want to charge more for less and think we are all gullible enough to accept there draconian ways.... I'm just grateful that I found out that GR was now a Warners publication before I took out a subscription....
Barry

[SimonWood]

Well, I've had (rather late, I think) an email about the change. A "special offer" with Pocket Mags is 12 months @ £29.99 - isn't this 49p more than it cost with Exact Editions? Anyway, nothing in the email about how big an archive (if any) is to be made available, so until I get further news on that I shall not be jumping through this hoop.

[SteveCole]

Hi all,

My name is Steve Cole - I'm the new Publisher of Garden Rail magazine. David Williams kindly introduced me to this forum.

I am really sorry that any Garden Rail readers through Exact Editions found out before we had a chance to contact them. This certainly wasn't the intention! We were unaware that Exact would be cancelling PayPal payments so quick, without giving us time to contact current/lapsed readers. For this I apologise.

As some of you will have seen, we have now emailed all current/lapsed Digital Edition subscribers. Yes, as you point out, the deal isn't as good as the Exact deal but it's the best we can offer. With Digital Editions we save on the cost of printing the magazine, but we pay a hefty 'commission' to the provider (Pocketmags) plus other providers like Apple, Google etc... believe me, we aren't left with much. We have tried to offer the best deal possible.

We simply won't be able to upload such an extensive back catalogue. Many of these issues were designed using very old software, meaning the process of converting these and re-uploading just isn't possible. Sorry.

I did contact Exact Editions earlier this week for clarification on how current/past readers could access old issues. This is their reply: 'The Exact Editions model is accessed based - more like Spotify than W H Smith. You get all the content all fully searchable and accessible whilst you are a valid subscriber. Once you no longer subscribe, you no longer have access.You are only a current subscribe whilst you have a subscription.'

I am sorry that this isn't the news you were hoping for, but I'm being as honest as possible. I'll keep an eye on this post (and others), but should anyone want to contact me direct my email is stevec@warnersgroup.co.uk - I'll try to reply to all enquiries, but please be patient.

Thanks for your understanding.

Steve

[SimonWood]

I am sorry that this isn't the news you were hoping for, but I'm being as honest as possible.

Appreciate the clear answer Steve. Garden Rail is a good mag, I've enjoyed reading it. Without the archive, I won't re-subscribe but I'm sure I'll still pick up the odd paper copy from time to time.

[sstjc]

Unless i've missed something Steve Cole's post does not explain why Warners could not continue with Exact Editions for the digital subscriptions which would give subscribers the back number archive that is a very attractive part of the deal.

From comment on the 16mm egroup there is a suggestion that Pocketmags is Warner owned or at least there is some tie-up between Warners and Pocketmags. I see no reason why Warners can not continue to use Exact Editions and I can foresee that Garden Rail will now be on a downhill slide and predict that it may well not exist in 2 years time. This is very sad and I can only hope I am not right but in a consumer led society I fear very few people will pay more for an inferior service.

While I wish the best to the editor and writers of Garden Rail I am very, VERY, glad I found this out before taking out my intended subscription and will NOT be giving any of my money to Warners either via a Garden Rail Subscription or by rejoining the 16mm Association. Warners are doing our hobby a great disservice and do NOT deserve my custom....

I am just wondering what it would take to start a rival publication ?

Barry

[GTB]

My name is Steve Cole - I'm the new Publisher of Garden Rail magazine.

Did anybody at Warners bother test driving the special offer webpage before sending out the email?

I wasn't planning on renewing anyway, but having an enquiring mind I had a look at the link.

First off, it detected from my IP address that I was in Aust. so it changed the currency to AUD and increased the cost to a 20% premium on the current exchange rate. Even our thieving banks don't charge that much on the cross rates to convert from GBP to AUD.

I then changed the currency back into GBP and added the subscription to the basket. On opening the basket it correctly showed a GBP29.99 subscription, but a final total of GBP69.98. Leave it in AUD and it wants a total of AUD142.98, which is about GBP85 on todays rates. !!!!!

At that point I lost interest. Pocketmags abilities with simple arithmetic makes politicians look like mathematical geniuses. Blowed if I'd be giving them any credit card details.

Regards,
Graeme

[Chris Cairns]

I'd better make sure I re-read all my bookmarked archive articles before then!

You can save them as PDF files.

I'm currently viewing my Narrow Gauge World Exact Editions subscription via their website on a Windows 10 laptop. Click on the appropriate page to display it in full size. Here you either right click and save the JPG, or use the print facility on the toolbar at the bottom to save it as a PDF (it adds margins to the JPG so there are white borders around the PDF File).



Here's a screen capture of the PDF file that Exact Editions printed.



I have a Print & Digital subscription to Narrow Gauge World, but just had an email today inviting me to renew the Digital subscription with PocketMags, so presumably the Print & Digital Subscription option has been withdrawn?

Chris Cairns

[Enginehouse]

I am just wondering what it would take to start a rival publication ?

Barry

And incorporate an alternative 16mm Association at the same time, thus kicking Warners into the long grass on both fronts.

I took great issue with Alan Regan regarding members data being transferred to Warners without any prior indication to all of the members of the transfer. The secretive way that the Warners deal was done was nothing short of an absolute disgrace. For this year I provided only name and address and membership number paying subs by cheque. No other data was or will be transferred. Any problem with Warners at renewal and I will not bother to renew 16mm association membership.

[sstjc]

Very well put Roy.

Barry

[SimonWood]

I'd better make sure I re-read all my bookmarked archive articles before then!

You can save them as PDF files.

Thanks for the pointer Chris.

I have a Print & Digital subscription to Narrow Gauge World, but just had an email today inviting me to renew the Digital subscription with PocketMags, so presumably the Print & Digital Subscription option has been withdrawn?

I used to subscribe quarterly. I appreciated the flexibility. Unless they're just well hidden, it does seem we are being offered fewer options, as well as less for more.

[ge_rik]

I renewed my sub without checking first. The one great virtue of the electronic sub was searchable access to the back issues. If I had bought the paper copies I would still have them to refer to whereas now I have nothing but the current edition and (presumably) back issues from this point onwards.

I've just checked and it seems I do still have access to the Exact Editions site - so looks like I'll have to laboriously download pdfs of the articles I want to keep for reference page by page.

What would be useful is some means of accessing this archive - can it be transferred to a third party website and retained somehow?

Rik

[Enginehouse]

What would be useful is some means of accessing this archive - can it be transferred to a third party website and retained somehow?

Rik

That would not be a problem on the operational front and indeed with a dedicated hard drive or raid array, a web server and fixed IP addresses it is quite easy to achieve. Initial cost, the dedicated HD/RA being minimal where the rest is already available and ongoing costs irrelevant, it's more than feasible. BUT, getting hands on the data and having permission to distribute it upon demand is another matter altogether, bearing in mind the company involved.