Whats New

James Hilton    [Publisher: Wild Swan]    Softback

A second collection of impactful images, indulgent, striking, all great examples of the art of railway modelling. The subjects range from small to large layouts and cover British, Continental and North American subjects, each accompanied by words from their creators. The first companion sold well, and this second selection features work from a wider range of modellers. Some layouts you will be familiar with, although the images as presented in this book are unlike any you will have seen in print before, close up, large - allowing full immersion into the subjects portrayed.

Martin Nield    [Publisher: Cygnet Magazines]    Magazine

Martin Nield is in the editorial chair, reflecting upon how Covid did not spell any kind of end for our most splendid hobby, and pretty much everything that goes with it. Small suppliers forum kicks the issue off, featuring a nifty looking "kit" for the stylish Trans Pennine DMU in 4mm scale, being followed by "Postcards from Port Solway", which is a description and pictorial tour of the magnificent P4 layout built by the Newcastle and District MRS, a truly fantastic piece of work set in the pre grouping era, appearing at Railex North East this summer. David Clarke next shows how he lines locos using Fox transfers rather than a bow pen, followed by Jim Rowbottom describing his 3D printing journey. Simon Edmunds describes the planning of a new layout, "West Hallam" a Great Northern prototype in the East Midlands, before Bevis Heap upgrades the old Wrenn utility van using a Masokits chassis, preceding a consideration of the splendid LBSCR signals for "Ferring". Paul Karau shows us his wagon weathering in 7mm scale, done for a friend and featuring both RTR and kit built models, upon which Pal reflects. Anyway, who doesn't love a wagon, or two, or three. or... Letters, "Across the Yard", a nice preview of Railex and "Cider for London" complete the line up.

John Clutterbuck    [Publisher: Guideline Publications]    Magazine

Part 2 of Charles Hunt's innovative railways, outside flanged idiosyncracy from New York, opens this issue, followed by modelling "Chevalier" from Campbeltown, and then Giles Favell builds a "Tatoo" locomotive in 16mm scale, using 3D printing and typical ingenuity.Paul Holmes then builds a beautiful George England "Jane" in brass, before Nick Brown modifies a Slaters kit into a L&B saloon, which looks very nice in Southern green. The everlasting Sydney A Leleux next describes and illustrates a nice artivle on two narrow gauge Kerr Stuarts, while finally John Elliott's mystery quarry crane gets an airing. Plus reviews etc,and John prophesying the end of "The Review".

John Clutterbuck    [Publisher: Guideline Publications]    Magazine

In this issue, John Clutterbuck announces the very good news that "The Review" is not finishing at issue 144, but is to carry on!v From this issue onwards it is being produced by "Guideline Publications", who, amongst other things, publish Railway Bylines and British Railways Illustrated, the erstwhile and pretty high quality ex Irwell Press Magazines. Good news indeed, and also a great issue, opening up with the impressive "Clay Moor Railway" model built by the Launceston and District model railway club. The late Iain Rice would surely have approved (in fact it was his idea), this is a wonderful model, featuring some standard gauge (hooray!) and being based upon the ball clay operations at Peters Marland, a really impressive and atmospheric piece of work at all levels. Next, the mystery crane builder from issue 141 has happily put his head above the parape, and so John Elliot describes the start of his North Eastern industrial railway empire, unfinished but some beautiful and atmospheric modelling of a little modelled part of our railway history. Next is a superbly photographed feature on the "Kelly Mine" from David Gillman, a most unusual piece of preservation that is unfolding down in the West Country. Stuart L Baker next draws and describes the very appealing East Cornwall Mineral Railway Nielson locomotives, based upon sketches and notes made by the late Gordon Hatherill, kindly made available by Ann Hatherill, lovely. The final part of the Charles Hunt trilogy is fascinating, showing the factory and shipping methods, and this article is followed up by our Cornish correspondent Andrew P Young reporting upon "Sir Jasper" and others' antics down at "Wheal Ponder"in 1938. He feels its days are numbered, which is a shame as it is wonderful to behold. A very welcome contribution next from John Clutterbuck himself, a brief progress report on his quite magnificent Pentewan Light Railway re-emerging from its crates in his new home in Devon. An obituary to the very wonderful Paul Towers follows, before readers letters and a piece on the future of "The Review" from the new editor Gary Hatcher, to whom I wish the best of luck, in the nicest possible way! This is a really good issue of a great magazine, long may it continue!

James Hilton    [Publisher: Wild Swan]    Softback

Following on from his first book in which James described his design approaches, in this paean to small layouts he describes how he actually creates his small layouts, before treating us to another 27 all new layout ideas, complete with track plans, sketches, photographs and accompanying words. As in his first volume, the themes and prototypes considered are wide ranging, covering narrow gauge, industrial and some North American and International subjects.All written in a clear and accessible style, full of encouragement, inspiration, information and ideas.

Francois Fontana    [Publisher: LR Presse]    Magazine

After the Voie Libre team have wished us all a happy modelling year, there follows a good section of reviews of a variety of products for sale, which underline how relatively cheap this hobby is in the UK. Included are the quirky Peco/Kato "mini modules", Tillig coaches and some great etched nettles(!) The book reviews feature three quite different titles, all quite tempting, then the text proper starts with a HO9 layout inspired by the Disney "Big Thunder Mountain" attractions - a very creative piece of work with huge visual impact and a great sense of fun - just the best! Eric Fresne next treats us to a series of practical construction articles which show how different modellers have used widely differing techniques to produce their individualistic models of buildings, very inspiring whatever your level of competence I think. Next is a tiny Locotracteur and layout built to show off a nicely built 1/48 Tamiya Citroen Traction, with an invitation for similar ideas to be submitted to the magazine - the "prize" being publication and a year's subscription. The drawings and historical photographs and research centre section is given over to the Blangy mines haulage system and its tubs and trollies. After a build up of a P'Tit kits locotracteur, we are plunged into the most fabulous piece of whimsey with Jean Pierre Schenfelle's graphic layout model built on to a "Dual" record deck; fiendishly clever and featuring rabbits and a Baobab tree - irresistible, the sort of thing that might give some P4 modellers multiple mental circuit failures I think. Fear not, we next move closer to "reality" with Jacques Boileau's "Chinon Pass", an HO9 bottle cork mining railway built for a film. Or something like that - the director was "Cecile Baidemill" and it starred Jean Wayne, amongst others... The editor next details the construction of basic scenery and a waterfall for an O scale narrow gauge layout which will feature forced perspective, which is followed up by the genesis of an imaginative lemon based HO-6.5 layout and idea, all set on the Amalfi Coast. We finally return to earth with the motorisation of trams with the BD concepts driving bogie. A real roller coaster of an issue!