Barry Doe's Column

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Why is there a need for a fortnightly published railway magazine?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Because more happens in two weeks than most people expect. They can also cover more news items, and include more features / articles.

 

[Schnellzug]

Plus it generates lots more advertising revenue than only coming out monthly.

Question, though; is it that they have to pad out their pages with lots and lots of opinion because they have to fill the space, or is it that their contributors have so much opinion that they have to have an outlet for it or they'd pop?

 

[krisk]

I find out more from the rail press than I find out from my place of work. End of.

 

[Oswyntail]

Barry Doe cannot claim any degree of independence if at the same time he is accepting a penny (or more) in "consultancy fees" or web site "sponsorship" from TOCs. These payments automatically disqualify him from being able to express an impartial view.

Indeed, what possible motivation would TOCs have for paying an "independent journalist" other than to get a more favourable press?

Several people have raised the issue of the free pass he was given by East Coast. I would like to know how much he charged them for his time. It is highly unlikely that he did the job for nothing.

Actually, many service industries have "watchdog" type systems where they pay for impartial observations, obviously hoping for a good report, but happily taking the bad reports because they help improve their product. This is the same concept as the "secret shopper". A journalist can still be seen as impartial, and will attract sponsorship so long as he maintains that reputation.

 

[krisk]

Oooh mystery shoppers, theres a job I would be good at

However I have a heart, understand the word compassion and couldnt bring myself to slate or criticise any particular individual.

 

[martinsh]

I find out more from the rail press than I find out from my place of work.

I assume you work in a rail related job - otherwise that statement is a bit pointless !

 

[tbtc]

Alan Williams went through a period of going on and on about restaurant car provision and travelling first class. I just remember thinking how his rail travel experience and mine were worlds apart

I get that feeling too.

Its a bit like seeing a football match report dominated by the quality of the prawn sandwiches the journalist was given at half time.

Why is there a need for a fortnightly published railway magazine?

Why is there a need for a daily newspaper?

Question, though; is it that they have to pad out their pages with lots and lots of opinion because they have to fill the space, or is it that their contributors have so much opinion that they have to have an outlet for it or they'd pop?

I think that the volume of "opinion" is because "gen" is so freely available online (and much faster than waiting for a magazine to be published). For example, if EMT put a 153 on their Sheffield - London service today (instead of a 222) then I'll hear about it on here later today, rather than waiting weeks for a magazine to mention it. However, for informed opinion and higher level detail, you need to wait for the magazines (there is informed opinion available online, but that involves a certain amount of separating wheat from chaff).

The magazines appear to be reacting to the changing market place (and modern communication), and providing "opinion" ensures that they keep a "niche".

 

[krisk]

I like RAIL magazine and no I can't and won't say where I work but it has been a good source of information over the years.

Regards Barry well maybe the staff weren't tipped off who knows but it seems most of the issues were on London bound trains so im guessing staff on their last trip. I would however refute the word "lazy" as there may be underlying reasons why there was a low staff presence during that journey such as short staffing.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Why is there a need for a daily newspaper?.......However, for informed opinion and higher level detail, you need to wait for the magazines (there is informed opinion available online, but that involves a certain amount of separating wheat from chaff). The magazines appear to be reacting to the changing market place (and modern communication), and providing "opinion" ensures that they keep a "niche".

You are seriously comparing a daily newspaper (assuming you are referring to a newspaper) with many different sections, such as finance where one day can be totally different from the next, with a fortnightly published railway magazine?

If fortnightly is the correct period of publication for a railway magazine, why do not all other railway magazine magazines aiming at a like-for-like readership market follow suit?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

But RAIL covers almost every aspect of railways, many others don't, ergo they are published less-frequently.

 

[theblackwatch]

If fortnightly is the correct period of publication for a railway magazine, why do not all other railway magazine magazines aiming at a like-for-like readership market follow suit?

There aren't any - all railway mags target themselves at a slightly different market. If there wasn't a market for it, then it wouldn't be produced as publisher's don't produce magazines to make a loss. One could argue is there a NEED for this forum? The answer is no - the world would survive without it! Does that mean it should be closed down?

 

[tbtc]

You are seriously comparing a daily newspaper (assuming you are referring to a newspaper) with many different sections, such as finance where one day can be totally different from the next, with a fortnightly published railway magazine?

If fortnightly is the correct period of publication for a railway magazine, why do not all other railway magazine magazines aiming at a like-for-like readership market follow suit?

Put it this way Paul, some cities get a daily morning paper (e.g. Yorkshire Post in Leeds), some get a daily "evening" paper (e.g. Sheffield Star), some get a weekly paper... press companies print to suit the market.

There are hundreds of posts on here each *day*, and dozens of other forums/websites, so I can see why one publisher thinks there's scope for a fortnightly magazine.

Plus, publishing twice as often gives RAIL a distinction from their rivals - there seem to be more magazines now than a few years ago, so you want to give yourself some USP - being fortnightly should mean your information is more up to date.

 

[Greenback]

I'm quite surprised at the increase in magazines, given that much of the news contained in them can be found on the web before the magazine goes to print. In the arly 1990's before Rail went fortnightly, it seemed an unbearable wait between issues to find out what was going on!

 

[Flamingo]

Don't get too het up, Flamingo. But if you do see this bloke sampling the fare on offer on a FGW Travelling Chef service, then do afford him all your most excellent customer service training....

I'll resist the temptation to chuck him off, then

 

[the sniper]

Why is there a need for a fortnightly published railway magazine?

Good question... More importantly though, why is this forum available 24/7, (almost) 365 days per year?! Surely there's only enough going on for it to be frequented once a month by most people? :roll:

Question, though; is it that they have to pad out their pages with lots and lots of opinion because they have to fill the space, or is it that their contributors have so much opinion that they have to have an outlet for it or they'd pop?

Do you read the magazine? The majority of it is news and features. From reading this forum, you'd think it was just page after page of opinions on HS2...

 

[Schnellzug]

I'm quite surprised at the increase in magazines, given that much of the news contained in them can be found on the web before the magazine goes to print. In the arly 1990's before Rail went fortnightly, it seemed an unbearable wait between issues to find out what was going on!

It is interesting, yes. Rail Enthusiast, as it was originally, was the first to challenge the monopoly* of Railway Magazine, Railway World and Modern Railways, which was really all there was in the old days, and which must have been pretty much the only sources of information available. And with technology then, there was about a 4 week lead time for information to be included, it looks like from some of the old magazines I've got.
*can you have a monopoly of three? A triopoly, then.


--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Do you read the magazine? The majority of it is news and features. From reading this forum, you'd think it was just page after page of opinions on HS2...

oh no, to be fair, there is a lot of awards ceremonies, yes, that's true.

 

[tbtc]

I'm quite surprised at the increase in magazines, given that much of the news contained in them can be found on the web before the magazine goes to print. In the arly 1990's before Rail went fortnightly, it seemed an unbearable wait between issues to find out what was going on!

That's a good point Silas, you'd think that there would be fewer magazines (because there's very little "news" in railway magazines any more - most of the "news" in them is things that I already knew the basics about online).

There does seem to be a market for posting lots of pictures of the "good old days" and a market for the "why oh why" moans about the modern world (e.g. that "Grumpy Old Man" column in one of the comics), that would have that silly "roll eyes" smiley if it were published online.

 

[Birdbrain]

I assume you work in a rail related job - otherwise that statement is a bit pointless !

I was once travelling on the Looe Branch when the guard asked if I was a mystery shopper! I said no and asked why? The Guard said it was because I had a Freedom of the South West Rover!

 

[bluenoxid]

It is interesting, yes. Rail Enthusiast, as it was originally, was the first to challenge the monopoly* of Railway Magazine, Railway World and Modern Railways, which was really all there was in the old days, and which must have been pretty much the only sources of information available. And with technology then, there was about a 4 week lead time for information to be included, it looks like from some of the old magazines I've got.
*can you have a monopoly of three? A triopoly, then.


--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


oh no, to be fair, there is a lot of awards ceremonies, yes, that's true.

Cartel???

 

[Schnellzug]

I was once travelling on the Looe Branch when the guard asked if I was a mystery shopper! I said no and asked why? The Guard said it was because I had a Freedom of the South West Rover!

"Yes, I am, for Tesco, it's my day off."

 

[Flamingo]

I once had somebody (back in the days when FGW was everybody's punch-bag) in a very self-important manner claiming to be doing a survey for a rail magazine checking to see how visible the guard was, and they would be counting how often they saw me.

I asked was it quantitative or qualitative, when they asked why, I said that if they were quantitative, and just counting how often I appeared, I'd just walk in and out of the carriage twenty times between every stop, if qualitative, then I'd sit beside them for the full two hours of the journey.

They didn't appreciate my answer!

 

[junglejames]

I once had somebody (back in the days when FGW was everybody's punch-bag) in a very self-important manner claiming to be doing a survey for a rail magazine checking to see how visible the guard was, and they would be counting how often they saw me.

I asked was it quantitative or qualitative, when they asked why, I said that if they were quantitative, and just counting how often I appeared, I'd just walk in and out of the carriage twenty times between every stop, if qualitative, then I'd sit beside them for the full two hours of the journey.

They didn't appreciate my answer!

That is brilliant. He definitely deserved that response.

 

[Goldfish62]

Plus to be fair, SWT are definitely right up there. A fleet of smart reliable trains. Trains usually kept very clean. Usually very pleasant staff. A very well run operation by all accounts.

Their fleet reliability is fantastic - probably the best. Other than than they're downright mediocre. Not sure what trains you travel on, but SWT's policy of wet-washing the interior once a year only makes the 455s and 458s plain disgusting. The floors of the "refreshed" 458s are now indistinguishable from what they were before because they are caked in ingrained grime. And as for the toilets.... Added to that the 450/5s haven't been cleaned externally for several months.

Staff are fine, but not any better or worse than other TOCs. Corporate management attitude stinks, IMO.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I'm quite surprised at the increase in magazines, given that much of the news contained in them can be found on the web before the magazine goes to print. In the early 1990's before Rail went fortnightly, it seemed an unbearable wait between issues to find out what was going on!

Your response, plus all the other responses, in answer to my query regarding a railway magazine with a fortnightly publication date, have certainly answered any questions that I might have had on this matter. It does seem a pity to me that enthusiasts have to pay more per month by this method to ensure that they are kept up to date. Still, this is their choice to do so and I for one would be the last to criticise anyone willing to spend that amount of money per month. It seems that the revenue of this particular rail magazine, knowing that it must have a strong readership base, must be quite considerable.

I shall retire back to the quiet and "company-based" magazine known as Modern Railways, which is decried by many on this forum, but I am more interested in the content of that particular magazine, for the specific content material it carries. We all have different tastes, as was proved by a thread on Railway Magazines (which incorporated a poll) that appeared on this forum not so very long ago.

 

[ole man]

Each railway magazine has its on agenda's, Rail is good for up to date stuff( only because of its 2 week issue)
Modern Railway is my personnel favourite as its full of Technology based features.
Railway Magazine seem to cover most things but lack the Infrastructure side of the railway.
The others are not worth a mention

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Each railway magazine has its on agenda's, Rail is good for up to date stuff( only because of its 2 week issue)
Modern Railway is my personal favourite as its full of Technology based features.
Railway Magazine seem to cover most things but lack the Infrastructure side of the railway.
The others are not worth a mention

At least I am not a lone voice in the wilderness. I do actually remember RAIL magazine taking the decision many years ago to go fortnightly, which annoyed a good number of their readership at the time.

Many forum members will be too young to remember Hughie Green and his television programme "Double Your Money", but I do remember a reader writing to the editor at the time, castigating him for the decision to make the readers pay twice the monthly amount for this magazine and quoting in his letter, the signature tune of that programme, to signify the greed of the publishers:-

Double your money and try to get rich
Double your money without any hitch
Double your money, it's your lucky day
Double your money and take it away....OLE!!

 

[junglejames]

Their fleet reliability is fantastic - probably the best. Other than than they're downright mediocre. Not sure what trains you travel on, but SWT's policy of wet-washing the interior once a year only makes the 455s and 458s plain disgusting. The floors of the "refreshed" 458s are now indistinguishable from what they were before because they are caked in ingrained grime. And as for the toilets.... Added to that the 450/5s haven't been cleaned externally for several months.

Staff are fine, but not any better or worse than other TOCs. Corporate management attitude stinks, IMO.

Admittedly i dont travel on them loads, but ive never had a problem with their 455s. 458s I couldnt say. The 444s and 158/9s always seem very nice inside (even if im not a fan of the seats on the 444s).

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The others are not worth a mention

Not even Rail Express or Today's Railways?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

At least I am not a lone voice in the wilderness.

I too like Modern Railways, but at times I feel there is too much content for me to actually bother to sit down and read it. It is quite useful for trackbashers as the have 'Trackwatch' and, in some issues, future track plans.

 

[BestWestern]

Their fleet reliability is fantastic - probably the best. Other than than they're downright mediocre. Not sure what trains you travel on, but SWT's policy of wet-washing the interior once a year only makes the 455s and 458s plain disgusting. The floors of the "refreshed" 458s are now indistinguishable from what they were before because they are caked in ingrained grime. And as for the toilets.... Added to that the 450/5s haven't been cleaned externally for several months.

Staff are fine, but not any better or worse than other TOCs. Corporate management attitude stinks, IMO.

I think you'll probably find that their fleet is better than most, particularly the suburban operations. Have you travelled much on Northern's, for example?! Or closer to home, Southeastern?! Their Sprinter fleet is without exception the best in the country, not only in terms of reliability but also cosmetic upkeep. The 458's have apparently been totally turned around in terms of reliability thanks to the efforts of SWT after they decided to retain them.

I have to say I think the refurb of the 455 fleet was excellent, though like junglejames I'm not a fan of the Desiro-spec hard seats. The trouble with the London 'metro' network is that whatever rolling stock you use, no matter how nice it might be, it will quickly get trashed by the lesser elements of the travelling public. There is only so much money that a TOC can reasonably allocate to removing graffiti and repairing cosmetic damage like etched windows etc, particularly when it will without any doubt eventually reappear again. Sadly this can give the impression that nobody cares, but in reality I don't think that's the case at SWT. As for cleaning though, only they can answer any questions about problems with that, perhaps you could bring it to the attention of one of their managers through the various channels available?