My Time Media. Model Boats Magazine.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Not sure if it is an automated date but when you go into the subscriptions page it says Next issue 31st July 2020.

That might not be far off the mark.

Colin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Dave

I fear that you might have misunderstood my intentions and having read through my posting I can see why you had an understandable rant.

No high temperature nor a continuous cough. Just a realisation that being angry at everything and everyone is ultimately self defeating.

Many people have suffered great personal loss over the last few months and many others are living in a state of permanent fear in their own personal and very long term isolation.

This virus hasn't gone away and many more of our generation will eventually succumb to its evil influence, with all of this uncertainty surrounding us our little community needs something to focus on and instead of bitching and complaining about the magazine I thought that we could be offering our support.

I apologise for any misunderstanding that my post might have generated and hopefully this piece has clarified my intentions.

Captains Log

Can I advise you not to try and discuss politics when you are clearly out of your depth.

Not everything in life is a conspiracy against your personal freedom and contrary to what you might believe the Fat Cats do not hold regular meetings to discuss new ways in which to remove money from your pockets.

In point of fact the Fat Cats care little about your existence as they are far to busy making sure that their many employees receive their monthly salaries.

If you wish to express your infantile views on society then I would suggest you go to Speakers Corner and inflict your polarised comments on the other conspiracy nuts.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

OK, that's enough ranting folks. We all have our personal crosses to bear in these uncertain times.

There are a number of people doing their very best to get the magazine restarted and they deserve our support. Hopefully it won't be too long now.

Colin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Colin

You are so enigmatic, you should really work for MI5,

With all of the chatter I almost missed a very important point

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

First of all, my apologies for posting my request here but I thought that I may get an answer as this topic seems to be getting a lot of views. I am in the process of building a Mountfleet 'Highlander' Puffer and I had found a very extensive build blog which, I am sure, was on this website and covered a large number of pages. I thought that it would be very useful to refer to from time to time but, no matter how I search, I cannot find it. Can anyone help, please.

So far as the magazine is concerned, I hope that it comes back into print as I thought that it was beginning to improve so far as content was concerned and I looked forward to sitting back in my 'little ole rockin chair' when the postie delivered it. Derek.

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Hello Derek,

Are you by any chance thinking of my Eilean Mòr thread from a few years back? If so, it is still here: **LINK**

Cheers,

Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 22/06/2020 14:23:02

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Hello Mattias,

Many thanks – that is the one. I will retain the link on my computer now so that I can go straight to it.

I thoroughly enjoyed your build although, at that time, I had no intention of building a 'Puffer' but with the current lock-down I desperately needed something to keep me out of mischief although, at 86, there's not much mischief that one can get up to. Fingers crossed that I live long enough to complete her. Must think of a suitable name as I liked yours – 'Skean Dhu' comes to mind.

Have you still got your 'Eileen Mor'?

Best wishes,

Derek.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Derek

Been a long while since we've heard from you.

Did you finish the Huntress?

Chris

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Hello Chris,

Sorry to say, I didn't finish the Huntress. I'm afraid that I lost heart with it in trying to get the spray strakes to the right shape and get them fitted to the bottom of the hull. I sold it on and the buyer finished it. I see that SLEC are now doing a kit for it in 1:8 scale, which mine was. I fancied having another go using the kit but then got the 'Puffer'.

Derek.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Went into Smiths in Walton yesterday.

The magazine section had perhaps 25% of the magazines one would normally see. Some of them were June`s, but I think most of them were older ones…

Ashley

[terry small 1Participant @terrysmall1]

Well it’s taking a long time to decided if the magazine is to continue or not but seconds for direct debts to occur. As a long term subscriber and once contributor (Never again) It is a very poor show. It was great while it lasted. RIP

[terry small 1Participant @terrysmall1]

DD Cancel in process, refund requested From subs dept failing that refund via bank. Admin (Colin) please delete me from this site.

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

Bit drastic to leave the site.

But do admit I think the update on any info on the way forward has been shocking, other organisations, and Subscriptions I am with at least have had the curtisy of regular updates, not like the Tumble weed of updates from TM. FB page nothing since April.

If they have another Editor then get on and announce who She/he are, etc etc etc before any more Subscribers drop off. This silence will do more harm than good.

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

I don't equate the magazine & the website that closely. OK its is the magazines owners forum but there is still plenty here that isn't about the magazine and it has continued unabated during the closure. That is something to be grateful for.

I too feel like an announcement of some sort about the magazine is now overdue.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I will ask if MTM are in a position to make any sort of statement at the moment.

Sorry Terry, although I moderate the forum I don't have the means of removing members completely.

Colin

[terry small 1Participant @terrysmall1]

Popped into WHSmiths where staff where clearing and changing mags and asked about this where they looked up on there system. I was told it stated model boats no longer in print (Deleted) remove old from shelf, RCME reduced stock in And no Car collector possibly the same they could not confirmDoes not look good and after 30 plus years of taking the mag had to find out this way. Last post from me on the subject just don’t like companies taking money with no goods. End of.

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Terry

Don't panic.

I would not rely on the counter staff at Smiths for conclusive information. They are right in that at the moment there is no need to allocate shelf space to Model Boats magazine but that doesn't mean that it couldn't be back on the shelf in ?? weeks with reallocated shelf space. "No longer in print" is a term somebody has told the computer system to use and not necessarily a conclusive statement about an ongoing situation.

I suspect that the reduced numbers of magazine copies is a response to the reduced footfall and thus reduced sales which is, after all, the reason behind the suspension of the Model Boats title.

 

Edited By Chris E 1 on 01/07/2020 10:17:20

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I think we might get something shortly – be patient.

Colin

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Good to hear from you Terry even if the circumstances are somewhat regrettable. I have often wondered if you have continued with your excellent model building. I always look back to the days of your kit reviews when the magazine catered for our kind of model boats with its varied and interesting content. I seem to recall that we did one kit review together which you submitted but was never published and must still be hiding somewhere in the MB strongroom. Of late MB seems to have gone down the route of publishing articles about 'toy boats' and intricate builds of warships which seemed to go on for months (warship builders please don't get upset with me, this is only a personal opinion) and there seemed to be hardly anything of a general interest to make, what I thought had become a fairly expensive magazine, worth while. I had a DD taken from my bank account immediately before publication stopped and I was so annoyed that I cancelled my DD. I then had second thoughts and asked for the DD to be reinstated but this has not been done. I had decided to give the magazine a second chance as there seemed lately to have been an improvement in content but I will not hold my breath so far as the fuure of MB is concerned. I think that it would have been reasonable that the 'powers that be' at MTM/MB could have kept their customers better informed as they are the life-blood of the magazine. I get the impression that they do not seem to care whether the magazine survives or goes under (call the lifeboats). My apologies for this long diatribe – I will now get back in my box.

Derek.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I don't think that is a terribly helpful post Derek. Obviously you are entitled to your opinions as to what or what should not go into the magazine but don't automatically assume that everyone shares them, times change. Also bear in mind that the Editor can only publish what people are prepared to write and the content reflects this as well.

I agree that it would have been better if the company had kept readers a bit better informed over the last few months but the effects of Convid-19 have impacted on MTM just the same as with many other organisations and have resulted in uncertainty and staff and cost reductions so it is only now that things are moving in the right direction again. You cannot continue on the same basis if a substantial chunk of your income has suddenly stopped but you are still saddled with the existing costs. It is not true to say that MTM doesn't care if the magazine survives or not, more a question of can it survive in a viable way? MTM is not a modelling charity!

There has been a lot going on behind the scenes and as I said above, I'm hopeful we will hear something very shortly.

Colin

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Thanks, Colin. I did say that my posting was a personal opinion and I have no desire to start winding people up as I feel that this is not necessary and will not achieve anything. I hope that, at the end of the day, the magazine will survive and come back in a developing format to cater for all model boaters. Again, a personal opinion, but I enjoyed the magazine more In the days of Terry's kit reviews, etc., but I may, in my old age, be wearing tinted spectacles.

Again, my apologies if I have upset anyone as that was not my intention.

Derek.

[Beth Ashby MyTimeMediaParticipant @bethashbymytimemedia]

Following an unavoidable suspension of publication due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are now delighted to inform you that Model Boats will return with the August issue. This will hit the newsstands on July 31^st and possibly be with subscribers a little sooner. We will also be welcoming aboard a new editor, Lindsey Amrani. Rest assured, your treasured magazine is in very safe hands.

If you subscribe to the magazine, all issues that have been missed will be added onto the end of current subscription term. If you pay for your subscription via direct debit, the date on which payments are withdrawn from your account will be adjusted; you will be contacted about this individually. Thankfully, we are also able to resume the mailing out of copies to overseas subscribers, so, wherever you are in the world, you can now look forward to receiving your August 2020 issue of Model Boats.

Should you have any further queries, please contact me via email at [email protected] and I will be happy to assist.

Sincerest thanks for your patience,

Beth Ashby-Njiiri

Edited By Beth Ashby-Njiiri on 01/07/2020 11:48:49

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Great news!

I know Lindsey, the new editor, has something to do with collectible models but what is her history with regard to Model boats?

 

Edited By Chris E 1 on 01/07/2020 11:53:52

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

That is good news, Beth. Can you tell me what I can do about getting my DD reinstated?

Derek.

[Beth Ashby MyTimeMediaParticipant @bethashbymytimemedia]

Hi Derek,

Would you mind sending me an email with your postal address? This way, I'll be able to find you on the system and I can speak with the subscriptions bureau about how we get you reinstated.

Thank you

Beth

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