This magazine, this issue, is possibly ‘that’ copy for me. Many of us will have a favourite newsstand magazine and can recall a few issues that for them, made the difference, the one that got them hooked!
I remember this one and it’s stayed with me 40 years!, that’s sobering regarding time slipping past. The cover caught my eye, untypical at the time with an excellent representation of the Devon Coast, a Western Hydraulic with Mk1’s sneaking along the sea wall under the high sun. Forty years on that cover image still stands the test of time. In 1980 though, headlining the summer issue, it jumped off the shelf at me, and inside, for me the contents were even better.
Railway Modeller, August 1980, was the first Lochside article by Ian Futers. It was almost unique, I know, I know, shite grammar but if that phrase ever needed a non Murray Walker adaption this is it. At the time very few articles covered diesel operations and modelling, the mainstream firmly set in the ‘big four’ steam era. Ian depicted BR blue as ‘we’ saw it. A bit scruffy round the edges, weathered, and within largely steam era infrastructure. His diesels were detailed and modified RTR items. Lima Class 33’s used to make 26’s and 27’s, Hornby 25’s Wrenn 20’s and Airfix 31’s. Not only detailed but converted to P4, so they looked good on the right track too. That August article, (and following September one too) opened my, and a good number of friends eyes to what could be done. The back story had a good degree of plausibility to it too, and locomotives and rolling stock were appropriate for location and era, nothing out of the ordinary. Written in Ian’s captivating style it actually inspired me to look harder at the mundane, journeyman, or simply put, everyday life.
Shelfie3 is well underway in the planning, and a chance look back through some magazines reminded me of Lochside, and what it meant for me. Taking a leaf from Ian’s book, Shelfie3 will only have three turnouts, and a couple of catch/traps too. I’ve found a section of a CJ Freezer plan too, that works, and have found a similar prototype track plan too, so it’s starting to pull together nicely. I’m still undecided on the overall station terminus design, it needs to reflect down at heel, but plausibly open, and to have enough room for the trains to breath within the layout. Track is the Peco Bullhead code 75 and will be DCC/DC compatible. Fitting sound into DMU’s is already proving interesting to keep everything hidden!
Going back to eighties RM, if I can capture that era and feel of the crossover from the early seventies through to the eighties I’ll be well pleased. Back to the planning…
Albion Yard 
Hi Paul.
My very first copy of RM was the 1972 one with Ashleigh, Ian Futers’ article on ‘How to Build a Branch Line Terminus in a Week’. So I can relate to the importance of a particular issue or article. During the 70s and 80s his simple layouts were an inspiration and remain so today.
Best wishes and stay safe in these troubling times.
Kane
Kane, I’ll look that one out too, a good chance a friend has it in his stash. I agree re the inspiration, Iain Rice’s layouts for me are very much in the same category. Best wishes to you and yours too.
Pmp
January 1972 Model Railway Constructor for me and an article on a layout called “Weston” that was it, hook line and sinker! Like you I’ve still got the issue.
Loving dropping in from time to time and viewing your work, keep it up.
Best wishes, Dookes
You’re bob on there, Paul. If not THE issue of RM for me it’s close. There was a run of vintage issues in the middle of 1980. Can’t remember if it was June of July’s but there was a colour feature on a Southern Region Terminus that, in spite of not doing Southern, really inspired me with its standard of modelling; to my eyes it was finescale. Can’t remember the name but it had one of those lovely Airfix/Kemilway 4MT moguls on it.
So, that and the famous ’Lochside’ issue are my pair of ‘desert island’ Modellers… 😊
I can picture that 4Mt issue too, and the one with Barry Norman’s Wyndlesham Cove, or a similar name to that. Quality stuff!
That’s a coincidence as for me too, this issue of RM was the one that did it. Ian Futers’ Lochside with weathered BR blue diesels reflected what i was seeing on my journey to school every day. And then there was Silvertown, railway of the month by John Glover. He did a number of contemporary BR plans in the early 80s, but this one in particular has stayed with me for 40 years. I managed to track down this issue on EBay recently and at last will give modelling the Silvertown tramway a go.
Best wishes from NZ
David
It was the issue of Railway Modeller featuring Kyle of Tongue that did it for me; I forget the issue number, but still clearly remember the article photos. That, and seeing Lochside live at the York show in my youth. Following several house moves and three decades of “life,” I still have that issue of RM…somewhere.
Steve Flint’s Kyle of Tongue is definitely another one in the same vein of plausible diesel BLT’s. And really well modelled with the consistency that brought it all together.