Subscriptions – Going Forward

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Like several others I’m not the slightest bit interested in Railway magazine, so I’ve emailed Mortons as per Jasons post. I suspect they will be inundated, so let’s see when I get a reply.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Perhaps a little clarification, and a defence of Mortons.

I have been involved in the discussions, but I don’t make the decisions. We had a two-hour Teams meeting today, and I have a to-do list as long as my arm as a result.

Despite appearances, the merging of two titles is far from a simple process; things like sorting out barcodes let alone all the issues of what the appearance and content of the new magazine will be like.

The decision on subscriptions was only confirmed yesterday, and whether people prefer it, Mortons have made easy refunds possible, although they would have been within their rights simply to substitute another magazine.

Through this Forum we have been allowed to keep readers informed of changes as soon as possible and to encourage feedback from readers which we are reading and responding to. Normally, readers would find out about the in an editorial announcement and then have to wait for the next issue to get any idea of what the implications were.

The downside of this is that these real-time communications are messy; Jason and I often don’t know the full picture – as it hasn’t been completely drawn up yet! Please be patient and know that both of us have given Mortons feedback on issues such as subscription refunds. We have been assured that refunds will  be made as simple as possible. Also I’m sure that everyone who has dealt with Mortons in-house customer service team will agree that they are very good and helpful and always prioritise sorting out your problems.

May I stress that MY personal objective is to keep as many subscribers happy as possible, and that means making sure the new, bigger magazine has plenty of excellent content. Bear in mind that I suddenly have a much bigger pool of contributors and contributions to choose from.

Also, I’m delighted to say that Diane Carney will be staying on board as deputy Editor; Diane made a brilliant job of  of Model Engineer when she was editor and will be snapping at my heels to make sure the best of ME is represented in the new magazine. Also, the reduced number of issues means that for the first time in my nearly eleven years as editor, Diane will be able to assist me with the proofreading of the entire magazine.

Mortons have been supportive of us in what we want to do to make these changes a real positive, with a better magazine as the end result.

Thank you all for your patience; please accept that we are trying our very best to make sure that the merged title will be a success, to all our benefit.

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I have over a dozen versions of the new masthead in different colourways and backgrounds for different purpose. Here’s an official preview, although work on the new cover won’t start until next week. We wanted something that emphasised continuity with both titles. A lot of thought has gone into this:

[Neil Wyatt]

On Neil Wyatt Said:

I’d just like to stress that requesting a refund is just a brief email to queries@mortons.co.uk, it doesn’t even have to be as long as your post.

Just a quick update on this email address, which looks like it’s truncated as the one above bounced for me.
I suspect Jason’s original is correct at emailqueries@mortons.co.uk which also agrees with the announcement on the subscription page.

Bill

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

Neil,

There isn’t a doubt in my mind you will be making big efforts to keep the readers happy, as you always have. Tumultuous times no doubt, but lets see what the future holds.

Jon

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

Neil,

Many thanks for your response, pleased to hear we will be contacted.  I just need to work out when my last DD payment went out for each magazine. 🙂

I look forward to seeing what changes/improvements you can bring to the magazine.

As with Martin Perman, a magazine which we both took shut down earlier in the year.  It was a good magazine with 50 odd pages.  Its content has been reduced to 10 pages and added to a different magazine, which I certainly did not wish to take. I did not want a repeat of that scenario.

Colin

[peak4]

On peak4 Said:

On Neil Wyatt Said:

I’d just like to stress that requesting a refund is just a brief email to queries@mortons.co.uk, it doesn’t even have to be as long as your post.

Just a quick update on this email address, which looks like it’s truncated as the one above bounced for me.
I suspect Jason’s original is correct at emailqueries@mortons.co.uk which also agrees with the announcement on the subscription page.

Bill

 

I’ve had a bit of a runaround trying to get definitive answers. I have been able to get the statement on subscriptions clarified by Mortons and have amended Jason’s original post as per a clearer wording.

Neil

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Hmmm,

Not slick yet! Though I did get a prompt reply.

Direct Debit, both mags.

Tried to amend by email, cos I don’t want Railway Magazine, but this isn’t possible without supplying bank details, and email isn’t secure.  (Fails my security policy.)

By email, Morton’s suggested ringing them (which is secure), but I got the switchboard, before being put through to subs.  Unfortunately, that went to voice-mail, which isn’t secure!

I’ll have to try again…

Be patient.  Subs changing has all the signs of a work in progress, not a well-planned process launched after careful testing!   May be worth waiting a few days whilst the bugs are weeded out.

Dave

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

OK. I’m sorted.  Morton’s subs lady not available on second call, but she rang back after about 5 minutes.  (This is really good!)   Once we were talking, took a few minutes, straightforward.

The switchboard and subs department know the mags are merging, but aren’t specially tooled up to deal with it yet.  I explained the game has started, that this is a hot topic on the forum, and they should expect lots of calls.  Mortons are looking bad due to apparent unpreparedness.  I asked both switchboard and subs to escalate my comments to their managers in hope the Mortons’ machine will be oiled soonest.

There are devilish details.  Not clear what’s to be done about the digital side of my ME account, which is cancelled.  Also, in the interests of keeping it simple, I didn’t check I’ll get all the ME’s up until the final issue.  So I may have cancelled ME slightly prematurely!  Never mind, worse things happen at sea.

Dave

 

 

 

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Well that was quick, reply almost by return requesting bank details for refund

[Neil Wyatt]

On Neil Wyatt Said:

I have over a dozen versions of the new masthead in different colourways and backgrounds for different purpose. Here’s an official preview, although work on the new cover won’t start until next week. We wanted something that emphasised continuity with both titles. A lot of thought has gone into this:

 

To emphasise continuity I would have liked to have seen “Model Engineer” in a geometric slab serif font, eg Memphis, the way it has been for ever. Otherwise I quite like it.

[SillyOldDuffer]

On SillyOldDuffer Said:

Hmmm,

Not slick yet! Though I did get a prompt reply.

Direct Debit, both mags.

Tried to amend by email, cos I don’t want Railway Magazine, but this isn’t possible without supplying bank details, and email isn’t secure.  (Fails my security policy.)

By email, Morton’s suggested ringing them (which is secure), but I got the switchboard, before being put through to subs.  Unfortunately, that went to voice-mail, which isn’t secure!

I’ll have to try again…

Be patient.  Subs changing has all the signs of a work in progress, not a well-planned process launched after careful testing!   May be worth waiting a few days whilst the bugs are weeded out.

Dave

I read your post twice before it sunk in to me, that as an unpaid volunteer you have to pay for the magazine out of your own pocket! I know that Mortons (in my estimation) have been and still are an extremely unprofessional organisation, but not supporting the moderators with free subscriptions really baffles me.

Free access to relevant titles is surely essential as part of a moderators toolkit.

Ian P

[Charles Lamont]

On Charles Lamont Said:

To emphasise continuity I would have liked to have seen “Model Engineer” in a geometric slab serif font, eg Memphis, the way it has been for ever. Otherwise I quite like it.

I am inclined to agree. Charles … but the thing that does particularly grate is that letter ‘R’ with its very affected tail.

MichaelG.

.

Being really picky… I would want to adjust the kerning between N & G

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Free access to relevant titles is surely essential as part of a moderators toolkit.

Can’t speak for other moderators but I do get digital access to both mags for that very reason as my only perk. Still pay for my paper ME.

[Michael Gilligan]

On Michael Gilligan Said:

On Charles Lamont Said:

To emphasise continuity I would have liked to have seen “Model Engineer” in a geometric slab serif font, eg Memphis, the way it has been for ever. Otherwise I quite like it.

I am inclined to agree. Charles … but the thing that does particularly grate is that letter ‘R’ with its very affected tail.

MichaelG.

.

Being really picky… I would want to adjust the kerning between N & G

The R just needs a bit of deburring. 😀

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

🙂

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

 

Just to be a bit pedantic, I would point out that the magazine referred to in the ‘masthead’ above was not established in 1898 but will in fact be established in 2025. Further, as it does not yet exist it cannot be the ‘Leading Magazine For Hobby Engineers and Model Makers’. That will take a few years work to make true.

John

[Ian P]

On Ian P Said:

On SillyOldDuffer Said:

Hmmm,

Not slick yet! Though I did get a prompt reply.

Direct Debit, both mags.

Tried to amend by email, cos I don’t want Railway Magazine, but this isn’t possible without supplying bank details, and email isn’t secure.  (Fails my security policy.)

By email, Morton’s suggested ringing them (which is secure), but I got the switchboard, before being put through to subs.  Unfortunately, that went to voice-mail, which isn’t secure!

I’ll have to try again…

Be patient.  Subs changing has all the signs of a work in progress, not a well-planned process launched after careful testing!   May be worth waiting a few days whilst the bugs are weeded out.

Dave

I read your post twice before it sunk in to me, that as an unpaid volunteer you have to pay for the magazine out of your own pocket! I know that Mortons (in my estimation) have been and still are an extremely unprofessional organisation, but not supporting the moderators with free subscriptions really baffles me.

Free access to relevant titles is surely essential as part of a moderators toolkit.

Ian P

Yes, that’s the position – I’m an ordinary paying member, getting no perks whatever.   Like it that way because I’m not obliged to toe the party line!   And when an issue like this crops up I don’t get any special treatment from Mortons – I  experience the same service as everyone else, and can report good and bad as necessary.  Same when I buy tools and materials.

As a member I’m governed by the same Terms and Conditions & Code of Conduct as everyone else.  Never used my moderator privileges to block or alter anyone else’s posts just because I disagree with them – in my opinion that’s an abuse of power.

Like Jason I’m here to support the hobby.  I’m not being influenced by Mortons or anyone else.  Hope that’s a comfort.

Dave

 

[Journeyman]

On Journeyman Said:

 

Just to be a bit pedantic, I would point out that the magazine referred to in the ‘masthead’ above was not established in 1898 but will in fact be established in 2025. Further, as it does not yet exist it cannot be the ‘Leading Magazine For Hobby Engineers and Model Makers’. That will take a few years work to make true.

John

Well, that would be like saying Model Engineer sensu stricto wasn’t established until 1955. It will be a direct continuation of Model Engineer and will be numbered as such, issues and volumes. The reason for the title choice is that we don’t want anyone to feel its Model Engineer ‘incorporating’ MEW as happened to my much beloved Aeromodeller a decade or two ago. This will be a coming together of equals, and with the very definite overlap of interests we should have as much to please both readerships in each issue.

By readership it will be far and away the biggest title for that audience, readership is the usual measure of ‘leading’ for publications.

Anyway, that’s my take.

[Michael Gilligan]

On Michael Gilligan Said:

On Charles Lamont Said:

To emphasise continuity I would have liked to have seen “Model Engineer” in a geometric slab serif font, eg Memphis, the way it has been for ever. Otherwise I quite like it.

It hasn’t been in the current font forever, just since around the time MEW was spun off from ME. And it has been tweaked once or twice since. Memories are short!

This is 1982, but this logo lasted until Junbe 1987, three years before MEW.

[Charles LamontParticipant @charleslamont71117]

I was exaggerating. It was ‘Title Case’ in that heavy sans face for quite a long time. Friendly, but somehow of its time.

[Author]

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