Welcome to March

As this latest issue heads to the printers, we’re in the first few weeks of our third national lockdown. We’ve all got to adjust once more to the tight restrictions imposed on our lives, but at least least we have the foreknowledge of what to expect this time around.

Hobbies have never been so important. Not only because they offer a degree of escapism from troubling news headlines, but also, the majority of hobbies keep our minds, and in the case of railway modelling, our hands, busy for long periods of time.

Despite all the recent doom and gloom, for some businesses, lockdown has had a positive effect, with many stockists and manufacturers reporting an uplift in sales over the last year. A clear example of this would be the recent announcements from Hornby, which, despite the challenging economic circumstances, is investing heavily in a number of new products – see page 26 for our in-depth report.

Like many hobbies, model railways have been moving more into a virtual space over the past 12 months and, although we miss the face-to-face interactions, there’s still much to look forward to over the coming months. Our third virtual exhibition will be hosted in the spring, though videos and new content is being uploaded daily to our website, www.world-of-railways.co.uk. If you want to keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, and information on the hobby, subscribing to our weekly newsletter is a must.

On the magazine front, never has there been a better time to go digital. Every digital issue of BRM comes with more features, bonus videos and extra photographs. If you visit www.pocketmags.com/BRM, you’ll find a new (and free!) digital sample issue of BRM. Take it for a spin and share your feedback with us – we know many of you are now switching to this format. We understand that digital isn’t for everyone, however, and if you struggle to get to the shops, you can still subscribe to have printed copies of BRM delivered through your letterbox.

In your March issue of BRM, we’re presenting three fantastic layouts for your perusal. First is the excellent ‘Peterborough North’, which delivers tenfold on operational complexities and aesthetics.

Our second layout is the fictitious ‘Harley Poole Too’, an action-packed layout that is ready for its debut in the exhibition circuit. You can see this layout in action in this episode of BRM TV, available to BRM print and digital subscribers. The final layout is the resurrected ‘Amalgamated Wagon Works’, which spent 14 years in a barn before being reinstated by Ben Lord.

Within the pages of this issue is also a great selection of practical advice, including some top tips for locomotive weathering, a guide to help you get started with more realistic N gauge track, beginners’ advice for painting your own backscene, plus step-by-step demonstrations on building a pylon and a wood yard.

We hope you enjoy this latest issue and that it provides you with a much-needed escape from these difficult times.