Magazine Round Up - Summer 2021.

Welcome to the Summer 2021 magazine round up. I've got my standard three essential magazines that I have happily read with a beer in the summer sun.

First up is the September 2021 edition of the NZ Model Railway Journal. Now I know what you might be thinking, this is the September Issue. Yes, yes it is. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get the December issue of this excellent magazine. 

The September Journal has an excellent range of articles and pictorials with a focus on way and works rolling stock. The journal includes articles on building a simple jig for soldering wires by Les Downey, basic benchwork using plywood by Peter Ross, a decoder tester, a stunning fell engine built using a 3D printed body by Karl Shields, an early way and works train at Little River, E class tank wagons and three on building E wagons. The magazine also has three pictorials including photos of a beautiful WA tank locomotive by Bryan Lawrence, a 50's focus on steam fell locomotive H 201 working on the famous Rimutaka Incline and vehicle views of non-revenue wagons in the 1950's and 70's.

I'll get the journal into the right order in the Autumn magazine round up.

Next up is the December 2021 edition of the Australian Model Railway Magazine. Another great magazine and this one is packed with great articles and photo's.

The December issue covers the late Rob Burford's triple-gauge South Australian layout Pirie, kit bashing a NSW Countrylink RDH coach, part 3 of Chris Jones's excellent Modelling Modern-era Containers, a look at the Logan District Model Railway Clubs brilliant layout of Wallon in HOn3 1/2, an excellent article by Michael Baum on Micro Layouts and painting realistic backdrops using spray paints.

The stand out for me was Michael Baum's article on micro layouts. I'm a big fan of micro layouts as they're a great way to develop your skills in a small space.

Last but not least is the summer edition of The Linesider. This relatively new magazine continues to get better and better. Like the the journal this edition has a focus on way and works on New Zealand's rail network. It's good to see this normally unseen work being covered. Normally the locomotives and rolling stock get all the love, but they aren't going anywhere without the hard work of the gangers.

Articles in the December edition include a fascinating article by Rob Webb called trackwork for beginners. Definitely the highlight for me. Other articles cover the end of NZR steam, the Kingston Flyer, a nostalgic look at the old Rails magazine, the Silver Star, Railcar Classroom and a short story by Max Kennelly with Bill Cowan recalling a stormy trip from Dunedin to Oamaru in 1975. 

There is also a good pictorial by D.L.A Turner documenting the running of the Kapiti Family Express hauled by JA 1271 and DA 1431 from Paraparaumu to Paekakariki and back on the 30th of May 2021.

Another interesting story was the purchase of 57 new locomotives for the South Island. The new dual cab, low emission diesel locomotives will be built by Stadler Rail Valencia from Spain and will replace the aging South Island fleet of DC, DFT and DX locomotives. This is big news for the South Island and something I might cover in a dedicated post later on in the year.

And that's about it.