The 2023 calendars are on the press!

Over this past weekend, I uploaded the files for both 2023 Canadian Branchline wall calendars to Ampersand Printing. Yesterday (Monday, August 8), I approved the proofs. Those calendars will go on the press imminently (and, knowing the gang at Ampersand, the job may already be finished as I write this).

What’s next, for the calendars?

If I can shanghai my son Spencer for a visit home in the next few days, I’ll arrange for him to pick up the finished calendars from the printer en route. Otherwise, I’ll have Ampersand “overnight” them to me.

Either way, I expect to begin distributing calendar pre-orders near the start of next week (August 15).

What else do I need to know about the calendars, or books for that matter?

Glad you asked. There is a narrow shipping window here between about August 15 and the end of the month. That’s because I will travel to Bulgaria for three weeks, beginning the evening of Thursday September 1 (I could tell you I’m going there to research the Simplon Orient Express from steam days, when it passed through Bulgaria’s capital city Sofia, but that would be less than truthful).

Anyway, the one-man shipping department here will be closed from end of day September 1st until reopening on Monday, September 24th. If you’d like calendars or any other publications to be received before October, best submit your order by August 31st!

I missed your special offer on the calendars... can I still take advantage of this?

You can, in one of two ways. Download and print the mail order flyer. Then send that to me with payment (Canadians may also remit funds by Interac e-transfer, in which case make a note of which calendars you want).

The other way will be to wait a few weeks until a flyer arrives in your postal mail (only if you’ve purchased something in 2021 or 2022 AND didn’t pre-order either of the calendars). The mail order flyer will have a coupon which will replicate the special offer (with a deadline).

For a few bucks more, you can order the calendars off the website via PayPal anytime, and save yourself paperwork and mailing chores.

How many calendars are you printing?

There will be 500 steam plus 500 diesel calendars. Whenever we’ve printed only 500 calendars, they sell out by early in the designated year.

What’s more popular among your readers, the steam or diesel calendar?

Unsurprisingly, early orders from loyal readers favoured steam. Later orders, though, show about a 50/50 split. Most readers, it should be said, escape any betrayal of bias by purchasing both.

Haven’t you said enough already by now, Ian?

Yes, thank you. I’ll be in touch again soon.

Wait a minute, don’t go! Have I ordered one or more calendars?

If you can’t recall, send me an email and I'll check my database on your behalf.

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