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organise and give their time to it, whether at a Meet or a special clinic day/weekend. We all know the first one was a big success and the second one was cancelled. (Eds. Note - Due to membership’s lack of interest!!).
As for John’s comment about publicity, he must remember our Meets are for Members only and their guests. Most venues are too small to support a large crowd and to do so would be against fire regulations, and thus invalidate any insurance. Secondly, and sadly, we are seeing an increase in items ‘vanishing’ as it is, and because of the ‘family’ atmosphere that is always present at Meets, we tend to leave things, knowing that most people there are ‘family’ and trustworthy. Surely we do not want to turn these friendly gatherings into the push and shove of Railway Shows!
We could improve publicity if every member displaying a layout at a railway show took some publicity material with them to hand out to those genuinely interested in the American scene, and to be Ambassadors for the NMRA.
Notes on their layout saying, “please ask for more information on the NMRA” would help. With regard to the help desk, nice idea but impractical to implement without lots of them all over the country. For his information our Southern Publicity stand, when at an exhibition, carries a Kadee demonstration for which we get a great deal of interest - not just from American outline modellers. As regard to VCR’s we were looking into the use of these on our publicity stand, but to try to compete with this when answering questions from prospective members is totally impractical. We experience enough difficulties when placed next to a layout with live sound. The more equipment, the more trips to the car, more insurance. Also we will need to have a power point making us more difficult to place, and, as we can boast we only need 6 ft., we are at present a saleable commodity.
LettersSpecial... And from Allan Sibley:
Like John I have never been to a convention though I have attended a few meets. Also like John I regularly visit the EMGS ‘Expo EM’, and for 12 years have been involved with the running of the Scalefour Society’s “Scaleforum” and ‘Scalefour North’ events - the nearest equivalent to a convention.
Expo EM and Scaleforum are held in leisure centre sports halls, Scalefour North in a technical college - venues which are almost certainly cheaper to hire than even an off-season hotel. Thus entrance charges are on a par with conventional model railway exhibitions, around £5 for non-members and £3 for members. Visitors need not reserve in advance to attend. In all three cases hotel accommodation is provided for those
who wish it - some participants make their own arrangements such as staying with relatives or travelling daily from home etc.
For this year’s Peterborough convention, on a weekend currently vacant in my diary, the venue is just 18 miles from my home, and only 2 from my parent’s home. I’m tempted to visit my first convention but am put off by the £15 registration fee, and committing myself so far in advance. Unless there is a reasonable “day visitor” entry charge, payable by just turning up on the day, I shall not attend the event virtually on my doorstep.
As the Region’s premier event, it would also be an ideal recruiting tool if publicised more widely in the model railway press with attractive pricing for day visitors on the Saturday and Sunday.
LettersSpecial...
And there’s more,
from Stuart Robinson
Promoting American model railroading. From reading Roundhouse I have gathered the impression that members would like to promote American railroad modelling and the millennium. I feel we could merge these to make ‘2000 the year of American Model railroading’. To do so I feel we have to get the following points over that:
1. Modellers of American railroads are friendly.
2. Despite articles in the model railroad press you don’t need a large basement or be into modules to go American railroad modelling.
3. American railroad modelling is at it most affordable (locos under £10, cars at under £4 and second hand at half these prices) and probably more affordable than modelling British outline. Although cheaper, stock runs better than British stock. I believe it is now possible to build and stock a layout for under a hundred pounds.
Friendliness would require that for the year the use of English (UK) rather than English (US) and charging the same entry price for members and non- members. To draw in non-Roundhouse- readers, events, particularly regional events, would be more fully publicised. Publicity would be entries in the specialist and, where appropriate, local press combined with the distribution of posters and leaflets. ‘Two’ could be achieved by displaying members layouts “you can live with”. ‘Three’ could be met by building a small and affordable layout at regional meets. I realise that the type of English used and entry price is the responsibility of the Region’s committee. However I feel that I could be of help in the following areas:
I could contact the specialist press. Possibly the Continental Modeller and
Model Trains International might agree to ‘climb on the band wagon’.
I can provide art work and some free photocopies for handbills and posters (though this might change if I move job).
Layouts can be supplied.
I could build at a regional events a layout, including stock, that costs less than a hundred pounds. This might form the basis of article(s) in the Continental Modeller and Model Trains International.
The above might be funded by a “Millennium Small Grant” (£500 to £5000). The North Downs MRC has already taken the first step on this route.
LettersSpecial...
Paul Doggett adds
his fourpenn’orth
I agree with John Wright. How many long- standing (NMRA) members will travel to British exhibitions especially those with no US outline on show - very few, I bet. Good modelling doesn’t stop at America’s east coast! Though I’m not a Scalefour Society member, I’ll go to the Wakefield meeting and be made very welcome. Nine superb British layouts on show, and these guys will always discuss techniques etc. with you. Also plenty of traders, and sales of parts and tools. Some of our meet organisers should visit these shows to see how it’s done - the S4 Society is not much bigger than NMRA-BR.
On a different note, I was sad to read Eric Belshaw’s letter (Feb. issue). He says he’d welcome advice on budget modelling - I’d say check out the NMRA library - there are plenty of books he can borrow. Some of the best modellers I’ve known have had limited budgets. Some very nice models can be seen made of tinplate, a very cheap material. Superb 7mm locos where only the stack, dome, wheels, motor and gears have been bought.
To build anything one should read as much as possible about the prototype, and take your time - this is most important.
The criticism of Geoff Meek’s comments is unfair. Geoff has always been helpful and constructive in my experience.
Finally, no, I don’t really want to do a clinic, but I would be prepared to do one if it helped anybody.
LettersSpecial... From Ian Wheeler
Much has been said and written on the thorny question of the cost of B.R. Conventions, most recently by John Wright in February 1999 ‘Roundhouse’.
There will be many shades of opinion and, therefore, no single answer but, for me, it’s all a question of what you want
JUNE 1999
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