Page 4 - May June 2009

President’s Car...
Tim Rudge
As I write this in late April the sun is streaming in the window reminding me that the lawn will need to be cut before the end of today! I have yet to convince the other half that a garden layout would be of benefit, but I do sometimes think that having the opportunity to combine the two hobbies would be rather enjoyable!
The first Officers’ Meeting for a while was held at Kegworth on 21 February; several points were discussed and a future meeting is being planned which, hopefully, more people will be able to attend.
The Spring Meet on 10 May is now looming close, and by the time you read this it will have taken place. The organising teams work very hard to get the Meets up and running so do please show your support and appreciation and try to go along if you can.
I am pleased to report that the BOD has received positive feedback from the membership regarding the PayPal option now available on the website for joining as a new member and for renewing membership. Thanks to all those involved for their efforts in getting this up and running. The BOD continues to look at other payment options, but is being somewhat hampered in its efforts due to the seemingly high cost of setting up a direct debit facility, which would ultimately have to be passed on to members. This unfortunately means that it may not be a viable option for the British Region at the current time. Any feedback from members on this matter would be welcome.
The National Convention in Hartford Ct will take place over 15–20 July 2009. Hopefully, those of you who are attending will be able to report back via the Round­ house and relate their experiences to those of us who cannot attend. In the past, I have heard comments from people who have visited the National about the high cost of attending, due not only to the rising cost of airfares and transport but to the fact that all of the tours,
trips and entertainment are at extra cost. It is therefore with interest that I see that the NMRA have stated that in an effort to reduce the cost of attending National Conventions, two smaller cities (Sacramento, California and Grand Rapids, Michigan) have been selected to host in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Attendance costs for those conventions will be analysed. I am pleased to see that they are obviously considering the affordability of the event, perhaps in part as a result of reduced numbers attending last year’s Convention, where I under­ stand numbers were considerably down on previous years.
The cost and format of our own annual Convention is also a subject that needs further discussion. As money becomes tighter and costs of fuel, transport and hotels increase, it is becoming harder for us to keep costs down and reasonable for the membership. Expenses for people bringing layouts is one of the major costs of the Convention, and as the train show is a crucial part of the weekend, an unavoid­ able cost. I also think it is true to say that as people are not reimbursed for accommodation, food etc, as they would be at a normal train exhibition, this has an effect on being able to provide a wider variety of layouts each year as it reduces the number of people willing and able to attend with their layouts. If people have ideas about how Conventions could be run after 2010 and feel that alternative formats should be considered, the BOD would be very pleased to hear from you. The preparations Terry, Kay and I are doing for the 2009 Convention are now well under way and an update on the event can be found elsewhere in the magazine. Following on from the success of the mini layout competition last year at Kegworth, a diorama competition is to be held this year, with prizes. Full details on the criteria and how to enter are given later in this issue. The Convention is one of the real advantages of
being a member of the NMRA, so I urge you to come and see the show, meet old and new friends, and have a memorable weekend.
With the Convention only a few short months away, hopefully you have all started your models for entry into the Contests, and possibly the Achievement Programme. For those of you who have not entered models into the Contests before, you will need to complete forms for each entry. These are available as downloads from the website or by post from Terry Wynne. These need to be completed, and the fuller the description on how you achieved the model the easier it is for the Judges to assess and mark. A description on several pages of A4 is not unusual. Finally, the model and the completed forms need to be in the Contest Room before the closing time – check the details with Terry Wynne – but it is generally early on Saturday morning, so if you are only coming for the day, you will need to be there early!
As mentioned in the last Roundhouse, any nominations for the elected officers (BOD) posts should be sent to Rai Fenton by 1 August, so if anyone feels they would like to have a say in how the British Region is run, here is your chance!
Have Fun!
 ROunDHOuSe