Page 6 - November December 2011

UNCOUPLED
C A R S (all items by the Editor unless otherwise credited)
From Stuart Wood (former member from North America) . . .
In answer to the questions regarding “Meets and the Future” (RH August 2011) please find below my answers:
1. (Should there be Region meets in any part of the country?) No. Are they necessary? I think “clubs” should put on meets in their local area.
1a. (If so, are you willing to have them make a small loss?) Think positive and increase local membership. See below. 2. (Should public be allowed in, albeit at higher entry fee?) Yes, definitely.
3. (Are you happy with the meets format?) Yes! Traders very necessary.
4. (Would it be better to have local groups hold open days instead of having Region meets?) Yes. In my previous club – Delta Model Railway Club in Canada – we used to have an open house every six months with a “donation” pot at the door, which were always well attended. Advertising is the key to success.
I am a retired hobby shop owner specialising in the model railroad industry, and my experience is that large numbers of retired modellers are having to forego going to shows especially when there are four a year. I sold my hobby shop in a province where in the last two years 47 hobby shops have closed due to lack of business. The easy excuse is that all the kids are into computers, which is actually incorrect because (i) they did not have the money initially to spend on model railroading and (ii) they are bored with computer games, which are all the same.
So where is all the spending allowance going? As was suggested, on petrol. Then there are hotels, food etc, which in this country is an average of £100 per day/night. With this sort of numbers, many retirees cannot afford it. I am going to Bournemouth and for the five nights and days the overall total cost will be £800 and that is not counting petrol. It is not the cost at the door, but travel is very expensive in UK and not all of us have gold­plated pensions. That is the only show I will be attending this
season. The other three I will just have to read about.
I would propose that consideration be given to only one national conven­ tion, preferably in one large hall somewhere in the centre of the UK and that each of the divisions hold their own local conventions in their own area, thereby reducing the travel dis­ tance and costs. I think that the one national event should be held in one large hall with layouts and retailers together and not in a series of smaller rooms, which tend to break up the
displays and separate the retailers. Another very important subject is mem­ bership. Maybe the membership chair­ man should review the present mem­ bership average age, and from that a lot of the problems may be answered. As always in most volunteer clubs the problems are related to age and eco­ nomic family conditions. If we don’t encourage more young adults to be­ come members then the hobby will die. I have also discussed with many other club members as to why they don’t have any young adults in their clubs and I normally get all sorts of ridiculous replies like “who is going to look after them?”
Their parents of course! Then with care and attention you may get another member “father” who if he has a 10­year­old son probably has another 30–40 years of father modelling. This way you will increase and keep the hobby going and also keep improving the father/son relationship. No, we’re not a baby­sitting club, but we can be good teachers, as we can keep some enthusiasm in the club. We were all kids once.
I notice there are “no” young adults’ lessons in Bournemouth. This should be a priority along with not charging them at the door. If you treat a young adult on an equal with the adult mem­ bers he will soon integrate into the club and maybe bring some new ideas with him. They mention that all meets are the same. Bring in the youngsters and they may change once you have “listened” to their feedback. I am the founder of the Delta Model Railway Club in western Canada where this is practised successfully. This is a hobby for all people, not just aging males and elitists.
From Brian Willcocks . . .
Having read the comments in “Roundhouse” by Mr Spratley regarding local groups, I would like to offer some
thoughts to the debate. The first is that American Railroad modelling in the UK is a minority following, and even of these, quite a few people are of dual interest. This gives local groups a huge problem in that not many participants have the same focus. In our small group there are no two members interested in the same base railroad, the same era or, except for three, not even the same gauge or scale. This has meant in the recent past two or three new members coming only once or twice, and finding little common ground have moved on. The other endemic problem, and this is modern society not just modelling, the average age of our small group is well north of 55, and probably into the 60s. This makes it difficult for any younger members, again, some of whom have come and gone, and also means that most members are entrenched in their following, and probably relatively short on tolerance regarding discussion.
The problem therefore is what does the local group offer, to my mind it should offer perhaps discussion, help, if asked for, and a social focus based on a general common interest. Model rail­ way clubs can offer model railways, perhaps our local groups should not, and perhaps this is where the discussion should centre. This underlines what the NMRA actually can offer to members, and can encompass Nobby Clarke’s question about meets, I presume he means meetings, exhibitions, seminars and help groups? I see elsewhere that the NMRA has a Library, and presumably it has a comprehensive website with links to all and every historical and model railroad society. I also see that there is expertise offered in various modelling fields, perhaps this is the strength of the NMRA, and instead of finger wagging “The committee” ought to play to those strengths and expand them, and hope that there is enough interest generated before the whole group passes on to the great railroad in the sky!
Cyder Belt/Claverton Modular Club
Annual Report 2011 –
from John Spratley
The last year has been very disappointing for both groups, due mainly to apathy from members in the southwest area. It seems that there is little or no interest in group or club activities, and little sign of any improvement.
Regular Cyder Belt meets are now non­
existent, as attendances at Derek Frow’s first Wednesday evening meets have
6 ROUNDHOUSE