Page 4 - November December 2013

President’s Car
Is it really a year since my first President’s Car in Roundhouse? (It was called Business Car then, but was changed back to President’s Car following several requests from the mem­ bership.)
This must be one of the quickest years of my life, but also one of the busiest. I am very fortunate to have a really good team behind me, and I can honestly say that none of the advances we have made this year would have been possible without every single one of them. We would have liked to do more, but it all boils down to how many people there are who are willing to give their time, and how much time each task needs. We just need a few more members willing to give up a few hours a month to achieve more of the things we would all like to see. However I would like to thank Gavin Fry for stepping forward and showing interest in taking the Renewals Officer’s position on. This was unfortunately the only vacant Appointed Officers position for which any interest was expressed at the AGM. If you were not at the AGM, where a list of vacant positions was circulated, and you are interested in stepping into one of the vacant positions, there will be a list of these posts elsewhere in this edition. Please feel free to contact any member of the BoD. We were encouraged to see two applications for the position of secretary, from Peter Bowen and Peter Lloyd­Jones. You may be aware that Peter Bowen has decided to withdraw his application to help out in other ways. I hope that he will be encouraged to consider future positions as they arise. Congratulations to Peter Lloyd­Jones.
I would not normally like to single anyone out from those who have worked extremely hard on your behalf, but I must thank Steve Scott for giving us five years of excellent service as Secretary. Unforgivably, this was something I overlooked saying at the AGM! I do hope Steve can forgive me for that omission. Steve has stepped down to enjoy a little more family time and to build some modules, but he will not be disappearing into the mists, as he has volunteered to take on the role of Directory Editor and in conjunction with that, the Pike & Module Registry. He will also return to help drive the Phoenix Team, which in my view is going to be a valuable asset in highlighting much­needed improvements, bringing you more value to your membership. So if you have suggestions, don’t keep them to yourself or complain about what’s not happening, bring them to the table and be prepared to be part of changing things for the better. That is the main reason I volunteered for the role I’m currently in. I could talk the talk, but had I got the bo . . . bottle to walk the walk!
If all goes well, this time next year it will be Mike Arnold who will be addressing you here. He will make a great President and I ask you to try to get to really know him as I have. I don’t necessarily suggest that you share a hotel room with him like I did many years ago, but he has a lot of drive and dedication that needs your support now and next year.
Unfortunately we have not yet had a bid for the 2015 conven­ tion, and if a hotel is going to be booked the prospective organ­ ising team needs to think about this very soon otherwise we may find ourselves without a 2015 venue due to shortened timescales. The main team does not have to be from the area, but you should perhaps consider approaching at least one local person to assist the team in the case of a need to visit the venue for whatever reason. I’m sure the Manor Hotel at Meriden would be happy to have us back! I do hear that we have a few members willing to lend a hand if experienced members can guide them, so . . . perhaps we could have some possibilities soon. If you want to be a part of it, let us know.
Continuing the saga (probably not the best word) of my travels around the Region, I visited the Claverton (Bath) contingent of the Cyder Belt Division in early September. This is a group that I used to visit with my previous set of modules on a monthly basis. I have always enjoyed going there and felt welcomed by all. What is unique about the set­up there is that the layout is
Keith Webb
mostly made up of the earlier, traditional NMRA Specification modules, which form a series of dioramas for the trains to pass through. If you take an overview it may look odd, but by filling your vision – including the peripherals, with each scene one at a time –the beauty of this method allows you many backdrops for your train to be photographed in.
I also had a very interesting visit to the Western Union group down near Plymouth towards the end of September, where I spent a pleasant Friday evening as the guest of Brian Moore and his partner Jane. The following day was spent operating on the Western Union modules and meeting other active BR members from the South West. This meant that I could not make the Seaboard Southern Exhibition. I apologise for also missing the Bearwood modular event, but this time I was at Crewe supporting the Calder Northern event, where I spent most of the day helping Steve Scott operate the Devil’s Creek layout. One thing touring around the country has revealed, is that many of you would like to try taking your modelling in a different direction, be it in method or scale. Many of you have also told me that you are considering building modules to the new BR Specification, or branching out into narrow gauge, but your current meeting venue does not have the space to support two layouts at the same time. There are several solutions to this. One solution would be: if there were enough of you interested, you could meet at the same venue on a different night. You would still be part of the same group, but you would have expanded the opportunity for more fun and the possibility of more members! Of course this has a cost impact on the group in hall hire fees unless the group has its own premises. I know of at least one railway club that works in this way, and has done so for some time. Obviously I would hope that any group you currently belong to would help and support you and the others wishing to go down this road.
Another alternative is that you can start a new group with independent funds and expenses, but if this going to be near to your current group, or at the same hall, total openness is encouraged so that there are no misunderstandings as to the reasons why it is being formed. If there just isn’t the space for two layouts or activities, some form of compromise has to encouraged. Please remember, there is no limitation to how many groups you may belong to, or how many groups there can be in one area; I currently enjoy the activities of more than one group, and if a modular group is formed locally, I will join that also!
Finally it gives me great pleasure to announce that Derek Milby, Derek Frow, Ellis James­Robertson and Tom Winlow have all been awarded Freedom of the Region. Congratulations to them.
It just leaves me to wish you a Merry Christmas and hope to see you at Benson.
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