Page 8 - November December 2014

What a Palaver – Allan Dobson
Life is never with- out problems – big ones, small ones and catastrophes. I am not sure what ours fell into. I got up one Monday morning and was quite happily tucking into my breakfast when the phone
rang, a quite unusual thing at that time of day.
“Hello, is that Allan?” a voice on the other end said. “This is Sue from the Parish Centre, I have some bad news for you, the Allotment Association have their show on the same day as you are advertising.” Shock, horror, nearly a heart attack. Deep breath! Dickey Ticker please keep going! “I will pop down in a few minutes,” I said, mind racing.
How could we end up in this situation, I thought, so I looked at my paperwork and it looked ok, so I shot off to see her, arrived waving my piece of paper, and then she showed me hers, pointing out the date with it “changed by my own hand”. Oh, why does my brain wipe itself clear at night? Then it all gradually and vaguely came back to me from well over six months ago. It appeared that we had altered some papers and missed others.
Sue said that we were booked in for the Saturday following, that all was not lost, so it was decision time, we had the option of delay or cancel, and decided that delay was the better move of the two. As the tradition is, the show must go on, the bullet was bitten.
Next Big Job was renew all the advertising, and contact as many people as we could, plus asking NTrak and NMRA for help. Martin was brilliant, one or two others not quite so, this proved quite a difficult operation. Plus Explanation Posters for one week early.
Then we found yet another problem, only eight of our 30-odd members were available on the new date, and the lack of bodies and transport threatened to scupper it for good, it looked as though we would be left with a hall with only two layouts and maybe a G scale set up on some tables.
What to do? Solve the problem! I send begging emails to two of our local clubs, both British outline, both of which we have attended and exhibited at in the past, please can you help us in our hour of need? Back came the answers – yes! The Victory Club at Portsmouth offered to bring three layouts and the Fareham & District Model Railway Group offered us two, all at no cost. So we supplied them with free teas and coffees all day. So our 53rd Exhibition opened to the public to a full hall, the people enjoyed it and, being a bit different, helped, and it turned out to be a success, with almost identical takings to normal. So Model Railroading is FUN, most of the time
I think that there are one or two lessons to be learnt from this saga and they are:
1. Keep a strict eye on your paperwork.
2. Be friendly with groups of other persuasions.
3. Don’t have problems, HAVE SOLUTIONS.
4. Be friendly with everyone – you never know who will help
you in a time of need.
From Adversity Mike Sheppy We all enjoy our hobby, but it can be restricting and limiting
without constructive input from other enthusiasts, so we may sign up for membership of our local club to make new contacts. But so often, this local club may be subject to “sniping”, unwarranted criticism, isolationist cliques, power struggles,
and vindictiveness, and become a place where newcomers are ignored. Sadly, many voluntary organisations suffer with such “anti-social” behaviour (not just modelling clubs!), resulting in the loss of many valuable members. Why suffer the unwarranted stress, pay subs and donate our free time to such organisations? If we “vote with our feet” and leave, it doesn’t mean we have to be loners and feel like outcasts. Most of us have useful skills, are easy to get along with, and have a good sense of humour. What to do, then? How about forming a “self-help” group by inviting those who are “like-minded” and who can “fit in” to join! We have formed such a group in this area, mainly from club “fall-out”.
So how does it work? There are no obligations and no fees. We assist our friends/members with any project requiring it. For example, we are helping build and modify layouts and models, learning new skills, and even helping clear a loft for conversion work so that a layout can be relocated. A garage is also being converted at another location by the team for the same purpose! The cost? Nil, except for materials paid for by the owner of the project.
We fit in these tasks when mutually convenient. The beneficiary normally provides refreshments to keep up the strength and willingness of the “troops”. “Pay-back” for any help is not required. We do it because we enjoy each other’s company and get a “buzz” from assisting and seeing a job well done. In doing so, we learn new skills, or how to do things better, from members who possess a wide range of skills and proficiency. “Members” assist when and if they wish to. There is NO pressure! We are railway modellers out to enjoy all aspects of the hobby with like-minded friends, whatever modelling scale or regions of the world the proposed or existing layouts are set in.
The resulting banter and “leg-pulling” is hilarious, but the work gets done. It is tremendous fun, free of cost and obli- gation, and it works. This is how sharing a hobby with like- minded friends should be! So if you are out there “in the wilderness”, try forming your own local “self-help” group on a similar basis. In my experience, you won’t regret it.
Some corrections
to Dennis Leighton’s article in our last issue:
The photographs on page 13 were taken by Steve Dumpleton (Wallace is the layout name).
Photo 3 is “the Big Blue”, Photo 4 is part of “Danesville”, Photo 5 is the Railway offices, interchange and industry, Photo 6 is part of the CBQ branch to Danesville!!
Another correction!
From Tony Bettger
In the October issue review of the Alton Ltd show, “Warehouse District” was due to be there, but unfortunately I had to withdraw it five weeks or so before the exhibition, due to continuing wiring problems, which I didn’t have time to fix. The organisers substituted another layout, but it was too late to change the programme. It therefore was quite perplexing to see my layout mentioned in the article by Richard Maxwell. It was not Warehouse District the reviewer Richard was looking at!
From Mike Sheppy
Hi Martin, “My Railfanning Holiday” articles? Bring ’em on!! They are informative and always interesting, not only providing “prototype” inspiration with their photos, but highlighting the best (and worst!) aspects or their respective trips. Anyone planning a similar trip to the same regions of that huge continent will benefit from the experiences shared in these articles. Those “riveted” to the UK or Europe who don’t plan to take such a trip can still “go along for the ride” without
UNCOUPLED CARS
(all items by the Editor unless otherwise credited)
8 ROUNDHOUSE continued on page 9 8 ROUNDHOUSE