Page 7 - NMRA Roundhouse March-April 2020

1959 Dreamliner on the Ffestiniog
the final duplicated copy as Roundhouse became commercially printed again and in A4 format rather than quarto. February 2003 saw a copy printed in colour and from April 2004, colour became the norm.
Conventions
The 1949 AGM in London was termed
a “Convention” with a “banquet” of fish and chips from round the corner.
1950 saw the first Convention as we
now recognise them inYork with 104 attendees.The Region continued to thrive so that the 1952 Convention at York in- cluded the “Dreamliner” a special train, to visit Doncaster Works hauled by Mallard.
The “Dreamliner” rail excursion was to be a regular feature of Conventions for many years. Memorable trips included going from Chester to Portmadoc via Caernarvon to ride the Ffestiniog to Ddault in 1959, and in 1962 taking over the Bromyard branch to drive a GWR 0-6-0 No. 2210 and a coach backwards and forwards over the line.
A major event was the 1971 National Convention held in London. This was
the first overseas Convention that the NMRA had held. Many Region members were involved in years of planning for this Convention. It included excursions to several places in the south – Cranleigh, Tilgate, Beech Hirst and the Bluebell Rail- way, and a trip to York, going up the West Coast and returning via the East Coast. AtYork the participants were split into three groups to be guided to the Minster, Castle Museum and the thenYork Railway Museum, making use of the medieval walls as an “elevated walkway”.
The 1971 Convention finished with the usual “Banquet” being replaced by an extensive buffet in the then Clapham Rail- way Museum where everyone was free to wander amongst the exhibits.
Whilst the content of our Conventions has changed over time with varying em- phasis on trips, competitions, film shows, and clinics, the main purpose remains a
social event with a chance to meet other members and discuss topics of mutual interest.
The Bell
In 1952, the bell fitted to Royal Scot on its US tour was removed fromYork Rail- way Museum to be a centre-piece of the Convention banquet.
At the 1953 Convention, Mr G K Nield, European PRO for Canadian Pacific Railway presented the Region with an inscribed bell from CPR 4-6-0 Locomo- tive No. 536 of Class D-6-b. Presentation of the bell meant that British Railways had no longer to remove the “Royal Scot” bell from its concrete base inYork Museum for use at the Region function.
This bell was regularly transported to Conventions and was even taken on the Dreamliner trips. It was a considerable weight and a logistical exercise in moving it.
In 1957 NMRA’s North East Region, presented the Region with 1/3rd full size replica of a loco bell. This surprise gift arose when they heard of the British Re- gion’s difficulties in moving a full size loco bell to its functions. This bell has passed from President to President ever since as a badge of office.
Crises
From time to time, the Region has gone through trying times. One particular crisis involved a member purchasing on behalf of the Region, 17 dozen ties with the Region emblem. This could have been a good commercial exercise, except that, at that time the entire membership fell far short of 17 dozen! Finances were extremely stretched.
However, a catastrophe was turned into a stroke of good luck by selling Region membership and a tie to US NMRA members. Our membership soared and the bank balance remained in the black. Membership has fluctuated but nothing like as wildly as in the early days. The opening membership is recorded as being 330 in the first few months falling to 64 in 1946. Membership recovered settling at about 200-300 in the 1970s to 1990s. Numbers rose in the mid 1990s reaching 792 in 1997.
So what will the next 75 years bring?
John Firth
1961 one of Ellis James-Robertson’s Worcester Weekends
The Bell about to be loaded on the 1956 Dreamliner at Harrogate. The full size bell now resides at Bressingham.
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