A list of clubs which pro-actively encourage modern D&E modelling - starting with Twickenham MRC

[TEAMYAKIMA]

This is a thread for clubs which actively encourage modern D&E modelling to advertise themselves to potential members.

 

The idea is not that it becomes a discussion of the pros and cons of D&E modelling in general but that is just a list of clubs that pro-actively support D&E modelling so that those who model the current scene know that these clubs welcome them

Let me start by saying that my club - Twickenham & District MRC - does pro-actively encourage modern D&E modelling and seeks new members who model the current scene.

 

We have started a small OO project ( 'EASTGATE') to encourage current D&E modelling in the club. The club hopes that this will lead to a far bigger D&E layout in the future.

See www.tdmrc.org.uk

Edited April 4, 2018 by TEAMYAKIMA

[grahame]

Aren't all clubs prepared to support potential members regardless of the genre they choose to model?

 

Can they really afford to be picky and put off (or even reject) those who favour D&E modelling? I'd have thought they ought welcome anyone who is interested in railway modelling. Or is it that D&E enthusiasts are put off by steam only clubs and don't approach them?

 

G

[Zomboid]

Does "really modern" just mean privatisation era, or is it wider than that?

My local club has a BR blue era group, but nothing more recent AFAIK.

[newbryford]

Does "really modern" just mean privatisation era, or is it wider than that?

My local club has a BR blue era group, but nothing more recent AFAIK.

 

 

Some clubs don't support US or European, or narrow gauge etc and it's not just steam v diesel, it can be diesel v diesel (By diesel, I do mean diesel and electric)

 

We have a new member that has joined our club because his previous club has a layout that doesn't run beyond 2012.

Our current club layout in build (Bankfield - see sig) will be present day including stuff from the past 5 years.

 

Some of the reasons for lack of support for particular eras/scales etc can be lack of resources - available space, financial and number of members. I know one of our club members hankers after a US H0 layout (not me!) but there's only him and we don't have the space or financial resources to start a new project at the moment.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[ELTEL]

Well at Stafford Railway Circle we most certainly support Modern Image as a club and at annual exhibition.

 

The current club MI layout being Whiteacres (which is featured in the April 2018 issue of the Hornby Magazine)

 

Also member Pete Griffiths has Crimson Road (EWS) and I have Oil Drum Lane (DRS)

 

We do of course have steam based layouts as well as NG all of the above can be seen on the exhibition circuit.

 

Oil Drum Lane will be at DEMU, Derby and Weston Super Mare this year.

 

Full details of Club & Members Layouts and exhibition diary to be found on www.staffordrailwaycircle.org.uk

 

Eltel

[Dungrange]

I think the initial question is looking for clubs that meet three distinct criteria:

• Making D&E modellers feel welcome;
• Providing support to D&E modellers; and
• Using D&E modelling to advertise the club.

As the secretary of my local model railway club (Edinburgh and Lothian MRC), I can say that as a club we try to make all modellers feel welcome (not just D&E modellers).  However, if there are any D&E modellers in the Edinburgh area, they are welcome to come along to any of our club nights.  Our current member's interests extend from the pre-grouping era to post-privatisation, standard and narrow gauges including industrial and continental lines in principally 3.5mm, 4mm and 7mm scales.

 

However, the support that we can offer new members is very much dictated by the skills and interests of the current membership, which changes over time.  Although my principal interest is the post-privatisation period, my interests within the club are in the minority at this point in time, which is the reason why we don't have and don't exhibit any modern D&E layouts.

 

The club doesn't own rolling stock and all trains operating on our exhibition layouts are loaned by members for the exhibition.  This means that we tend to build layouts that suit the rolling stock owned by the bulk of the current membership, which is the reason why most of our layouts tend to represent BR steam (particularly ex-LNER).  That is unlikely to change unless a few more D&E modellers were to join. 

 

In terms of 'advertising' we try to be 'professional' at exhibitions and operate our layouts with stock representing a particular point in time (typically late 1950s).  Pre-grouping and post privitisation stock will not operate at exhibitions alongside grouping, BR Steam and Blue diesels.  However, down in the club room, anything goes and the rest of the members are quite used to seeing a Class 66 parked alongside four wheel coaches in a BR branch line terminus. 

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Aren't all clubs prepared to support potential members regardless of the genre they choose to model?

 

Or is it that D&E enthusiasts are put off by steam only clubs and don't approach them?

 

 

I think all specialist enthusiasts can be put off the concept of clubs to an extent. Clubs tend to be based around 'the norm' and specialist minority interests can feel excluded unless a club makes a concerted effort to attract such minorities.

 

About two years ago my club (Twickenham) accepted that we had no full-time hard core D&E members and we felt that it was in the club's best interests to tap into this developing sub-set of modellers.

 

We concluded that we (the existing members) would have to make a firm commitment to building a D&E layout if we were to attract such modellers - simply saying if 3 or 4 D&E modellers join in the future we could consider a D&E layout was simply not good enough. We needed to say something far more positive and so a few of the existing (non D&E) members committed to starting a small D&E layout in order to show we are serious in making the club attractive to D&E modellers.

 

To a great extent that need for a positive attitude extends to all sorts of specialist minority interests; at open days we often hear potential new members say ' I would join your club if you had a layout in .... American HO, European HO, O-14, P4, EM etc  .  The hobby is very diverse today and potential members want to see proof that their sub-set of the hobby is being catered for in any club they choose to join.

 

So the purpose of this thread is to allow clubs that are positive about D&E modelling to advertise themselves to potential members.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Does "really modern" just mean privatisation era, or is it wider than that?

 

A good question.

 

As the person who started this thread I would say that I meant privatisation era. The reason being that I was trying to publicise that my club had a pro-D&E outlook (in general) but when I looked at RMweb there was only a sub-forum for Blue Era modelling. So I posted there but the new members we have attracted in the last 18 months have a very current outlook which did not fit into the Blue era forum. 

 

I asked Andy York and he has hinted that there will be a new sub-forum for the current scene in the near future, but in the mean time I posted in the M&M sub-forum.

[sem34090]

At our club...

 

The chairman's a D&E fan.

The show manager's a D&E fan.

The treasurer's a D&E fan.

 

So we always end up running modern stuff on club nights and if I do so much as dare to run a realistic length express freight behind my ex-GCR O4 I get laughed off! A Hall or S15 normally goes down a bit better, but out show seemed to be composed of >60% D&E layouts, and there was no pre-grouping represented at all.

 

Actually, perhaps clubs should be more inclusive of pre-grouping enthusiasts... can only think of Twickenham who have a pre-grouping club layout. And it has pre grouping electrics combined with LBSCR stuff, all in O! What's not to like?!

[great central]

Well we have three pure D&E layouts, although two only really up to sector era. The other prototype closed in 1981.

For earlier times there is a grouping era Midland layout and 1950s-60s GN and Midland combined which can also be back dated to the pre group era. Also an O gauge early BR layout.

Members personal layouts cover European and American interest, there's also a small American club layout, as well as O and N gauge.

Think we've got most bases covered, just need more members!

[tamperman36]

The biggest problem for most clubs is lack of space to build and store layouts that support everyones personal interests. When I was a club member they where lucky enough to have room for an O gauge, a OO gauge and an N gauge layout to be up and running all at the same time. On a club night any era stock was fine and no members were made to feel unwelcome, we would all share ideas and advice. When a layout went to a show it would be kept to the designed era with relavent stock provided by the members who had the correct stock.

 

The simple thing is to each there own, clubs should generally welcome all.

[Allegheny1600]

The Manchester Model Railway Society (MMRS) is currently building a new layout to represent the current scene, more or less;

http://www.mmrs.co.uk/barton-road/

 

Although the initial photos show plenty of older chaps, further down the page, you can see there are younger members involved too.

[stevejjjexcov]

The Coventry Model Railway Club has a layout that is D&E. If you google their site there are galleries of all their layouts

 

All the best steve

[5050]

As far as I'm concerned, the Wakefield club couldn't care less what a prospective members interests are so long as they include railways and modelling them.  We have members who model the current scene ('Troutons', 'Woodfield Road'), those who model the US scene in HO and O, narrow gauge (British, American, Continental), industrials, light railways, Midland, North British, Great Western and others. So yes, we do 'support' D&E modelling.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

As far as I'm concerned, the Wakefield club couldn't care less what a prospective members interests are so long as they include railways and modelling them. 

 

Of course, I think that is true of most clubs. The reason I started this thread was to highlight that my club (Twickenham) pro-actively wants to develop a D&E layout - partly to broaden the clubs appeal and partly because (in general) D&E modellers tend to be slightly younger.

 

The trouble was a classic 'chicken and egg situation'. As we had no dedicated D&E modellers it was difficult to start a dedicated D&E layout and without a dedicated D&E layout it was difficult to attract dedicated D&E modellers.

 

So Twickenham club took a gamble - to commit money and vital storage space to a 'start-up' D&E layout in order to show our commitment to D&E modelling. Moreover, some club minded members (who don't even model British standard gauge let alone D&E) committed to get the project off the ground. And 'YES' as a result we have attracted some (younger) D&E modellers - more wanted, hence this thread!

 

Our small start-up D&E layout will be shown off for the first time at a special 'pop-up' exhibition we are holding in Twickenham Library on Sat April 21st 10am - 4pm so come down and see what we have achieved so far.

Edited April 4, 2018 by TEAMYAKIMA

[James Makin]

It’s a tricky one, I’m a big D&E fan, and the club I’m a member of has a number of D&E projects on the go and in the pipeline (D&E era = ‘60s-onwards) but - going against the grain, is there a danger that if you’re not really into the D&E scene, then it would be easy to create a soulless diesel layout, just for the sake of it? Sure, it’s possible to get the research all done, but I believe the passion and flair is where the magic happens!

 

For the same reasons, I’d find it hard to create an effective pre-grouping layout, as I’ve not got the passion to do it justice - it’d be a bit clinical - stick to your strengths and what you know best - I believe that a passion and a desire to create a certain scene or tell a certain story is the ingredient in a good model railway (regardless of prototype era/location choice) - you don’t want to risk just ‘going through the motions’?

 

It’s great that in the last 20 years since I’ve been active in this hobby I’ve watched as D&E has moved from being niche to being well into the mainstream - (and it’s 50 years since the end of steam - that’s a whole lotta history!) but in some cases it does seem like trying to be all things to all people may not necessarily produce an interesting, characterful layout at the end!