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NMRA National Convention to be held in Birmingham UK in 2022

torikoos

By torikoos,
in USA & Canadian Railroads

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kathymillatt

kathymillatt

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Hi All

 

I am the Convention Chair for the NMRA 2022 convention and I am so excited to be able to show off both our modelling and our country to the rest of the world.

 

The convention will probably be in the last week July 2022 in Birmingham. That gives us plenty of time to organise something really special.

 

We will be showing off all modelling not just North American because in most other countries, the NMRA is not prototype specific. We will also run tours to prototype locations and preserved railways as well as tourist destinations. We're also planning on running a public exhibition at the end of the week with the best of British, European and global modelling we can find.

 

This is not just aimed at existing NMRA members and there will be something of interest for every modeller.

 

Kathy

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bertiedog

bertiedog

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Nice to see it back again, I attended the 1971 Convention in London, even entered a static loco. Change of job forced leaving the NMRA, but recently thought to re-join, and the Convention will make if worthwhile.

Stephen.

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BR60103

BR60103

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Of course by 2022 will anyone in the States still be talking to us? :senile:

Certainly. After what they said about Brexit, they will be begging to rejoin the Empire.

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BR60103

BR60103

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Don't expect them to just want to see American image stuff. Most will be intrigued to see something different, and to talk about how things are done differently or different things are done the same.

Kathy: a small glossary/dictionary might be useful.

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298

298

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They do your shifts that far ahead???

 

It's a fixed pattern and I've got an app that generates a calendar. But that is assuming I'll still be there, which I didn't think would be the case when I started there 20 years ago...

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DavidB-AU

DavidB-AU

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Congratulations to Birmingham. As some may guess from my location, I was on the periphery of the Gold Coast bid. :)

 

Sadly there is a bit of insular ranting happening on some of the US forums about how NMRA is American and conventions should stay there. There are reasons why Charlie Getz wanted to have a convention outside the USA.

 

Cheers

David

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PaulRhB

PaulRhB

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Congratulations to Birmingham. As some may guess from my location, I was on the periphery of the Gold Coast bid. :)

 

Sadly there is a bit of insular ranting happening on some of the US forums about how NMRA is American and conventions should stay there. There are reasons why Charlie Getz wanted to have a convention outside the USA.

 

Cheers

David

So for one year they will have no show? Isn't the end of the world dreadful ;)

I quite agree and I'm always surprised that MR don't make more effort to cover some of the cream of layouts outside the US. Even ExpoNG a small club show managed a display of Japanese modellers stock and a small layout last year ;)

Fortunately while a vocal minority will shout there will be a much larger group wishing they could take advantage of something really different :)

Like I said earlier include some preserved railways to make up for the lack of basement empires and include a 'British layout' section and it could be a great convention.

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298

298

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Wonder how many people will turn up in Alabama?

I doubt they're that daft...unlike the Baglet from Sutton Coldfield who booked flights from Birmingham (Alabama) to Las Vegas. No wonder they were half the price and less than two hours duration...

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Northpoint

Northpoint

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Maybe they need to work it in with the Warley weekend! I'm sure tours of the SVR and something like the Welshpool would go down well as within reach. The U.K. convention has done visits to so maybe the Armitage mob need to shedule a meet to coincide? ;)

Who is this "Armitage mob"? :scratchhead:

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Zomboid

Zomboid

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I doubt they're that daft...unlike the Baglet from Sutton Coldfield who booked flights from Birmingham (Alabama) to Las Vegas. No wonder they were half the price and less than two hours duration...

But she did get a free holiday by taking her stupidity to the press.
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Talltim

Talltim

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I can understand those in the US who are worried about the cost, but there was a guy on the MRH forum seemed to think it threatened national sovereignty...

For those on the west coast it is a long way, for those on the east coast its not a huge amount further than a convention on the west coast and the hard bits of travelling are before and after you get on the plane.

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DavidB-AU

DavidB-AU

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I can understand those in the US who are worried about the cost, but there was a guy on the MRH forum seemed to think it threatened national sovereignty...

You'd be surprised how many NMRA members in the USA don't know there are NMRA regions in the rest of the world.

 

You wouldn't be surprised how many Americans don't know there is a place called "the rest of the world".

 

Cheers

David

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bertiedog

bertiedog

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I know from last time in 1971, there was a lack of layouts to visit, but they did cover Model Engineering clubs as well as railways like the Bluebell. There was a blanket ban on steam on mainlines in the South at the time, so no rail trips with Steam Engines thanks to BR.

 

Rather amusingly I acquired Life Time Membership of Sussex Model Clubs, Crawley Model engineering, Haywoods Heath model engineering, and assorted other clubs in the South East etc, ..... they issued them to all NMRA members visiting, thinking that they would never be used, and looked a bit glum on finding out many of the members were British....................

 

I do hope that better relations with the UK clubs will bring about more visits to members lines and it should include UK lines this time. There was a strong US contingent there, including Linn Westcott and John Allen, and in those days many Japanese brass importers attended.

 

Showing Peco's famous lead time to products in those days, Mr Pritchard was discussing making US H0 track in Code 83, his main complaint was the then NMRA track Standards were too ill defined for him to commit to the costs of making it. Fulgarex attended with both US and European brass models.

 

An unusual display was from a North Korean Company in brass, Samhongsa......who marketed bogied wood cars in brass, with curious florescent green soldering, which was already breaking up whilst at the show. I did buy a couple on the last day sell off, as I was quick to bid, and early, as these where the only brass I could afford. Linn Westcott was after them as well, as the pairs were the very first ever Korean export import items ever made......they needed a lot of attention to re-solder them together....The Koreans had used "Killed Acid" flux on brass, and the green was pure copper oxide.

 

The competition models were excellent as usual, but fewer because of being in London. I hope these days the problems of transporting the models will be easier, and I hope the NMRA and The British Region make very full use of the Internet and Skype to share some of the convention with those in the States who cannot actually be there.

 

Stephen.

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dave1905

dave1905

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They know. They just don't see the relevance; a lot of their ancestors went to the USA to get away from "the rest of the world".

 

We have some friends who are Swedish and mentioned that the people in Europe viewed Americans as violent, overly religious and greedy.  I pointed out to her that America was inintially settled by people fleeing religious persecution, fortune seekers and prisoners.  You reap what you sow.    :yes:

 

Just remember not everybody over here has the same view.  There are many of us who are aware that the NMRA exists internationally and are happy that Birmingham has the convention.

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