NMRA National Convention 2022 Cancelled.

[Dalesman]

NMRA NATIONAL CONVENTION BIRMINGHAM 2022

 

It is with a heavy heart that we advise that we can no longer run the NMRA National Convention in Birmingham UK in 2022.  

 

Birmingham City bid successfully to host the Commonwealth Games (similar in scope to the Olympics but for British Commonwealth nations only) in the Summer of 2022 after Durban, South Africa withdrew as host city. This occurred sometime after our own bid to host the NMRA National Convention was successful. As a consequence of that we moved our dates back two weeks to accommodate.  Now, as a consequence of the Olympic Games being postponed one year into 2021 due to COVID-19, and the World Athletics Games in Eugene Oregon being postponed one year to the early Summer of 2022, along with the European Athletics Championships in Germany, the Commonwealth Games are now beginning to hold venues and accommodation across the beginning of our convention week. It is possible that the Commonwealth Games dates might change officially. This of itself will put a strain on booking accommodation and meeting rooms. and will likely impact the prices to be charged.

 

Furthermore, our train show location, which is scheduled to play host to a number of indoor sports during the Commonwealth Games, has now confirmed that they cannot guarantee that the venue will be back in a useable condition following the Games, in time for the Convention to run at all in the summer. The National Convention needs to be in the Summer for a number of reasons ranging from availability of accommodation in a city location, to traffic conditions and heritage railways timetables which are geared to the holiday periods. There is also the added concern that travel, particularly international air travel, and hotel availability might not have returned to its pre-COVID-19 levels putting extra strain on our planning.

 

We apologise to all those who we know were either looking forward to participating as exhibitors or convention attendees and who were planning trips to the UK around the Convention.

 

Birmingham 2022 Convention Committee

 

Kathy Millatt
Convention Chair

 

Please note that the NMRA British Region Convention is unaffected.
 

Regards,

 

Chris.

 

[Delfin]

Sad news, let's hope that there doesn't need to be a long wait before the UK can host the NMRA National Convention again.  This must be a hard blow to everybody who has put a lot of effort into organising this convention, I trust that the NMRA Committee will reward their efforts with a new convention in the UK fairly soon.

 

Sandy

[z4driver]

Weird, no mention on the NMRA BR website or in the NMRA BR forum or on the NMRA website or on the convention website

Edited May 20, 2020 by z4driver

[roundhouse]

It was due to be announced on Friday according to what I was told in an email.

 

However i have now seen it on Facebook so I guess that the website will be amended very soon if not already.

 

I was hoping that 2022 would have been clear of the virus but unfortunately not. 'Banbury' was due to attend.

[woodenhead]

32 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

I was hoping that 2022 would have been clear of the virus but unfortunately not. 'Banbury' was due to attend.

This is the indirect impact of the virus as everything that couldn't be done this year but needed to be is shunted into space where it can be accommodated.  And a recognition that travel will be impacted in a number of ways for some years to come.

 

There could be more delays yet as uncertainty about second waves causes people to keep future plans fluid.

 

Better safe than sorry from a financial perspective, a risk of a venue that isn't ready, accommodation shortages or excess cost due to proximity with the Commonwealth games all sound like a recipe for disaster.  I hope they got their deposit back.

 

 

[Radbourne]

 

Sad news, of course. Would it be possible to move it to another city?  NMRA(BR) don't seem to have made a comment yet. Nothing on their Forum or FB page, their website has been down for the last 3 days at least. 

[roundhouse]

5 minutes ago, Radbourne said:

 

Sad news, of course. Would it be possible to move it to another city?  NMRA(BR) don't seem to have made a comment yet. Nothing on their Forum or FB page, their website has been down for the last 3 days at least. 

My understanding is that other locations were considered but to what extent I do not know.

[298]

3 hours ago, Radbourne said:

 

Sad news, of course. Would it be possible to move it to another city?  NMRA(BR) don't seem to have made a comment yet. Nothing on their Forum or FB page, their website has been down for the last 3 days at least. 

 

Despite the NMRA(BR) trying not to be just about North American railroading, it would have meant 2 years out of 3 when there hasn't been a Convention or Train Show on US soil and you can understand why that might make the natives over in the colonies a bit restless, especially considering the new reluctance for international travel. 

 

Also, how would you go about organising a one off large exhibition without established support and equipment? You'd probably ask a local club for assistance, which would mean using their regular venue and no possibility of moving to a different part of the country without finding another willing team at alot shorter notice. 

Edited May 24, 2020 by 298

[298]

Statement from the NMRA (British Region) Board of Directors:

 

2020 Grand Junction Convention

All roads lead to Derby

 

Due to the current situation, the BOD have decided to cancel this year's event and we have re-booked for October 2021.

The 2021 75th+1 Grand Junction Convention will be at Derby on October 22nd to 24th.