Model Railways Clubs

[Judge Dread]

 we are investigating whether having a junior section would help. What do you think? If you've got a junior section what are your Club's experiences - good or bad?

 

 

I could write volumes on the merits or lack of them on club membership, but I won't. Save this particular long running question.

"Why aren't we attracting the younger members?" In this modern age it is the kiss of death for a young person to admit they have a hobby, a passion, something they are really interested in. They are condemned as a "Geek" . You can get the young son and father duo but once the lad reaches a certain age, he won't be seen dead with his father. Even at the football match the lad will prefer to stand alone. 

The only hope is the young man, 20's/30's in a relationship, possibly with children, who seeks a return to a long passed  hobby.

Having said all that, I'm sure now that there will be those you can prove me wrong be I'm sure they will be in the minority. It seems to be now one of those facts of so called modern life. Also if anyone wishes to point out that their daughters have made wonderful junior members, well my two daughters never were members of any model railway club but they have both at separate times operated layouts with me and made a very good job of it.

[plarailfan]

The last time I was a club member, which was quite a few years ago, many of the members were aged 65 or over, with only a few members in the 20 - 65 age group.

Some of the younger members had work commitments, which meant they could not make it to very many club nights due to shift work, or working away in other areas (contract decorator / electrician / truck driving, etc)

The rent for the clubroom went up, but many members struggled to afford higher membership fees of £50 around a year, so the club simply disbanded which was a shame, as members were welcome to have their home layouts kept on the club premises and nobody really bothered about building a club layout !

I live in West Yorkshire and there are often distances, of twenty miles or more, between model railway clubs and most of the local club memberships are at least £70 a year these days,

However, in areas where there is no club, there are Saturday only, shows, at Gildersome, Mirfield and Dewsbury and with some of the smaller community centres being available for a very reasonable charge, these small exhibitions can be a godsend in giving small groups of enthusiasts an opportunity to get together without incurring a huge cost The income from these, usually goes to local charities.

I think in some more remote parts of the country, or in recession hit areas, where there is no club, this type of event has to be the way forwards !   

[TheQ]

In order to rent our club building, our membership fee is £360 which regrettable but necessary. Sadly this is probably reducing the number of membership but when you are out in the country and half of your recruitment area is north sea we are never going to get a high membership.

[tetsudofan]

Whether you join a club or not depends a lot on the type of person you are. Some people thrive in a club environment, others don't.

 

At my first proper job interview back in 1964 I was asked what sports did I do. When I replied "cross country running" there was a pause and the interviewer then said "oh, an individual sport, you do know that we are a team here". I got the job but when I look back on that interview the guy was right - I am an individualist.

 

After spending 34 years in Asia I returned to the UK and had a look at the local club but it did not work out. Not having lived in the town before I was an outsider and found it somewhat difficult to strike up a relationship with many of the members. I started work on my own layouts (indoors and outdoors) and that has kept me busy for the last 15 years.

 

Keith

[Phil Parker]

I'd credit my local club (L&WMRS) for making the modeller I am today. Joined as 14 year old and met people who helped me, took me out with them exhibiting and encouraged me to improve.

 

The trick with clubs is not to arrive and tell everyone that you know everything. Muck in with all the jobs (being the person holding a bit of wood while someone is sawing endeers you more than banging on about P4) such as making the tea, cleaning and decorating the clubrooms and helping move stuff at the show. There's a lot more to a MRC than just the trains! After a while people will see you as a real asset to the club and you'll quickly find a load of friends.

 

Or be like the bloke who joined our club, told everyone they should make their baseboards from steel section and then left because we didn't instantly scrap the wooden boards and do as he said.

 

Phil

[Judge Dread]

I'd credit my local club (L&WMRS) for making the modeller I am today. Joined as 14 year old and met people who helped me, took me out with them exhibiting and encouraged me to improve.

 

The trick with clubs is not to arrive and tell everyone that you know everything. Muck in with all the jobs (being the person holding a bit of wood while someone is sawing endeers you more than banging on about P4) such as making the tea, cleaning and decorating the clubrooms and helping move stuff at the show. There's a lot more to a MRC than just the trains! After a while people will see you as a real asset to the club and you'll quickly find a load of friends.

 

Or be like the bloke who joined our club, told everyone they should make their baseboards from steel section and then left because we didn't instantly scrap the wooden boards and do as he said.

 

Phil

I have always believed the greatest service you could provide is, when asked if you would be available to perform any duty, be it stewarding at the annual exhibition or been willing to travel away with a layout to an out of town show, is first say you will check with your better half and second to come back and say weather you are or are not available. It's been dependable that will get you friends. It's better to say yes I'll be there and turn up as opposed to maybe I'll turn up, knowing very well you won't!

[MikeH_83]

The last and only time I went to a club was when I was about 14, I was volunteering at the GCR and someone from there invited me to go to the model railway club that he was a member of.  I went along and to say I was avoided like I was carrying the plague was abit of an understatement. Seriously not one person there (and there was about 20 from what I recall) would speak to me or anything (apart from the guy who invited me along)  Needless to say I didn't go back and that has put me off ever since.  Now i'm in my 30's and I am getting back into the hobby and I have considered joining a local club again (If I can find one) so that I could strike up some new friendships with others interested in the hobby and also to learn some new skills.  Will see

[corneliuslundie]

I was a member of the Welwyn Garden City club until it lost its premises and disbanded. We had some very skilled modellers as members and I learned a lot and was helped a lot. We had an annual exhibition. But we never had that many members from it. We had a small junior section, and one former junior member is now well known in model railway circles.

 

I was abroad for some years and on moving to Newtown (Powys) looked out the local club. It is very small (nine or ten members) and its :"junior" member is nearer retirement than school age. I was told that they couldn't have junior members because of the hassle of what was until recently called the CRB.

 

But it is a very friendly club and puts on an annual exhibition in Welshpool.

 

I agree that having a hobby is not seen as "cool", but another issue is that young people have such crowded diaries these days as their parents seem always to be chauffeuring them from one activity to another, whether it be football, musical instrument practice or after school activities - even dancing (mostly girls I know). And model railway club again needs a parent to act as chauffeur as there is little evening public transport in many areas, and in any case youngsters are not allowed out on their own the way I was..

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I have been a member of my club for 15 years now. We are small, but have a lot of interests. We currently have one layout under construction, with another (1950s Southern Region) being planned.

 

Whilst work prevents me from going every week, I enjoy being part of a club, especially a relatively small group (we only have about 14 members). 

[Jol Wilkinson]

I am a member of a small friendly Club, it is always good to see how other modellers tackle things and discus their methods. Having recently moved the question is: Do I join the much larger one that is now closer to me.

Can I suggest you go along and test the temperature of the water.

 

My local club is firmly rooted in what I regard as the 1980's modelling scene and doesn't offer anything for those who model outside of OO or N, using new "layout ready" and secondhand stuff, so it doesn't suit me. 

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I am a member of a small friendly Club, it is always good to see how other modellers tackle things and discus their methods. Having recently moved the question is: Do I join the much larger one that is now closer to me.

 

If you are happy where you are, there is no real reason to change, unless distance is an issue. I have two or three big clubs which are closer, and in at least one case certainly more convenient to get to, than the group I am with now.

[bike2steam]

I am a member of a small friendly Club, it is always good to see how other modellers tackle things and discus their methods. Having recently moved the question is: Do I join the much larger one that is now closer to me.

If the opportunity is there, 'shop around' see what suits you best. If you're fairly new to the hobby, a bigger club might suit you best as there would probably be a greater chance to pick up new skills, and ideas. Or a small club would suit someone like me, a small band of (older ?) guys with similar ideas, and a bit set in their ways.   

[Moses of the Mail]

I suspect most people with an active interest in railway modelling are not members of model railway clubs. As a life long modeller I very rarely discuss my interest with friends, family or colleagues, because non of them have any particular interest in the subject, and let's be frank, many outsiders think its a weird hobby, almost a secret vice. Only as a club member can you meet regularly with people with similar interest, learn new techniques, show off your latest creation or acquisition and perhaps get involved with larger layouts. To anyone in the hobby who is not a club member I would say find your nearest club, I'm sure you will get a warm welcome.  

[lmsforever]

I first had contact with a model railway club back I the 1950,s a small club started just up the road and I went along and started to help building a layout but after a few weeks one member started to complain about us juniors and eventually we all left ,the club failed shortly after.My most successful time in a club was with the Risboro &District a great club with fantastic members but work meant that I could not carry on after a time and I still maintain a contact and visit their excellent exhibitions.All newcomers were welcomed at the club and many juniors are still members with new ones coming in they are a model for the good clubs in the country.Now I do not belong to a club but am quite happy with things a they are but I would say if you want to try go and join a club it can be a good experience.