Why do people join model railway clubs in 2017

[tomparryharry]

Very much the social element for me. Also, I've met outstanding modellers, who have had the great grace to allow me to operate their personal model, but to travel to other shows, to do just that. .

 

Ian

[SD85]

I'm a member of this club:

 

http://www.ruspermrc.co.uk

 

It's a bit different in that it's a railway system in a fixed location, and we all get together to operate it once a month. Emphasis is on operation, trains are run to a detailed timetable and using correct bell codes.

 

I find it very good in that spending a whole day operating is usually a pretty absorbing thing to do, and it satisfies my urge to model main line railways, run my express locos, etc. I don't have the space for a big main line layout at home so it's good to be able to bring some of my locos along and give them a proper run.

 

Since there isn't a set area [it's roughly Southern Region, 1948-64 period] I can also do a bit of scenic work and be freelance in my approach to it. The scenery and structures are secondary to the operative aspects but it's fun to build a new signalbox etc. once in a while and use the imagination.

 

I used to be a member of a more conventional club some years back and while they were a perfectly decent bunch of people it wasn't the most dynamic organisation - a lot of members had left I think. They were supposed to be getting a new 00 project going but nothing much really happened. I did enjoy helping to put on the annual exhibition though.

 

One of the problems which stops me from rejoining a more typical club is that I'm not really that motivated to model much outside of my own interests, if that makes sense. For example, 1930s GWR branch lines, US urban layouts or 1960s Essex electrification era [the last being the proposed subject of the club 00 layout mentioned above] are all fine but my modelling interests simply don't lie in those areas at present. I can't muster much interest in modelling a period or scene that I'm not overly enthused by, and this would probably be an issue if I joined a club. Nothing personal, we all have different approaches and preferences. I guess I like to be in charge of my own modelling a lot.

[Chimer]

I'm a member of this club:

 

http://www.ruspermrc.co.uk

 

It's a bit different in that it's a railway system in a fixed location, and we all get together to operate it once a month. Emphasis is on operation, trains are run to a detailed timetable and using correct bell codes.

 

[snip]

 

Having had a quick look at the website and watched the youtube videos that does look/sound like fun - and I used to live in Beckenham!  Hey ho .....

[Vecchio]

Well why did I join?

 

Of course to meet like minded people.

To see what the others do, to learn and to teach. Yes I did already some teaching in our club, amazing that some British people want to learn something from a foreigner  

To drive some of my rolling stock around the layouts - even if it may not be the right scale or country (The ratio is currently 40 continental to 5 British model locomotives)

To build on the layouts where needed (after some landscape improvement on a corner of the 00 layout I am currently doing the electrics on our 0 lay-out using Megapoint controllers for points and signalling)

 

There is a lot more. As for instance to stand in the cold and tell the people where to park during our annual show.    To find some bargains - there is always something for sale. Got recently the black horse inn (Wills craftsmans kit) for a fiver. To have a coffee and some biscuits for 20p. And last but not least: to see and test what the others have purchased.

 

An aging hobby? Yes but I am not at a standstill - and if I look into the mirror I can see that I am no longer the blond boy I one time was. All hobbies are somehow aging. Was flying my model aeroplanes last Tuesday - same problem at the model flying society. Don't know what the youngsters are doing today. Playing on their phones....

 

Some people are club persons - some are not. Everybody should do what he/she wants.Thanks god we live in a society where this is (still?) possible. Let's try to keep it this way...

 

And: I was also a club member when I lived in other countries. (Italy, Austria)