Recommended clubs near Reading?

[MrTea]

Hello there.  I've never joined a club before and after a trip to the Abrail MRE last month I thought it might be a good idea investigate my local options.  I'm currently considering trying to put together a small 4mm scale layout (that'll need to be portable) and could use some moral support and help with building up my skills.

 

The only problem really is that I haven't got loads of spare time (the usual - work full time/young family commitments) so it would need to fit around that.  And I can't do Tuesday nights either at the moment.

 

Any help/recommendations greatly appreciated!

 

Ian

[The Stationmaster]

Loads of clubs within a reasonable reach - in Reading itself is the RSMe (Reading Society of Model Engineers) which despite its large scale involvement also has a small scale section with layouts in 3 scales the last time I looked.  There are also the Loddon Vale people - about whom I know next to nothing plus very active clubs not too far away in High Wycombe and the Maidenhead & Marlow club. 

[nickwood]

'Near Reading" is a wide area to cover. Mike has given a few to the east but there are also Newbury and Andover to the west. It is worth travelling a few miles to find the right club for YOU.

 

For many modellers, RMweb and other forums like YMR and MRG give the right level of support and encouragement and.... they are open every night.

[Xerces Fobe2]

Marlow, Maidenhead & District MRC https://www.facebook.com/MarlowMaidenheadDistrictModelRailwayClub

 

We meet every Monday evening in Maidenhead _ Please PM if you are interested and I will provide you with more details

 

Nigel

[MrTea]

Thanks for the info chaps.  I'm north of Reading (but willing to travel) if that helps to narrow the search a bit?

 

It's a bit difficult to gauge who does what but I guess I could just contact each of the clubs locally to find out more and then go from there?

[johnb]

It is well worth visiting clubs, in many ways they each have their own personality and it can take a while to find one that suits you. It can take two or three visits to a club to decide if it's the one for you.

 

regards

 

John

[BG John]

I was a member of Bracknell Railway Society for around 30 years (and Treasurer for quite a few), and it was a great club. It's about 15 years since I moved away, so don't know what they're like now.

http://www.bracknellrailwaysociety.co.uk

[Graham_Muz]

Ian

 

Stationmaster above kindly mentioned the High Wycombe and District MRS in his post above. A number of members of this MRS, including myself, are active on this forum. For further information on this active MRS with our own 4500sq feet clubrooms containing 9 layouts in a variety of scales and genres and a three gauge test track see www.hwdmrs.org.uk or feel free PM me to arrange a visit or three. 

[RJS1977]

Loddon Vale meets on Tuesdays, so that would be no good for you though they're a great club with plenty going on (I;m a member of the MERG area group who share their premises one night a month),

 

RSME meet different nights depending on scale. IIRC it's 00 on Tuesdays, O on Wednesdays, live steam etc on Thursdays and N on Fridays.

[Kenton]

Like all clubs it is the people that make it work.

 

It only takes a few exhibiting an opposing interest (maybe not even to do with modelling) to your own to make the evenings seem very unpleasant affairs and discouraging.

 

I have no experience of any of the local clubs so cannot comment on their membership or interests. But have had bad experiences of two or three clubs in the past. One of which had members who were more interested in football than anything to do with model railway, and another that was comprised of members who were from a local industry that were, shall we say, politically militant.

 

But sometimes the membership also can change for both good and bad over time.

 

In today's world, I do wonder if the club scene does not hold out as much as it once did and the skills resource is being replaced by the on-line forums. Though sometimes there is nothing quite like the one to one hands on tuition that can be gained from the club environment.

 

Also, if you wish to exhibit there is almost no other way to get into the scene. Exhibiting a club layout (one that has already been built) and will always get a "pass" into at least the club's own MRE will get you involved in the exhibition elite much more easily.

 

There is always the fact that more hands on the task with a wider range of skills (doing your own expo layout alone requires you to be expert at everything) gets a layout built quicker. The downside of that at a club will be spending your precious modelling time on the club's layout and not on your own.

 

Like all clubs you will only get out what you are prepared to put into them.

[sjrixon]

Did you ever find anything? I used to be a member of RSME about 10 years ago. I was surprised that there are no current members on here that would have piped up to tell you about it!

[RJS1977]

I am a current member of RSME (see my earlier post), but as I only attend on Tuesday evenings (and occasional club/public runnings at weekends when I'm not either at a show somewhere or "playing with" the real thing....) I've lost track slightly of what happens on the other nights.