Has anyone ever heard of a model rail club not wanting new members. I'm trying to join a local club having attended as a pay per visit guest for over a year now but I'm told certain members won't allow by vote/meeting new members. I thought the idea was to help promote the hobby and have a good time and meet new people but I must be thinking of another hobby!
Any one got any thoughts on this.
Find it strange that they seem not to want new blood. ??? However, as a (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-whacky024.gif) (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php) to this country I am finding so many strange attitudes here that this wouldn't surprise me.
My wife rang a local eatery we use a fair bit to pre-order lunch - a jacket potato with colslaw,cheese etc (has to have gluten free) and got told "haven't got any more jacket potatoes till Thursday" :( When queried as why Thursday, we got the reply "cos thats when potatoes get delivered." :o
No sorry, no further info just - "cos thats when potatoes get delivered."
Shop actually advertises as "Freshly Cooked Food" so I guess they're not pre-baked & then 'nuked' in the microwave. They are so-say baked on the premises.
Best part about is what is next door ? - yep a fruit and veg shop. Obviously to far too walk, got too wait for delivery !
??? ??? ???
How many members does this club have?
Our club is always on the lookout for new members.At our local exhibition,that'll be the Festival of British Railway Modelling at Doncaster Racecourse Exhibition Centre,we have a club stand with stuff for sale and also a load of flyer type leaflets for people to take.We don't have a committee or owt like that and as new members come along,they are given as much time as they like to decide if its for them or not.
Out of the two years I have been a member,we have expanded our membership and in that time we have lost only two members.
This coming February,our club which works closely with the organisation and marshalling of the event with Warners people,are exhibiting a layout.I don't know whether its n or oo gauge but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Pete
:Class37: :NGaugersRule:
Have been told it is a number thing re fire safety but as I do this stuff for a living and the actually building once fell under my area I know it's rubbish as come open day it is packed full of people, maybe there is a side issue re old elected committe and the new one and the old not getting their way who knows but I find it dissappointing. Maybe I should start up a local n gauge club instead but It really should not get to that or here is another thought maybe it's those 00 gauge modellers :smiley-laughing:
Bart
Jeez Ace it could only happen in Australia, I flatly refuse to join a club over here since my missus and I started a Country Music Club in the early 1990s, 270 members after 3 years but SWMBO got homesick so we went back to Queensland, 5 months later she missed the music so much and wanted to go back, I transfered my Post Office job back to Vic and the club got wind that we were coming back to stay, DOORS SLAMMED and we were told we were not fit and proper people to become members of the flamin club we started, wont go any further as its will be like a copy of War and Peace.
Every Saturday morning I visit a friends second hand model railway shop for 2 or 3 hours, listening to the other lads that visit that are members of a model railway club I wouldn't want to join a club here, to many Chiefs and not enough Indians.
If the club down in the Hunter Valley don't want you just be Australian and tell them to get %$**&(
Very sad it is as I said to my wife is it worth it, I gave up on my previous hobby due to club politics to go back into trains both n gauge and 5 inch gauge but it seems to be the same, I just want to play trains and be social in doing it, as one of the guys at work says it is not a club then just a couple of blokes who have trains and turn up at the same place at the same time
Bart
That is what we do Ace, there are about 5 of us that live within a couple of Km of each other, we very often visit each others place to see how things are going, also have a natter and a cuppa at the local coffee shop and go to exhibitions together, no boss cockies, politics or other associated garbage that seems to club life these days just a bit of friendly banter.
I hope you get things sorted out, if you cant shift up here with us lot you would be more than welcome ;D ;D
Hey Dave, Nicole would be more then happy to go to qld, her brother moved up there 15yrs ago not sure if I could cope with all that maroon stuff though :smiley-laughing: I like the idea of the catch you guys do I'm building a 00 gauge layout for a mate double garage size but he lives just south of Sydney so the 200km distance is a pain but he is close when I work in Sydney even if it 00 but it is br so it's all good and I'm helping do a layout for a blokes son so who knows
Bart
If you are ever down this way do drop in
Might take you up on the offer Ace, I want to visit Thirlmere and SWMBO want to visit where she used to live in Sydney.
No problems with Cyclones where I live just South of Brisbane but if you do come up here make sure you bring your goggles and flippers cause we love floods :smiley-laughing:
Best way to find other people involved in our hobby is to strike up a conversation with people when you go to the hobby shop, you would be surprised how many people are in the same situation as yourself, model railway enthusiasts are nosy buggers and always seem to want to know what the other bloke is doing :smiley-laughing: :smiley-laughing:
It could genuinely be for fire reasons. :) I know some European countries are really hot on how many people they can allow in, purely for the fact of people escaping out of a certain number of fire doors in a set time.
I hope it's nothing personal! ;) ;D
Hey tank,
One guy did say that sometime back. When I was regional fire protection manager north this building came under my area so it is not the case however the two storey complex is not that big but the "number" issue goes out the window come a major festival. Have just found out it is a us them issue between old leader groupies and the new current thought. Even more funny I'm told is that one side that is against new members relies on these same people to support his business/shop(no guessing what sort of shop it is)
Sad!
I will just have to wait and see if I'm lucky enough to be thought good enough to join
Hi Bart,
Have you considered starting your own club and inviting some of the 'current thought members'?
Hey Newport',
Sounds like a good prospect, Dave earlier mention his "group" visit each other each week, a great idea a new track to run on each week or help each other out
Bart
Sorry to hear you are encountering such unfriendliness. I am a member of a local club here called the Saturday Afternoon Group. We meet once a month, each time at a different member's house. Tea and cakes are provided by the host. You get to see a different layout each month and learn something new every time.
Our group has about thirty members who model in different scales so there's no shortage of layouts to see.
You might find the unfriendly bunch at your local club have put lots of people off the hobby but you may be able to win them back with an informal group. It will be easy to organise and you don't need to worry about finding a clubhouse.
I'm always surprised at how many closet railway modellers there are, you may be able to rope some in by putting up a notice at your local library or similar.
Regards
Veronica
:NGaugersRule:
It's not unknown, some clubs are either snobbish or just plain lazy!
I made numerous attempts to contact a local mixed-gauge model railway club by phone and e-mail - neither were ever answered. Luckily the local N Gauge Group are far friendlier and I'm glad they didn't reply now :thumbsup:
Paul
Here's a club you can join Ace and there must be plenty of members in your area.
http://www.brma.asn.au/ (http://www.brma.asn.au/)
I will be joining this one myself as there seems to be a large membership here in Brisbane.
:NGaugeForum: Thanks mate I wil see if there are some near me, I know of some in Sydney but I don't fancy the the 4and a bit round trip to play trains fingers crossed
Bart
The club i'm in are a very friendly bunch. Granted one of the reasons i joined this particular club as they said they had room for me to keep my large layout there. We only have around 15 members and we aren't accepting anymore, purely as we're a specialist DCC only club and the main clubroom (my layout will be in the basement) is going on full when everyone turns up!
Ollie
Well well well guess what has happened. The club has had a general meeting with yoU guess it first pt of business new members. 17 yes 1 no and 2 no vote. They only had 20 to start with. I have been asked if I want to join now but I'm a bit hesitant. They have a OO and are building a big HO layout upstairs and a little double oval for the n gauge and don't seem too interested in expanding the n, so I'm at a crossroad, I enjoy the social side of things but I'm not really into building a layout that I won't/don't/can't run on. On the other hand some of the old guys at my live steam club belong to a newcastle club and they have a huge n gauge layOut.
What's everyone's thoughts
Bart
I think you should join them, spend some time getting to know them, and then persuade them to change the layout with your input. :) It's kind of them to let you in, so I think you should try them out before making a final decision.
I agree with Tank, you can do more by being in their midst than you can standing outside their ranks. Perhaps if you impress some of them with your locos on their small n gauge layout you might stir up some interest.
I wouldn't involve any of them that have sight problems as this seems to be one of the main reasons why people upscale :goggleeyes:
cheers John.
The other issue is they don't do dcc, then again I can always run the new locos in there, I have taken my 108 with sound that I installed and it was well received so maybe I take down my new 5mt that I put sound into last week and show them how good n gauge really is
Bart
I dunno maybe its the Aussie way but if that were me and they never catered for N Gauge I wouldn't bother joining, don't see much point in groveling for something if they aren't interested which is most likely the case or they would already have an N Gauge layout.
Trouble is here in Oz HO is all the go and N is like a silent partner, a visit to most hobby shops is proof of that with maybe 100 HO and OO locos on display compared to maybe half a dozen N gauge models.
I will be checking out a local club this weekend but if they don't cater for N gauge I will give it a miss.
Personally Bart, i think it would be a great move for you and for the club if you joined.
OK you say they only have room for a small n gauge layout,well take it and turn it into something special,show them the quality of the latest N Gauge models,show them what you can do with sound in N and as Tank says, the interest will surely follow.
The same with DCC......none of the current members do DCC so you will be the one to show them what it can do.New members might then join because DCC interests them and before you know it you will have helped take the club to a new level.
You have really got nothing to lose and everything to gain as far as i can see......go for it. :NGaugersRule: