Club Fees

[red_death]

Aren't you rather missing the point of being part of a club! To continue PLD's point you are paying for storage etc of layouts you are not interested in etc.

The point is that if you want to model by yourself then that is fine and you can do it at home.  If you want to join a club then there are compromises etc that are necessary!

[Newportnobby]

I'd always be wary of any club which charges for membership which includes buying stock for layouts as who exactly then owns said stock?

I'm not sure why there would be any confusion - it would be the club.

And if the club folds, Mike??

as long is there is something of interest to you funded on an agreed equitable basis does it matter??

Aye, that's the rub, innit ?  Will there be ... ?

Agreed on both points, though I still think this is a potentially big contention within a club

[red_death]

And if the club folds, Mike??

Same as any other club assets ie whatever it states in the constitution ie hopefully split amongst the members or donated to charity or a club with similar aims.

Cheers, Mike

[GrahamB]

With the various costs/arrangements, I've started to wonder how far people travel to attend "their" club. Getting to and from mine involves a 52 mile return trip. As I attend fortnightly, that means around 1,000 miles per annum. I'd never considered that cost before.

[PLD]

With the various costs/arrangements, I've started to wonder how far people travel to attend "their" club. Getting to and from mine involves a 52 mile return trip. As I attend fortnightly, that means around 1,000 miles per annum. I'd never considered that cost before.

But that is probably nothing compared to distances necessary for some other hobbys for example what mileage will some football fans clock up travelling to away games (or the average Manchester United fan travelling from London or Dubai for home games!)

[Newportnobby]

or the average Manchester United fan travelling from London or Dubai for home games!

[Claude Dreyfus]

I have a 36 mile round trip to my club...about a third of which is negotiating single track country lanes? Why? Because there are not too many clubs whose interests cover UK, Japanese, German (East and West), Italian, American and Swiss (with lots of others beside...I have just listed the member's and club's layouts); Steam, diesel and electric; 1900s to present day; DC, DCC, Computer control; heavy rail, light rail and tram. The list goes on...it is one of the most interesting and eclectic groups you'll come across!

[Graham Walters]

With the various costs/arrangements, I've started to wonder how far people travel to attend "their" club. Getting to and from mine involves a 52 mile return trip. As I attend fortnightly, that means around 1,000 miles per annum. I'd never considered that cost before.

But that is probably nothing compared to distances necessary for some other hobbys for example what mileage will some football fans clock up travelling to away games (or the average Manchester United fan travelling from London or Dubai for home games!)

It used to cost me around £4k a year to follow United, home and away.... then I got married

[GrahamB]

It used to cost me around £4k a year to follow United, home and away.... then I got married

Fortunately my wife was also into motorbikes so when we got married I bought a Goldwing soon after (Well, the 750 needed a new exhaust). We used to travel many hundreds of miles to events across Europe. Mind you, getting there was part of the event. Driving in the dark on Kent's pothole ridden dirt tracks doesn't have the same appeal somehow.

[Buzzard]

If you want to join a club then there are compromises etc that are necessary!

Agreed.  The group I'm a member of doesn't have an N gauge layout but I'm hoping to do something about that.

Since joining I've helped to prepare two layouts, checking stock, fabricating a backscene etc ready for recent exhibitions at Telford and Taunton.  Last night I learned how to chemically blacken brass which was something I knew could be done but hadn't needed to do before now.

Returning to the subject of the group buying wagon kits that I mentioned in an earlier posting I should like to add the following.

At the Telford exhibition the need for an empty coal train was identified.  A number of kits were purchased from Parkside Dundas but instead of one member making them all a competition is being held whereby all of the members are making 1 or 2 each and the winner, as judged by an independent modeller, will receive the Chairman's Cup.

So now I'm building 2 O gauge 16t coal wagons

Having a group wide project is to my way of thinking a good idea as it gets everyone out of their silos which, from what I've seen elsewhere in the hobby, has to be a good thing for the group long term.  All the members have a common goal for a while and when the competition ends a completely train will be available for exhibitions, a win-win all around.

[PLD]

It used to cost me around £4k a year to follow United, home and away.... then I got married

As someone once said:
"marriage - the most expensive hobby known to man..."

[PLD]

If you want to join a club then there are compromises etc that are necessary!

Agreed.  The group I'm a member of doesn't have an N gauge layout but I'm hoping to do something about that.

Since joining I've helped to prepare two layouts, checking stock, fabricating a backscene etc ready for recent exhibitions at Telford and Taunton.  Last night I learned how to chemically blacken brass which was something I knew could be done but hadn't needed to do before now.

Exactly... Being a member of a club doesn't have to be just doing more of what you do for yourself at home. It can offer the perfect opportunity to learn new skills and broaden your horizons at little of no direct personal cost.

Personally my main  interest is still with the N gauge group, but over the last few years I've probably done as much for the 009 layouts, as well as occasional exhibitions with 00, EM and 0-16.5 layouts...