steam4ian
Elder Statesman
One good turn deserves another
Posts: 2,069
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Post by steam4ian on Oct 26, 2014 22:20:22 GMT
Marc.
Your experience sounds like a lot of clubs and unfortunately we all have R's holes.
My experience and expectation is that in any club you do have to work your way in and earn the respect of the other members.
When I applied to join my club a certain secretary saw my interest in the locos and told me "Don't expect to drive one of those". A few short years later I am the secretary and one of the driving competency assessors. I do get on well with the old fellow, no hard feelings. In the intervening time I have helped in the boiler house, loaded trains and attended the occasional working bee, manned the gate office, acted as safety officer and many other duties.
It is up to you. IMHO it would be better to be a member of a club with lesser facilities but friendly members.
Ian
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jma1009
Elder Statesman
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Post by jma1009 on Oct 26, 2014 23:07:54 GMT
hi marc,
i very much enjoyed the video clip and pics of your Simplex. looks like you have quickly mastered the art of driving and operating a miniature steam loco! plus you had lots of interest from the passengers at the station.
rather like driving a car, these things quickly become second nature and eventually you do everything automatically without thinking.
as long as you enjoy what you are doing keep at it and dont worry about the odd few people who spoil your enjoyment, but it is important to appreciate that running a club involves a tremendous amount of hard work behind the scenes and maintenance etc. 'joy riders' who turn up just to use the facilities without contributing to the hard work are likely to be viewed in any club with a degree of suspicion and distain by some. ive spent far more time mixing concrete, making and erecting track panels, building club sheds, erecting fencing, lugging about and drilling steelwork, selling tickets, and guarding trains, plus committee work and paperwork in years gone by than i ever have actually driving locos!
cheers, julian
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jma1009
Elder Statesman
Posts: 5,901
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Post by jma1009 on Oct 27, 2014 0:44:48 GMT
here's a pic of dai roberts driving one of my locos on the club track. dai could turn his hand to anything and did much of the construction work on our new track - it took some persuading to get him to have a drive with it's fiddly cab controls! stalwarts such as dai are the backbone of our clubs, and wonderful guys! cheers, julian
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monkeyhero97
Part of the e-furniture
Got a 7 1/4" Stafford and 2 1/2" WD 2-10-0, building Ayesha and thinking about Q1.
Posts: 423
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Post by monkeyhero97 on Oct 27, 2014 7:05:52 GMT
Thank you for the kind comments. I love the look of your loco... over the winter I should be hopefully adding some detail to my simplex, by nationalising it ! . About helping in the club; to be honest I do not see why the members of the clubs should need to help, considering then have more than 15 part time staff! Unlike a lot of the clubs, the track and commercial side came first, and from my understanding the club was formed after to allow enthusaists to play around and use their facilities. About the driving; I seem to have no problem driving it, that is true. However firing it is another domain, something I defintely need practise. I'm still not 100% when I should be adding coal or not, and when a rake is required. With that being said, when I did have coal in my bunker and water in the plastic container of water for the injector, I seemed to manage. However, as soon as my water ran for the injectors, using the axle pump really did drop the pressure, and when I put it on in small amount, I couldnt get enough in so my net water was going down. I'm still keen on looking at a donkey pump, i'm hoping that they are more reliable than injectors as I can use at any pressure. However all this costs; I'm still not sure what to prioritise, goodies for my engine or track! Marc
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Post by ejparrott on Oct 27, 2014 9:09:12 GMT
About helping in the club; to be honest I do not see why the members of the clubs should need to help, considering then have more than 15 part time staff! That attitude will get you nowhere. Our club has some 90 members on the books, of which about 15 do any work on the track, and less than half a dozen support the road steam side. The rest of them turn up when they want to or get rostered for public running duties, and expect the rest of us to do the work the rest of the time.
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monkeyhero97
Part of the e-furniture
Got a 7 1/4" Stafford and 2 1/2" WD 2-10-0, building Ayesha and thinking about Q1.
Posts: 423
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Post by monkeyhero97 on Oct 27, 2014 9:35:55 GMT
No, I meant paid, professionally. It is a professional adventure Marc
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monkeyhero97
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Got a 7 1/4" Stafford and 2 1/2" WD 2-10-0, building Ayesha and thinking about Q1.
Posts: 423
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Post by monkeyhero97 on Oct 27, 2014 9:38:05 GMT
The enthusiasts are not the priority, the priority is pulling paying passengers around, it is a tourist attraction, run professionally by 15 or so paid staff, who work there from March to November, every day. There is however a club aswell, but they merely run their locos around and thats it, yet this chair wanted me to volunteer when everyone else is getting paid.
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monkeyhero97
Part of the e-furniture
Got a 7 1/4" Stafford and 2 1/2" WD 2-10-0, building Ayesha and thinking about Q1.
Posts: 423
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Post by monkeyhero97 on Oct 27, 2014 9:42:25 GMT
www.swissvapeur.ch/en/index.phpThis is their website, you can even watch a live webcam of them running today as from 1 o clock. If the club was a group volunteers, of course I would volunteer! But when they pay a lot of staff to do everything, and then ask someone to come who lives 2 hours away and work for nothing every weekend, just because I'm young, I do think that is acceptable
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monkeyhero97
Part of the e-furniture
Got a 7 1/4" Stafford and 2 1/2" WD 2-10-0, building Ayesha and thinking about Q1.
Posts: 423
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Post by monkeyhero97 on Oct 27, 2014 9:43:20 GMT
I do not think I meant to say Marc
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2014 10:37:56 GMT
Hello all--------have only just read this thread--------Our UK Commercial Heritage Railways are generally run on similar lines ( sorry, poor "Railway" pun there, but it's all I can manage at the moment !!)-----ie}-- a combination of Volunteer and Paid Staff........Some of the Paid Staff were also part of the early or founding group of Volunteers, so they have a very vexed and long-term interest in the organisation as a whole........Maybe the Public Railway side of things has shares and share holders ?? ( Again, you'll find early volunteers and current volunteers amongst that lot as well )----- So all-in-all it's a mixed bag with some individuals holding office in several of the constituent groups....( Almost like insider trading, in a way--)..............Back in the 1980's a group of us "Young-'un's" from the SVR at Bridgnorth Engineering Workshops spent the day at a "Midlands-Based" M/E Society ( the name doesn't matter now-----------) that was hosting a Federation Rally that week-end..On the host Club's stand I was attracted to some of the smartly turned-out GWR models----- yes, yes, even back then I had "The Affliction" !!---- and casually enquired about Club membership to one of the Stewards on that stand-------His immediate, knee-jerk reaction was to say }---- " And what makes you think you're good enough for us then ??" in a sneering sort of way !!!..........I smiled for a moment, turned and walked away....................As has been mentioned, sometimes it's just part of Human nature, alas....In the UK it's known as The Jobsworth Factor ( www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Jobsworth ).............. HOWEVER !!!-------------- for one rotten apple there is a BARREL-LOAD of GOOD-EGGS who are the mainstay of the Club, so don't despair Matey !!..........................A four hour return journey is hardly worth the effort in any event I'd have thought... For example, much as I admire good friend JULIAN and his chaps down in the Welsh valleys, I'm not contemplating taking my Simplex down there, once a week on a regular basis............MARC, you've come this far---don't loose heart now...You can visit my local club of KINVER MES ( www.kinvermodelengineers.org.uk/diary.html )------- ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp4bmBqI8lw ).........at ANY TIME and I'LL MAKE YOU PERSONALLY WELCOME, OK ??------------
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monkeyhero97
Part of the e-furniture
Got a 7 1/4" Stafford and 2 1/2" WD 2-10-0, building Ayesha and thinking about Q1.
Posts: 423
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Post by monkeyhero97 on Oct 27, 2014 10:55:43 GMT
Indeed, four hours is a very long journey. I will still run there maybe three times a year; I'll run one weekend overthere for their 10 day long gala next summer, and I migh go once or twice just to run, but I wont become a member. Besides, in 2016 i'll be in the UK again, going a club near the uni I go to. For the moment, Newcastle uni looks great for me, so the tyneside society seems a logical choice. But Bath, Glasgow and Plymouth are also some of my other choices, so hopefully they have friendly societies. I think I will probably become a volunteer at a full size railway as well when I move. Im currently a guard for Vintage Tram Association of Geneva, (infact we have our annual gala this weekend), and I will grab the oppurtunity to volunteer on a steam railway. I should hopefully be volunteering on either the WHR or at Bala this summer for a couple of weeks. I want to go on a steam adventure, volunteering and I'm not sure which one, it doesnt have to be in Wales at all, its just a country i've never been too. Of course I think I might choose Bala, based on the fact that its smaller and there is a better chance of me spending some time on the footplate! hehe
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2014 11:04:00 GMT
Go for it Marc !!------------I'm not that far from the Bala or the Welsh Highland lines... I'd be happy to ride my Honda or Triumph Bonneville over and spend the day with you if that's OK ??-----------
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2014 11:07:16 GMT
here's a pic of dai roberts driving one of my locos on the club track. dai could turn his hand to anything and did much of the construction work on our new track - it took some persuading to get him to have a drive with it's fiddly cab controls! stalwarts such as dai are the backbone of our clubs, and wonderful guys! cheers, julian ---------------------------------What a lovely piece of quality track you have there, Julian !!!------------RSJ longerohns with steel rail for best adhesion---to die for , I think !! ( Damm cheap Aluminium powder clogs up all my footplate at times)
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Post by Roger on Oct 27, 2014 11:49:09 GMT
I didn't know you could get steel rail sections like that...
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monkeyhero97
Part of the e-furniture
Got a 7 1/4" Stafford and 2 1/2" WD 2-10-0, building Ayesha and thinking about Q1.
Posts: 423
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Post by monkeyhero97 on Oct 27, 2014 11:52:07 GMT
I would love that! Still awaiting Bala to reply upon a revised offer.. lets see what they say! Marc
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2014 14:31:24 GMT
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Post by Roger on Oct 27, 2014 14:55:37 GMT
OK, so why on earth do clubs buy aluminium track?
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monkeyhero97
Part of the e-furniture
Got a 7 1/4" Stafford and 2 1/2" WD 2-10-0, building Ayesha and thinking about Q1.
Posts: 423
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Post by monkeyhero97 on Oct 27, 2014 15:18:17 GMT
Cheaper and easier to manouvre I should imagine
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Post by Roger on Oct 27, 2014 15:39:07 GMT
But the grip is so much worse... My guess is that the decision is made and they only discover the problems when it's too late to change.
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jma1009
Elder Statesman
Posts: 5,901
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Post by jma1009 on Oct 27, 2014 23:27:55 GMT
many many years ago steel vignoles section rail for 5"g use was unobtainable. the North London Club got a batch specially rolled enough for themselves plus a few other clubs. hence why ali rail was more popular as it was easily commercially available (plus cheaper). nowadays 5"g steel vignoles section rail is commercially available.
with a well designed track (ie superelevation, transition curves, and easy gradients and curves) there is little to choose between the two. arguably, ali rail imposes less friction on the passenger trolleys. both have considerable advantages over the welded steel strip type of track that some clubs still have.
ive a video of wilf (uuu) and myself laying ali vignoles section track panels with hardwood sleepers and stainless screws in 1996. many years later my record was 13 panels of the merthyr club in one day!
as alan rightly states, the fact that there are paid staff is irrelevant - much of the work still has to be done by club members/volunteers.
i think i can also beat marc's 2 hour trip, as from the Isle of Wight a visit to a mainland club was always a long day out and time waiting at the ferry then on it etc. i was very keen to get as many trips to mainland clubs as possible, as in those days the IW track was rather decrepit plus short. we went to Worthing, Southampton, Fareham, Kinver plus a long standing annual trip to the SMLS at BeechHurst. even went to the Portsmouth track on the passenger ferry with a loco!
cheers, julian
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