Midland
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,870
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Post by Midland on Mar 11, 2015 9:45:18 GMT
Hi All
We had our AGM last evening and followed it with a 'listen to the members' session. The main point to come out was to make better informal access to the club's facilities much easier for members so that can come and play, experiment or what ever when ever they want. We inherited a rather regimented wed morn, Sunday running regime and we are trying to loosen it up and make our club much more user friendly.
The question of keys and access is now occupying our discussion, do have a combination lock, a combination door, give every one a key or something better?
Would welcome experiences and ideas!
Cheers David
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Post by ejparrott on Mar 11, 2015 10:02:58 GMT
Hi David,
At RMES the keys to the gate and clubhouse are issued on a deposit basis by the treasurer, I can't recall the current cost. Members are entirely free to come on site and run whenever they choose, the only exceptions being on public running afternoons (7 times a year) and childrens parties. These are publicised well in advanced so all the members know, and should we have to do any track work that will prevent running then our secretary always emails around the membership.
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Post by Jo on Mar 11, 2015 14:17:19 GMT
Same here: At GMES we can buy a club key for £1 from the treasurer it opens the gates on to the site, all the doors, access to tracks etc.
They have however now fitted key code access (disabling the electric power) to the machine tools to prevent members who have not been trained by the "approved individual" from using them.
Jo
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Post by Rex Hanman on Mar 11, 2015 15:11:52 GMT
At our old Red Rice site we had a robust padlock. Each member could obtain from the treasurer a key by paying a deposit equal to the cost of the key.
Members lost keys, members left without returning keys, etc. Changing the lock and all the keys would involve considerable expense.
Where we are now we have a very strong steel door with a quality combination lock on the clubroom. Keys to the rest of the site are in a steel keysafe with another, different combination lock.
It costs nothing to change the combination numbers, which we do from time to time, we just have to inform the members of the changes.
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Post by alanstepney on Mar 11, 2015 15:17:59 GMT
At the clubs I have been a member of, either all members had keys or a select few had them and opened up at specified times. The latter has the advantage that there is always someone around if a member goes there and is ill or injured whilst on the premises. Also, no worry about lost keys.
However, it does require a few members to be available at almost all times.
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Post by mutley on Mar 11, 2015 19:34:24 GMT
Be careful you don't do anything which may alienate the people still working for a living. I was a member of a club until it became so focused on the retired gang Thursday meet that unless it was a public running day nothing happened at a weekend. The fact they locked the machines out from anyone unless approved was the last straw. Said approvals people only appeared on a Thursday. Nuff said!
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Midland
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,870
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Post by Midland on Mar 11, 2015 20:04:41 GMT
Thanks to all. We had a lively discussion this morning and all the key issues came up and the insurance implications, what happens if a club loco disappears etc. We are going to look a card swipe system that records its use rather like the QM2 where is gets you on, buys you wine, opens your door etc. Will probabaly not sell wine however, is drunk at the regulator a crime, almost ceetainly!!
News as it happens.
D
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Post by simplyloco on Mar 11, 2015 20:09:47 GMT
Be careful you don't do anything which may alienate the people still working for a living. I was a member of a club until it became so focused on the retired gang Thursday meet that unless it was a public running day nothing happened at a weekend. The fact they locked the machines out from anyone unless approved was the last straw. Said approvals people only appeared on a Thursday. Nuff said! A very good point that we are most conscious of. In the meantime we are going to try out Saturday 'playdays' for members who are not that interested in public running on Sundays. John |
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Post by mutley on Mar 11, 2015 22:55:26 GMT
I hope that works for you. The situation I found was that having been down the club once already that week for their 'play time' the 'retired gang' didn't want to turn out again at a weekend.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2015 22:55:46 GMT
Members at my club ( NLSME) also have access to keys if required... one point to make, I believe that for insurance purposes members can't be on site if alone, just in case of an accident with no one to help.
Pete
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Post by ejparrott on Mar 11, 2015 23:38:10 GMT
The fact they locked the machines out from anyone unless approved was the last straw. Said approvals people only appeared on a Thursday. Nuff said! This will categorically NOT be happening while I look after our new workshop! I'll have to heck on the insurance and single person point....I don't know what it is, and I spend half my life there! |
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Post by houstonceng on Mar 12, 2015 6:49:29 GMT
Welling & District MES is on secure site owned by an electricity supply company. Access to the main site and our gated sub-site is via padlocked gates to which every Full or Retired member has a key. Juniors or Associates are not supplied with a key. Key costs come out of the joining fee not charged to the latter two grades.
Members can come onto site to use the facilities at any time, but there must be at least two members present. Following some instances of the club room not being properly secured by casual users, a different padlock was installed plus a mortise lock to which only committee members have keys.
Yes. We have problems getting keys returned and, as " keeper of the padlocks" I have to recode new ones to match the issued keys, but the system works OK.
The official days are Wednesday afternoons, Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings. Selected Saturday's and Sunday pm are reserved for parties and public running and a Tuesday Gang has started up to run Locos for additional pleasure. There's, usually at least one committee member on site with the gangs, and if anyone wanted to do so, they could borrow a key to the club room. That way we can hold the person responsible should it not be properly secured.
BTW. The club room key cannot be cut by your local locksmith, so we know it can't be cloned. I have the list of issued keys.
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Post by simplyloco on Mar 12, 2015 8:21:15 GMT
Welling & District MES is on secure site owned by an electricity supply company. Access to the main site and our gated sub-site is via padlocked gates to which every Full or Retired member has a key. Juniors or Associates are not supplied with a key. Key costs come out of the joining fee not charged to the latter two grades. SNIP That is the crux of our problem: we're slap bang in the middle of a public park in Southampton next door to a children's playground! John |
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Post by alanstepney on Mar 12, 2015 11:27:11 GMT
I think you need a solution that allows members to acccess the site when they want to, always provided that there are two people there.
The two issues are security (of equipment etc) and safety (of individuals) coupled with iinsurance requirements.
I doubt that there is one single answer that meets the needs of all clubs, but it will be interesting to see what you eventually decide upon.
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Midland
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,870
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Post by Midland on Mar 12, 2015 17:19:15 GMT
I think you need a solution that allows members to acccess the site when they want to, always provided that there are two people there. The two issues are security (of equipment etc) and safety (of individuals) coupled with iinsurance requirements. I doubt that there is one single answer that meets the needs of all clubs, but it will be interesting to see what you eventually decide upon. We will keep ypu posted!!! David |
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Post by GWR 101 on Mar 12, 2015 18:14:06 GMT
Depends upon how much you want to spend, but aren't key card access systems the present solution. They can be programmed to give access to defined areas, easily revoked, and keep records of who entered and left. Regards Paul
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jma1009
Elder Statesman
Posts: 5,900
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Post by jma1009 on Mar 12, 2015 23:15:34 GMT
oh dear! i still have the key to the clubhouse of the club i left in 2006! i was over 200 miles away for the last 5 years up to 2006!
as a general rule (and this varies depending on what facilities the club has)
i am not in favour of all and sundry having keys/access. a key holder should be present with whoever else wants to attend and keyholders should be restricted to responsible members (which doesnt always include ALL committee members!)
cheers,
julian
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Post by peterseager on Mar 13, 2015 7:55:13 GMT
Don't rely on a Card system recording all who enter. It only shows who opened the gate and not the line of cars that followed them in.
Peter
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Post by ejparrott on Mar 13, 2015 9:03:39 GMT
The fact they locked the machines out from anyone unless approved was the last straw. Said approvals people only appeared on a Thursday. Nuff said! This will categorically NOT be happening while I look after our new workshop! I'll have to heck on the insurance and single person point....I don't know what it is, and I spend half my life there! I ought perhaps change that They'll be no locks on the machines - unless HSE or the insurance company force my hand... |
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smallbrother
Elder Statesman
Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
Posts: 2,269
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Post by smallbrother on Mar 13, 2015 9:28:54 GMT
It seems a shame to have facilities unused because only a select few are deemed sensible enough to hold a key.
The chances of a maverick running amok with his/her loco that has either cost thousands of pounds to buy and/or thousands of hours to build are fairly low, I would have thought.
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