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Post by george on Apr 25, 2016 17:45:47 GMT
Myself and 5 others have started a new club in exeter, surprisingly a city this size does not have one. we have had two meetings so far and it seems to be progressing,
We are in contact with another club and in negotiations with a view to buying their portable track.its the only way we can see to start club funds coming in.there was a club in exeter years ago at a farm in stoke cannon,sadly long since gone,but with a view to starting a new club we thought we would honour the old one by using their logo, the problem is we cant seem to find it anywhere,so if anyone has any information about this we would be very pleased to hear about it,maybe an old member still has some headed paper or an old club magazine,either way anyone wishing to find out more about this new venture or indeed any old exeter club members who would like to rejoin,please let me know and i will gladly supply you with the next meeting place and time.
regards
george
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Post by Rex Hanman on Apr 26, 2016 6:31:20 GMT
Wishing you good luck!  |
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Post by george on Apr 26, 2016 17:24:08 GMT
Weve had a bit of luck on the logo front, one of our members was given a load of old photos and newspaper cuttings a while ago. he was going through them and was the old club logo in one of the photos, it will need altering to get the club name in but we can now honour the old club.
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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 Apr 26, 2016 17:52:09 GMT
I would like to add my best wishes too.
Pete.
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Post by george on Apr 26, 2016 18:24:30 GMT
Thank you to the both of you,we know its going to be a long haul.
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dscott
Elder Statesman
Posts: 2,440
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Post by dscott on Apr 27, 2016 2:20:06 GMT
The old track is out at Stoke Cannon ground level. You have the Tiverton club and Newton Abbot Club close.
The family who may know live on the left-hand side just after the new houses that replaced the garage that got burnt down in Stoke Cannon.
Good luck in your venture from an old X Exeter guy... EX2 Broadfields Sullivan Road 48 and all that!!!!
David.
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Post by Roger on Apr 27, 2016 13:54:19 GMT
Congratulations on your new club, I wish you every success. Although I've not been deeply involved with a club and all it's politics, I've seen the fallout from several nasty situations. Might I suggest that you set out the aims and restrictions in the holding of official positions, because most of the problems seem to stem from people who take over and can't be shifted from their positions.
I would propose that you have a maximum period of office, say three years, after which you can't be re-elected for the same period that person held office. This prevents those who want to dominate a club from taking over and making it their personal club. I would make the rules unchangeable without a very high percentage of the membership being in agreement.
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Post by george on Apr 27, 2016 14:13:18 GMT
That's one of the first things we all agreed. Because that's exactly what happened at our last club. There was one member who used to get really irate and very shouty. He used to throw all his toys out of the pram and hold the committee to ransom by threatening to resign if something he didn't like looked like it was going to be passed.and the club never moved on. So we got off the commitee and started this.
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gwrfan
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Post by gwrfan on Apr 27, 2016 14:48:02 GMT
Hi George,
Congratulations on starting your Exeter Club.
Our small club in North Cornwall holds an AGM at which all the Officials resign, and are either re-elected or stand down in order that others can fill the vacant slots. In this was no one can ever stay in power just because they want to. I have been Hon Secretary for ten years, as no one else wants the job!
At present (and probably for ever now) we have no tracksite, being ousted a couple of years ago from the old (original) site. However, we still have about 20 members, and exist as a social 'club' and for boiler testing facilities.
We (family) are hoping to move closer to Exeter whenever the house down here finds a buyer, so I shall be interested in your progress.
Geoff
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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 Apr 27, 2016 15:09:49 GMT
I agree 100% with rotation.
One person can become way too dominant and inflict a lot of damage without even realizing what they are doing.
Pete.
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Post by Roger on Apr 27, 2016 16:46:47 GMT
Hi George, Congratulations on starting your Exeter Club. Our small club in North Cornwall holds an AGM at which all the Officials resign, and are either re-elected or stand down in order that others can fill the vacant slots. In this was no one can ever stay in power just because they want to. I have been Hon Secretary for ten years, as no one else wants the job! At present (and probably for ever now) we have no tracksite, being ousted a couple of years ago from the old (original) site. However, we still have about 20 members, and exist as a social 'club' and for boiler testing facilities. We (family) are hoping to move closer to Exeter whenever the house down here finds a buyer, so I shall be interested in your progress. Geoff The flaw in that arrangement is that you can still end up with a stagnant situation with people who are resistant to change. Forced time out of controlling positions makes certain that it can't happen. Mild mannered people can all too easily be cajoled into going along with forceful people who are determined to stay in office. Most people are glad of a change at the top, but they aren't motivated enough to get into the politics of making it happen. It's easy to end up with the same person as Chairman for example, because his (her) friends don't want to appear disloyal. Having forced periods out of office solves those problems because it's written in the rules, and everyone knows you aren't allowed to stay in office too long. |
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gwrfan
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Post by gwrfan on Apr 27, 2016 17:12:03 GMT
Hi George, Congratulations on starting your Exeter Club. Our small club in North Cornwall holds an AGM at which all the Officials resign, and are either re-elected or stand down in order that others can fill the vacant slots. In this was no one can ever stay in power just because they want to. I have been Hon Secretary for ten years, as no one else wants the job! At present (and probably for ever now) we have no tracksite, being ousted a couple of years ago from the old (original) site. However, we still have about 20 members, and exist as a social 'club' and for boiler testing facilities. We (family) are hoping to move closer to Exeter whenever the house down here finds a buyer, so I shall be interested in your progress. Geoff The flaw in that arrangement is that you can still end up with a stagnant situation with people who are resistant to change. Forced time out of controlling positions makes certain that it can't happen. Mild mannered people can all too easily be cajoled into going along with forceful people who are determined to stay in office. Most people are glad of a change at the top, but they aren't motivated enough to get into the politics of making it happen. It's easy to end up with the same person as Chairman for example, because his (her) friends don't want to appear disloyal. Having forced periods out of office solves those problems because it's written in the rules, and everyone knows you aren't allowed to stay in office too long. |
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gwrfan
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Post by gwrfan on Apr 27, 2016 17:37:02 GMT
I agree it may be a flaw, however, if I had not volunteered to be the Hon Sec, then our Society would not have had one at all. Same as the Chairman. After this year's AGM next month we won't have one because the current Chairman doesn't want to continue, and I do know that no other members will volunteer. So, placing a time limit on the various official posts may leave them unfilled in the future.
Of course it will depend on the size of the Society membership. Those with 100 or more probably wouldn't have the same problems as we experience.
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Post by Roger on Apr 27, 2016 19:39:34 GMT
I agree it may be a flaw, however, if I had not volunteered to be the Hon Sec, then our Society would not have had one at all. Same as the Chairman. After this year's AGM next month we won't have one because the current Chairman doesn't want to continue, and I do know that no other members will volunteer. So, placing a time limit on the various official posts may leave them unfilled in the future. Of course it will depend on the size of the Society membership. Those with 100 or more probably wouldn't have the same problems as we experience. It's a really tough nut to crack. I'd be interested if any other societies have binding rules that cover all these eventualities. I suppose it's possible to run a club entirely by committee without a chairman, secretary or treasurer? I'm guessing that these posts are left unfilled because they have onerous duties. Maybe keeping those to an absolute minimum is the key to making them more attractive. |
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Post by simplyloco on Apr 28, 2016 6:57:57 GMT
I agree it may be a flaw, however, if I had not volunteered to be the Hon Sec, then our Society would not have had one at all. Same as the Chairman. After this year's AGM next month we won't have one because the current Chairman doesn't want to continue, and I do know that no other members will volunteer. So, placing a time limit on the various official posts may leave them unfilled in the future. Of course it will depend on the size of the Society membership. Those with 100 or more probably wouldn't have the same problems as we experience. We had a similar 'ruling elite' here, but we carried out a putsch, and it was amazing how many people responded positively to the change! All is now sweetness and light... John |
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Post by Roger on Apr 28, 2016 7:16:40 GMT
Hi John,
Your club and its transformation was one of the cases that I had in mind. It doesn't surprise me that so many people responded positively to the change though. Most of us dislike confrontation and it's easier to just ignore the annoyances and carry on. It's a pity that things have to get really bad before there's an uprising like yours. I just think that this sort of situation should never be allowed to coma about in the first place through a binding set of rules.
When things are all going well, it's easy to think that this will never happen. I know of one club where there is a strong undercurrent of dissatisfaction and bad feeling, but nothing is going to change there because those at the top are incapable of change or of being deposed. It's a real shame. These things are a blight on out hobby, and we neglect them at our peril.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2016 15:13:51 GMT
Please explain to me why you have to have a club ?
I am currently looking to relocate and the property I have in mind comes with some acreage so no problem ref the track.
If all comes to fruition, I intend asking like minded people in the area if they would like to join in and use the facility.
This would be on a very informal non structured basis,ie no club, no officials , etc.
This idea may not be practical for reasons I am not aware of and if so, then please feel free to tell me.
Thank you.
Rodger
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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 Apr 28, 2016 15:40:40 GMT
Hi Rodger,
You don't have to belong to a club if that is your wish. I think though you would miss an awful lot of opportunities to make new mates and see an awful lot of models and tracks that would not be available if you stick to your own thing.
I have a garden railway and can run steam without ticket if I so wish. I just think I would miss a lot of fun.
Why not do both?
Pete.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2016 15:49:48 GMT
Hi Rodger, You don't have to belong to a club if that is your wish. I think though you would miss an awful lot of opportunities to make new mates and see an awful lot of models and tracks that would not be available if you stick to your own thing. I have a garden railway and can run steam without ticket if I so wish. I just think I would miss a lot of fun. Why not do both? Pete. Pete. Thanks reply -perhaps I did not explain properly. Take the case of the club mentioned that has lost its track. If somebody had land in that particular area,could they not say to those people - I will lay a track and put up a shed that you can come and use on an informal basis? Cannot a group of people just get together and use the facility on an old pals basis. Why do you have to have a club ? Thanks. |
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gwrfan
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Post by gwrfan on Apr 28, 2016 16:02:12 GMT
Hi Rodger, You don't have to belong to a club if that is your wish. I think though you would miss an awful lot of opportunities to make new mates and see an awful lot of models and tracks that would not be available if you stick to your own thing. I have a garden railway and can run steam without ticket if I so wish. I just think I would miss a lot of fun. Why not do both? Pete. Pete. Thanks reply -perhaps I did not explain properly. Take the case of the club mentioned that has lost its track. If somebody had land in that particular area,could they not say to those people - I will lay a track and put up a shed that you can come and use on an informal basis? Cannot a group of people just get together and use the facility on an old pals basis. Why do you have to have a club ? Thanks. Hi Rodger, After we lost our tracksite we looked at various other options, but being in a rural location nothing seemed practical or possible. One of our members thd thoughts of running a ground-level track in his garden - until he discovered what the monetary costs would be! Then, of course you have to consider different wheel gauges - 5 inch and 3.5 inch. Also there is a question of third party insurance, boiler tesing and certificates, etc. Some of our Society members also belong to another local club which is on private land and where the owner actually has insurance cover for all the members, so anything is possible. I think the safety and boiler testing is probably the biggest issue. Geoff |
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