Our Modelling clubs

[gwrfan]

Hi Andy, Guys,

Just a thought, but with over 400 members on the books now, how about somewhere to show details of the Model Engineering Clubs/Societies that we are members of? Perhaps just in the 'Members Bio', or even a new section? It seems that we have the opportunity to show where we all live, but not which clubs we attend, and where they are. It could be useful for meeting and socialising with other members whenever we are in their neck of the woods.

My society, in North Cornwall, for instance, requires new, active members! (Steamed my 'Pansy' today, for the first time in 2 years, and ran for 1 and a half hours all on my own, LOL!)

Comments?

Thanks

Geoff

[Tel]

Looks like you just started a place for that Geoff - I'll sticky this thread so's folks can post their affilliations.

I don't belong to any ME clubs at this time, tho' in the past I have been in Bathurst Miniature Railway and Orange Society of Model Engineers.

[Andy Clark]

I tried a "Club news" section in days gone by where members could post information about their club and what was going on there. It never took off, with a very limited level of posting. I would be happy to start a new section if there is a general concensus.
I would suggest that there be a thread per club to help keep things in good order - if there was not one for your club already then start one, otherwise add to the postings there already.
Any takers?

[gwrfan]

Hi Andy and Tel, and the other 487 members!,

Since I discovered this site, the membership has increased in the year from less than 200 to almost 500. Must be one of the largest collections of Model Engineers, LOL! Andy, obviously I don't know what the 'original' membership number was. Anyway, it just struck me (as it does!) that there might be people new to areas who don't know of the existence of local clubs.

For instance, my own cub has about 23 members, but only a handful are attenders on a Tuesday evening, and not many actually run their locos on steam sundays. Our track is in a farmer's field, at the back of his house, and you'd never know it was there. The club doesn't advertise its activities, but I'll try to alter that tomorrow evening!!

Let's see what others think, but personally I feel this site is a better medium for advertising our activities than, say, the ME. I read entries on here several times a day, most days. It would be nice to have 'invitations' to visit other members' clubs if we 'are in the area', etc.

What do the other 487 members feel about it?

Regards from an overcast Cornwall.

Geoff (with ash still in his eyes from steaming yesterday, LOL)

[waggy]

Geoff,
Good idea having info about clubs in general, however I can see a snag. I'm a member of a club whose track and clubhouse are situated in the grounds of a residential school. We have an excellent relationship with the school, but to keep things sweet we don't advertise our presence. I'm sure you will understand why. The downside to this arrangement is the reputation we have of being a bit unfriendly, I can assure this isn't the case. I think details on a web site could well put our set up at risk!

Waggy.

p.s. Your cylinder lubricator can't be set correctly or the oil from the chimney would have washed the ash out of your eyes by know!

[gwrfan]

Hi Waggy,

Yes, a good and valid point. However one could limit the information that is posted, or even just say something like: 'If you wish to visit my/our club, get in touch with me', or something like that.

But you have really touched on my main point, that there must be loads of clubs/societies out there that perhaps need new blood, but no one knows about them.

As for the lubricatior. Sad tale! In my err, 'wisdom', I lengthened the ratchet lever on the lub to allow a little more clearance for the drive rod. I never thought of the consequenses, the result of which, of course was that the stroke of the drive rod didn't push the lever forward enough to engage the clutch drive. No oil to the cylinders was the result, haha. Anyway, it's fixed and there's a nice smear of oil around the inside of the chimney now. I can cope with the ash, but not with no oil, LOL!

Regards from a drizzly Cornwall.

Geoff

[spurley]

It seems a great idea to me, as I live in Northern Ireland and a member of MESNI but presently work near Gatwick on a shift basis. I would be grateful for any contact info which would enable me to meet fellow ME's during my time away.

I can see the point about certain tracks/clubs which may need to remain 'out of bounds' but, that said how does a group such as that recruit new members? Is it possible to have access to a 'members only' section with more detail to allow this type of interaction?

Cheers

Brian

In sunny NI but about to leave my family and workshop for 10 days in deepest Surrey/Sussex!!

[denis M]

Thought I'd get a free plug in here.
My society is the City of Oxford SME. If any one is interested we are having a rally this coming weekend, Saturday and Sunday.
All are welcome. A map can be found on WWW.COSME.ORG.UK.

2 tracks,3 trade stands, overnight camping from Friday.

[GeorgeRay]

I run the Andover club website because I am a member of that society and we also have our own bulletin board hosted on proboards to enable us to keep in contact with our own members. Membership of that board is however liited to members of ADMES. Information for general consumption goes onto the web site, information for members goes onto the bulleting board. General information from me personally goes onto the model engineering clearing house board run by Andy and his other co moderators.
One way of getting the information about which club you belong to is to modify your profile and put the information in your signature.

[gwrfan]

Hi George,

Well, that's a good start, and one of my suggestions, to use the Member's Bio. I'll try that now.

I still believe if there was enough support from 'our' members, that more than just the society or club name could be appended into the MECH site, and only available to registered members, not guests. For the major events such as the Guildford meeting, IMLEC, the Martin Evans Rally and so on, we can post in the Calendar.

Geoff

[gwrfan]

That's the spirit, Dennis,

Just the sort of thing I had in mind. Come on the rest of you, let's have your thoughts and postings, LOL ;D

[Andy Clark]

New board in the General area - try it out and see if it does what you want

Andy

[dscott]

Model clubs,

Well The Tiverton club decided to stop public running on the portable track 2 years ago, and the next thing the committe decided was to increase the subs. with me down the other end of Devon, closer to Cornwall it was too many miles to go, especially if the same committe decided to choose the wettest days 3 times in a row for the annual burnt offerings or uncooked food eaten in the open.
Added to this several members have left this year and one was asked to leave.
My theory is that we are not married to local Tiverton birds mi dear!!!!! so we dont fit in.

ps. North Cornwall looks a lovely club.

David Scott.

[gwrfan]

Hi David,

I'm sorry - and personally somewhat alarmed - to read of your experiences, especially as in the not too distant future we may actually be moving nearer to Tiverton!!

Our own club stopped public running of any kind some years ago, mainly due to the cost of insurance premiums. With out small membership (yes, some of the members are quite small, LOL!), we just couldn't afford it, and to increase our subs would just drive another nail in the coffin.

Having said that, since taking over as club sec and writing to ME and EIM, we have had four new members! So David, come on over, and we can drool over a pair of Dukedogs, haha! ;D

Geoff (In sunny Cornwall)

[Frits]

Hi Geoff,

As there is no club within 30 miles of where I'm living, I prefer to build my own private 5" track in my garden. My hobby contacts are a few fora I read and write in, so I don't want (need) a club.
Still I'm a happy member, one of the 500 you counted.

That's, my opinion to membership of Model engineer clubs.

Frits

[Shawki Shlemon]

Hi all
After reading most of the postings in our modeling clubs , I as an active member of Westren District Live Steamers in Sydney ,Australia Think that for those clubs that are publlic there is no reason not to publicise the club .My (our) club will be very happy to put its address and operating details for everyone to see. All details are on www.wdls.org.au
Regards
Shawki

[ron]

I'm in the same position as Frits, as far as I know there isn't a club within 30 miles of where I live. The only one packed in several years ago, I think due to the advancing age of the membership, the track is still there but it's slowly going back to nature.
I've a large and secluded back garden so my intentions are to build a 5" track when the Simplex is complete, not sure if I could be bothered with club politics and boiler inspectors etc anyway.
Ron

[littlechuffer]

well Ive tried emailing the SDSME south Durham society of model engineers a number of times and rang a couple of the contact numbers
however to no avail.
all i know is they are in hurworth, is anyone on here a member
perhaps ?
i would like some info
tnx
Mick

[cotswold]

My club is the Cheltenham SME. In its early days the club received strong support from George Dowty who allowed the newly formed club to use a patch of land next to the Dowty factory. The factory has gone long ago but, thanks in no small part to the presence of a large pond and hence it being unsuitable for building, we still have that patch of land and now own the freehold.

Lots more information at <http://www.cheltsme.org.uk/>.

[goldstar31]

Jul 8, 2008 17:56:44 GMT littlechuffer said:

well Ive tried emailing the SDSME south Durham society of model engineers a number of times and rang a couple of the contact numbers
however to no avail.
all i know is they are in hurworth, is anyone on here a member
perhaps ?
i would like some info
tnx
Mick

Mick, I have a note of Hurworth Grange Community Centre and a note of the general activities and contact address but Googling gives a Model Engineers meeting on Tuesdays at 7.30 to 10.00 and a phone number of 01325-721503.

Otherwise, TSMEE is 40 miles away but is definitely active on Wednesday evenings and Sundays at the Exhibition Park in Newcastle.

Cheers

GS31