31A Cambridge Model Railway Club (MRC)
Cambridge England |
The 31A (Cambridge) Model Railway Club meets twice monthly on Wednesday evenings from 7pm at The Oddfellows Hall, 131 Newmarket Road, Cambridge. The club, formerly The Welding Institute M.R.C. (1986 to 1999), was formed 1st January 2000 to build and exhibit model railway layouts, locomotives and rolling stock.
The club aims to be informal, with club nights either a running session, working on the layouts or simply a chat. There is also a continuous run test track for the running of stock. We currently have one exhibition layout (EM), with two under construction (OO & EM). Additionally, members own layouts are exhibited under the club banner, giving seven layouts available for exhibiting within the club.
Executive Committee
As a small club, decisions are usually discussed and agreed by the membership as a whole. The Exernal Exhibition Co-ordinator's duties are to arrange attendance for club layouts at local exhibitions, whilst the Exhibition Manager organises the club's own Cambridge Model Railway Exhibition.
Joining the Club
There are two forms of membership of 31A (Cambridge) Model Railway Club; Founder Member and Member; both are entitled to hold one or more of the Club Officer posts on the Executive Committee.
A Member is any person joining The 31A (Cambridge) M.R.C. after 2nd January 2000. A Founder Member is one of a group of six members of The Welding Institute M.R.C who formed the 31A (Cambridge) M.R.C. on 1st January 2000. No new member can become a Founder Member.
The normal practice for joining the club is for prospective Members to attend two/three normal club nights, to familiarise themselves with the club and its Membership. After this point if they still wish to join, they must then be approved by the Executive Committee. The only reason for this is that as this is a small club, it is important that everyone in the club gets on with each other.
There is an Annual Subscription, which is determined for the forthcoming year at the Annual General Meeting and payable for every year of Membership (January to December). Subscriptions for existing members are due for payment by the end of February each year, after which membership of The Club will be deemed to have lapsed. Subscriptions for new members will be pro-rata for period remaining until the end of the joining year and will be due when membership is approved.
Unfortunately, under 18 or Junior Membership of the club is not offered. Current legislation governing the supervision of minors means it is impractical for a club of our size to fund and otherwise resource full compliance with the regulations.
The current membership of the 31A MRC feels, however, that there is a lack of "Junior" Members in our hobby and will allow under 18's to attend Club Meetings and Events, as guests, only if they are accompanied at all times, by a parent or legal guardian, who is a Member of the 31A MRC.
A single membership will permit either parent to accompany their son/daughter. It is with regret that we cannot support having minors attending Club Meetings or Events, without a parent or legal guardian.
Constitution and Requirements of Members
The full club Constitution is available from the Secretary, and the club holds an Annual General Meeting, normally in December, that all members are asked to attend. As a small club, all members are asked to be available to assist throughout the day of the Club's own exhibition and to be available to assist at some of the exhibitions the club attends with club/members layouts. There is also often a need for the loading and unloading of exhibition layouts and we ask all members be prepared to assist where they can.
Exhibition Layouts
Since starting on the exhibition circuit, we feel that the club has built a good reputation for building and operating quality layouts, which we aim to continue. To this end any club member wishing to exhibit his/her own layout, must first have it approved by the club, as being of suitable standard.
Club Outings
The club is an opportunity to organise a variety of trips throughout the year, either to visit exhibitions or other places of interest. Please remember that these "outings" only go ahead if members are willing to arrange them. |
