St.Neots Model Railway Club
MRC News Wednesday November 2nd, 2022
☔️🎆☔️🎆☔️🎆☔️🎆
MRC News Wednesday November 2nd, 2022
☔️🎆☔️🎆☔️🎆☔️🎆
Welcome to Ian Payne who has recently joined the St Neots MRC. We hope you enjoy the Club
Our Annual Exhibition
1. Footfall:
Sales Type Number Total Breakdown
Wristbands 529 @£5 Card £735
Freebies 141 £2645 Cash £1910
Total 670
2. Feedback Received (Key themes)
Really good exhibition; well organised; friendly; lovely atmosphere; lots of helpers;
really enjoyed it; will definitely come again. Plus, traders wanting to return and layouts offering to come.
We have given positive feedback to our members and other helpers, to the Priory Centre Team and to St Neots Town Council
Many of the layouts which attended our exhibition have been invIted to other shows and we have had several visitors to Club who may be interested in joining.
3. Since the Exhibition
Post show publicity Hunts Post – good article in St Neots edition https://www.huntspost.co.uk/news/st-neots-model-railway-club-host-exhibition-9334180
Smaller piece in Huntingdon / St Ives and Godmanchester edition
Best layout photo plus report sent to Railway Modeller.
Video clips of Moos; Horseblock Lane; Priory Lane & Oakston; Templegate Wagon Works; Holland Beck; Scarborough North Bay; East Quay & Whaplode here:
https://www.youtube.com/c/SHGPMedia
4. Financial outcome
The surplus was £2746.83. This includes the grant from St Neots Town Council of £635 and it is after carrying forward Bob Pearman’s payment of £48.00 to 2023.
Just a reminder for most members but information for new members……..Many years ago, we set up St Neots Exhibitions Ltd which would handle all of the exhibition accounts. This means that if we have an exhibition that fails, the Club and it’s bank balance is protected. So, with a healthy surplus, our plan in 2022 is to move £2,500 from the St Neots Exhibition Ltd account into the Model Railway Club account leaving a balance in St Neots Exhibitions to cover cashflow for 2023 and any corporation tax.
I am delighted the exhibition was successful in terms of our Club reputation and in terms of financial benefit.
Thank you to everyone who made it happen and we will do it all again on Saturday 14th October 2023. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask me.
East Quay
Our OO gauge layout East Quay which was donated to the Club by Mick Payne fo Kettering has bee on tour.
See attached PDF for more information and photographs
Members Section of the Website
A reminder that the Members’ Area of the website is now available here:
The Member Only password is Bowater2021
Please note that our Facebook Group is Members’ Only too
Test Track
In November this will be up on Wednesday November 2nd; 16th and 30th.
Modelling Day Saturday 12th November 2022. 09:00 to 17:00
This date has now been confirmed for the next all day modelling session.
For newcomers, this allows members to come and spend longer at Club. The test track can go up, (f you wish), lots of work gets done on layouts and some members choose to do some personal modelling projects. You do not need to come for the whole day. Refreshments are available but bring your own lunch.
Layout Proposals
Don’t forget that we welcome layout proposals. The secretary can provide proposals forms and if you have ideas for a new club layout, let us know.
Annual Dinner in 2023
We have been asked to find out more about menus at the Eaton Oak
A fish & trip train was suggested but so far people would prefer to do this as an excursion
The Lion at Buckden has new owners and was a bit cramped so most people would like something new
The Brampton Mill was good but again, somewhere new would be preferred.
Caroline and I will find out more about what the Eaton Oak can off
Excursions in 2023
So far suggestions include:
Bluebell Railway
Butterley - Midland Railway Centre
Crich Tram Museum
Day Boats from Market Harborough Canal Marina
Fish and Chip supper on Nene Valley Railway
Let me know if you have any preferences or other ideas.
Finally, don’t forget to send me news of your activities for the next Newsletter
Thank you
Jackie
MRC News Wednesday October 5th, 2022
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MRC News Wednesday October 5th, 2022
🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂
Autumn Leaves are falling
Our Annual Exhibition is happening in just over one week. Saturday 15th October 2022
Thank you to everyone who has agreed to help at the forthcoming St Neots MRC Exhibition.
Our new venue is The Priory Centre in St Neots. I have maps for anyone who has not been there before.
Parking is at Riverside Car Park and costs just £4.00 for the whole day by coin or card. This is just across the River Ouse bridge and Riverside Miniature Railway will be running on that day
We have 10 layouts, 8 traders and two demonstrations.
We will only be providing lunches for those who are bringing layouts or demonstrating so please can ALL stewards bring their own lunch.
The Priory Centre Cafe is open all day and there is free tea and coffee for all exhibitors, traders and stewards on the stage area.
I will give an exhibition briefing tonight and next Wednesday
If you can assist with set up and stewarding of doors during the set up period, please arrive between 07:30 and 08.00 am
If you cannot help with set up then please arrive ASAP after that time.
The planning is going well and we are looking forward to a good day.
Thank you to Julie Page and other non members who are coming to help. Your support is much appreciated
The show is open to the public from 10am - 4.30pm
Have You Paid Your Subscription?
Membership fees are now due.
The subscription rate will not increase during for the forthcoming year so the rates are below:
Adult
£60.00
Junior (in full time education)
£18.00
Family
£65.00
Associate Adult
£20.00
Associate Junior
£5.00
Please ensure subscriptions are paid by BACS if possible rather than cheques as it costs money for us to pay cheques into the account
The new bank account details are:
St Neots Model Railway Club
Act No 18818544
Sort Code60-18-23
On no account should the payment be made to the old account.
If you do not intend to renew, please let Chris Langdon or Will Heathh know and I can also remove anyone from this distribution list
Club Clothing
New stock has just arrived and will be brought down tonight. (I only ordered it yesterday so well done Mitsa - owned by Colin Stimpson’s son in law)
Kimbolton
Andrew Moore has some willing helpers doing aspects of Kimbolton. If you are happy to help with a variety of projects on this layout, talk to Andrew on a Wednesday evening.
Events
East Quay is attending The Great Electric Train Show in Milton Keynes. This will be the first exhibition that the layout has attended.
The show is well worth a visit and Spirit of Swindon, previously owned by Will Heath will be there too. Advanced tickets can be booked on line up until Friday
(see poster attached)
Club Member Layouts on Tour
Whaplode was recently at Beacon-Rail 2022 on Saturday 24th September 2022
Passage Lane TMD was at Stafford Railway Circle Show on 24th & 25th September 2022
Bankfield Rd was at Folkestone Show on 1st & 2nd October 2022
If you are attending an event, let us know and put it into the calendar which sits beside the notice board on Wednesday nights.
Bowaters Team - Trip to DS Smith - the current owners of the Paper Mill
Jackie and John Kneeshaw, Chris Langdon and I visited the Bowaters paper mill on 27th September. It’s now owned by D S Smith, and makes cardboard sheet (from recycled card) rather than paper. But as we discovered, the processes involved are pretty much the same. Apart from a tour round the manufacturing plant, we spent several hours sifting through lots of archive material. There were a number of questions that needed answering, mostly around what went on inside various buildings. Some were answered, and Claire who looks after the archive will be sending us other material that might help.
D S Smith, and Claire in particular, were very welcoming and showed great interest in what we are doing. So much so, we have been invited to exhibit the finished layout at their centenary celebrations in 2024. So we need to get on with it!
Will Heath
A Date for Your diary so you do not forget
Modelling Day Saturday 12th November 2022. 09:00 to 17:00
This date has now been confirmed for the next all day modelling session.
For newcomers, this allows members to come and spend longer at Club. The test track can go up, lots of work gets done on layouts and some members choose to do some personal modelling projects. You do not need to come for the whole day. Refreshments are available but bring your own lunch.
Finally, don’t forget to send me news of your activities for the next Newsletter
Thank you
Jackie