New model engineering club

[Metatsteam1Participant @metatsteam1]

Hello

I'm thinking of starting a model engineering club in my area, Skipton N Yorkshire. Are there any model engineers in this area who would be interested?

Mat

[Metatsteam1Participant @metatsteam1]

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Would love to join Mat but way out from where I live; am still looking for a club in the 'Boro' area, there are one or two guys around but no 'club' per se, there used to be but that died a death long ago.

George.

[Phil PParticipant @philp]

I live in Silsden and come to work in Skipton every day, a work mate also lives in Skipton and we are both model engineers.

There are a few others in the area that I know of, but most are members of the Bradford MES, so whether they would want to join another club, I do not know.

Let me know what sort of response you get. Are you a member of another club ?

Phil

[Iain DownsParticipant @iaindowns78295]

I live in Harrogate and Skipton is easy enough – not to mention a marvellous drive over t'top in the summer….

I'd be interested – Any way I can dilute my ignorance would be well received!

Iain

P.S. IM me through the forum if it goes ahead.

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

Posted by mechman48 on 30/03/2016 08:36:29:

Would love to join Mat but way out from where I live; am still looking for a club in the 'Boro' area, there are one or two guys around but no 'club' per se, there used to be but that died a death long ago.

George.

Hi George,there's one in preston park, one at hurworth & one in darlington pumping station, I was a member of teesside club for a number of yrs in albert park,before it folded, then I was chairman at hurworth club but now a member of northern miniature road locomotive society [affiliated to same] as the title says it's mainly road steam from 2" to 6" road engines but we have model engineers as well, & Dennis one of our members is the absolute master of injectors,[I have one on my engine as loads of other members too.

Graham.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Matthew, there's a long established club in Keighley, which is only 9 miles awayfrom Skipton

[Metatsteam1Participant @metatsteam1]

Hello everyone who has replied to my post.

I'am not a member of any clubs nor have i ever been, i live equal distance from the keighley club and the ribble valley live steamers in clitheroe both 20 + miles. The thing is i don't want to travel if possible so i thought i would see if there was any interest in forming a club nearer to home. Craven is a big area and there must be a lot of model engineers who like me just make things for there own pleasure but sometimes think it would be good to share there interest with other like minded people.

Thanks again for all your interest, i will give it 7 days and see how many people reply and go from there

Regards

Mat

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Mat, 7 days isn't long enough as not everyone reads the site every day or frequent one of the many other forums.

It is likely that if there is no local club then some of the members of each of the nearest clubs actually come from Skipton and are just travelling. They might well want to meet up but are not 'into' the internet and forums. So you should contact those nearby clubs directly and suggest a local pub get together.

Then there may also be people interested but, through lack of a club in town, are currently involved with their other hobbies like a model railway club, woodworking, model aircraft, woodcarving, woodturning, motorbikes, etc all of which may have clubs in the town.

Talk to the people at the Craven Model Centre who should know who is around and into modelling and Dales Model Flying Club, and the Craven Sailing Club might know if any model boaters use their water. Where there are model Boats there are model steam boats and hence model engineers.

[Phil PParticipant @philp]

Matt

Now I have had time to think about this, I think unfortunately you will struggle to get it off the ground.

I too was a "loner" for 20 odd years when I lived in Harrogate. I did my own thing without being in a club, I did briefly join the Leeds club, but they were only interested in railway loco's at the time which did nothing for me I am afraid as I am into traction engines, stationary engines, clocks and toolmaking etc.

I eventually joined a very small but properly run club with only around 8 members, this club was formed mainly so that members in the West/North Yorkshire could carry out their own boiler tests. We met once a month in each others homes. However people died off or lost interest over the years and we disbanded the club about five years ago.

I moved to Silsden just over eight years ago, and looked into the possibility of joining a club once more, Keighley is the nearest at only four miles away, but I felt they were too railway orientated, so I looked at Bradford which is around ten miles away and they have a very diverse range of interests so I joined them instead. They are actually based in Saltaire.

Since joining I have not missed a single meeting and have made some great new friends with similar interests, we have two club auctions a year where unbelievable bargains are to be had on tools and materials etc, we have some really good guest speakers and we have our own exhibition as well as attending others in the area.

Now the problem is that even a club as well established as this one is struggling to keep its membership numbers up, inevitably a lot of the membership are of a certain age and are prone to popping off !! and not enough younger members are interested in joining something they see to be very out of date.

So my question is, what are you thinking will be the format of any new club, will you be having regular monthly meetings, will you be inviting guest speakers, will you be having a track built for running loco's, will you have your own boating lake for exclusive members use etc etc.

I do wish you luck with this venture, but dont underestimate what is involved to do it properly.

Now I have an offer for you. Why dont you come and meet me in Silsden and I will take you as a guest to one of the Bradford club meetings so you can see what it is all about. I am not averse to car sharing to attend meetings, in fact my mate from work comes from Skipton to go with me as well.

Phil

[Author]

Posts