TRAIN ORDERS – March 2020

CALDER NORTHERN GROUP
TRAIN ORDERS March 2020

This Train Orders is my ‘signing off’ as Secretary of Calder Northern Group after some 15 years serving in the role of either Chairman or Secretary. Hopefully someone will volunteer to take over the role of secretary at our AGM. I have prepared a ‘memory stick/USB’ with all the past Group records that I have on my computer so the new incumbent has all the records to hand. There is also a list of email information for Train Orders addressees.
I do add that I am prepared to remain as a Committee member if elected.

Saturday 21st March is our AGM meeting. Therefore, this is a reminder for you to let me have your proposed nominations for Group Committee members by 8pm on Sunday 15th March. Obviously you must seek the permission of the person you are nominating to confirm that they are prepared to stand for election to the committee. If no nominations are received by the due date then the membership will be asked for a vote of confidence at the AGM to re-appoint the current committee, assuming they are prepared to stand again. The post of secretary is or will be vacant at the AGM so please make proposals for this position too.

Our February meeting included an Extraordinary General Meeting called to discuss a proposal from Gordon Robinson that Calder Northern Group host the British Region Convention in 2021.
Jonathan Small explained to everyone the proposal and that we should consider carefully what this entailed and stressed the fact that it would have to be a team effort to undertake the tasks involved immediately and ongoing until the weekend of the event.
Discussions with Crewe Heritage Centre as to us using the whole site at a fixed price gained their support and agreement. It was agreed that we should work on the dates of 5th/6th and 7th November 2021.
Calder Northern will share any surplus income from the event with the British Region and the Heritage Centre will provide cover for the kitchen, shop and miniature railway operation. The Heritage Centre will take all income generated at the kitchen.
Local hotels are being approached as the Convention Hotel and as soon as this is arranged advice will be published in the various Region news bulletins.
Many other aspects of such an event were aired before a decision was taken to ask members to vote on an agreement to proceed subject to confirmation by the Region BoD.

A vote was proposed and I am pleased to announce the result was a unanimous vote to proceed as hosts for the 2021 British Region Convention.

Much discussion then ensued regarding the kind of tasks to be undertaken and it was agreed that in addition to Gordon Robinson who will be Chairman and Senior Organiser, others proposed were Jonathan Small, Tony Gath, Terry Wynne and Alan Wyatt who will be responsible for preparation of the Budget. We will still need someone to volunteer to act as Treasurer.
Once this group have met, a brief will be created and circulated to members highlighting the tasks along with the names of those who have volunteered to take the responsibility of organising each requirement plus a timetable of when each task needs to be completed.

After the EGM –
Jonathan Small and Terry Wynne spoke to members about the Achievement Programme and asked members what they had done in terms of modelling or layout building at home. It was explained how many of these tasks undertaken by members could count towards AP certification. Jonathan asked how many had a layout more than 4’ x 2’ with freight cars, buildings and track wired up and have trains which can run around the layout? He explained that if the answer was yes it may be possible that you could gain the Golden Spike Award which is a stepping stone towards various AP qualifications. It was decided that we should talk with each person – not on a one to one basis but openly so others could hear the discussion and maybe realise what they had done is similar what others have accomplished. Jonathan advised that he would advise the latest information on the Golden Spike Award by providing the current NMRA National website URL for this item for circulation to members. It is https://www.nmra.org/golden-spike-award
This document explains all that you need to evaluate either what you need to do to qualify or if you have already sufficient elements completed.

Hopefully you will all have received the latest Weekend Rota from Paul Mitchell and if you have any issues with the dates shown that you will keep in contact with Paul. Paul is hoping all those with smart phones will be able to use “Whatsap” to keep in touch especially regarding last minute changes to dates etc.

The clinic that Roy Harris was going to present at our February meeting and which was unfortunately cancelled due to the EGM will now be held after our AGM on Saturday 21st. The subject is “Using Arduinos” which Roy will present in his usual straight forward informative way. Don’t miss this as it will be very useful to us all.

Work on the North Western Mills layout maintenance is still ongoing but is close to being completed; special thanks must go the Wednesday Gang for the work they are doing. Extra special thanks to Tony Gath and also to John Gough for the work they have done to the Heritage Centre’s Signalling layout (you know the one – in the goldfish bowl) as now it has an outside track fully operational and the inner track worked by the signal levers is operational too. A large amount of track has been re-laid and the wiring sorted out. Some scenery is to be put back in place before Tony and John can stand back with total satisfaction. You have done a great job guys!

Finally I append below the Agenda for our forthcoming AGM and also copies of the minutes of the 2019 AGM. Please advise the Group Chairman on the day if you have any items for inclusion in “Any other business” at the end of the meeting. Thank you.

Over and Out!

Terry

Calder Northern Group

Annual General Meeting 21st March 2020
Commencing 11.15 am at Crewe Heritage Centre

1. Apologies

2. Minutes of last meeting

3. Chairman’s report (Tony Gath)

4. Treasurer’s report (Mike Lenz)

5. Change of Financial Year (Alan Wyatt)

6. Election of Secretary – Terry Wynne resignation

7. Election of Committee

8. NMRA British Region 2021 Annual Convention (Terry Wynne)

9. Heritage Centre rent agreement (Terry Wynne)

10. Review of member subs at monthly meetings

11. Weekend Operating Rota

12. Update on North Western Mills (HO); Devils Creek (HO) and Baltic Street Yard (N) layouts advice of upgrade of electrics etc (Steve Scott / Alan Wyatt)

13. Budget proposals for each of our 3 layouts (Alan Wyatt)

14. Achievement Programme and Golden Spike Awards

15. TAS Event at Manchester Airport (Terry Wynne)

16. Clinics/Presentations/Show & tell

17. A.O.B.