Canvey Railway and Model Engineering Club.
Do you consider yourself any of the following,
If our activities interest you, and you are considering joining the club, you may freely come along to a couple of our meetings to see what we are all about. Approximately half of the membership are engineers experienced in working with lathes, milling machines, etc. The remaining half of our members have a variety of different skill-sets; computer-aided design, robotics, computing, electronics, carpentry and wood-turning, to name but a few. Some of our younger (and not so young) members have loft or garden railways at home, and one of our female members is very much into jewellery making. The sheer diversity of skill-sets within our club makes it more interesting for all, especially when these members display their work for the rest of the club to see.
Several times a year we have our ‘Seen on the Table' night, where members bring along items that they have been making and discuss the progress of their work. This has proven to be an excellent forum for discussion and learning. The club certainly has many like-minded people with whom you may compare notes and exchange ideas. Some members get their main pleasure out of operating our railways. For those who may be interested in operating our railway, we have to point out you will need to go through a training programme. This is similar to that of the full-size railway in that there is a steady progression through all the jobs involved in the operating the railway, e.g. Station staff, guard, signalman, station controller, locomotive driver, etc. All members are expected to contribute in some way in keeping the club running. This may involve helping run the railway on Sundays or maintaining the site during a maintenance session on a Wednesdays and winter Sundays.
For youngsters, who are considering a career on the railway or in engineering, joining our club can be a great start in attaining this goal. A number of our younger members have gone on to gain apprenticeships, no doubt helped by their involvement in the club. If you are over 16 you can join our club in your own right, as a full member. Twelve to 16 year olds are classed as Junior Members and are allowed to attend the club providing they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. The parent or guardian is responsible for the Junior Members well-being and must be on site with them at all times. This requirement enables us to comply with child protection legislation.
If the above encourages you to join the club, and you wish to enrol, there is the annual membership fee. Currently, it is £30 per annum for an adult, or £5 per annum for a junior member. As previously stated, if you are interested in joining the club, do come along to a couple of our Friday evening meetings to find out what's involved and meet the members. You will be made most welcome. If your interest has been peeked please Email Dave Fletcher the membership secretary (opens the Email client on your PC not an online one), for more information
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