Try to get to a Society group meeting.

[Simon Hargraves]

Was there every a group in Kent?

Yes, there has been.
Ten or so years back there were some informal meetings at people's homes on a more or less ad hoc basis, then a more formal group evolved with regular meetings held at Maidstone and a layout under construction; unfortunately the latter seems to have folded.
I guess there's nothing to stop a few people meeting up either at somebody's house or other suitable venue (pub?) and see what develops.
Simon.

[Stephen Rainsbury]

I guess there's nothing to stop a few people meeting up either at somebody's house or other suitable venue (pub?) and see what develops.
Simon.

Its a thought, are there many of us in Kent? I think that Giles for RM Web might do, of course there is my Brother in Bexley and one of the guys exhibiting at Orpington is from Sittingbourne but I spoke to several people and can't remember who it was :-)

[Hobby]

Greenwich & District Narrow Gauge Railway Society, but this is separate from the 009 Society.

Interestingly most groups listed in the websites list cater for all NG modelling these days, Brian, hence many are listed on both the Society website and the 7mmNG Association website listing. that seems to be the way to go these days and I'm rather glad it is. It makes for a much more robust group, with more members, and a wider variety of interests. No doubt those in charge will correct me if I am wrong but I believe the Society will affiliate such a group if they have a minimum number of Society members (3?)...

[BrianE]

Its a thought, are there many of us in Kent?

There are 90 members in the combined Postcode areas CT, DA, ME, TN.

Brian

[Stephen Rainsbury]

There is also the Greenwich & District Narrow Gauge Railway Society, but this is separate from the 009 Society.
They have weekly meetings alternating between members' homes in South London and Essex.

I think my brother is still a member. In practice Greenwich is a good 45/50 minutes form here on a good trip so you could easily run the risk of spending more time driving. By train it would be at least one change and take well over the hour.
Stephen

[Hobby]

Is that really a long time for a meeting that is only once a month at most? Both my local groups are 40/45 minutes away. It's inevitable when attending meetings for a specialist group of people such as ours, there's rarely many in the same area. If you want to attend local meets od railway enthusiasts then it has to be a conventional model railway club! At least there's plenty of choice of groups in England, if you look at the NGRS you will find that their regional groups are even more thinly spread than ours...

[Stephen Rainsbury]

Is that really a long time for a meeting that is only once a month at most? Both my local groups are 40/45 minutes away.

For me 45 Minute heading into Kent is not a big issue, but once I get across the M25 into London I hate it and can't easily relax. Speed limits that make no sense, difficult parking restrictions, and people that seem to think they own the roads more than most other places I have been to. Where possible I go by train, but then coming home at night there is always somebody drunk who wants to talk to me or be sick. No I don't like being in London at night at all!

I like the idea of a Kent Group, but having been involved with other groups such as Robot Wars and am still heavily involved with Scouts I just know that I will end up over-committing, and organizing a group open day/exhibition. To make it worse I know several ideal venues all within minutes of a motorway.

[Retiarius]

For me the nearest Group is either Northwest area at Rainhill, Lampoons at Leeds, South Yorkshire at Doncaster and Oldham. All well over an hour away. It would be interesting to find out how many members live in the High Peak/Buxton area. Maybe we could form a group to fill in this blank on the Group map.

[BrianE]

It would be interesting to find out how many members live in the High Peak/Buxton area. Maybe we could form a group to fill in this blank on the Group map.

There's about 50 members within the area memtioned, not including those in the major cities around it or those on the sides furthest from Buxton.

Brian

[Retiarius]

It would be interesting to find out how many members live in the High Peak/Buxton area. Maybe we could form a group to fill in this blank on the Group map.

There's about 50 members within the area memtioned, not including those in the major cities around it or those on the sides furthest from Buxton.

Brian

Thank you Brian. Is there any mechanism to contact potential members in an area?

[Hobby]

I doubt you will be able to get that information to contact them direct, though maybe a letter sent by you and distributed by the Society's membership secretary would work.

Might I suggest the old fashioned way first, though, stick an advert in the next News and on the website with your contact details and ask anyone interested to contact you. That is how most groups start. I'd also suggest that you put it about on NGRM what you want to do and ask people to PM you, that will get some non-009 Society modellers as well. The more the merrier!

[MickT]

For me the nearest Group is either Northwest area at Rainhill, Lampoons at Leeds, South Yorkshire at Doncaster and Oldham.

Have you considered the two groups that Bob Telford reports on in 009 News? North Lincs and East Midlands Groups?
East Midlands meet 4th Saturday afternoon of the month in the Portland College Mansfield and North Lincs 2nd Tuesday evening of the month in members homes in the general area, Bob is at Gainsborough, which might be a bit too far from the Buxton area but Mansfield is 36 miles so may be practical for you as it is nearer to Buxton than all those that you listed except Oldham? It's all recorded in Branchlines every issue!  I'm not sure if Lampoons as a Group is still an active one or indeed ever was a Group in the usual sense - the "p" in the title stands for "Provisional" after all! Maybe Garry W can confirm?

Mick

[Graeme Dunbar]

As a matter of interest is there a group in Scotland? No official ones are listed but years back there was a loose association, that I think included members from NI, and met up perhaps once a year at Model Rail Scotland in Glasgow.

I rather lost touch, but in February went to my first MR exhibition for several years.

[Stan Williams]

I think Dave Chapman is exhibiting a layout at the Perth Show and was hoping other society members would go along.

A group tried to form when the M&SWest Lancs group exhibited layouts at Model Rail Scotland and we had an 009 publicity stand there

and we where there in 2011, 2012,2013.
There was some informal meetings at the show and I know we enrolled a number of new members over those 3 years.
From memory some meetings where organised at peoples homes, but they do appear to have come to an end.

At the end of the day, if people want to make something happen, they normally have to go that extra mile to make it succeed.

Stan.

[Graeme Dunbar]

Thanks Stan. That's good news. Luckily the Perth show does not clash with our wedding anniversary this year! There should be plenty of time to make contact with other members and arrange to meet up.