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Mostly a club business report this month, with some important dates for your diary too, but first of all.....

Reminders and confirmation about imminent events for members

13th December – a normal Thursday club night, but with added extras:

mince pies courtesy of Richard’s Mum, Mrs Grigg. Not to be missed!
Noel Blows will also announce the ‘Club Man of the Year’ and present the trophyto the lucky winner
the judging finals will take place for the ‘Make a Tree’ [or, more accurately, ‘improve this load of old rubbish’] competition. Never a dull moment!

15th. December – the Club’s Christmas evening meal at Morriston Golf Club. By the time you read this, you should have given Noel Blows your menu choice. If you have not, please ensure that you do so before Wednesday the 12th December.

The Club’s next wagon commission

A very brief update from the details announced last month. Dapol has agreed to produce artwork for the proposed commission [our fourth] and we should have copies to approve during February 2019. As soon as this has arrived and been approved, a copy will appear in the next available newsletter. Any further news will be posted also.

The recent stock sale

This was a hugely successful event and many thanks to all of you who attended. The only item left unsold at the time of writing is a commission lot, a Lima passenger set comprising a tank engine and three coaches. These are in very good condition and the loco runs well. It is an ideal starter set for a child and maybe a Christmas present for someone? Good value at a reduced £25 and it will be out for inspection again on Thursday the 13th. December.

We were also extremely grateful to John Rogers’ sister, Miss Claire Rogers, forallowing us to retain the proceeds from the sale of John’s stock. Incidentally, his21mm Irish railway rolling stock ended up with a collector in Dublin. I think that John would have approved.

Mention was made in the last newsletter of the possibility for a members’ stock salein January. I have only been approached by two members who wish to sell stock so far and should no others come forward, this sale could take place in the club room. If there are others lurking in the wings however, please let me know quickly in order that I can try to book a larger room.

Two brief news items

Following the recent talk given by Terry McCarthy on the heroic project to build a new GWR County Class loco, the ‘County of Glamorgan’, the club hasmade a small donation to the scheme which is managed through the Great Western Society at Didcot. The donation was made in lieu of any expenses sought for the excellent presentation.
The club no longer owns ‘South Dock’, the large O-gauge project currently in store. It has been purchased by a club member for a significant sum and whilst it remains on the premises, it will be removed in due course.

Building safety matters

The accidental activation of the building’s fire alarm the other week was timely given recent discussion about evacuation procedures: nobody took the blindest bit of notice!

This is a serious matter however and advance warning is given that a fire drill will be held sometime during January to test the evacuation procedures and the roles of the fire marshalls. Remember, we are situated on the top floor of a large building: when the alarm goes, stealth is essential. Below is a repeat of the instruction placed in the September newsletter:

Should members hear a fire alarm at any time, they must assume that it is genuine and not ignore it. If our Fire Marshalls are present [identified by their tabards], their directions must be followed immediately and members must leave the building without delay by the nearest exit: the main stairs or the fire exit situated beyond the club’s workshop. No-one should stop to collect anything to take with them but should go straight to the assembly point outside the main gate.

Any member who is in the Club alone when a fire alarm is sounded should follow the same procedure as outlined above.

The 2018-19 Annual General Meeting and the election of the club’s Committee

The following note is from the club’s current Chair, Noel Blows:

Since SRMG’s inception in July 2004, the Club has held an Annual General Meeting at which the audited accounts for the financial year have been presented to members for adoption. An election for the 3 officers [chairman, secretary and treasurer] and 3 x general committee members has also taken place at the AGM.

This arrangement has served us satisfactorily for a number of years. However as SRMG now enjoys a large membership with a busy annual timetable of events - competitions, exhibitions, excursions, lectures, open days, private owner commissions, stock sales etc - more thought needs to be given to the professional processes whereby the club is managed.

Consequently, prior to the next AGM in February 2019, this is notice that an Extraordinary General Meeting will be held on the 10th January 2019.

Your Committee seeks via this EGM to change the format for the election. Future AGM’s would see the election of a maximum of one officer and one general committee person per year with each position being held for 3 years. At the end of each financial year those retiring may seek re-election. If new [and existing candidates] offer themselves for the vacant posts, a ballot would be needed. To get to the position where just one of the present officers and one committee member retires each year the present committee members have agreed to stagger their re-election / retirement dates as shown further below:

The reasoning behind this change in committee constituents is as follows:

1. There is a need to ensure a level of continuity, existing members would be able to gradually introduce new members to the rationale behind the club’s activities.

2. There would be reduced pressure on the need to find, potentially, 6 members to fill the full number of committee posts each year.

The present committee, with proposed retiring dates, is as follows:

Noel Blows - Chairman - 31 December 2021
Tony Richards - Secretary - 31 December 2020
Ted Hylton - Treasurer - 31 December 2019
Scott Rhodes - General Committee - 31 December 2020
Mal Rowe - General Committee - 31 December 2021
Mal Shore - General Committee - 31 December 2022

If approval is given at this meeting by a show of hands, this resolution will be applied with immediate effect. There would be no change to the committee structure until the AGM for the year ending 31 December 2019. Please make every effort to attend both the forthcoming EGM on 10 January 2019 and the later AGM on the 7th February 2019.