November 2023
| Published by: | Model Makers and Collectors Association | Editor: | David Kettlewell |
| PO Box 256, Rosny Park 7018 | Publisher@mmaca.com |
Photo: Gerald Stevens
Take it easy Barbie, I don't want to mess up my hair.
You never know who you will meet on a fine Saturday morning at the Lauderdale Canal!
Would you believe, it’s November already. We are on the downhill run to Christmas and end of year celebrations. Our first issue of MMACA News went out in September with all the bugs and difficulties of a first attempt. I am aware that not everybody received the September edition. Hopefully November will reach everyone.
One of the problems seems to be that many people have had to change their email addresses as a number of the email providers are pulling out and handing their clients over to different carriers. If you are the main contact in your group, could you please check that you have the current email address for each of your members and pass on any changes to MMACA secretary, Mykel Salter (secretary@mmaca.com) and cc our membership secretary, Phil Higgins (membership@mmaca.com).
On the subject of MMACA News, I would welcome suggestions for a better name. There is no prize, just the glory of being able to say “that was my idea”. If I get a number of suggestions it may be possible to publish the clean ones in the next issue. And of course I will be looking for copy for the next issue. Where will it come from? From you. Do you have a favourite model, an interesting modelling experience? Write it up and share with the rest of the modelling brotherhood.
Also I would be interested to hear from you about the format in which the newsletter is published. I prefer to make it a web page, as it means you don’t get your email inbox clogged up, something that could easily happen with lots of pictures. It could also be published as a pdf file, but with the aforementioned problem of cloggage as the files get quite big. In either case you would be able to access the newsletter by clicking on the supplied link, rather than have a large attachment downloaded when you open your email.
At a recent MMACA committee meeting, it was decided that there should be an annual affiliation fee for our various groups, mostly just to help keep track of what groups are affiliated. There have been a number of groups drop out over the last few years, but under the previous arrangements, the once only affiliation fee meant that the group would be affiliated forever, even if no longer active.
With the MMACA committee getting into the stride of handling the business, it is hoped that the general meetings will have less “all in favour say aye, on the contrary no”. Rather, they will, if possible, be of more general interest to the wider membership. One member asked about the model railway layouts in the Model Park shed, so it is hoped that there might be a presentation and demonstration of some of the features and technology at the next general meeting.
On a different note, whilst exploring which clubs still run and are affiliated with MMACA, and which no longer are, I contacted a keen railway modeller in Burnie whose group folded some time ago. I know he is keen because his email address is “trainmad…..”, and he is keen to meet other railway modellers in his area. If you know any railway modellers in the north west of the state who might like to meet up with similarly minded people, encourage them to drop a note to publisher@mmaca.com and I will connect them with “trainmad...”. (He doesn’t sound at all mad to talk to.)
BTW, I will not normally publish anyone's address, email address or phone number, but will use the roundabout route of mmaca.com email addresses and pass things on as appropriate.
If you are heading past the model park on a Sunday afternoon you could meet up with the Southern Tasmanian Model Car Club. STMCC meet there every other Sunday to enjoy the outdoors, each other's company and the opportunity to pit their driving skills against their rivals. You can find out a whole lot more about STMCC by visiting their website http://stmcc-hobart.weebly.com If you are in the north of the state and are interested in racing model cars Launceston RC would be a good place to start https://launcestonrc.com/ . Although not affiliated with MMACA, Launceston RC is a sister (or possibly brother) organisation to STMCC.
A rather bleak Sunday afternoon, trying to shelter all the gear from the rain squall
If you want to get into model car racing, this might be the starting point.
The serious end of the table. Prepped and ready to go. Up on jack stands and with the tyre warmers in place. But is it a Ford or a Holden. I think there is a body somewhere.
These people take their racing very seriously!
(Photos: David Kettlewell)
I asked Mike Holbrook if he could organise a piece about RCToys for the newsletter and he has come back to me with three articles. The more general article is included here. I plan to use the other two (specifically about sailing boats and model aeroplanes) in future issues. So the following is fairly general - how the RCToys group came into existence, and what they do. It is nice to see that they don't take themselves too seriously.
From Mike Holbrook
RCToys is NOT a Club per se, we have no hierarchy, no office bearers & everyone gets a say in what goes on.
We operate as a “group” as defined in the MMACA rules with one person responsible for keeping a register of members, collecting fees & forwarding MMACA correspondence to all.
RCT started off from very humble beginnings way back in early 2012 with 6 local guys who were into sailing Chinese made RC yachts (about all that was available at the time) getting to know each other via the ShipShapeRC website that operated out of Bendigo in Victoria & was run by Mal Fields.
At the time this site was the “Bible” for building, maintaining & sailing Chinese RC yachts.
We organized to meet at the Lauderdale canal (the old jetty) & the group was born.
Over time we got into Quadcopters & High Speed electric RC boats and this was when we became affiliated with MMACA as we figured Public Liability insurance for our activities was a must.
Membership slowly grew with members getting into RC Rock Crawlers, RC Scale boats, RC Planes (with a spinoff into FPV) & of course virtually every Chinese RC yacht that came on the market, and there were lots back then.
A typical Saturday @ the Canal
We currently have 60 financial members with approx 2/3 involved in RC sailing & 1/3 involved in RC flying. There is also a lot of crossover with most of the pilots also sailing & a lot of the skippers also flying.
Sailing and boating activities take place on Lauderdale canal, and also on the lake at Puddleduck vineyard, with flying from a field at Sandford
After most events, reports, photos & videos are posted on the RCToys website (usually the same or next day) for those that are interested. The website is also still used for documenting model builds, repairs & alterations as originally intended way back in 2013 to assist those new to the hobby of RC.
For more information (and pictures) head to the RCToys website https://rctoystasmania.com.
Hispeed Boats @ the Canal
Photos M Holbrook
Mosaic is a Disability Support Service that has a range of departments for the support of people with Intellectual Disability.
Earlier this year HMRG opened its doors to allow some of the people supported by Mosaic to enjoy the model railway. In September, one of the support workers talked with two of them, Lawrence and Peter, about their experience with HMRG. Here is a report of what had to say.
Over the past year Lawrence and Peter have been attending the Hobart Model Train Club (HMRG) together every Monday and are quite settled and enjoying the experience.
Peter arrived at the house to live this year and decided to join Lawrence at the Train Club as he already had a train set which he could use.
Lawrence used to go with Henry who loved Model Trains, of which he had a large collection as well as a track set up in his shed up back.
When Henry died Lawrence stopped attending the Train Club saying “that was Henry’s thing”. When I asked him why he stopped he said he was confused as to what he should do and was also grieving for Henry’s passing. I was away for 3 months on leave and when I returned Lawrence, with a bit of persuasion, agreed to attend Train Club again. Peter joined after this time also after his sister brought his train set to the house.
Lawrence says he really enjoys the Train Club and is looking forward to it continuing. He is very positive and wants to keep it going. He said he finds it relaxing. He says the other members are very helpful and supportive and have even repaired his locomotive for him when it was showing signs of wear. Lawrence’s Locomotive has been a good purchase and he is happy with the outcome.
Peter also finds the other members friendly and supportive and likes another Mosaic client (James) who attends and interacts well and helps both Peter and Lawrence.
The club celebrated Lawrence’s birthday with cake and candles which was nice. I am sure if Henry was still around he would have played his accordion for the event, as he had played it before for the members who were very impressed.
They are looking forward to fixing up Henry’s shed and using their trains on the tracks which will be put together. It will be like their little ‘man cave’ which will develop over time with their input. Peter said he already has a small fridge at his sister’s he would like to put in there. Henry had a large collection of trains and accessories which they will enjoy using. It has also been proposed that part of the collection will be donated to the Model Train Club for use by other Mosaic Clients when they attend.
They both said they would like to visit the Don River Railway near Devonport at some time in the future.
A big thank you to those members of HMRG make this time available to help and encourage these men.
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| Peter | Peter and Lawrence |
Text and photos: Valentine Whittaker
I think that is your lot for this month. Look out for more in January.
THE END