The formation of our club was protracted and frustrating.

When a handful of people with a shared interest in the hobby expressed an interest in starting a club, that part would have been easy.
Meetings in homes or pubs would have been easy to arrange but finding a venue where they could meet and build and store a club layout was the stumbling block.
After writing to, phoning and emailing dozens of village halls, pubs and industrial sites over a two year period nothing appeared to be available.

During this time the number of people interested in forming a club had grown to 12 and funds had been created when a widow moved to Wrenbury and donated her husband’s model railway collection.
With nowhere to run these items they were sold and the cash raised became a fighting fund.

In November 2013 a second approach was made to the Wrenbury Village hall and a meeting took place between David Houghton who had so far administered all the above correspondence and created the funds, and Keith Dutton a member of the hall management committee.
They viewed every corner of the building to see if there was a suitable space to meet a club’s needs.
The first potential location was using the blank wall behind the stage. Whilst this would have given a long wall that would take a ‘hinged drop down’ style of layout Keith was unhappy about the risks involved in climbing steps up to the stage and the potential for members falling off the stage.
A further meeting examined the only other space which had been in use for elections during their first visit and this was a wall which had a disused window and disused serving hatch. Measurements were taken and the potential discussed.
It was then decided to put a formal proposal to the hall management committee.
At their December meeting the proposal was accepted with certain conditions.

David then circulated all those who had expressed an interest and an informal meeting was advertised locally for the 22nd of January.
Three more joined those who had previously expressed interest and the potential to build and store was demonstrated by David along with the cost implications of using the hall and Keith explained the restrictions placed by the hall management.

During refreshments an informal discussion took place between all present after which David bluntly said ‘If you don’t see this working, now is the time to leave’.
They all stayed and agreed to meet the following week the 29th of January to become members of the Wrenbury & District Model Railway Club.

After putting so much into the preparation for this meeting David was absent as he was having a knee operation at Leighton Hospital but Keith chaired the meeting, subs were paid and membership cards issued with 13 founder members plus commitment from two others unable to attend on the 29th, , and the rest they say is ‘history’…..

Website: wrenburymodelrailwayclub.chessck.co.uk

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