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| Tweet Topic Started: 25 Jul 2007, 11:19 AM (228 Views) | |
| headshot119 | 25 Jul 2007, 11:19 AM Post #1 |
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Hi all, my names Karl and I live in wrexham north wales. I've always had an interest in trains. I own a large 00 gauge layout and a some stock. I felt the urge the other day to try 5 inch for a change. Unfortunately though I don't have the money to buy a loco. DO clubs let you drive locos and at what age. Thanks in advance. |
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| peterbryant | 25 Jul 2007, 01:49 PM Post #2 |
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Karl, Welcome to the forums. Most model engineering clubs I'm sure would let you drive the club locomotive and some members might let you drive their locos aswell. I think you have to be sixteen to drive passenger trains on any railway but not 100% on this. Thanks Peter |
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Peter Bryant Forum Admin | |
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| MTA | 25 Jul 2007, 02:24 PM Post #3 |
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Hi Karl. If you join a Model Engineering Society or Railway affiliated to the Southern Federation of Model Engineers, you can drive from the age of 10 without passengers. Although you will not be insured until the age of 12. At the age of 16 you can start driving with passengers under supervision until you are passed out. There is also the Nothern Federation of Model Engineers, but I do not know what their rules on juniours driving engines. Hope that helped, Si |
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"If the fascination engendered by locomotion at the present day is so intense, the attractive powers of locomotion in miniature must of necessity be greater still" W.J. Bassett-Lowke. August 1911 | |
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| headshot119 | 25 Jul 2007, 03:29 PM Post #4 |
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Thanks guys. Does anyone have any information on the wrexham society of model engineers. |
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| penrose | 25 Jul 2007, 04:55 PM Post #5 |
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Our insurance doesn't have a min. age limit but up to 16 you can only carry members of your railway and your family - same applies broadly to most MES. More commercial concerns have different age limits imposed by insurance. I.e. Watford is min. age 13 (16 for pax), Lappa Valley min. age is 18. There doesn't seem to be much on the web about Wrexham SME but a google search did throw up the location of their track - best get down there Karl! |
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| glastonrail | 25 Jul 2007, 06:11 PM Post #6 |
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Dommo
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From someone who has been personally restriced by the insurers and has read the policy word for word... ... Depending on the insurance cover taken out by a railway/club, the minimum age for carrying fare-paying passengers is either 16, 18 or 21. Most model engineering societies are either 16 or 18 depending on the policy and/or which model engineering federation they are affiliated to for their insurance cover. The only place I know of where it is 21, other than full-size or 350mm+ gauge (those under HMRI inspection), is Eastleigh. However, where the public are not being hauled, such as club open day or evening meeting, then drivers under the requisite age may drive trains containing members of club(s) and family members, provided they are supervised by a person over the age (whether this person rides with you is down to personal choice). At the recent Open Day for the East Somerset Model Engineers, we had two drivers driving for most of the afternoon who were 14 and 16, our 'legal' age being 18. They were so competent at the controls wea ll just left them to it! Club evenings/days are the best times to learn loco management. I learned how to drive a loco at 14, passed out at my friends railway in manchester at 16, passed out at ESSMEE at 18.Your best bet bet, Karl, is to get down to Wrexham MES, or other local club tracks, and find out. Station Road Steam (http://www.stationroadsteam.co.uk) and the Model Engineering Clearing House (http://www.modeleng.org/) both have good lists of model enginering clubs. If you are technically minded and have access to some tools, you can construct a basic battery-electric engine for a couple of hundred pounds, using off-cuts and second-hand equipment. It may be ugly, or not be 100% successful (eats through batteries, weird noises and such), but believe me when it goes round the track you will be spurred on to better things!! Lastly, welcome to the Forums! Cheers, hope this helps, Dom Greenop DMR |
| "There's no such thing as sanity, and that's the sanest fact" M. Knopfler, 1985 | |
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| headshot119 | 25 Jul 2007, 07:08 PM Post #7 |
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I've been down to the Wrexham SME when I was younger. Have to take another look. Thanks everyone. |
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Club evenings/days are the best times to learn loco management. I learned how to drive a loco at 14, passed out at my friends railway in manchester at 16, passed out at ESSMEE at 18.
3:39 PM Jul 11