[SlotNewbie 1]

Hi all.

Just putting it out there if anyone is interested in joining me to start a new club or just getting together for a race locally to Telford or Bridgnorth area of Shropshire.

Over the last few years i have collected a huge amount of track along with loads of cars when the prices were right but Covid put the brakes on me starting anything up.

I now have the use of a large room where I work on Thursday/Friday evenings enough to set up a large layout. This is based on the Halesfield trading estate.

Please feel free to comment if interested or even message me.

Simon.

 

[MrFlippant]

If you don't mind, I'll mention this on tomorrow's World Wide Slot Car Chat but my usual response to this kind of thing is YES! I'm a bit too far to participate, but I encourage you to move forward with it. "If you build it, they will come." is my motto. It may be slow going at first, but the important thing is to get the word out, and KEEP putting the word out, far and wide, until word of mouth keeps things going. Regarding the formation of any club of any kind for any hobby, here are my words of advice:

1. Choose a name and location (if stationary)
2. Set a date and time well in advance (2+ weeks is ideal).
3. ADVERTISE ADVERTISE ADVERTISE
4. Go To #2.

The hardest part, of course, is advertising. This day and age, it's not only easy, but very hard, because there are so many places one must advertise, and do so repeatedly. Don't spend money on ads, because you don't have enough money for it to be effective. Just do all the free things. Post on every forum, facebook group, start a facebook page/group, etc. Post on local grocery bulletin boards, try to get in the local paper or on the local news, etc. Call their tip lines and suggest it as a fluff piece. The people who want to play are out there, but letting them know about the club is going to be a perpetual challenge.

 

[longdog]

Hello and welcome! My club is Pantyffynnon Slot Car Club and we race digital. Keep in touch with myself or Mr. Modifier of this parish and we will try and help if we can and who knows, maybe we can even get our clubs together for a race day at some point!

 

[GRUNZ]

When I was living in the UK I remember passing thought Telford on my way to Snowdonia...another lifetime.
Anyway, back on topic. The digital scene in the UK is very advanced. You have some serious competitions competitions going on and there are several clubs offering digital racing.
I think you want to share some pics of the layout, which system you will be using (ARC PRO vs APB) and software.
Then maybe some info about club controllers and cars availability.
My approach would be to set up a class (or a couple of classes), some race specs in case people want to prep their own cars, and a layout.
Even better, DiSCA has the spec for the GT4 class aimed at entry level cars on scalex digital: use them!
Avoid the casual approach "let's put together a track, take some cars out of their boxes and pull the trigger".

 

[Ade]

Hi Simon
Myself, Mark who you've visited a while back and several others are only 20 mins away down the "Rabbit Run" 😉...

I'll put the word out for you 👍🏼

 

[MrFlippant]

Avoid the casual approach "let's put together a track, take some cars out of their boxes and pull the trigger".

That's a good point. Don't start off with the "we're just having a laugh, we don't need rules" stance. Start with rules. Even if they are simple, there must be rules. Use the DiSCA rules as Gio mentioned, or ask any other club for their rules, but don't start off with no rules because then it will be much harder to implement rules later on, and you might just end up upsetting and losing racers that would probably have joined and stayed if those same rules had been in effect since the start. Rules about car prep as well as how the club is run, when you race what cars, or how you decide what cars to run when it's time for a change up, etc.

At the same time, don't let the creation of rules slow you up from creating the club. Like I said, you can start off with the rules from an existing club and morph them over time, or even race by the same rules and have inter-club competitions.

 

[Scientist1981]

Hi @SlotNewbie 1 . Based in Shrewsbury and a total beginner but I'll register my potential interest if you progress with the idea of putting something together

 

[SlotNewbie 1]

Hi guys.
All the tips and advice are very appreciated thank you.

Bit of history:
Last few years I have been adding to my collection only when I see a deal that's too good to turn down 😁 selling off anything I don't need so most of everything i have now has pretty much cost me next to nothing.

I have a collection of Scalextric cars like racing Trucks, GoKarts, various GT3's, Classic BTCC's and a whole load of Super resistant cars.
I have 2 updated APB's to use and the cable and have downloaded the SSDC 30day trial in the past to tinker about with it at home.
I think this would be ideal as a starting point for a start up club then maybe looking at RCS64 as a more professional RMS in the future.
I love watching the way that clubs like Worthing and similar are set up and read most of the reports and watch all the videos.

I like reading about the DiSCA races and regulations and have been reading into Slot.it oxygen recently but I think that's a little too advanced for me at this time.
I do have a couple Slot.it cars but not used much so they can wait.

The size of the room I can use I can fit a decent sized track in. I have been looking and am leaning towards something like the old Jadlam Suzuka SL43 layout. I am thinking something that's impressive enough to get people in rather than a little 8x4 layout. 😁

I will be putting something out there on places like Facebook to see if get the ball rolling.

Anymore advice and tips appreciated.
Thanks Simon

 

[LMP]

Well done Simon

oxigen is probably to advanced for most people too be fair, unless you’re holding serious competitions. It’s advantages lie with large fields and faster cars, without that it’s features are somewhat redundant and SSD can do most things perfectly well for smaller grids. This is especially true of the 7042 pb.

Just so that you know, you can use your Slot.it cars with SSD by fitting the SP15 chip (or oxigen chip, slightly more complicated) and they’ll work just like your Scalextric digital cars. Same goes for any other brands of car. Basically any car can be chipped for any system so long as it’s the correct chip.

DiSCA GT4 Clubman regs may be suitable for you, or give you an idea about how to form your own. They account for local rulings about things such as magnets and tyre choices and allow flexibility in a few other areas so that users can tweak the specifics to suit.

Telford’s a bit out of range for me to attend on any regular basis, but I’d be happy to come and have a look once you’re set up. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions!

 

[SlotNewbie 1]

Hi @LMP.
Yeah while it's all new I think I'll stick to the basic SSD setup with C7042 and an RMS.
A while back I did buy 2x Truspeed Wireless Controllers and the 6 channel box off ebay. Only used them at home but they feel very nice.
Yeah would be very nice for you to pop over if I can get it up and running.

Hi @Ade.
Yeah I remember Mark's track well. I was very impressed with it and the Scorpius part of it blew my mind back then. 😁
That would be great if you could spread the word around. I have 2 guys here at work who have expressed an interest but are more Noob's than me.

Simon

 

[gasowder]

Hi Simon
I'm in Telford (Muxton) been here 45 years having been bought up in Newport (Shrops) where I was a member of the slot car club 1965-72. Later resumed slotting at Oaklands Park, Smethwick 1985-2013. I now go over to Nick Huxley's track at Higher Heath, Whitchurch just to keep my eye in.
My main slotting interests these days are the CSCRA and Vintage meetings and all the tracks I normally race on are wood.
Other than what I see on here, Ive no knowledge of Digital whatsoever and at my time of life I'm not inclined to be buying new stuff. I do have NSR, Slot It and Thunderslot analogue cars though so if you could do some analalogue running I'd be interested.
Having said that I'd like to see any sort of Slot Racing Club getting up and running in Telford and would be more than willing to help in getting your track set up should you neeed any assistance.
I know a couple of other guys in Telford are on this forum but neither have responded yet.
Best Regards,
Eddie

 

[MrFlippant]

The size of the room I can use I can fit a decent sized track in. I have been looking and am leaning towards something like the old Jadlam Suzuka SL43 layout. I am thinking something that's impressive enough to get people in rather than a little 8x4 layout. 😁
View attachment 306076

I think that would be an excellent track. The only things I'd change are replacing the squeeze hairpin with standard R1 turns, and removing the forced crossover in turn 1. The XLC under the bridge is shown the wrong way around, but is otherwise in a good location. Maybe another XLC on the bridge, lengthen the pit lane and put the APB toward the end of that straight, some more borders... but yeah, minor changes overall.

 

[SlotNewbie 1]

Hi @MrFlippant.
Yes by all mean mention it on your chat. I have watched a couple and find them very interesting. I will be posting various things on Facebook soon so more advertising the better.

Yeah I had thought about the squeeze Hairpin and I might adjust the layout to make a standard R2 just to make it a little less carnage

 

[MrFlippant]

Oh no, I like a hairpin in a track. It's the squeeze I don't like. Mainly because it's only a half-hearted squeeze that no one pays attention to, but complains when it results in a crash. If it were a proper squeeze like classic track had, I'd at least accept it as a decent track obstacle of some kind. Mainly, I don't see the need for things like that in a digital track, where there's already enough to contend with as far as car interaction, since they share the lane and have lane changing.

 

[Ade]

Hi Simon
Mark is interested in a visit and he'll also spread the word round Bearwood Scalextric club for you 😉👍🏼

 

[SlotNewbie 1]

That's fantastic thank you.
I'm away next week so will start to get the ball rolling after.

 

[Martyn08]

Hi Simon
Initially interested. would like more information please, I live only a mile away from Halesfield in Stirchley.

Best wishes

Martyn

 

[GRUNZ]

Would this track be permanent or is going to be set up every time you race and then dismantled?
I love suzuka but if it is not a temp track that you are after I would go for something simpler.
And just to be clear, I only mentioned DiSCA GT4 rule set because those are aimed towards SSD and entry level cars - it has nothing to do with oXigen which is more mustard than many people can cut through.

 

[SlotNewbie 1]

Hi @GRUNZ.
It will have to be a temporary track as the room I can use is the large canteen but nobody works on Thursday or Friday nights so will be ok.
When I Google the SL43 layout it says 21metres lane length and to fit into 8.1mtrs x 2.6mtrs so I will have plenty of room.
I may end up attaching the track to some boards to make it easier to setup and dismantle. I have plenty of room to store it all at work.

Hi @Martyn08.
Nice to hear from you. Yeah not too far away in Stirchley 😁
I want to keep everything simple to start off with so not to confuse new people as it's all new to me really.
Scalextric digital cars on scalextric sport digital track using Scalextric controllers.
Using the APB updated and SSDC race management software.
I have a pit lane but will look to get PitPro if it becomes popular.
I like to watch other clubs on here and on Facebook and how the run.
I can supply basically everything with a number of different cars to choose from.

Hi @Scientist1981.
Thanks for the message. Nice to hear from you.
Yeah I'm all new to this too really but am looking forward to getting it up and running.
Shrewsbury not too far either.
😁👍🏻

 

[Ade]

Hi Simon
Mark mentioned your Venture at Bearwood for you 👍🏼 , also once you've set things up take some pics and a few words and we'll be able to get something printed in the NSCC magazine for you 😉.

Mark said I can pass on his number to you should you like a chat etc 👍🏼