[eamonnmcc]

I'm thinking of starting a slot car club in MK (Newport Pagnell). Primarily thinking of scalextric digital with ssdc. Would anyone be interested? Any ideas or suggestions regarding the running of the club and what things we could do would be most welcome.
Cheers
Eamonn

 

[Slotracing Al]

Do you have a track and a room to use it in yet?
Or are you just gauging interest before getting into all that.

 

[Fox GB]

Hmm duplicate, I'm still interested!

 

[eamonnmcc]

Sorry about the duplicate message, the first claimed an error so I reposted to see that it had posted the original. I have nothing set up as yet, so as you have mentioned I'm gauging interest to see if it's worth bothering. I'm thinking of hiring the local community centre in the poets estate in newport, and it would entail setting the track up from scratch, bu as I said I'm welcome to suggestions.

 

[eamonnmcc]

Didn't mention that I have a fairly decent amount of track, I'd say about 25m in length with most of the digital track pieces you can get. Going forward I.d continue adding track as often as possible. I've become a bit of an eBay addict, which has annoyed my wife!

 

[eamonnmcc]

No one else interested then? Never mind, sorry Fox Gb & Al.

 

[loud bloke]

Hold on fella.
I live in Market Harborough and I used to go to the Wellingborough Club. Getting a club up and running takes time and hard work. As the old Wellingborough club will be moving to Corby and maybe there are some of the old members that would go over to Newport.

May I suggest you hold a one off event and the see what happens. I only came across your post by chance but if you hold some kind of event and put it in the events section of the forum,it will be far more visible and for longer.

I don't know if you have been to any other slot racing clubs but I recommend you do. The Slot racing club seen has been around since the 1960s and visiting a club will give you a real insight into what goes on and why. I am sure you will find it useful even if its not quite what you what to race.

Don't give up yet.

All the best

David Farrow

 

[scalexkid]

ENSCA have a Scalex digital set-up here in Norfolk. Have a look at our club pages, ring Ben Bethel (chief cook & bottle washer - but don't tell him I said so !!) and arrange a sunday teatime visit. He can give you chapter and verse on just how simple/difficult it is. Hank Scorpio (Sean) also had a huge input into the project, he is well genned up on technicalities.

Hope this helps, Scalexkid

 

[eamonnmcc]

Thanks for the encouragement guys, as I was a little downbeat at the response. Have spoken to Fox GB who seems keen, so we'll see. Thanks also for the advice and contacts, I will try to take advantage of them, though two young children and a wife may think a little differently to my plans.

If anyone else maybe be interested please let me know (no commitment) necessary.

Also if anyone is going to the fair near warwick next month and could spare time to talk to me about it please give me a buzz on here.

 

[asjwood]

Milton Keynes is a bit far for me to come regularly but I would probably be able to make occasional races if you get things going.

I would recommend a trip to ENSCA as scalexkid suggests too if you get a chance. Their track is great, the club is very well organised and I felt very welcome when I went up for a visit last year. Also the racing was ace!

 

[woodcote]

Don't be surprised if the forum doesn't produce too much interest, but there will be people out there who will love what you're doing

When two of us set up a monthly HO club in Worthing we got minimal interest from the forum, just encouragement.

What did was set up a simple website on blogger and an email address and decided on a free opening night a few months down the line. We spent that time getting the details of the night, the website and email on local what's on sites, in the local newspaper and radio. Plus we put round a couple of hundred fliers and posters in hobby shops, cafés etc in the local area.

We got 39 people to the opening night and have averaged 20+ racers for the past two and a bit years. Although we invested in the kit and sacrificed some very robust club cars for the first year, all our racers now have their own cars and the club cars never turn a wheel. Our minimal race fees (£2.50) cover hall hire (£25 a time) and all our ongoing equipment costs. The low fee certainly helps boost the numbers and keeps people coming back.

We even got a small grant for our first year's hall hire from the local council on the basis we were running a not-for-profit club that would involve dads and sons from the local community.

I've done some Scaley digital and I think it would be a great venture. Good luck

 

[honestjudge]

My club started a few years back with very little interest from the forum. It turned out that most of the current members had not even heard of slotforum before they found the club and started to race.

The club is run on a shoestring and I set it up for my benefit, but I am more than happy for others to come along and play as well. That philisophy has seen the club through for 5 years now, so if you have the enthusiasm, I am sure you will get others to come along.

 

[eamonnmcc]

Thanks guys. You're all being very encouraging and giving me an idea of what this will entail.
Cheers
Eamonn