Become a member
Membership is open to everyone at every skill level no matter what your interest or experience.
Do you want to become an model engineer? Learn how to build your own loco or general engineering skills? Do you want to know what you should look out for when buying a loco? Would you like to help run our miniature railway? If the answer is yes to one or more of those questions, then come and join like minded people.
Benefits of becoming a member
We have a diverse group of members who are happy to share their knowledge and experience and help everyone enjoy this rewarding hobby.
Some of the benefits and activities include:
- Access to all of our tracks: the 3½" and 5" gauges tracks, plus the smaller 45mm and 32mm tracks
- Access to special insurance for your models
- Boiler testing facilities
- Regular steam ups
- Exhibiting members models in local exhibitions
- Numerious events during the year centered around the railway
- Winter meetings with guest speakers and presentations from various members
If that's not enough to keep you busy there's always plenty of jobs that need doing to keep the railway running, not to mention manning the railway when we're open.
How to join
If you'd like to join, simply fill in our application form and post it to our contact address.
If your application is accepted, we will then advise you on methods of payment
If you'd like to deliver your application in person or to find out more, come and visit us one Saturday afternoon when members are usually carrying out maintenance, or Sunday afternoon during public running season, and meet members and ask any question you may have.
Subscriptions
We have 4 different types of membership (see below) with annual subscriptions are due on the 1st November. If you're joining part way through the year a discount is applied. The table below shows a breakdown of subscription fees.
| Joining Date | Member | Senior | Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Nov - 31st Jan | £47 | £37 | £4 |
| 1st Feb - 30th April | £36 | £28 | £4 |
| 1st May - 31st July | £24 | £19 | £3 |
| 1st Aug - 31st Oct | £12 | £10 | £3 |
Types of membership
We have 3 different type of membership to help everyone enjoy model engineering or help run the railway.
Depending on your membership type you may have full voting rights and be eligable for a parking permit for Ryton Pools Country Park. The table below gives details of each type:
| Type | Description | Vote | Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Membership £47 per year |
Membership of the Society is open to anyone between the Ages of 16 and 65. | ||
| Senior Membership £37 per year |
Senior membership is open to anyone over the age of 65. | ||
| Associate Family Member £4 per year |
If you are already a Member or Senior Member and have other family members living at the same address, of any age, who would also like to become members, then they can become Associate Family Members for an additional £4.00 per person per year. |