November Minutes now available

Iron ore locos

Happy New Year everyone!

A reminder that the first meeting of the year is on Wednesday 20th January, 8pm in the club rooms. Minutes from the November meeting are now available on the members page. Also on the members page is an updated membership register and new public layout roster (Feb — Jul 2010).

See you at the club next week!

Image: BHP Locos queuing up to enter Port Headland, 15th May 2009

Notice of November Meeting

converted valentine tank

The November general meeting will be held in two weeks time: Wed. 18th November, 8pm in the clubrooms. Minutes from the September general meeting are now available on the members’ page.

Also, the club Christmas party will be held on Saturday 5th December. A running afternoon is planned (from about 2pm) followed by the usual BBQ from 5pm (BYO meat and drinks, everything else supplied). Friends and family are welcome too!

Image: Ex-WWII Valentine tank converted into a bulldozer in the 1950’s for use at the Ragged Hills Lead Mine (300km east of Port Hedland), preserved in the Don Rhodes Mining and Transport Museum, Port Hedland, May 2009

2008 AGM Minutes and Club Roster

BHP locos 5642 and 6077 at Port Hedland

The minutes from the 2008 AGM have finally been completed. They are available on the members’ page, or by clicking on this direct link: Acrobat logo2008 Annual General Meeting (July)

Also available on the members’ page is the public layout roster for the next six months (Aug 2009 to Jan 2010): Acrobat logoClub Roster Aug 09 — Jan 10 and Check List

You can now subscribe to the WAMRC News blog (i.e. this web page). On the home page (https://wamrc.org.au/) you will see a yellow box in the top right hand corner of the page with options you can click on for subscribing by email or RSS. Email is the easiest and simplest option — simply enter your email address and you will get an email whenever a new post is made on the WAMRC News blog (no more than one per day — if there is more than one update per day, they get aggregated into a single email).

This is a great way to stay in touch with the club’s activities and ensures you don’t miss updates to the web site. And it is secure — there are no ads or spam in the email, and your email address remains confidential. It will not be used for any other purpose whatsoever — guaranteed.

Do you have some photos, news or stories you would like to share with other club members? If so, please send them in to the club secretary (email address available on the contact page) and we can put them on the web site.

Would you like to help with the web site directly? If you would like to contribute directly to editing and maintaining the club’s web site, please let the secretary know. Many hands make light work and it is a great opportunity to learn some new skills! No special equipment or software is required — if you can access the internet and have a web browser you already have everything you need — and training can be provided.

Back in May I travelled to Port Hedland for a single day with work. My duties were finished by mid-morning so I had the rest of the day to wander around taking photos. The picture above is one of 134 I took in the space of a few hours!

Image: BHP locos 5642 and 6077 pause at Redbank for permission to enter the Port Hedland unloading area with an iron ore train on May 15, 2009

Call for Nominations

Irv Woolley

As advised at the last General Meeting, Irv Woolley (pictured above) has resigned his position as a Committee Member, due to relocation back to the UK (again). Pursuant to clause 10 of the club’s constitution, this creates a casual vacancy in the Committee that must be filled at the next General Meeting on Wed. 19th 21st January 2009. Accordingly here is a nomination form for this position:  Nominations Form Dec 2008

Candidates for the position must be nominated and seconded in writing by financial members of the Club, and the nomination form must contain the candidate’s signed consent to the nomination. Completed nomination forms must be lodged with the Secretary at least 21 days prior to the meeting (i.e. no later than Wed. 31st December 2008). Either pin it to the noticeboard or post it to the Secretary before the end of the year. The notice of General Meeting and postal ballot form (if required) will be distributed on Wed. 7th January 2009.

At the last General Meeting, the possibility was discussed of expanding the committee by up to two additional positions to balance the increased work load of the committee. However, clause 8 (ii) (e) of the club’s constitution is clear in only allowing three committee members. Allowing additional committee members will require amending the club’s constitution.

However, clause 8 (iv) does allow the committee to appoint additional members for the purposes of forming a sub-committee with non-voting rights. As such, I suggest if more than one person nominates for this vacant committee position, anyone who is unsuccessful in the ballot may still be considered by the committee for inclusion in a sub-committee.

Image: Irv Woolley at his farewell dinner (the first one!) in January 2008

RailHeritage Newsletter

The November issue of the RailHeritage WA newsletter is now available: 11–08-newsletter

An interesting point to note in the newsletter is that the museum is planning to change their opening hours next year to open on Sundays and Wednesdays (not just in school holidays), but not on public holidays. Contrary to what is stated in the newsletter (“The WAMRC will also be open on those days”), we are yet to formally discuss this at a general meeting of the club (it will be discussed at the general meeting on Wednesday 19th November). It was discussed at the last committee meeting and we struggled to see how we can achieve this given the small number of our members who are available to open the club on Wednesdays… we shall see!

May Minutes now available

The minutes for the May General Meeting are now available on the Members’ Area (send me an e‑mail if you have forgotten the user-name/password to get access). Don’t forget — the next General Meeting is on Wednesday 17th September (i.e. in two days).

Also now available is the updated Members’ Handbook (no password required).

Image: WAMRC member Cliff Dacey pilotting an AN loco at Forrestfield, January 2003 — Tony Parker