Showing posts with label Stafford Swain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stafford Swain. Show all posts
Monday, 27 April 2015
The legacy of Stafford Swain
One of the most remarkable members of our club has been Stafford Swain (MMR), whose legendary layout has graced the pages of dozens of model railroading magazines. But WMRC Vice president Dave Downie has discovered something else that he did that has been mostly forgotten by the model railroad community, but which all Canadian model railroaders should be made aware of. We all owe a great debt to Stafford Swain for his selfless efforts to reduce the costs of model railroading in Canada.
More From The WMRC Archives � Stafford Swain
By Dave Downie
Once more I've had a chance to dive into the WMRC's archives and this time I wish to report on a significant contribution to the hobby of model railroading by a WMRC member. We all know that Stafford Swain is a Master Model Railroader (#98), past Chairman of the 1983 NMRA National convention and former President of the WMRC but here is something you may not know.
Stafford has had a huge impact on bringing down the cost of model railroading to all Canadians by working to eliminate the Federal Duty levied on imported model railroad supplies. Until Stafford won his argument with the Customs Canada, there was a 20% duty levied on all imported model railroad supplies. Think for a moment how much you have spent on the hobby over the last 30 years and then add 20% to the total. Imagine the thousands of model railroaders across Canada who, like yourself, have benefited from Stafford's work.
Reading from a May 1, 1978 brief that Stafford prepared for the Tariff Board of Canada found in our archives:
The current duty of 20% is really a tax on the spending of Canadian Hobbyists
His brief included a 3 page letter outlining the scope of the hobby, the number of participants and its manufacturers as well as an overview of the global market (1978). He also included 9 exhibits showing how the 20% duty affected the retail price charged by the local hobby shop. His argument was quite simple, import duties are used to protect domestic manufacturers but in 1978, there really was no Canadian model railroad manufacturer of any size that was in need of protection.
Obviously, there was a lot of discussion and more work performed behind closed doors but eventually Stafford prevailed and the 20% duty was dropped thereby saving all Canadian Model Railroaders a lot of money.
Thank you Stafford.
Saturday, 12 July 2014
Stafford Swain and CN
Readers of this blog site might've noticed that on previous posts about Stafford Swain's layout, there have been nothing but CN motive power and rolling stock on the tracks. Stafford was a loyal CN fan and a devoted member of the Canadian National Railways Historical Association (formerly CN Lines SIG). Stafford did just about everything for that organization that he could, including stuffing envelopes on a regular basis at Nick Andrusiak's place whenever another issue of CN Lines was fresh from the printers and ready to ship.
Stafford was a virtual encyclopedia of anything related to CN. Several years ago, a local man purchased an old CN caboose, intending to renovate it as a cottage while keeping the exterior as close to prototype as he could. Someone suggested that he call Stafford. When he did, Stafford asked him what type of caboose it was. The man didn't know, so he started describing it to him.
"Is that the one with the white windows?" Asked Stafford.
The man said yes, and Stafford gave him about 20 minutes of the most intricate details describing the make, model and manufacturing of the caboose, all off the top of his head.
That was Stafford. Knowledgeable, kind, and extremely generous with the wealth of information he possessed.
Thursday, 19 June 2014
Stafford Swain and his layout: A personal recollection
Have you ever seen such a beautiful roundhouse?
By Paul Ullrich
WMRC Blog Editor
Stafford Swain was the main reason why I joined the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club.
When I started getting back into the hobby, I bought copies of Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman to hone up my skills. In 1981, I purchased a copy of RMC that had a cover story about modelling a prairie town, authored by Stafford. I never heard of him before, but when I read it, I realized that this guy was not only living in Manitoba, but he was modelling it as well! I was astonished at the painstakingly accurate scenes of the Whiteshell that he created.
More articles by Stafford were published, and I collected them. Then I heard about the 1983 NMRA national convention that was being held in Winnipeg. I promptly registered, hoping to see Stafford's layout in person.
When I saw his layout, I was surprised on how small it was. It was a rather simple perimeter style layout in one room of his basement. But it was deceptively simple. The modelling detail was near photographic, and the transition from Canadian Shield to the prairies in such a small space was absolutely seamless, and very believable.
Above the layout were framed covers from a few of the model railroad magazines that published his stories. He couldn't have hung them all, as he had over 80 published!
I was actually quite nervous about meeting him. At the time, I worked in the newsroom of the Winnipeg Free Press. I've met two Prime Ministers. Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe were once in my office. That didn't phase me at all. But I was star struck about meeting Stafford!
But I needn't have worried, for Stafford is a humble and unassuming man who loves nothing more than to share the love of his hobby with others. Over 20 years after that convention, I told him that I went to the convention and joined the WMRC because I wanted to meet him. He let out a hearty laugh and said, "And you've been disappointed ever since!"
Actually, I wasn't. And I never will be.
Another beautifully detailed Whiteshell scene by Stafford Swain.
Sunday, 15 June 2014
Stafford Swain's layout featured in cover story of Canadian Railway modeller
Stafford's layout was dismantled shortly after it's last public showing in 2010 for the TLR's Steam on the Prairies convention in Winnipeg. A glowing tribute to Stafford and his many accomplishments was published in Canadian railway Modeller, Train 17, Track 3. With permission of the publisher, our own Morgan Turney, we are presenting the cover of this issue.
We still have several other views of Stafford's famous layout, which we will be posting very soon.
Wednesday, 19 February 2014
Remembering the NMRA's 1983 Railway Jamboree - Part four
This is a page from the Railway Jamboree '83 handbook and timetable, featuring the layouts of Marcel Blair, Jock Oliphant, MMR, Betty Jackson and Bruce Smith, and Stafford Swain, MMR.
By Dave Downie
It has been 31 years since Railway Jamboree ended. It has been fun for me to look back but a big part of the convention is its legacy.
Winnipeg was a �small market� and not close to any other major population centre, yet the organizing committee had successfully marketed the city as a magnificent city with three percent of all MMRs at the time (Jock Oliphant MMR#15, Stafford Swain MMR#98 and Moe Smith MMR#100). They were smart enough to market the convention as one where you could see and do everything. This was not something that was feasible in other cities. We were also smart enough to market the train show to the general public as a once in a lifetime experience. We succeeded on all counts.
At the time, the convention was the most profitable in the history of the NMRA. These profits were largely retained by the TLR, which underwrote the original bid. The WMRC did get a small disbursement to acknowledge the support of its members. Since the Winnipeg convention, the NMRA has rewritten the terms of its contract with host committees to reduce windfall profits like we had in 1983.
Winnipeg's bid and organization structure became a template for other conventions. Nick Andrusaik's Handbook and Time Table was a huge success with everything well laid out and small enough that it fit in your pocket. This format is still used thirty years later.
Stafford Swain had assembled an organization that was committed to success and put petty differences aside. Throughout the convention, our guests continued to compliment their hosts acknowledging that we were �Friendly Manitoba�. New friendships sprouted within the committee and we saw a new influx of people into the WMRC with some of these still members today.
Time changes and people move on. Stafford Swain, Nick Andrusiak and Hilt Friesen turned their attention to creating the CN Lines SIG (now the Canadian National Railways Historical Association). Mid Western Rail morphed into the Winnipeg Railway Museum and the Vintage Locomotive Society finally got their own line to run on. Bill Taylor and Peter Abel had a dream that is continuing to unfold as the Assiniboine Valley Railway. The WMRC lost its meeting room and layout in Union Station and we have relocated several times. We presently meet at Westworth United Church.
Since 1983 the club's library has grown with the addition of hundreds of videos. Our annual model contest has morphed into a annual spring show. The club created The Great Canadian Train Show, an annual fall show and flea market, to further promote the hobby. The club no longer operates Great Canadian Train Show. As of 2013, we have partnered with the Manitoba Mega Train Show.
More recently, the club has has acquired a new location for a new version of the Gateway Western at the Winnipeg Railway Museum within 50 feet of Duffy, who has been patiently waiting for us for all this time.
But the saddest and most unfortunate thing to occur since 1983 has been the many friends who have passed away. They contributed to the convention's success just as they contributed to the WMRC. Unfortunately, there are far too many to mention here.
Oh......one last thing. That plant that grew from the seed planted in 1975-1976 is still growing almost 40 years later!
Sunday, 9 February 2014
Remembering the NMRA's 1983 Railway Jamboree - Part three
Who's that handsome young lad with all that hair? It's Stafford Swain, of course!
There wouldn't have been an NMRA national convention in Winnipeg if it weren't for Stafford!
By Dave Downie
On Sunday, July 17, 1983 the Railway Jamboree 83 committee took over the Winnipeg Convention Centre. My first memory was Wolfgang von Thuelen reporting that he had checked all the keys to ensure that all rooms could be secured. Countless boxes containing registrations, signage and company store merchandise were moved in and many volunteers, including some out of town delegates and other TLR members made short work to get everything ready. Everyone was excited when Shelley Walker reported that the final number of advance registrations was better than expected. All the promotional work had paid off! NMRA officials arrived and met with Stafford and his team to review the preparations. When we left to go home that evening we were all excited anticipating what the week ahead would bring.
The Registration desk opened at 9am Monday morning and the people just kept coming. Monday was a �soft� opening for the convention because there were no clinics. There was the company store, shuttles to Roger Wood's layout and the Red River Live Steamers along with the NMRA BOD meeting. Early registrants were encouraged to visit the hobby shops and to use the Railfan's Guide. At 8pm the convention officially kicked off with a wine and cheese party to welcome our guests.
On Tuesday the convention really heated up with clinics, layout tours, prototype tours, a switching contest, tour of Lower Fort Garry and a river cruise. Probably the busiest team was Moe Smith and his volunteers manning the transportation desk coordinating hundreds of people to ensure that they got on the right bus. Railway Jamboree 83 had adopted a �coloured ribbon system� for all tours which made things easier. This system was also used by other conventions. By Tuesday afternoon the feedback we were getting was universally positive. This made everyone happy.
Wednesday brought more of the same with the contest room opening for entries and the start of the train show setup. We still wondered how it would turn out, and we had our fingers crossed. The radio commercials and the distribution of the discount coupons had already started.
The train show was opened on Thursday at noon by Mayor Bill Norrie. We shot the last of our cable TV programs from the main exhibition hall, showcasing what we had to offer. During the afternoon, the show was open only to the registrants. At 6pm the doors opened to the public and the initial turnout was good. We wondered how the next three days would turn out given that we were heading into a weekend. Winnipeg was in the middle of a heat wave!
Friday saw the last of the scheduled prototype and layout tours, along with a full slate of clinics and the last opportunity to view the contest room. The train show opened to the public at noon and throughout the day we collectively held our breath. Shortly after 7pm, Wolfgang announced that we had broken even! This meant that with just over 2 days to go, every person coming through the doors was profit! All the hard work had paid off! There was a lot of smiles on everyone's face when we walked out at the end on the day for a well earned rest.
Saturday was a special day with out of town tours, the last of the clinics, the train show and the banquet / awards ceremony. One of the highlights of the awards ceremony was WMRC member Moe Smith receiving MMR #100, much to the delight of everyone in attendance. Another banquet highlight was seeing Bill Taylor, Hilt and many other TLR members selling raffle tickets. Many of our guests had never experienced a �TLR style raffle� and probably spent a lot more than they planned. At the banquet it was announced that someone had stolen a number of license plates from the cars of our guests. Again, the committee came through with the necessary paperwork to allow these people to get home with a minimum of red tape.
Sunday was the last day of Railway Jamboree and it was time to say goodbye to our guests. Aside from a few bus tours, the last event was the train show, and we were very happy to see another good turnout. By the end of the day, we came very close to 11,000 paid admissions which far surpassed our expectations. By 5pm it was time to shut the doors and begin the tear down.
The greatest eight days in the history of model railroading in Winnipeg was ending. The seed planted at the WMRC in 1975 had produced a healthy plant that had flowered very nicely!
In part four, Dave Downie will reflect back on the legacy of Railway Jamboree.
Friday, 7 February 2014
Remembering the NMRA's 1983 Railway Jamboree - Part two
Doesn't this image of the handbook and timetable bring back memories? This superb timetable was created by Nick Andrusiak. The illustration was by Ray Goy.
In July 1979 Winnipeg was awarded the right to hold the 1983 NMRA National Convention. The committee's real work began as they commenced to put the plan from their bid into action. Volunteers were recruited, the Winnipeg Convention Centre and blocks of hotel rooms were reserved. Many meetings were held to formulate a plan where Winnipeg would observe what other host cities were doing, taking the good ideas and identifying the problem areas. One key area targeted for improvement was the �Handbook and Time Table� which had been a pet peeve of Nick Andrusiak, who agreed to invent a better one.
Several members attended NMRA regional conventions outside the TLR with the purpose of promoting the 83 National. In 1980 (Orlando), 1981 (San Mateo) and 1982 (Washington, D.C.) Winnipeg's Railway Jamboree committee and the volunteers who attended wore bright red vests with a large crest on the back. They weren't there simply to attend, but to observe, document what they saw and to promote Winnipeg.
Behind the scenes, magazine articles were prepared and submitted to Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman to showcase several of Winnipeg's great model railroads. At the same time, friendships were established with the editorial staff of both publications that lasted long after the convention was over.
Probably one of the best pieces of promotion was �Duffy� a dummy dressed as a railway engineer and wearing a WMRC badge, along with WMRC and TLR crests. For over 2 years, Duffy travelled throughout North America to NMRA national, regional and divisional conventions, where people were asked to attach their own badges and crests and forward him on. Photos were mailed back to Winnipeg documenting his travels and showing the many new friends he'd made.
The work continued as clinicians were lined up, prototype tours arranged, model railroads completed and lots of buses were booked for tours. A ladies program and teen program was created. One of the biggest tasks was assigned to the committee was to organize an exhibit featuring manufacturers, distributors, retailers and displays covering all aspects of our great hobby. We had the entire third floor of the convention centre to fill! We also had to attract enough members of the public to cover our costs.
Arnie and Shelley Walker volunteered to handle the huge registration job. Stafford came up with the idea of having our own cable TV program to promote the hobby, the WMRC and the Train Show. Five separate programs aired. By mid June, Nick sent the Handbook & Timetable to the printers.
With less than four months to go, the pressure was mounting! Registrations were pouring in, and we were going to get just one chance to make a good impression on our visitors. By May of 1983 almost every member was working on the convention. Numerous ideas came up:
How about a �Railfan's Guide to Winnipeg? �Why not?� said Ray Goy, and one was created.
Why don't we advertise the show on the radio? We did! 160 commercials ran on four Winnipeg radio stations.
Why don't we do mall shows and distribute discount coupons to attract the public? We did! two mall shows and 120,000 discount coupons distributed via 7-11 stores.
Why not put banners up on the many bridges in the city to promote the show? We did just that! After the convention, they quickly became collector's items!
Why not ask local businesses to put up posters promoting the show? We did just that!
Why not arrange for restaurants to give us discount coupons that could be included in the registration kits for the NMRA delegates? We did those as well!
WE WERE READY!!!!!!!
The seed that had been planted during in 1975 had not only germinated, it was ready to flower!
In part three, Dave Downie will cover the convention.
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