Awards Ceremony

My Master Model Railroader status was already announced in January this year, but for the receipt of my certificate and engraved plaque I opted for the British Region Convention in October 2014.

So I attended the convention from October 17-19, 2014 in Bournemouth.

After the Saturday Banquet the traditional Awards Ceremony started with the Contest results and the Merit Awards for the models that reached at least 87.5 points out of 125.


The MMR Award consists of various documents (Plaque, Certificate, Congratulatory Letter, Jacket Patch and Lapel Pin)
Steve Park, the Department Assistant Manager of the Achievement Program suggested to split the honor of awarding these documents to me among the Past President, the actual President and finally himself.

 

Keith Webb, the Past President of the British Region handed me the congratulatory letter from Paul Richardson (Department General Manager) together with the Jacket patch and lapel pin.

Mike Arnold, the new President of the British Region  made a very nice introduction (we laughed a lot during the ceremony) and handed me the Certificate.

On the picture above, Yours truly flanked by Mike Arnold and Steve Park

Finally Steve Park awarded me with the engraved plaque, stating me as MMR #526.

The plaque will be prominently placed in my home. I am very proud of what I have achieved and again I want to thank everybody who helped and encouraged me along this wonderful journey.

MMR announced

Now its official.

 

My last certificate, Master Builder Cars and my MMR achievement have been published in the NMRA Magazine in May 2014.

 Together with my Model Railroading Biography

Master Model Railroader #526

Received a note today from Frank Koch, NMRA Executive Assistant Manager of the Achievement Programm that I've been awarded Master Model Railroader #526.

This is a very happy moment for me, as a long journey through all aspects of model railroading has led to this achievement.

I want to thank all the great modelers and friends that I've met along the route, without their help I would not have succeeded so fast.

Now is the beginning of a new chapter - helping others to achieve this ultimate goal.

I finally did it!!!

With the final car finished, I submitted my paperwork to my Region AP Chair just in time before the end of 2013.

Today I received my 8th Certificate in the mail.

Beyond my expectations I had earned 6 Merit Awards with my rolling stock models although I only needed 4 to meet the requirements of the Achievement Program.

With the submission of the paperwork for the last Certificate, a ten year lasting journey takes an end. I finally succeeded in what I never thought would be possible for a foreign member of the NMRA.

During all these years I learned to improvise and to jump over my own shaddow to make it possible to participate in the program. To get more chances for my models to be judged, I joined the British Region and over all these years I met many great modelers and also made a bunch of new friends. Through the participation in the AP I definitely refined my skills and through the positive critiques and help of these fine people, I became a better modeler.

Therefore a big THANK YOU! to all the members I've met along my route to become a Master Modelrailroader.