Australian Model Railway Convention

Nothing much happened this week except that on Friday I picked up my NCE Mini Panel at Austral Modelcraft. It will still be some time until it gets installed. Maybe next weekend or the weekend after. Quite a lot of rewiring of my control panel to the Mini panel needs to be done instead of the control panel to the DS64's. At least 24 wires need to be moved and shortened. I will also have to re-run my cab bus to where the Mini Panel will be placed - I just hate re-wiring things.


Yesterday I gave my new car its first big run, with a trip out to the Ipswich Railway Workshops and back for the Australian Model Railway Convention. Apparently about 100 people attended. The day included an optional sausage sizzle breakfast, with 5 sessions that people could attend during the day - three before lunch and two after. There was a close up session at the end as well. Tea, Coffee and water was available all day to attendees. Over half dozen shops were in attendance showing off their particular wares with a few show specials also displayed. There was also a 55 minute behind the scenes tour of the workshops. On display behind the scenes was the QR Heritage fleet of Steam Locos as well as 1620 and a DH. As well as the heritage locos, there was also the heritage wooden wagon fleet, quite a number of the old stainless steel suburban coaches and a 3 car silver bullet (railmotor) set along with RM 1901. The privately owned former Great South Pacific Express coaches are temporarily stored under lock and key here also.

I had the unenviable position as one of the presenters for the session just before Lunch. I didn't see anyone fall asleep and there was a fair bit of laughter eminating from the audience so hopefully the session went alright. As this was my first attendance at this Convention, I was surprised when they presented me (as well as all the presenters) with a plaque at the end of the day for being a presenter. I also received a nice little bag with the session notes, brochures, a bottle of water and a few nibblies included as well as a copy of 'Chasing the Sunshine' book by David Burke as a gift for presenting - another surprise. The day was very professionally run by the Workshops staff and I would thoroughly recommend attendance next time if possible. I know that at least one person came from the ACT and someone from the NSW Mid-North Coast.  We also had at least two from Sunshine Coast, a few from the Gold Coast and a number from Toowoomba and beyond.

I had the chance of stepping into the 1720 simulator and going for a fang down the track. While the throttle notched up, I could not get the brakes to work, so I could not stop until the end of the simulation - luckily I had green lights.  I must admit I did not try putting the loco into reverse.