Edgeworth 1999 AALS 43rd Convention

From: gerardus.mol@cit.act.edu.au
HI ALL

QUACK, QUACK, I sure was glad that we took our Wellingtons and rain coats to Newcastle over the weekend otherwise we would of had web feet. We did see some plastic bag feet walking and garbage bags with heads and arms poking out of the ends. I came to the conclusion that us model engineers are very resourceful [others think otherwise] type people.

I was under the impression the convention started on the Thursday, but this was not the case as anyone who wanted to run on Thursday had to provide their own coal or purchase the char from the club at $12 a bag. Some dropped their fires when they found out they had to buy the char, while the New Zealand delegates, desperate to run had to buy theirs.

Friday started with showers and a number of people wanted to climb the ladder and remove the gum boots which had been nailed to the gum tree which said "for hire" [real jokers these Newcastle people]. Many remembered the convention back in 89 when it rained all weekend, so they came prepared for the weather. Throughout the morning some people braved the elements and steamed up their locomotives for a run on the track. Unfortunately it was very hard to get a lot of photos of the locomotives as many were kept under covers to keep them dry.

The New Zealanders tried very hard to reduce the thickness of the rails over the weekend as the locomotives traveled around the tracks all weekend, well, until Sunday afternoon when they had to pack it up for transport back home. Mr Proctor was seen whizzing around the tracks on it on a number of occasions with a smile from ear to ear, I suppose a front cover shot it coming up David????

Saturday was rainless, well almost and most people was out on the track having fun. I suppose being on a train out of the mud was a good place to be. There was a lot of activity and it was good to see so many prototypes out on the track. There seemed to be a big improvement in the quality of workmanship going into the models these days, also it was good to see so many scale rolling stock behind these locomotives. Some people say that they take up a lot of siding space but they do look good running around the tracks. It was very pleasant to sit [in a dry place] and watch these trains go by and listening to the sound of the wheels going over the rail joints.

The two Bundy Fowlers looked great double heading as did the Queensland locomotives over the day. Everybody was having a great time and if one stood in the right place all they could see was trains running all around them. There was a good verity of locomotives running around the tracks on all gauges and it was hard to tell which locomotives took a prize for the number of laps they did around the track. I think that it would be a close call between the New Zealand locomotives and the 3 1/2 gauge C38 locomotives which was on the track for the four days.

The best Australian prototype went to the Queensland Railways BB18 1/4 as it really did catch the flavour of the prototype. In the tender locker was the drivers crib box and his bag, in the front tool box on the locomotive there was a full tool kit, everything from a hammer, chisel, hacksaw, file and anything else you needed to fix a locomotive. I was fortunate to be able to have a drive of the locomotive and it ran very well indeed. Unfortunately the super glue I used did not work to well as I only did a couple of laps of the track. I will have to use stronger glue next time.

With the quality of workmanship on many locomotives at the convention I sure was glad that I was not the judging panel for the best locomotive.

Sunday was wet [again] and unfortunately a number of people decided to head for home, so there was not the verity of locomotives out on the track as there was on Saturday. The most popular locomotive at the convention was Barry Potters NSWGR 55 class locomotive and it ran like a sewing machine too, it looked great hauling a string of scale wagons along the track. Our C17 buffer beam has gone home to Queensland to be hung on the Strathpine clubhouse wall, a fitting end if I may say so to.

Monday was fine for the first part of the morning but it soon ended in rain showers again. There were still people out on the track trying to wear out it out where the New Zealanders had left off, but by the afternoon the track was free of locomotives as people packed up to head for home.

We had a good time at the convention as it was good to meet up with friends again especially the ones that we had not seen for a number of years, and we look forward to seeing them again next year. We stayed dry as we had the correct gear but we did feel for those who did not, especially the campers in tents. We had fun and it was good to be there.

I am sorry that this is only a short report but I do not want to take too much from the report in the AME.

Regards Gerardus.

This article is © Copyright 1999 Gerardus Mol.