2003 Emerald & District Christmas Breakup BBQ and Crank Up

At the end of 2003, my home club the Emerald & District Machinery Association held a Christmas BBQ and Crank Up. Oddly, more engines came to this than usually turn up to our full on rallies! Being a small club, everyone in the club gets on well. I'm a relative new comer having only been in the club for approaching a year. It was a magnificent night and I met some of the people I've not met before and had an opportunity to see some engines which don't always leave home.

When I arrived home from work, I heard a rythmic thumping and suspected it was probably the McDonald Imperial Super Diesel. I loaded up my Cooper-Stover KA and headed for the club grounds in the Nobelius Museum just down the road. I arrived and confirmed my suspicions. The McDonald was probably the biggest engine present, and Stan's little JAP (portable power he kept saying as he carried it around everywhere) was the smallest. A great range of engine makes, models and types.

A really good time was had by all... As it grew dark the engines were packed away into their trailers and the BBQ packed up. We then headed into the museum building for a couple of films presented by Stan. One was an English flick on the making of a steam locomotive from the machining through casting through final machining through assembly and road tests. Next was an Australian flick on logging in Western Australia where we saw a number of steam and internal combustion engines in ation including an unusal steam powered drag saw.

Thanks very much to all the organisers and thanks to the members for being such a great club. We all look forward to 2004 and the continuation of our Summer rally season.