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Q.R.I. IPSWICH HERITAGE MODEL RAILWAY CLUB
(WebNews #2)

A major change to the South side N Scale Club happened at the beginning of 2002. The club merged with another club to form the Q.R.I. Ipswich Heritage Model Railway Club.

To ensure the survival of N-Trak in Queensland and to help the new Ipswich club to form an n scale section.  It was decided to merge the clubs to form a multi - gauge/ scale club located in Ipswich.

So a little bit about the Q.R.I Ipswich Heritage Model Railway club and the merger.

Many years ago Ipswich had a train club.  It had its own clubroom and held an annual show each year, but due to the falling numbers in membership the club folded.

Bruce McDonnell a long term Ipswich resident saw an opportunity to reform the Ipswich club when a proposal was put forward by the Queensland Museum and the Queensland Railway department to transform the old railway workshops at North Ipswich into a world class technology museum. He thought it would be a perfect place for a model train club to be based.  He called for interest and held his first meeting at the Queensland Railway Institute (Q.R.I.) hall at North Ipswich on the 12^th December 1999.

About forty people turned up to the first meeting which has now settled to a loyal group of about twenty.   At the first meeting a steering committee was elected - Bruce McDonnell, Edward (Ted) Ward and Martin Peasey.   Maureen Kathage and Richard Coyle in minor positions.

In February 2000 using a layout owned and operated by the Kathage family the club had it first public viewing at the Global Art Link Gallery (GAL) in Ipswich, by exhibiting at the photographic exhibition "Passing Trains".   The crowd was the largest the gallery had ever seen and they seemed to be more interest in the layouts then the photos.   Also at the February meeting a proposal was put forward to give the club a name - Ipswich Heritage Model Railway Club was decided on.

At the August 2000 meeting we got our logo, and we started to feel more like a club instead of a proposed club.   We held regular monthly meetings at the Q.R.I. hall, we also had outings to other clubs and shows.

The biggest display the club attended was the Centenary of Federation Celebrations 2001 display, which was held at the old railway workshops in Ipswich on the 7^th April.   A very long day, very tired feet, but a good day by all.

At the June meeting a new committee was elected: - President - Bruce McDonnell, Vice-President - Ted Ward, Treasure- John Kathage, Secretary - Maureen Kathage, Assistant Secretary - Tony Hales.   Also at this meeting the proposed title was dropped from the name and we became a real club.

September 2001 saw the clubs affiliation with the Q.R.I. and we started to go by their constitution and by-laws.   The clubs had to change its name to the Q.R.I. Ipswich Heritage Model Railway Club (Q.R.I.I.H.M.R.C.).   It's a bit of a mouthful but a lot of benefits.

At one of the mid year meetings it was put to the club that when it gains it's own a clubroom the N scale layout of the Southside N Scale Club be stored there.   The layout would be better being used then being stored in someone's garage gathering dust and Redback spiders.

A NEW HOME - Bruce put a lot of sweat, stress and hours together talking to the managers and developers of the museum project to secure the club a small building on the workshop site.   It is an old amenities block that we have been able to split into two areas, the lunchroom is the meeting area and the old locker area the layout room.   So on the 16^th December 2001 we left the Q.R.I. hall and held our first meeting in our new clubroom.

In November 2001 Maureen Kathage put to the club a proposal to enable another club to merge with the Ipswich club.   The Southside N Scale Club was invited to attend meetings to discuss things further.   The clubs talked together over the next few meetings, at the February 2002 meeting the two presidents got together and at the March 2002 meeting Ken Giles the president of the Southside club announced that from that day the Southside club would be known as the Southside N-Scale group.

A special interest group of the Q.R.I.I.H.M.R.C.   The end of one era, the beginning of a new era and the continuation of N-Trak in Queensland.

So in 2002 the Q.R.I. Ipswich Heritage Model Railway Club is official, we have a name, logo, clubroom and a very active membership pool.   The club has two main group of modellers, "N" scale and "H.O.", we are hoping to put some "G" scale outside when people showed interest after John Kathage used his "G" gauge loco to cut the ribbon on the opening of the club room.

Thanks must go to Bruce McDonnell for his work in getting the club going and thanks to Ken Giles for letting Southside merge into the Ipswich club.   I hope we do both presidents proud and keep model trains, of all scales, running in Ipswich for many years to come.