Warwick 1999

Warwick Exhibition 99

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West-N-Trak on Show

Luke and Maureen Kathage relate their adventures at Luke's first train show

G'Day

Hi, my name is Luke Kathage and I’m 16 months old. I’m doing my first train show report, Warwick - 2nd to the 3rd of October 1999. My parents have taken me to this show once before but I was only about two months old. My mum said all I did was sit on the floor and sleep - but not this time, I’m on the move.

Friday 1st Oct.1999

On Friday afternoon my Mum and Dad loaded the trailer with my Uncle Alvin and a friend Wayne while I was getting my cousin Chris ready at his place in Ipswich. They picked us up about 3.30 pm and we were on our way to Warwick. We got there about 5.30 pm and went straight to the QRI hall. The show organisers this year wanted the layout to go onto a low stage in the hall. They wanted the layout to go lower so the public could be on floor level but still be able to view the layout. The organisers make up a special wooden frame about 6 metres long, 90 centimetres wide and about 40 centimetres high, for us to put the layout on. I checked it out and decided it will do because it was at my height so I could see what was happening.

We set the layout up scenery to the front so the N-Trak lines were at the back of the stage. The controllers were at the front so the public could see us change the points and control the trains.

I helped make sure everything was sturdy then Mum, Dad, and I left the others to set up while we went and told Grandma and Poppa that we had arrived.

Setting up layout Friday

We stayed at their house in Mill Street, and Wayne stayed at the hall to look after things there. After we left the trailer at Grandmas we went back to the hall, the guys had the layout clamped together and the joiner tracks connected. Uncle Alvin was crawling around on the floor connecting the power cables and trouble shooting faults. I tried to help seeing I can crawl better then him but he ignored my advice - on your hands and knees Uncle Alvin not your stomach and back. We went back to Grandmas house about 9.00pm.

Saturday 2nd Oct.1999

On Saturday I woke Mum up about 6.30am to get me my breakfast, I wanted an early start but the others had other ideas, finally after they had breakfast I was able to get them into the cars and we were back at the hall at 8.00am. Wayne and Uncle Alvin did a bit more fine tuning of the layout, Dad set his G gauge up at another display, and Mum put her Loco drawings up on the walls near the layout. Then Chris helped Mum put the curtain up and we were running trains.

Saturday's attendance was slow so it gave me more time to look around. The layouts were as follows:-

“G” scale garden railway - Andrew and Nola Follett.
It was like having a garden railway inside. There was always movement with two trains running. One - around a loop with a tunnel and cuttings, the other - back and forth along the front. My dad also ran his shay loco along the front but it was to high for the tunnel and to wide for the cuttings, but he had fun anyway. He also put his scratch built wagons on display at this layout as well.
Toowoomba Trains and Toys - all scales.
In addition to Layout 1, Andrew and Nola Follett also had their shop there selling model trains and accessories from Z to G scales. They also were giving out helpful advice on how to get started in the trains.
Cliffton valley - John Love jnr.-”HO” Australian. An 11-year-old operated this layout. He built the layout himself and it looked great. I’ve seen work done by adults which don’t even come close to what he has done, may be he should give them some advice on how to do scenery.
Sunshine Sugar - George Marsh “HOn2 1/2”.
It was fun watching the little locos zooming around. The layout reminded me of Nambour with the trains going past sugarcane crops and into the city. I wanted mum to give me a handout but she kept on putting them back onto the pile - mothers, you can get something for free and they still give it back.
Country Link - Graham Campbell- “HO” Australian.
This was much like John Loves jnr layout in size and looks but there was two loops of track with no points, this made this layout run smoothly with only a couple derailments. I even got a close look at this layout when I fell off the stage; I hit my head on it, so I can honestly say that this layout was a sturdy layout.
West-N-Trak - Southside N-Scale Club -”N” USA.
This layout was out standing; it was the best layout i have ever seen. Oh it’s my layout ha, ha. We did a good job seeing the challenge we had in setting the layout up lower then usual. Good on ya guys and Mum.
Millside - Paul Hamilton and BRMA Southside “OO” British.
It was good to see something different from American and Australian. This layout was designed with steam locos in mind. It looks dirty and grimy just as you would expect the era would be. Set in an English industrial scene in the 1950s, it caught the atmosphere they wanted. The operators were always shunting and running trains which gave the layout a busy effect. I think one of the ladies had a crush on me she kept smiling at me.
Gutchy Creek- David and Andrew Batch, Darryl Cross “HOn3 1/2” Queensland.
The details on this layout was wow. There was little things look for all through this layout and trains were always running. I’m a bit confused with all this HOn3 1/2, HOn2 1/2, and Nn3 arrrrrr, I’m only a kid.
All Make Model Trains - Noel Lavel - all scales.
It's a train lovers heaven. He sells preloved trains and accessories in good condition. If you dig around his stuff you will always find something to buy. Noel gave me my first wagon, a guards van. Mum and Dad have put it away for me, thank you Noel.
Hornby Dublo in the 50’s - Trevor Knight “00” 3 rail.
Trevor and Noel Lavel work together at the train shows. If you want to find out anything about Hornby Trains ask Trevor. He and Noel have given my Mum advice on her Hornby Clockwork “O”. These locos are old but they run like they have come straight out of the box. My favourite was Thomas The Tank Engine because I have one in “N” scale. He even had a fat controller on the layout. This layout proves that old locos never die if they are looked after by people like Trevor.

There were also two other layouts that were in another building. They belong to the Warwick Railway Modellers Inc. Inc isn’t that something you write with. One is like our N-Trak layout. These two layouts being in another building I didn’t see them because I wasn’t allowed out on my own, so maybe next time.

My favourite was the five-inch gauge train rides. I went on the diesel first. My mum went on with me while my Dad watched. They told the others I cried but all I was doing was my police car siren impersonation. I was glad to get off because my Mum was holding me so tight that I couldn’t breath. After the ride I had a closer look at the train. It was modelled on a 1700. It was driven by a small petrol engine with a chain drive to the wheels. A special drivers seat was on a wagon behind, it this is where the controls were reached and the handbrake was. I found the seat very comfortable. I can’t tell you much more about it my parents took me back inside. A little later on my Mum and Chris took me back out to the trains, we rode a steam loco A10. It was great even when we derailed.

Mum couldn't keep up with me

Our layout operated without any major hitches. A point not throwing over when we wanted it to and the bigger people trying to get used to shunting cross legged. We only had two major derailments, one was when uncle Alvin was running his high speed bullet train. I put a track cleaning rubber on the track in front of it, what a laugh, well I thought so as well as a young girl watching. The others acted like it was a major problem - adults grow up and act like kids then you will see the funny side of it. The other one was Uncle Alvin's goods train. It ran around the tracks a few times with no problems but as soon as he turned his back on it, whammo wagons and locos everywhere. I was standing next to it when it crashed, I was so upset about what had happened all I could do was cry. I didn’t touch it honestly I didn’t touch it.

I didn’t touch any of the trains but boy was it fun chasing them, until I fell. I chased one train around the return loop when I lost my balance and fell off the stage. I would have been all right except I hit my head on the layout next to ours. Did it hurt- yessssss. I got a cuddle from the guys but my Mum was in the kitchen and missed what happened so on Sunday I did it again just for her. From then on it was great fun to see everyone panic when I came close to the edge of the stage.

Mum helped with the viewing angles

We all got a turn or two to run trains on the layout. Shunting was the best. Memo to the commissioner of Queensland Rail, please don’t let my Mum become a train driver, eight shunters and five cows were killed when she had a go. I was the best shunter, they showed me how to change the points and switch the turntable. When I was having a go at the throttle I would get the trains to go real fast, I don’t know why the adults didn’t think I could hold the throttle. They kept taking it off me and pressing the slow down button, they never did this to Uncle Alvin when he ran his bullet train.

A BBQ on Saturday night kept the troops fed and Nola and the other ladies kept us fed throughout the two days.

Sunday 3rd Oct.1999

Sunday was much the same as Saturday except more people came and had a look. At three the show finished, we had the layout pulled down and packed in the trailer by four, just before the rain. Uncle Alvin and Wayne drove straight home. Mum, Dad, Chris and I went back to Grandmas to finish packing. Mum drove Grandma home in Grandma's car and Dad drove Poppa and the rest of us in our car. We nearly had a bad accident on the gap but we got back to Ipswich in one piece about seven o’clock.

Hooroo

A special thanks to the Warwick Railway Modellers Inc who held an excellent show. The only time the show seemed to stop was when a real train stopped at the Warwick Station behind the hall. It proved the best way to evacuate the hall at Warwick in an emergency is to yell " train at the station! ", it makes everyone run. Also thank you to my Grandma and Poppa, and Nathan Trailer Hire where we hired the trailers.

Sometimes you just have to get up close