Brisbane RNA Show

Every year I like many other modellers get a 'shot in the arm' with a good dose of enthusiasm driven by a visit to the Brisbane Show. This year, unfortunately I was only able to attend on the one day (Monday) due to work commitments (Saturday) and a ticket to Chicago's last Brisbane performance (Sunday) with Helen.

I was working with Craig (Craig's Shed) for the day on a construction table associated with his club. I've done this before and it's usually a great day. This year was no exception. Craig surrounded himself with his efforts, everything from deck chairs to outhouses with lids left up. I on the other hand brought along a couple of points a soldering iron, and a piece of plastic to bash a bit later at the retailers.

The modelling competition entries stand is always one of my first visits, I am always amazed at what people can achieve, and the 19 class loco that one best built kit loco was a real winner, I do apologise to the winner as I didn't have my notebook to record their name.

Craig and I arrived about 8:00 so plenty of time to fill the coffee cup and have a look around the retailers. Plenty to see here, people to catch up with, oh and a couple of purchases to kick off the day. A quick look at the layouts, then over to the workbench. I'd brought the soldering iron, and a couple of points to finish off. It's amazing really the number of people who had questions that required some indepth responses, a real pleasure to share information to maybe inspire others to try something new. I don't do anything that anyone couldn't do, it seems that some just need that extra push to get into it. Craig had a sea of people around him during the course of the day, the poor cousin next door actually was able to finsh the point he was working on. Not bad I thought considering how busy the day was.

Since Monday, I caught up with Craig and Peter, at a modelling group we're all in. When I say 'all' I think there'd be about twelve of us involved, guess the others were a bit 'trained' out. Anyway we had a fair amount of time to chat about the show, and it was then I realised what I'd missed. I thought that I'd caught sight of all that was there, but it seemed that Geoffrey had his blinkers on that day. It very definitely means that next year I'll be on holidays for the weekend, so I can be there for at least two of the three days.

This time of the year passes like a flash, with the Brisbane show, quickly followed by Queenies Birthday long weekend, then off to Toowoomba for the weekend. I usually hear the alarm bells some time during the RNA and this year was no different, only this year it was 9:15 when I first heard them. So now a few weeks of intense modelling to (hopefully) have some new rollingstock for Toowoomba.

So Craig, thanks for a great day, it was a hoot, as usual, evn forgot to pull out the camera!
Geoff.