Sydney AMRA Model Train Exhibition

[disturbman]

I open a new topic so the other one don't go to quickly overboard.

 

Off topic - did any Sydney siders go to the AMRA Model Train Exhibition this weekend?

I noticed the absence of any japanese layout and noticeably Doug's layout was not present.

I must say I was tempted (but resisted) those neon signs that you can get for the tops of buildings etc.

 

As for Doug, it's been a month now that he didn't update his blog.

[marknewton]

I did. My club had a layout there, and I wandered out there on Sunday to put in some train driving time.

 

Like you, I was tempted by the neon signs, but while I resisted them, there were other things I didn't. I got some ballast from Charlie Agland for my diorama project, and some cast white metal Shay funnels from the Wolganrail stand just inside the entrance. They're for another project, converting a Frateschi Baldwin 2-8-0 into a JNR 9200.

 

I also picked up two DVDs featuring recent Chinese steam operations. They both have sequences filmed inside loco workshops showing engines being maintained/overhauled, which is my main interest as far as steam engines go.

 

Even though I was a little disappointed there was no Japanese content, I enjoyed the exhibition. It's as much a social outing for me as anything else, it's always good to catch up with people I know from the hobby.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[alpineaustralia]

Dont get me wrong. I always enjoy them... it is just that I didnt think the layouts were as varied as they were last year.

No European or Japanese layouts - mainly US and Australian freight.

We really must co-ordinate before the next major exhibition to arrange to meet you know.

[marknewton]

Alpine, I thought much the same thing about the variety. And yes, we should co-ordinate and arrange a meet. My only excuse is that I wasn't expecting to go to the exhibition at all, but one of my jobs was cancelled on short notice - sorry! Much the same thing happened when I arranged to meet Andy (serenityfan) at Epping. I got a call-out earlier that day and didn't make the exhibition with enough time to properly get to know each other.

 

Next time, hopefully.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[ChrisV]

I thought the Epping show is quite good.

i missed the Liverpool show - sounds like I did not miss that much.

 

I actually really enjoyed Doug Coster's layout and spent more time watching operations on that than anything else. I collect NSW stuff so for me that says a lot ?

[alpineaustralia]

Yes Epping was quite good although small.

Does anyone know of any Sydney train meets where Japanese trains bits are sold?

[ChrisV]

I am not familar with any local meets.

[Hezekiah Strawbody]

Dont get me wrong. I always enjoy them... it is just that I didnt think the layouts were as varied as they were last year.

No European or Japanese layouts - mainly US and Australian freight.

We really must co-ordinate before the next major exhibition to arrange to meet you know.

 

So everyone wants to go to an exhibition and see Japanese layouts, but how many have thought to build a layout to take to exhibitions ?

[marknewton]

I'm working (slowly) on an Japanese-prototype exhibition layout right now. It will be the polar opposite of "Enoshima" or "Setagaya" - 1/80th scale, small, no Shinkansens. Whether it will have the same crowd appeal as Doug's layouts is open to question... 

 

But AA's observation is a valid one, whether he has a layout of his own to exhibit or not. There wasn't much variety amongst the layouts this year. The exhibition/modelling scene in Sydney is very parochial, and I suspect that AMRA prefers an average NSW-prototype layout to an outstanding overseas-prototype layout.

 

Amongst the local modelling community, there's a surprising number of people who are scornful of anyone not modelling steam-era NSWGR in HO scale, and I think to some extent that biases the various exhibition organisers when selecting layouts.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Hezekiah Strawbody]

I open a new topic so the other one don't go to quickly overboard.

 

Off topic - did any Sydney siders go to the AMRA Model Train Exhibition this weekend?

I noticed the absence of any japanese layout and noticeably Doug's layout was not present.

I must say I was tempted (but resisted) those neon signs that you can get for the tops of buildings etc.

 

As for Doug' date=' it's been a month now that he didn't update his blog.

 

 

[/quote']

I noticed it's been updated today. I sent an email about the exhibition to him, and he replied that he has been busy with other things, as well as making big changes to the layout before it goes to japan next year (it will be extended), and also planning for the next layout after that

 

(edit) - I forgot to mention that he said he was not at this exhibition this time because he was there last year, and most exhibition do not want the same layouts every year. Even people walk past and say 'not that japanese layout again'  he is hoping to be there again in 2011, which will be the last one for Enoshima

[Bernard]

I always worry a blog, active forum member, etc., when you don't hear from them in a while. The first thing I think about are health issues. Good to hear he's fine.