Rosehill Racecourse 2019
The 'Epping Model Railway Club' put on their excellent annual model railway exhibition over the June long weekend. It was the second year at their new venue and 'Rosehill Racecourse' (Sydney) and is regularly regarded as the best on the Sydney, even New South Wales, exhibition circuit.
The Epping club has been very good to our 'Trains For Kids With Cancer' fundraising project over the two years that David Xuereb and I have been doing it and we are greatly indebted to them for their continued support.
Part of this involved allowing us to set up a stand at the exhibition, this seeing us raise around $1500 towards this years donation to the 'Kids With Cancer Foundation Australia'. This certainly helps us with our goal to exceed last years $5040 donation.
This was my first exhibition, well, as an exhibitor anyway.
Been to many as a paying attendee, but never truly appreciated the huge amount of work people put in to these things, just so we can have a few hours enjoyment.
Despite only doing the install on Friday night, and two full days Sunday and Monday, I was a wreck by the time it came to pull it all out on the Monday arvo.
Great respect for those who bring their stuff over long distances, stray the entire time and then have to take it all home again.
The set up team: Brad, David, Dennis and Another David.
While the train guff is what mostly motivates us drag our sorry parts to these events, for me it is the catching up with many, many friends from all over the country. Some of them I only ever get to see on these occasions.
Being there for so much time, meant that I would do an awful lot of said catching up, even with one fan I used to hang out with around two to three decades ago.
Model railway icon, Mr Phil Badger (Gopher Models)
But, as I say, it is the train guff that encourages us to attend and this show certainly had some fantastic layouts to drool over, some risking the electrical from doing so.
Like so many others, it felt great to see the classic layout 'Stockinbingal' back on the exhibition circuit. The new owners down Wagga have really done an impressive job fixing it up and giving it a great refresh.
There were the impressive Maryborough and Goulburn layouts, as well my personal favourites, Mungo Scott, along with the one based on Boorowa (the name of which escapes me right now). On top of this, there was my first viewing of 'Blue Mountains' and 'Bricklandia', both exhibiting incredible talent from their respective builders.
Semi Retired Foamer Trophy
However, the 2019 non-existent 'Semi Retired Foamer' trophy for first place goes to the new layout Wingello.
It captures my favourite Southern Highlands town so very well and the owners have saved me the effort of doing it after years of consideration.
Congratulations guys, feel free to right click and save your trophy.
At 3.30 on the Monday afternoon, we held our 'Trains For Kids With Cancer' raffle, with nine model railway prizes won by people attending over the weekend.
We were overwhelmed by the support from so many in the model train industry, without whom, we could not possibly have had so many wonderful prizes on offer.
We thank each and every one of you, together you have shown how great this hobby can be.
Big thanks to Andrew Tailby for your support.
A huge thank you to everyone who may the weekend such a huge success, the manufacturers/retailers, the attendees who dropped by our stand and the Epping MRC for the mammoth effort you guys must put in to make it all a success.
The Semi Retired Foamer Youtube channel will soon have video coverage of the whole event.
Brad Peadon
