The Semi-Retired Foamer has been a railfan since he was around 5 years old, oh yes a very young age, an age when one really should avoid being involved with the gunzel community to any great extent. A few rather unsavoury people bringing that fact home.
After a few decades of train chasing, one decided to break with protocol and get married, thus leading to a severe cut in railfan activity.
Subsequent dealings with hate breeders, lunatics, mental defectives and self-appointed preservation overlords lead to an even greater decrease in my hobby participation.
However things have changed thanks to our small group of trusted mates, interest has returned, and now I have become a bit more involved yet again.
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Over the years I have tried my best to further both the hobby, as well as the friendships that it brings. I have done this by setting up proactive groups both here in Australia, as well as the Philippines. It is with huge honour that I am often considered the founding father of the railfan hobby in the Philippines (my second home).
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I don't take the hobby too seriously and I am a friend to anyone who is good and genuine. But never forgive those who have used their hate to destroy my hobby or hurt the friends within it.

Let's Make The Hobby Great Again!
I aim to share the era that I considered mine, the 80s and 90s. I also like to help promote, and even raise funds for, the various heritage societies that keep the era alive
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**** LOCOMOTIVE/ PUBLICATIONS ****
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We occasionally publish information on the locomotives, and rollingstock, from railways in Australia and the Philippines.
All are available for
FREE at our ALR WEBSITE.




Please email me should you wish to use anything from this site !



Thursday, June 13, 2019


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

















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