32nd Canberra Model Railway Expo And Another Announcement

Last Weekend saw the first Model Rail Exhibition within NSW/ACT Since the COVID Restrictions forced the cancellations for the 2020 Exhibition Schedule. For me it was the second event to support the showing of my Model Rail Club HO Scale Layout of Wingello. Further on in this Blog, I have another announcement I would like to share.

Wingello on Friday Setup.

32nd Canberra Model Railway Expo

For me personally, this has been the first time that I have attended this exhibition and I have to say I was very impressed with this event. Furthermore, there were a lot of high standard layouts at this event which was great for the return of the first of the model rail exhibitions within NSW/ACT. This was also the first event within NSW/ACT with a COVID safe plan which seem to have functioned well. Well done Canberra Model Railway Club Inc for putting on a great show.

Wingello with 44232 with the return Passenger Service From Canberra. I recently weathered this Austrains 442 for this event.

44 Class approaching Wingello Station on the Down Line.

Rob P N Scale Layout of Gunning.

Guilford Model Railway Group HO Layout of Goulburn had plenty of activity happening.

Wingello Voted the Most Popular Layout

One of the main highlights four myself and my other Club Members is Wingello receiving the Most Popular Layout Trophy. This Trophy is awarded to the Layout which receives the most votes by the public. I would like to Thank those for taking the effort in putting in a vote for one, but also voting for Wingello. We are not out to try and win awards, but we are there for the fun of it and to promote the hobby. But any model rail layout project does take a lot of effort to construct and these awards give us a positive feeling that this project was worth the effort, especially being a smaller club compared to the others. 

Most Popular Layout Trophy awarded to Wingello. Another trophy to pin up to the Clubs Trophy Board.

The other two Trophies which are decided by the Judges were awarded too:

The Best Layout at Show: Ettamongah Freight Hub

The Best Scenery Layout: Eborvale

Happy to be stand corrected if the naming of these awards or awarded layouts are incorrect as I'm relying on my memory bank here.

Announcement

I was going to do full blog on this Layout Project Build within a couple of weeks time on the build of this N Scale Layout, but a positive circumstances that came forward and the transportation arrangements means this Layout is going to be on Public Display at the Easter Train Expo at Diamond Creek this coming weekend. Details of this event can be found in my last blog.

This N Scale DC powered Layout has been more of a build aimed at running my NSWGR N Scale locomotives and rolling stock in my allocated train room with the aim of keeping a simple scenery approach and a build that would take little time to complete. As it has happen, the construction of this layout has taken 5 weeks to get it to its current form. Still a few items left to get it to the scenery fully completed. Im just waiting on some more scenery to come in.

I have been asked to bring down this layout to the Diamond Creek Exhibition this weekend and I will be traveling down with Rob P and other Support Crew Members for the running of his N Scale Layouts of Gunning and Gunbower.

The name of my N Scale Layout is Jindalee, which is based on the area of Jindalee (which is located near Cootamundra, NSW), but as this was more intended to be a layout to run at home, It was not really intended to be an exhibition layout, but its up to Exhibition standards.

Hopefully, exhibiting Jindalee will show those who want to get into hobby of Model Rail that you can build a small but effective layout within a short period of time. More on Jindalee in my next blog.

Sneak peak of Jindalee Ready for Exhibiting at Diamond Creek Easter Train Expo.

2021 Model Rail Exhibitions

It has only just been a Year ago since NSW had a Model Rail Exhibition which was hosted by the North Shore Railway Modellers Association INC at Forestville. From what I recall it was a week after this event that the restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID 19 were put in place which cancelled out the remaining model rail shows in Sydney and Country NSW, also impacting on other events in other states of Australia that were planned in 2020. 

The good news is in 2021 we are starting to see some of these events gradually reappear with a full commitment to go ahead if there are no local COVID19 spread within the community. However, it should be expected that not all of the regular model rail events are going to eventuate this year due to mainly not knowing well in advance what the limitations that are in place when the event is schedule and if hosting the event would be viable based on those limitations. Furthermore the financial losses to clubs if they had to cancel an event due to a COVID outbreak. Unfortunately, it was recently communicated that the Epping Model Model Railway Club Great Train Show that was planned for the June Long Weekend has been cancelled for this year.

As mentioned in my previous blogs when I have knowledge on when either any of My personal Layouts or My Club Layouts are going to be exhibited, if permitted, I will announce it on this blog page.

2021 CMRCI Model Railway Expo 27th - 28th March 2021

First of All, good to see that the Canberra Model Rail Club Inc are going to be one of the pioneers in hosting a Model Rail exhibitions in these exceptional times. The location of this event will be at The University of Canberra High School Kaleen, 104 Baldwin Drive, Kaleen.

Im am pleased to announce that Wingello, My Model Rail Club layout will be exhibited for that weekend. 

Testing out the Platform Lights for Wingello in getting ready for the CMRCI Exhibition

Here is a link to the CMRCI Bulletin for more details on the event itself.

http://cmrci.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/The-BULLETIN-March-2021.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3QLzulXClerr6e2lKEQ0y_sWzgpmzrLWuEEP0fqRaVt2lGKIc29MEmoJc

Fingers crossed that we have no COVID events that prevents that show from going ahead. 

Easter Train Expo 2021 3rd - 4th April 2021 (Victoria)

The Easter Train Expo is set to go ahead during the Easter Weekend. The location of this event will be at the Community Bank Stadium 129-163 Main Hurstbridge Road, Diamond Creek (Victoria). 

All I can say at this moment that I will be supporting one of my model rail friends layouts in this event. 

Again, let's hope no COVID events come along that prevents this Exhibition from happening.

Let's hope some more Model Rail events do get planned to go ahead throughout the year.