Kaleen Exhibition 2022

A short Exhibition report - Kaleen 2022 

Last Friday, I travelled to Canberra for a meeting with my financial adviser.  This timing was fortuitious, as the Kaleen Model expo was happening that coming weekend.

Queanbeyan station - as photographed by Bill Baggett in 1987.  I was once involved with a group that was building a layout based on Queanbeyan, and the Molongo gorge, and Bill had photographed a lot of the infrastructure.  With the vandalism of that layout, this is one of the few reminders.  I scanned in the prints that remained last year.  

Overnight, I spent my first night in Queanbeyan since I left in 2015.  Interesting what had changed in the intervening 7 years.  Of course, I headed to the railway station, and took a few detail pictures of the station.

Queanbeyan railway station was built in 1887, just a few years after Wagga's station.  It is a  Whitten design, so has a number of simularities.  Queanbeyan's design though is more of a gothic feel, rather than the classical lines of Wagga Wagga 

Kaleen Exhibition

The exhibition opened at 9am, and I was near the front of the queue.  Not having to drive 2hrs30 minutes from Junee, meant that I was more relaxed.

Goulburn, by the Gilford Model Railway club

Newcastle 1899 - By Ross Balderson.  Ross has been building this extensive N scale diorama for over 10 years.  This I understand was its first public showing.

Some N scale models under construction

Yendys layout, by the ACT Model Railway Society.  This layout has been exhibited for close on 12 years, and part of its longevity, is down to the construction of the benchwork by Neville Dodds. Neville has recently passed away, but his legacy lives on in the Yendy's layout.  Neville also built the range of shops on the right hand side

Another view of Yendys, showing the crowd

Bethungra Spiral - by the Epping Model Railway club is scenically superb.  Having more space, and resources was not something I had with my N scale version that I made for the Junee Broadway Museum 

Wooden locos, made and displayed by Geoff Isaac, and Bruce Sibson. These are 1/24 scale Victorian prototypes, made from Huon Pine.  Brilliant

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Gunning, by Robert Popovski, has recently appeared in AMRM.  This N scale layout is delightful in the details

The Coffs Harbour club made the long trip with their massive USA themed layout.  These pictures were stolen from the NMRA website, as I failed to take any myself

Burbong bridge over the Molongo River as modelled by members of the Canberra Monaro N scale group

Peter Dinham, also of the CMNSG, built a module of the Michellago Railway station - another Whitten station design

Even the Lego group was getting into the prototype swing.  Here an AD60 passes through Yass Junction

The Kaleen exhibition didn't disappoint - there were lots of layouts, (I have only shown a small selection), retailers, and displays. 

To me, the exhibition is a way of catching up with people and retailers, and as this was my first exhibition in two years, I had a lot of catching up. I also did a bit of retail therapy.  The following is my haul from the weekend.

Most of the above is not something I can use on my Wagga layout, but all of it fits in with my other modelling interests.  It is important to support the retailers, and traders that support your hobby by attending the exhibition.  I obtained my haul of models and books from Antons Trains, Pallas Hobbies, Casula Hobbies, Lyndons Trains, Kerroby Models, Runway 13, Train World, and Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway.  Other retailers included IDR, Eureka, Johns Preloved Trains, SDS and Burfitt Tools.  Truely a great mix.

It is good that things are returning to a sort of normal.  Whilst I wore a mask all Saturday, and social distancing in some rooms was enforced; these are small prices to pay for continued enjoyment in model railways.

Until next time

Trouble kitten supervising me whilst I am preparing these notes.  Looking very regal for something less than 6 months old.