A model show

By Kath Gannaway
IF IT was enthusiasm and passion Healesville was calling for to get the town back on track after the bushfires, it got it with the 2009 Healesville Railway Show.
The three-day celebration of rail – from model to the real thing – brought rail enthusiasts from all around the state to events at the Memorial Hall and the railway station.
Yarra Valley Railway vice-president Brett Morton said the long-weekend railway show was a huge success with more than 2000 people enjoying the model railways displays set up by the Croydon Model Railway Club at the hall.
As well as several intricately crafted miniature rail systems, rail buffs were able to take a virtual train trip along the Healesville railway line in a steam train, play grand controller on the Thomas The Tank Engine set up and watch as a model train was built from scratch.
Hundreds of people rattled along the rails through the historic tunnel on the trolley rides over the long weekend, and had an opportunity to look over the beautifully restored RM22 Walker Railmotor and the ‘red rattler’ carriage – a restoration work in progress.
The red rattler was in operation from the 1920s to the mid-’80s so has by virtue of its longevity a resonance for baby boomers and their parents who appreciate the pressed metal ceilings and ornate wooden panels.
Thanks to Harry Potter and his many train trips, it also resonates with younger generations.
Two fantastic steam machines also attracted crowds. A 1923 Foden steam wagon, a tip truck in a gravel quarry near Bendigo in a previous life, and now owned by Yarra Glen resident Richard Newell, and a steam roller owned by Gembrook enthusiast Emile Badawy, provided an insight into the revolution that came with the invention of the steam engine.
Mr Morton said the steam whistles which sounded from Friday evening and over the weekend raised people’s curiosity.
He said the railway show was a natural drawcard for rail enthusiasts but also attracted a good response from the wider public who enjoyed the opportunity to indulge in the magic of railways and to catch up with what was happening with Yarra Valley Railways.