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Our annual Open Weekend was held in February, and was a huge success. Thankyou to all those involved in the many weeks preparation leading up to this event.
The weekend really got started on the Friday when the first of the "heavy Brigade" arrived, this being the beautiful Brown and May steam tractor of Chris Pask, driven over from Hastings by John McClune in the dawn breaking run. From then on the exhibits arrived steadily, and thanks to East Coast Forklifts, the steam engines, pumps, stationary gas engines, were efficiently handled, and by evening an impressive display of machinery was arranged, barriers erected and the "night shift" settled into the clubhouse. In the meantime the "Niven" underfired multi-tubular boiler had steam raised and the track readied for the Saturdays running, while the last 3 traction engines arrived just at nightfall to finish a busy day.
8.30 Saturday saw the site wreathed in smoke as 4 traction engines, 1 boiler and various model engines got up steam, while the BBQ had already fired up breakfast for the "night shift". By 10-00am the first engines were on the track and the public were arriving.At 11-00am running stopped for the official opening of the bridge and track extension by Richard Lay, then the Official train completed its lap of honour and then back to passenger rides in earnest. A busy day ensued with at least 5 engines on the track until 4-30pm, when running for the public stopped. The new track ran well and takes a bit of skill from drivers, but is a far more interesting ride, being just under 500 metres per lap and taking about 8 minutes to complete 2 laps (not bad value for $1 a ride).
Mr Richard Lay cutting the ribbon to open the track extension.
Sunday at 8-30am was a repeat of Saturday, and under a very hot sun, we got underway again to even bigger crowds. Everything ran smoothly and around 3-00pm the machinery display and traction engines began the packing up and moving off home. track running continued till 4-00pm and at 5-30 we were fairly well finished and ready for the BBQ dinner. Words of thanks were expressed by the President and by 8-00pm we were all heading home after what was a very successful and fun filled weekend.
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