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 The history of the Southside N Scale
Early 70's
Late 70's
Early 80's
Mid 80's
Late 80's
Early 90's
Mid 90's
Late 90's
The club has been in continuous operation in one form or another now for over 20 years. Although the club has gone through many trials in that time it has kept N scale and NTRAK as its focal point. The club's history commenced with a shaky start and continues to plan a future in spite of the boom & bust and wilderness periods of the past. This background is not complete and will be updated to include the relationship between other N scale groups in the Brisbane-Ipswich area.
 
 

Early 70's: the shaky start

  • The availability of N scale supply is increasing.
  • Clive McTaggart who operates the Austral Modelcraft Hobby shop from his home places a notice in his shop regarding interest in the formation of an N scale club.
  • Response to Clive's notice is so good that two clubs are needed. The Southside "N" Scale Club is formed for those modelers on the southside of the Brisbane river. A similar club is formed for the northside modelers.
  • The Northside club does not prosper and after a couple of years disbands. Some of these displaced modelers join the southside group which is surviving on a diet of home visits.

Late 70's: the NTRAK solution

  • Jim Costello, club member and casual model supplier, responds to an article on NTRAK and becomes the NTRAK coordinator for Australia.
  • NTRAK material is presented to club and the concept is accepted.
  • NTRAK AUSTRALIA is created by club members to modify the NTRAK Standard to suit local conditions.
  • The Australian Amendments to the NTRAK Specification are ratified. The important changes are
    (1) a simplified conversion of some dimensions from imperial units to the Australian metric equivalent - a 4ft x 2ft module converts to a 1200mm x 600mm module, and
    (2) locally and easily accessible electrical connectors (RCA) to be used in lieu of the Cinch- Jones style products.
  • The construction of modules by members and a club layout are initiated.

Early 80's: the suitcase years

  • Club layout constructed and stored in a church hall. The club layout is 7.2M x 0.9M - a 4piece independently operated sectional layout that forms one side of an NTRAK display.
  • Operating the club layout at club meetings required assembly and disassembly of the layout.
  • The club exhibits layouts at fetes and hobby shows to raise money for capital works. These layouts vary in size from the club layout (7.2M x 0.9M) to a large NTRAK loop (9.6M x 7.2M) that included the club layout.

Mid 80's: it's Mac time now

  • The club finds a home in the multi-level McDonalds store at Annerley. In exchange for free rent the club provides regular operating sessions for the entertainment of patrons. These sessions become a feature for attracting Kid's birthday parties to the store.
  • The McDonald's operator sees financial benefits in holding bigger parties and a lack of round the clock use of the space occupied by the club. The club is asked to make tracks.

Late 80's: boom & bust

  • A disused shop at Moorooka was found to be affordable and after renovations the club moved in.
  • Membership and module numbers increase and the club exhibits a 18M x 4.8M layout.
  • Large layouts create long trains but long waits between operating cycles create unrest among some members.
  • To increase the number of operating trains at any time the solution is simple increase the number of tracks.
  • The 5 track solution - two tracks are added to NTRAK's three (one at the rear and another adjacent to the branch line) on a number of modules for additional running.
  • Club rules ostensibly to control the possibility of "unauthorised use" limit the ease of access for members.
  • General interest declines and there is lower attendance at running & work sessions. Membership stays constant but the rent goes up.
  • Internal politicking & dissatisfaction leads to a decision to move from the shop. As a home could not be found, a going-out-of-business sale is the only solution.
  • The Brisbane "N" Scale group is formed, with the 5 track modules by a break away section of the club as more members wish to leave and do their own thing or form small groups with a sectional layout.
  • The remaining Southside members vote to retain the NTRAK standard track arrangement.

Early 90's: the wilderness years

  • The club may have been dismembered but the patient is not dead yet. The club survives on a diet of home visits, running nights (when home layout was available) & video nights plus the local annual train show. A 10.8M x 6M display is possible.
  • The annual show can still create interest in NTRAK and so the club slowly attracts new blood. However, with no club layout/room and modules stored in homes throughout Brisbane & surrounding cities, new members are hard to keep.
  • The public's interest in NTRAK and the lack of NTRAK literature was noted by a new member during his introductory year with the club. The dropped ball was partially due to Jim Costello who could no longer devote the necessary time to actively promote the NTRAK concept. Jim was no longer an active member of the club and had become owner/operator of a part-time hobby shop.
  • The club picked up the NTRAK promotional ball and continues to provided NTRAK support and material at local and regional shows.

Mid 90's: Sock-it-to-me

  • The club obtains a niche in the Grange Thistle Soccer Club's games room and the modules come home to roost. This northside-of-the-Brisbane-river location causes some members to dropout due to the travelling cost (time & money).
  • The club commences construction on a small layout that will be permanently erected. The layout will support independent operation as well as incorporation into an NTRAK display.
  • While staying within the NTRAK Specification the club starts modifying modules to reduce the-three-parallel-track look by using the alternative branch position where ever possible. The changes will introduce coordination problems into the displays but the new look will be worth the trouble.
  • Rich Coyle offers to create a web site for the club and NTRAK Australia (11/96). The use of the web will ensure new modelers throughout Australia can receive information on the Australian Amendments to the NTRAK Specification.
  • February 97: Model Railroader features an article on modular railroading (which includes basic NTRAK standards) and NTRAK is advised that NTRAK Australia is also on the web.
  • Soccer Club management believes it can make better use of it's games room and so SSNS must be out by April '98.

Late 90's: A home & home again

  • The club has is in its own club room and is again back on the southside of the Brisbane river. Gary Paper (a SSNS member) has kindly donated the use of a single-car garage located on his property at Camira.
  • Alterations are proceeding on the club modules and the old soccer club layout to maximise the use of the available space.   Some work is required on the garage in order to improve the creature comforts and reduce the activity of creatures who have been calling the shed their home.
  • The club will be part of the annual Brisbane Model Train Show in May '99 and is concentrating work activities on those modules that will be part of the display.
  • DCC. Although the cost of conversion of all ones locos maybe beyond all but the independently wealthy, one or two is manageable. Thus the club will attempt to improve the branch line to allow it to have the look and feel of a secondary lines. Smaller trains at slow speeds doing local freight duty under DCC control will provide operation for almost as many operators as there are modules. One member, Colin Jones uses DCC at home and his experience with the system will be invaluable.

 Y2k's: Merger

  • Feb. 2000: SSNS Members (who are also Queensland Rail employees) attend a meeting at the Ipswich Railway Workshops site for news on the formation of a new club - Ipswich Heritage Model Railway Club.
  • May 2000: Brisbane Miniature Train Show but SNS does no exhibit. Members support the show by assisting Australian. Model Railway Association (Qld) with exit security.
  • The club has to bow to the needs of it's landlord,  Gary Paper, a SSNS member requires his single-car garage back to accommodate is own layout. The club goes back to surviving by round robin meeting at members homes.
  • May2001 the club is an exhibitor at the Brisbane Miniature Train Show continues with round robin meeting.
  • Early 2002 the SSNS becomes a SIG (Special Interest Group) with in the Ipswich Heritage Model Railway Club.  The merger enables SSNS gets a home and retains some autonomy while IHMRC gets a layout and boost in membership.

 

 Copyright 25 May 2002
  southn@tpg.com.au