Thursday, 5 October 2023
We had a roll up of twenty-seven (27) for this event which included one new member Evan Fairley – Welcome Evan.
As planned, we travelled to Ipswich via the Toowoomba Bypass entering from the Mort Street Ramp – Our fellow member Ron Bathurst provided us with a running commentary/talk on the problems under repair as we travelled along the bypass – Unfortunately, it was a verbal only presentation as Ron & Nick (coach driver) were unable to get Ron’s prepared presentation up & running on the TV Screens in the coach – However, I am sure all members who attended would agree that they learned a lot about the problems being addressed at cuttings 21 & 24 & embankment 24 along with all the different rock formations etc.
On arrival at Battye Park, Brassall, Ron set up a display of different types of rocks & answered members’ questions during our Smoko break. -Well done, Ron.
Following smoko, we travelled on to the Railway Museum at Ipswich where we were met & welcomed by Sean Chong & our guide Ken – Ken provided us with a good overview of the history of the museum, & during our walk around pointed out all the major items/attractions on display in the museum – The mobile micro-phone Peter kitted our guide Ken up with enabled all members in attendance to hear & appreciate Ken’s presentation (unlike what happened during our first visit some years ago) – Well done Warwick for sorting out the head piece to keep the speaker in place, Peter for setting Ken up, & Ken for his presentation.
On completion of our tour, we travelled back to the MiHi Tavern in Brassall for lunch.
After lunch, members’ birthdays falling in October were acknowledged & celebrated in our usual manner viz. Rod Anderson, Michael Bermingham, John Doidge, Kevin Lipp, Adrian Meston, Neville Page, Graham Riethmuller, Kerry Shine & Jim Stein.
Special thanks to all who contributed to making this another safe & enjoyable event for all attendees, including Peter Taylor for organising this event; Sean & Ken for the warm welcome & interesting guided tour of the museum; Michael Bourke & Russell Mauch for looking after our finances & name badges including receipting & banking of surplus cash; Peter Taylor for ensuring we were all accounted for before our coach departed again after each stop; Peter Thompson for his usual gig of ensuring we got on & off the coach safely at each stop; Ron Lewis & Lindsay Reis for looking after our hydration needs along with ensuring the coach was loaded & unloaded as required with Smoko items etc.; Bob Whittaker & Evan Fairley for being on duty as our first aid officers; Jan Neal for making our birthday cake; the staff at the MiHi Tavern for our lunch; Tim Blades for ensuring the mobile wheel chair was taken on our trip in case it was needed; Ron Bathurst for his interesting & educational talk about the Toowoomba Bypass repairs, & for donating a prize for the member who asked the most interesting question – awarded to Graham Riethmuller because he was the only birthday boy in attendance; & finally our driver Nick for transporting us to & from Ipswich safely.
Dick, 17th October 2023