SOUTH WEST MODEL ENGINEER'S ASSOCIATION (W.A.) INC.
BUNBURY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
R.L. Moss, No. 1263
The city of Bunbury lies about 185 kilometers south of Western Australia's capital city of Perth. It has long been a popular holiday resort famous for white sandy beaches ranging from those with waves which are a surfer's dream to placid bays where young children may safely splash in the shallows.
Shipping plays an important part in Bunbury's economy the main exports through the port being wood chips, mineral sands, timber and alumina. The city is also the regional headquarters of many government and business organisations whilst the surrounding rural areas provide much of Western Australia's fruit, dairy produce and timber.
With a city the size of Bunbury it was inevitable that sooner or later enough people with an interest in our hobby would come together and form a club. They did and in 1982 the South West Model Engineer's Association came in to being and 2 years later obtained an area of council land for the purpose of constructing club headquarters and a miniature railway.
The railway system comprises two circuits, which may be interconnected, the smaller being dual gauge 5 in, and 7 1/4 in, with a length of approximately 400 metres whilst the larger circuit measures about 600 metres and is of 7 1/4 in, gauge only. Both circuits are provided with platform facilities on either side of the main station building. An extension of about 400 metres is proposed to provide a service to an area adjacent to Forrest Avenue a busy thoroughfare named after Lord Forrest, a pioneer of the district.
The club has a membership of about 30 with excellent facilities provided for their enjoyment. The workshop contains a lathe, milling machine, power hacksaw and pedestal drill as well as welding equipment and the usual array of hand tools. Although only intended as a workshop and carriage storage area it is currently used for locomotive storage pending construction of the proposed roundhouse which will be served by the existing 5 metre turntable. Work is expected to commence shortly on the first 4 bays of the roundhouse.
Forrest Park station is an old wooden station building which once served the small country town of Capel and is probably around 100 years old. It was transported to Bunbury and placed on a platform where it was refurbished and now contains a shop selling teas and cakes, a storage room and a ticket box plus of course a place for passengers to board the trains.
The track site is a delightful place to visit being almost entirely shaded by many large Western Australian native trees, good company and, of course, the sounds and smells of passing trains*
The railway operates on the third Sunday of each month and on various other occasions for special events. Should readers of our magazine happen to be in Bunbury at any time I'm sure secretary Ian Morrison, 55 Turnberry Way, Pelican Point, Western Australia would be only too happy to advise on current happenings. |