Sydney Model Engineers Sunday 24th September

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Eight Model enthusiasts journeyed to Luddenham on Sunday 24th to visit the Sydney Society of Model Engineers at Sydney Model Park.  Our Sunday began cool and cloudy but cleared to a fine and cool day just perfect for an outing on the bike. Departing St Ives at 9.05am we travelled via Comenarra Parkway to New Line Road and Round Corner, to a coffee stop on Annangrove Road at the Vanilla Cream CafĂ© at the old Amaroo Park complex. This was the first visit here for all but two of us, and the consensus was 10/10 – good food, good coffee, quick and friendly service.

Totally refreshed and an hour later we journeyed on, along Windsor Road for a bit, down Garfield Road and along Richmond Road for another bit, then south via Rooty Hill and Mt Druitt to the old Great Western Highway to St Marys, then turned down Mamre Road and then Luddenham Road to the Model Park.

Your Ride Leader was concerned that with the scale of Infrastructure development going on around the immediate area – new Western Sydney Airport, new M12 Expressway, new rail line – plus the news that the Model Engineers had recently sold their site – that the Model Park was no more, but, there they were! We arrived at the gate, paid our $10 admission and parked on the grass next to a picnic table and shady tree. Off helmets and jackets, on sunhats, right, lets’ go!

On display and operating for our enjoyment were powered model Tether cars, off-road racing cars, model racing boats, control line aircraft and radio control aircraft. As well there were live steam stationary engines and a ride-on steam railway, plus indoor railway layouts and slot cars. The canteen was open with food and drinks for you if you didn’t bring your lunch.

It’s a large site which involves a bit of hiking about but it’s all worthwhile. For me the highlight is the radio control flying field at the top of the site with views not only of the model aircraft buzzing around, but panoramic views across to the new International Terminal under construction about a kilometer away. The Model Engineers will sadly be quitting this site round the end of 2024 and opening a new complex at Cattai. Good luck to them, and we will be visiting them again.

Thank you to Chris, Alan, Kevin, Matthew, John O, Vaughn and Elliot for joining me on the day.

Geoff W.

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