I just thought I'd pass on the latest bad news from the QRI Ipswich Heritage Model Railway Club.
The old tool & gauge shop we occupy at the Ipswich railway workshops underwent its annual safety inspection by Queensland Rail a week or so ago and asbestos contained in the building was found to be a hazard. This week QR's property division met with our executive committee and gave as about a month to get everything out. It seems the problem is not limited to the asbestos roofing material, on the middle level of the three tier building are some old furnaces and tool treatment vats dating back to WW2 and these apparently contain a rather sinister form of asbestos in their lagging which is breaking down with age and leaching out with drafts from the broken windows and rain leaking through the roof. About the only good news is that we don't need protective clothing to access our area of the building although they have imposed other strict conditions after which no one will be allowed back into the building.
To cut the story short we are spending this weekend moving out everything we can, luckily members are able to take all the N-TRAK modules and the Clinchfield layout for storage and with T-TRAK we can set up anywhere for a day or afternoon if we are without club rooms for a while.
I rescued all of my property this morning including the Japanese flag, my 3'x2' Nekotani layout and most importantly my Takadanobaba 'Astro Boy' station melody key chain and Doctor Yellow party balloon.
Where the club goes from here is unknown at the moment but we will still be exhibiting the T-TRAK at the Gold Coast train show on 23/24 July.
