Victoria Street, the dead tree version

I had a week off after and including Easter, there was 'the list' of tasks that required attention that ate most of the time. There was the Good Friday after sales and follow up service with some running on that n scale layout that I help concoct for a colleague. 

Yet the most interesting item that happened over the break was that I finally cobbled together all the published posts from the blog along with photographs into a Microsoft word file, all forty odd thousand words over three hundred, and thirty odd pages formatted with page numbers together with a contents list of dates and titles. 

 

 The Thesis

This document has been called by my rather academic and somewhat sarcastic bride as 'my thesis'.

This 'thesis' documents the formation, evolution and the current state of Victoria Street. I did this, so if something happens to the cloud that contains my blog, I would have something external that recorded my achievements. 

After the massive word count, I'm tempted to run down to the nearby Officeworks with a USB stick, so I can get a hard copy printed off and bound for posterity. 

This might be something for fellow blog pilots to consider, because hard drives die and formats change, but at the end of the day we all can still read and store text on printed paper, as humanity has done so for eons.  

From the multitude blog posts under the wires. 

Glenn. 

Easing out of the public spotlight.

I have recently had an invitation to exhibit Victoria Street early in the second half of the year, while it's nice to be invited, and I have seriously contemplated this invitation for a some time, but unfortunately I don't believe I can fulfill this obligation to my satisfaction, so therefore I'm declining. 

Compared to a few years ago, life, work and family now takes up a fair bit of my free time. The key to any exhibition is preparation, the cleaning, repairing, and fine tuning that is required to be done to hopefully enable a good outcome, along with the finding and training of crew mates together with the logistics of transport tend to thieve time from family duties. 

Last one to run in from the racecourse.

While the other final car in comes in from the 

Ammunition Factory

I also work shifts that involve working weekends, while I have the ability to trade away weekend work due to their increased penalty rates. At this stage of my life would rather enjoy my rostered weekends off engaging in family and social activities than be tied up in an exhibition. 

While preparations are one thing, the commissioning and operations along with well intended interactions with the public, as well as the wear and tear to the layout from travel and tactile punters, in the end can turn the whole epic weekend into a chore. 

I have met some wonderful people during exhibitions along with followers of the blog, but I find after the hard graft of an exhibition weekend, it results in me being more fatigued than 'actual' work. 

Then after closing and two days of operations, I have been known to lay up the layout for a month to six weeks in pieces due to being absolutely exhausted and sick of the sight of it, until I feel the need to 'putter about' again. 

Recently I had a lengthy discussion with a like minded colleague about the whole exhibition concept and about all of the involvement, we concluded it's all good if you are part of a larger group that can share roles and responsibilities over the course of the weekend, but as a stand alone independent exhibitor, you can sometimes feel like that you're on your own.

I'm at that stage in my life where I would now prefer to wander around the site for a few hours, touch base with some people, part with some cash, then enjoy my purchases at home. 

Victoria Street was never intended to be an exhibition layout. It started as a modular test track, it expanded, it had DCC installed, it expanded again, but in the end it's my little interpretation of Melbourne tramways   

I am retiring this 'old girl' from actual public consumption, but I will continue to share 'her' online.

I am always thinking and doodling of potential exhibition layouts, but that maybe later when time allows. 

For those who attended previously and were inspired, then offered continued interest and support. 

I thank you. 

Yours faithfully from under the wires. 

Glenn