It really is an exciting time to be modelling in Nz120. In the space of a few years we've gone from "Cruising" to nearly full throttle, with hopefully the scale receiving a large boost this convention. We've seen a lot of people jump the fence from other scales, and alot of the people who had drifted away come back into the fold.
From a personal point of view, the 1990's really was the golden era of the scale. Modular groups in Dunedin and Christchurch had been formed and flourished, with migration between centres leading to teh scale being introduced to more and more people. The Head Druff (after mentoring from the late great John Rappard) came north to Wellington, scared the bejesus out of KiwiBonds and it wasnt long before the Cass to Otaki layout was built for exhibition. Numerous others joined the fold, with Magikan (along with a certain magazine editor from Palmerston Nth) getting in on the act and producing a superb loco and wagon fleet using the casting technologies in the day. I was somewhere in there, probably more as a cheerleader and operator...although I think I did help do the layout edge curtains at the convention one year.
For some reason though, we all drifted away....The Head Druff went to wargaming to prove that we needn't have lost the battle of Crete, KiwiBonds went overseas and was seduced by SDC8-70MAC things while Magikans ended up doing something similar in HO.
So why are we back? Good question....and one that only they can answer. I know for me the new technology has a lot to do with it, as well as wanting to model the modern scene rather than the 50's. Magikan said something about modelling American HO was getting too expensive....
So here we all are. To quote the Blues Brothers, "We're getting the old band back together"....and with all the renewed enthusiasm and new toys to learn, I know we'll have a lot of fun.
"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got an RP machine, a full tank of resin, half a DX 3D file, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it!"
6 comments:
Strangely enough for me it was this blog. I'd just been layout-room downsized and couldn't fit my american dream into the space available. I thought I'd help Rhys out with a blog post or two and suddenly out came a few NZ120 items and Bob's your mother's mother's sister's milkman.
I enjoyed many things about American N - buying things off the shelf and plopping them on the track was one. But boy do you miss the thrill of making something yourself. In NZ120 its more about creativity than the size of your wallet.
For me it was two things, one I was getting sick of having to buy new gear for wargaming every five years (competitive war game) and one day was wanting to do a true to scale Rarimu Spiral, and got introduced to NZ120 by a member of the local N Guage Club. I'm enjoying it even though the models are harder to build than a war gaming miniture. so it's has taken me long to really start, almost finished my Dx and containers and looking at some Sk's.
Jake and Elwood are right up there with my idol Billy T James! I have both the origonal Blues Brothers and BB2000 in my collection, albums, t-shirts, books... etc etc etc
I think as technology gets cheaper and cheaper we will see more and more leaps and bounds in the "non commecial" scales and hobbies.
AH
Who doesn't like the Blues Brothers?
gentlemen,
Has anyone booked a SIG meeting room at the Convention. I only ask 'cos I know one was vacant on the latest draft program. It just needs a volunteer to be the coordinator and we'll provide a space to talk NZ120
Kev
Belay my last - I see there is already a SIG booked. NZ120 deserves some serious publicity.
Kev
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