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Date: May 2005
Location: Brisbane, Queensland Australia
There's an odd kind of peace amongst all the noise and activity happening within the grounds of the train-lovers paradise that is the Workshops Rail Museum at Ipswich.
Trains, trains and more trains are what the Workshops are all about - from the retired engines and carriages languishing in the sheds to the intricately designed and built model railroad showing the entire Queensland Rail operation in one fabulous display.
Likewise there is something for all ages - from the youngest visitor through to the oldest - and you don?t need to be a train nut to appreciate the spirit of the place.
There is noise - lots of it - particularly if you take the Behind the Scenes Tours which run regularly. The visit to the Heritage Rollingstock Maintenance section allows visitors to see workers maintaining and restoring heritage members of the QR fleet, while the Working Workshops tour comes complete with modern day blacksmiths showing off their skills as they slave next to the hot furnaces.
With that in mind it's hard to place your finger on the source of the peace. We visited at the height of the school holidays when Thomas the Tank Engine mania was in full throe and the place was thronging with family groups, play groups and child care centre excursions.
Perhaps it is a simple as the fact that life does seem to slow down the moment you pass through the gate and are welcomed by the friendly staff. After a visit to the Workshops is testimony to the fact that children, and their parents, can enjoy a day out without theme rides and lots of fast food outlets.
The members of my little group certainly proved this point. The eight-year old daughter, who much prefers music to trains, was kept busy practicing her photographic skills, and the two younger ones, particularly the three-year-old Thomas fan, were happy racing from train to train and searching out what awaited them around the next corner.
This is a place where visitors take their time and stroll at leisure through the exhibits. In fact the only queue on this busy day was at the Tilt Train simulator where the patient guide showed the seemingly never-ending line of children and adults what levers and buttons to push and pull to make their Tilt Train work.
The general exhibit area is contained under one roof. Toilet facilities are plentiful, well-signed and accessible, and prams and wheelchairs can manoeuvre their way easily throughout the displays.
Simple, but tasty fare is available from the Trackside Caf at prices that won't break the bank, and this is also the type of place where families are welcome to bring their own food and enjoy it on a grassy areas under the trees. Inside, diners gather at the many large oval tables that over the years have hosted the thousands of workers who have gone through the Workshops.
The Facts:
- The Workshops Rail Museum is located at North Street, North Ipswich, a 40 minute drive from Brisbane. Parking is free. Bus transfers are also available from Ipswich Station.
- The Workshops open daily from 9.30am-5pm, except Christmas Day and the morning of Anzac Day. Visit http://www.theworkshops.qm.qld.com.au or call +61 7 3432 5100.
- Entry is: Adult $16, Child (3-16) $9, Concession $13, Family (2 adults and up to 4 children) $46. Group entry and annual passes are also available.
- By Adrienne Costin
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