Railroaders outgrow their shed

The Finley and District Model Railroaders Club was first officially formed in May.

It has six members and “is growing”, and meets in a shed at 20-22 Berrigan Rd, Finley.

President Neville Grigsby says the growth means they need to find a new home very soon.

“At the present moment, we are operating out of a private shed that we have outgrown,” he said.

“We are desperately looking for a new place to call home for the club.”

Inside the shed is a model railway which is about 7m long and up to 3m wide in parts.

It is open to the public on weekends.

“My current layout is a depiction of an industrial design involving a gravel works, sawmill and a train maintenance area with a section being prepared to be the dish from Parkes,” Mr Grigsby said.

“The shed will be open to the public every weekend.

“We have plans to run workshops involving the public and of course, we’re still looking for more members.

“The enthusiasm that you see from visitors makes it all worthwhile.

“On average, per weekend, we would have up to six or seven visitors.”

Mr Grigsby’s interest in constructing model railroads only began three years ago.

“I served 20 years in the Australian Army, retiring in 1994, then ran a stone fruit orchard and my own landscaping business for 15 years,” he said.

Mr Grigsby said his interest in the hobby was sparked when he became the secretary of the Victorian Chiltern Railroaders Club in 2020, before relocating to Finley.

If you can help the group with a new home, or would like to know more about the club, call Mr Grigsby on 0407 981 737.