Where did it go?

Does anyone know what happened to the YMRC "Matilda" carriage? It looked like a good idea to pass the wagon around and seeing it on different models.  
Any chance of it making a return?

Chris, I think they both, Matilda & Winston ended with the YMRC owner at the time
Robert Heath  has now died.

Would anyone be interested in some sort of YMRC version 2?

Sounds as if a poll is needed Chris. Look on the Home Page, then scroll down to Other Areas and on to Polls to start a new topic with a poll attached.

One question would concern couplings. Possibly a TL and Kaydee at each end.

Could be fun.

Bill

Haha. Ok. If it had those pocket things you can put what ever in!?

If admin want to delete this thread, that would be great! It’s been replaced with http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=16177&forum_id=35

Matilda was sent around the world as quickly as possible a quick photo session then sent on.
Staying a month means thats less than 12 people in one year.

Plus i think you may need to elaborate on your description at the moment at appears as if you are asking people if they want a YMR special edition wagon Chris

Brian

I don’t mind how it is done, I couldn’t find any detailed. I’m easy going on how it is implemented. 
Doesn’t actually seem to be much interest. Maybe it’s just me! Haha

The original concept of the "World-Wide Wagon" came from one or three of the Aussie contingent when it became known that a YMR model railway event was to be organised in Cornwall.  Although Matilda (named from the Aussie song "Waltzing Matilda") had made brief appearances on its donor's and other layouts the formal launch was at my Penhayle Bay layout when Iived near Melbourne.  The wagon was brought over by the South Australian visitors Sol and Max and was promptly sent on to its next destination which IIRC was way out west with young Marty.

Something like a year later Matilda arrived at the Carn Brea Leisure Centre in Cornwall and met with the British version, Winston, which had circulated many of the UK members' layouts which Matilda could not reach in the time.  I was also at Carn Brea (as was Marty) and brought along the Australian NR-class model loco which had hauled Matilda around Penhayle Bay.  Thus the loco and wagon were together at both launch and completion of a remarkable trip.  Somewhere I have photos of both events.


Robert (Bob) Heath, owner of YMR at the time, had intended to be at Carn Brea but was unable to attend at the last minute due to poor health.  He did manage to speak with some of us by phone during the event.  


I believe it was with common consent that the wagons were later sent to Bob for keeping in perpetuity and in gratitude for his management of YMR.  Sadly he passed away not so long afterwards.  I took a break from YMR for some time and missed any comments which might have noted the subsequent history of the wagons.  If they are still about then I still have the NR-class and a further get-together would be possible.


Is there scope for the same sort of thing to happen again?  I'm honestly not sure there is.  YMRC (the C from Club is a relatively recent addition) has lost a few key players from that time and the chances of ever having a two-day event occupying the large hall at a public venue must be slim given the logistics and costs involved.


But never say never.  Matilda the World Wide Wagon was a great idea and it worked.  It brought many of us together who had (and still have) never met face to face in a more personal way than posts to a forum.  Carn Brea wasn't altogether plain sailing but again it happened and it brought in a modest number of the paying public to see model railways even if they had not the slightest idea what the whole Matilda thing was all about.  It was fun at the time and it brought some of us literally around the world in support of the cause.    

The two wagons, actually before going to Bob Heath, did get displayed in the UK at the Exhibition YMRC organized at Camborne back in 2010. I still wear the T shirt.

It looks as though Sol and I posted at the same time.  And yes, I still wear the T-shirts.  It's usually the shirt of choice when I am giving my weathering demonstrations though I don't wear it at smaller club events when their members are in "uniform".

Both (I had two, one for each day at Carn Brea) are still in very good condition but are due to be superseded by new "Penhayle Weathering" shirts later this year as that is now the name I exhibit under.

Chris,you can read all about Matilda's travels if you look on the sidebar photos on the l/h side half way down.

Unfortunately all the posts and photos of Winstons travels were lost so there is no information available about him.

Peter was the co ordinator he had a map at home with red string on it showing where Winston and Matilda was traveling.

I think all involved at the time enjoyed the travels of both wagons and there were some very good and humorous posts made by members when they received either wagon.

The wagon thing certainly could be done again.


Brian

A previously-hidden story-telling creativity emerged among us with the wagon travels.

Matilda, an Australian-style livestock wagon, gained a sheep christened Sam the Ram quite early on in the saga.  We don't know to this day how Sam managed to cross so many international borders without a passport.  He mysteriously disappeared at one stage only to re-emerge later during Matilda's travels.

Then there was the Winter Olympics.  Matilda was in Canada during the event and participated in the ski-jump.

If ever you thought we took ourselves too seriously then pictures of a railway wagon piloted by a sheep performing a ski-jump surely caused even the hardest of nuts to crack a smile.

I found some photos on maxsouthoz gallery Jan 2010















From John Dew's gallery Feb 2010




   

there maybe more scattered through the gallery

That is fantastic. Looked like a good bit of fun

The story of Winston is not lost. I did a search and eventually found it, Winston(e) was mispelt in the thread title.

It is a very good read and a reminder of many members who are no longer around.

Winston

Perhaps this should also be put next to Matilda on the sidebar.

Enjoy

As some photos were on Photobucket,they have vanished but I think the first photo of Winston is on post #102 of the thread that Nick found.


and Matilda can be found here http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=5891&forum_id=12

I too have gone back into the archives and found a few pictures.  Firstly one of Max and myself at the official Matilda launch with a quite young Penhayle Bay layout still missing backscene and some other bits and pieces.  Max donated the wagon, I provided the traction and the crew car.  The brown van farther back in the train is another of Max's.  January 2010.



 The Australian NR-class loco was later brought over to the UK and is seen posed on the buffer of the class 57 loco which hauled the overnight train from Paddington to Penzance conveying Marty, his module, myself and the NR loco all bound for the Carn Brea show.  In a most unusual moment we set up Marty's module in the sleeping car compartment, placed the model train on it and - to the astonishment of the sleeping car attendant - actually managed to have a moving model train on board a moving full-sized train!



The NR loco was fitted with a special headboard for the Matilda launch which it carried for many months afterwards.  It was still firmly attached at Carn Brea as shown here on a visiting layout and, though not readily seen, hauling Matilda and Winston.  I still have both the loco and headboard though the latter came unstuck at some point and now lives in the box. 



And finally the Australian loco leads Matilda, Winston and the crew car on another of the exhibits at Carn Brea.  This train was posed on several layouts for photos and by the generosity of the owners was allowed to run on most of those.

Thanks for finding the thread Nick
Its a great read remembering how everyone enjoyed Winstons journey.

As you say sadly some of the contributors are no longer with us

Matilda`s and Winstons travels area good example of how if people contribute to a forum great things can come from it.


Brian