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With the heavens threatening we departed Mcdonalds on the M4 westbound around 8.30am. 5 Toranas (1 LC, 3 LJ and 1 LX) a Holden Ute and a Toyota 86 (yes Donnahs car is still broken) headed for the Mulgoa road exit. Unusually for this run Pete and Daniel actually made it to the meeting point without getting lost and Sandy had turned up on time and by himself…..strange days.
It was only a short trip to the museum of fire located at the old Penrith power station just past Panthers. Outside the museum the working truck show was in full swing. A Beatles tribute band was rockin the joint with a string of covers, Kids screaming and laughing on the carnival rides and a bevy of Trucks ,Static engines and utes.
Most were gleaming looking better than they did when they rolled off the production line. I say most because there were a few there that I believe have not been washed since new and new was 1941! I’d like to know since when was moss and lichen considered a paint finish? A few standouts were a very nice Chevy C20 big blocked supercharged nitrous equipped truck with rear meat usually at home on a top fuel dragster. I can only assume it is used for “line marking”. The second just stood out. It was a bright pink tractor, talk about pimp my tractor……liberachie style! (see pictures)
$15.00 covered show and museum entry so it was off inside to check out the fire engines. The museum was smaller than I thought (being in such a large building) but what was there was quality over quantity with every thing well restored and laid out from the beginnings of fire fighting with a display of turn of the century hand pumped horse drawn carts right up to a relatively modern 1990’s Dennis fire engine.
Did you know that tail shafts can explode in the event of a car fire? Neither did I. There was one on display or more like what was left of oneAs the group gathered out the front ready for a bus ride Simon and his Daughter Lily arrived they had waited at Mcdonalds for any late comers and for Lily to have a few go’s on the slippery slide (there was a mix up on departure times better to be safe than sorry).We all piled onto the Bus, it was an old 60’s double decker.The trip took about ten minutes but took some members back years. Let me just say there were more than a few members telling stories about riding on these buses (not just Dave).
Returning to the truck show Al Stratton appeared for a look see so again it was time to have look around and listen to a bit of comedy courtesy of the musician on stage (can’t think of his name) he kept himself looking young with oil of ‘Boourban’ (say it like oil of ulan). He asked if anybody else was from Penrith…..because he was looking for a lift home plus many other one liners, he was quite entertaining.
By now it was 12.00 and bellies were rumbling so it was over the road to the Peach Tree Inn for some lunch and a refreshing beverage. The meals were well priced and delicious. Lily managed to spill her ‘memonade’ in to the lap of Jurgen luckily for him he narrowly missed out on a 40 minute drive home with wet undies only suffering a slightly wet knee.
Lunch finished and with nobody having any luck with the meat tray we headed our separate ways only to see about 2 minutes later an orange LC in the servo bonnet up and Craig starring into it. Jurgen (still suffering from a wet knee) and Simon pulled over to help with a rescue mission which turned out to be an empty hydraulic clutch reservoir and a leaking line, quick repairs were made and it was off home. Thankfully with no other problems and weather holding off. In the door by 3.00pm after an enjoyable day.
Report and pics by Simon
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