Jump to content

Launceston Slot Car Club


Terry

Recommended Posts

Terry you have provided Dennis and I a reason to have a trip down memory lane.

He did not start racing while this track was still running but was friends with the late Brian Riley,he also new "Bert" Marquart,who went on to run a commercial track.

 

The track mentioned above was located in Macquarie House and the track was often refered to as Cameron St.When I started to visit Launceston the track had been moved, BUT I did get to drive on it when it was in a chicken house at John Brocks House. The track used strips of lead as the conductors!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That was fascinating Terry. I think I went there once as a spectator as a relation from the west coast of Tassie (Linda Valley) was driving there on a visit. I lived in Tassie fro 54 years before moving to SA. This sent me back to my very young days. I used to go to the room underneath a shop just down from the library, where most of the cars were VIP. I later raced at Magnet Court in Sandy Bay. I would be intereted if there is any one out there who remembers those venues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Littleshark:

I would assume that your relation would be Tim Bonney, only one I know from Linda that raced slot cars.

The original track mentioned above would Pre date Tim's involvement with TASSCRA.

I think it was about 1967 when he became involved.

You may have also seen this track it was at the Queenstown Recreation Hall.

Queenstown1967_zps17e9541c.jpg

 

The track you visited near the Library was Hobby Lobby, if it had VIP cars it was one of Bert's first two tracks, he later built a 1/24 track in that basement, I ran the track on Fridays and Saturdays.

 

I don't have pics of that one BUT this is Magnet Court about 1966.

 

image0.jpg

Edited by kalbfellp
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't want to drift too far off this topic but with the mention of VIP cars I had to post this silly little story.......

 

I started slot cars probably around 1964, my local toy/hobby shop at Fairfield Heights sold a few slot cars and as I had just about done all I could with the Scaley set at home I started to press my nose up against the glass display cabinet in the shop, the owner,Ray Tiley, started to get me interested in club racing,he was part of a group that raced on a newly built club track at the Cabramatte Police Boys Club, his group had secured the use of a room there to house the track, and the pay off was giving the boys from the Police Boys a run 1 night per week,club members supervised the chaos!

 

Ray insisted that my scaley cars were not going to cut it at the club nights and he recommended a VIP Club Special,I think I get a Cooper,my new pride and joy!

 

When I did venture into this new race scene I found my VIP just okay but in no way was it a match for the 4WD Mercedes for MRRC, that car was way beyond my building skills at the time. Still, I was pretty happy with the VIP.

 

At this same time I was putting in a day a week at the Sydney Tech College and ,with a mate, we would pop into town after tech to taste the after dark delights of down town Sydney, it just so happened that we stumbled onto a commercial track set up in Castlereigh St, just down form the Mandarin Club, I made the rather audacious statement that I had a rocket of a slot car at home and we would come back for a run next week.

 

Well it goes without saying that my VIP was no match for anything, being swamped by the hire cars and making me feel very dejected,I couldn't wait to get back to Rays shop and get me one of those "can" motored cars, I got me a Cox 1/32(we only ran 1/32 cars), and had a ball!

 

Anyway just a silly little story of a starry eyed misguided pup.

 

Things haven't changed that much!

 

Terry

Edited by terry
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Isn't nostalgia great, especially as you get older. Phil, Tim Bonney married my cousin. Before the track in Queenstown, he had an incredibly compact 1/24 track in the shed behind his father in law's house in Linda. I think there were only two houses there at that stage. I only ever drove on the early Hobby Lobby track - Scalextric track I think. Thank you for sharing the Magnet Court track. It was a great favourite of mine, racing a Tamiya Lotus 40 - 1/24 of course. Times have changed. I now live north of Burra in SA, with no known slot fan within 50 km at least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys

 

I raced at Gilmores track regularly when it was in George Street Launceston, I remember three commercial tracks in town at this stage; Tamar Street, Wellington Street and Gilmores. All 24th scale, am now using 1/32 on various MDF home tracks in Launceston.

Edited by russgail1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't remember the track in Wellington St, But did race at Gilmores a lot as John Brock worked there, Bert Marquart was co owner of Tamar St. All 1/24 of course.

The slot scene has certainly changed with now strong racing centered around 1/32 home tracks.

But great to look back on those days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

... It was a great favourite of mine, racing a Tamiya Lotus 40 - 1/24 of course. Times have changed. I now live north of Burra in SA, with no known slot fan within 50 km at least.

Hi Littleshark,

Yes times have changed but some things are still going. Next week there'll be a full field of Tamiyas on track as one of the races of the Adelaide Grand Prix weekend.

Wade

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi to all those contributing to this topic.

 

As relayed to Phil I became involved with Launceston Slot Car Club around 1970 and raced with two of the LSCC founders. Kept in touch with Brian Reilly until he passd away 6 or 7 years ago.

 

The track at Linda (West Coast Tassie) was amazing. We called it the Linda Loop because it had two 360-degree turns that spiralled up. Lane lengths differed by about 3 metres from inside to outside I think. The shed was like Dr Who's TARDIS - from the outside you couldn't believe that Tim B could fit so much track inside! Last caught up with his wife in the mid-90s in the Burnie area.

 

The 'Wellington Street' track in Launceston was called South Pacific Mini Raceway and was run by a bloke named Warren. Caught up with him a few years ago when were members of the same bowls club.

 

Dennis

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 years later...

Hi I'm visiting from Qld sunshine coast and race slotcars at home on Six  pvte tracks.But grew up in western suburbs.  at around 10 yrs old i used to go to exibition pk at Ashfield up the road from Peek Freens biscuit factory and buy Vip cars from Hobbyco in george st city opp Anthony Hordens and either buy the bits and make the chassis and Airfix plastic body kits or buy Vip. I still have a few vip  which i have bought since. A great hobby and one you can do till a ripe old age we race 1/32 and also 1/24 which i prefer. So good to communicate with like minded individuals  thanks 

regards  Peter Lacey  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Peter,

It might be a bit late if you have already made plans for Saturday 18th, but as Phil mentioned we are having a Race-meet at the 'Legana Seca' track tomorrow.

Legana is a satellite suburb of Launceston about 15 km north of the city via the West Tamar Highway.

The track opens for practice at 12 noon and racing will start around  1 pm.

I'm quite happy for you to send a PM (personal message) to provide details and directions.

I'm sure I could arrange a couple of 'loaner' cars if you fancied having a run.

Den.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

There is a good group in the area, racing 1/32 on a routed wood track.

Search “ Shed Slot Racers”. Joe Watusi, on Face Book.

or PM “Big Den” on this Forum.


Private Group so you will have to contact them.

Race most Friday nights and Saturdays once a month.

Edited by kalbfellp
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Kabookie

As Phil mentioned the 'Shed Slot Racers' is a private group that communicates to members via Facebook. I am an Administrator for the group so feel free to apply for membership

We had our last race-meeting for 2023 last night (Friday Dec 8th) but will resume racing early in 2024.

Racing is usually on a Friday night with one Saturday meet every month. The track is 3 lanes with computerised lap-counting and timing systems. We run three (3) 1:32 scale races  each meet - our 'core' classes are Slot.It DTM and Group C LeMans cars, Revoslot under 2 litre, and GT2, and open LMP/GT1 class  which can include cars from most of the 'performance' manufacturers e.g. Slot.It, Revoslot, NSR with one or two Avant Slot and Spirit brand cars occasionally turning up.

The track is located at Legana, only takes 15 minutes to get there from the city.

If you want to ease yourself into 1:32 scale racing I have some Carrera and Ninco track available.

As Phil suggested send me a Private Message via Auslot to establish contact.

Den

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Members

    No members to show

  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      4,981
    • Most Online
      1,324

    Newest Member
    BS Slot Cars
    Joined
×
×
  • Create New...