We’re nearly at August, and the good news is that the Blues Train rolls again!
The Blues Train took a much needed and deserved winter break for June and July before its brand new season kicks off on Saturday August 5. Tickets for the new season have been on sale for a while and might be in short supply, but for us locals, there are a few tricks we can do.
It’s also the time to think about and start booking the all important Christmas party. Why not have a Christmas party everyone will love? The Blues Train can cater for groups from 2 – 200, head to the website for more details.
But first, and I know it’s hard to believe, but there are still a few people out there who don’t know how the things works, so let’s recap.
The driving force behind The Blues Train is Hugo T. Armstrong, who has been promoting and organising music and events in our region for quite a few years now. By the way, buy him a beer and ask what the “T” stands for, you won’t be disappointed.
Anyhow, think of a steam locomotive and four carriages, well five really, and that’s an important distinction! The musical journey will take you from Queenscliff to Drysdale and back, starting at 6:30pm and returning by 11:30pm.
The evening starts with a meal before you set off on the trip. When you get your ticket, it will have on it a carriage ID – either A, B, C or D. Carriage A and C have dining tables, Carriage B means you are eating off your laps, and Carriage D (for “dance”) has pretty much no seating, and you’ll be eating on the station before you leave.
The more astute of you will have noted that there are four carriages, and by stopping half way at Suma Park when going up and back, there are four segments to the journey.
At the Suma Park and Drysdale stops, everyone moves up a carriage. That means everyone gets a chance to dance and to hear all the artists booked for the trip.
You also need to know about the all important fifth carriage – the bar! The bar is in the all important fifth car, which can only be accessed at the stops. It has a range of beers, wines and spirits, including local products.
But what is the local advantage? Well, the proverbial happens, and often people buy tickets and then find they cannot make it down. The Blues Train has a ticket exchange, a much more civilised process than turning up at the platform hoping there will be some desperate punter trying to offload tickets at the last minute.
That puts us locals in a much better position to make it down.
You can find details of the Blues Train at thebluestrain.com.au
Oh yes, “Gunzel (noun, slang Australia): A person who pursues useless and pointless railway enthusiast activities.” And I mean that in the nicest way!
Written by John Lamp
Image by Michael Renga
