The hardest part was getting people to understand that you had to book and pay three months ahead to secure your ticket. In their minds that was a future thing so it couldn't possibly be an issue now.
I was tempted to just get a bulk discount and put it all on the credit card, but I am glad I didn't.
We had to move that trip back a week because people just hadn't given me their money and all the original tickets were gone.
But the final nail in the coffin was in the week leading up to our trip when all the ones who hadn't given me their money contacted me expecting that I would still have spare tickets for them
Maybe time heals all wounds, or do we just simply forget? After all last time we did have a good time. So in the end as I understood how it worked I sensed that I was the one who was going to have to do it.
I saw Hugo at Bluestone 2012 and he recommended one of the Mr Black and Blues special trains on the last weekend of May 2013. It was their CD launch plus the ticket included a copy of the CD and a $50 voucher for a future trip.
It was mid January when I checked the upcoming shows and availability of tickets. Even though it was 5 months away tickets were going fast so I would need to get it all moving.
Friends of mine from around the street wanted to come too so the numbers were growing.
I had been told I would be able to a group booking then everyone has 3 days to pay for there own ticket, but because of the way Ticketek prevents spam it was just not going to work so I would still be collecting the money.
I just didn't want the stress so decided to get everyone to book their own. Sent everyone the link to 'Buy Tickets' with the date and the carriage. No group booking nor no discount.
As I was to find, this was still was fraught with danger.
Like last time everyone I spoke to wanted to come, but again, it was getting people to understand that they had to purchase their tickets now to get on board.
In the end I just had to be philosophical. Everybody had the details and if they acted on them, well and good, otherwise they miss out.
The disadvantage was not knowing who had actually bought tickets, but after about two weeks I had a fairly good idea of who actually was coming.
Looking at the numbers coming from my street, plus the Badges, I decided to book a bus, so we could enjoy ourselves without worrying about driving. LOL, collecting money again!
When I added up the bus numbers it came to 11 which was the capacity of the bus, which seemed good, but something was not quite right.
Then Yon from across the road turned up at the door with their bus money and I knew what it was. I checked the bus list and they were not on it; shit!
A quick call to Bellarine Taxis established that it would cost around $25 each way from here to Queenscliff so that was OK.
Things went fairly smoothly and the only request for an extra ticket was for Darren and Lisa' friend Karen, visiting from England.
Stephen had a spare ticket and decided to invite Karen to be his date for the night, so she now had a ticket.
All was well till about 2:30pm on the day, then the phone started ringing; the Badges wanted to know if Ross could crash here and come on the bus? No worries.
Hardly had I put the phone down and Stephen rang because Ray and Lee were asking how we all were getting there? Oh no! I had assumed because the bus had been discussed so many times that they were getting there under their own steam.
Now there was too many for a one cab, I tried getting a maxi cab instead but it was shear lunacy trying to deal with the idiosyncrasies of the Geelong Taxi Network. In the end I fluked it through to the Maxi Cab people, but it was already booked.
That meant booking a second cab.
It all settled down again until just after 5pm which Darren appeared at my door enquiring after their tickets. I was a bit stunned. An hour to go, are the wheels about to fall off?
I asked if he had them? No. Is Lisa at home? No. Well go home and find her, she will have them, she is a woman.
The Badges have arrived and all seems well again, but we are a little anxious that Ross hasn't arrived yet. You can get very lost if you haven't been here before. We have had to go and rescue people who have ended down around Aireys Inlet looking for us!
People are arriving, then a bus and two cabs arrive and everyone wants to know what is going on. It is all becoming a bit chaotic.
Suddenly Darren appears. He has found his confirmation email and which says he was supposed to pick up his tickets at the booking office in Geelong but it is now too late and closed. It got frantic, but in the end I just said jump on and we will sort it all out with Hugo when we get there.
Counts and checks done, Stephen and I jumped in the remaining cab and we were all on our way.
 |
| Gathering in anticipation at the Queenscliff Railway Station [Photo: Og Bear] |
Hugo, who refutes that he is the 'Fat Controller', read the rules explaining how far you would be walking if you failed to obey them. But, he said that despite all of this we were to have a gay time.
We were called carriage by carriage for dinner and being cold it was nice to have a hot roast dinner this time. Still no tables, but once in the carriage we found trays which made a big difference!
 |
| Edward Badge with John Lamp on the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
I introduced Jan and Edward to John who exclaimed in surprise, "the famous Badges!"
 |
| Spare time to check the loco hauling the train out [Photo: Og Bear] [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Darren inspecting the steam locomotive [Photo: Og Bear] |
Soon it was time to board the train for our journey.
With the Blues Train there is a band in each carriage, and each carriage has a different setup, such as carriage D being the dance carriage. At each carriage you move to the next one so you see all the bands.
Our starting carriage was B, therefore the sequence would be B, C, D & A.
 |
| Blues Train perennial, Stringybark McDowell, has traveled all the way bay from South Australia to play [Photo: Og Bear] [Photo: Og Bear] |
Surprisingly Stringy behaved himself well considering his usual aplomb.
As he played we all laughed and got to know one another and soon we were pulling in to the Suma Park Siding. Was good to see improvements such as toilets and covered area with table and chairs.
 |
| Stringybark and Glenn are early starters on the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Edward and Julie at Suma Park Siding Stop [Photo: Og Bear] |
We resumed our journey, but this time in carriage C. This time it was with Anni Piper and band who were starting on their second set at the end of the carriage.
 |
| Anni Piper playing on the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| There is always one in every crowd [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Karen and Lisa with Anni Piper on the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
Anni gave us a good performance and the band seemed quite stable despite the rocking and moving of the carriage on the ricketty narrow gauge rails.
 |
| Edward Jan & Ross on the Drysdale Platform with the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Darren, Edward and Jan on the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Catfish Voodoo playing on the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Chris, Darren and Janice on the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
Those who were still with us were slightly inebriated by now and we more inclined to enjoy themselves by getting up and moving with the band.
Things were moving quickly and it was now all becoming a blur as we arrived back at Suma Park Siding for another break and to change for our final carriage and band.
 |
| Og and Darren on the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| David & Michelle on the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Karen and Stephen on the Blues Train [Photo: Og Bear] |
Everyone appeared to be quite sedate, a bit tired from partying too much as we pulled into the Queenscliff Railway Station.
We stumbled off and made our way out into the car park.
We had to wait a while for the bus to return from delivering another group of passengers before taking our lot back whence we came.
In the meantime I packed Ray and Lee off in a cab back to their place.
We were all a bit quite as we left the bus, making our way back to our homes, some of us with our guests.
Those at my place, Ross, Jan and Edward Badge and myself reminisced for a few hours more.
Over all I think we all had a fabulous night.
[Og Bear]
Og Bear Profiles:
http://www.facebook.com/ogbear
https://plus.google.com/102935184649222300700/postsFor more photos go to:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200541837241312.1073741827.1019809405&type=3
https://picasaweb.google.com/OgBear/BluesTrain2013#For a slideshow go to:
https://picasaweb.google.com/OgBear/BluesTrain2013#slideshow/
POSTSCRIPT:
Initially we had the choice of Friday or Saturday night.
I caught up with Chris Wilson at the Blues Club on Sunday night and he was telling me that Saturday night's train got a few hundred metres from the Queenscliff station when the loco broke down!
It took an hour and a half to sort it out and replace it with a diesel loco and resume there journey.
He said it was pandemonium.
I wonder if the bands kept playing?
