Brisbane Bayside Steam Railway Society Inc.
Party Information Sheet
So you've enjoyed your rides on the
trains and are thinking that it would be great to hold a birthday party with
us. Here is some information to help you with your
decision
and hopefully answer all of your questions! If it
doesn't, please either ask us personally or contact us – our details are below.
Areas
We have three areas available for your party. See the sketch attached. Picnic Shelter: This is our most popular area. Fully covered and concreted, and easily accesible, including by wheelchairs. Several park-bench style seats, but no tables. You are most welcome to bring your own! 5 Inch Station: Popular with parents of younger children, this area is fully-fenced (note: temporary fencing is installed in one section as needed each day). However, access to this area is across the tracks, so parental supervision is required in this regard. A simple Red/Green light is controlled by the Signalman, providing an indication of a safe time to cross. The busier we are, the longer you might have to wait! Covered and concreted, with a small grassed area as well. Beside Canteen: The name says it all! Open air, and on the grass. This is normally the last area to fill, but the opportunities are endless. Best in drier weather! Please note the whole park including the picnic areas are alcohol free zones.
Times
We
have two times available. 9:30am 'till 12:30pm, and 1:30pm 'till 3:30pm. These
times aren't set in stone, but we've found that they work well. The first train
starts at 10am, so the 9:30 start allows you to set up for your party. Tell
your guests to arrive at 10. Most parties are winding down after a couple of hours,
so to enable another party to use the area in the afternoon, we ask that you aim
to be finished by about 12:30 or so. If your kids are a bit older, why not book
a party in the afternoon? Setup from about 1pm, depending on when the previous
party (if applicable) is finished. We have found that we are generally quieter in
the afternoon, so the Afternoon parties generally have less of a wait, if any,
to ride the trains.
Riding the trains
The
whole point of the party! Please note that proper shoes are required to ride on
our trains. No Thongs or Sandals! Please remember to include this on the invitations.
Kids will be kids, so for the safety of the children in your party, we ask that
at least one Adult from the party rides on each train with any children under
six. Preferably one Adult per carriage. It is important for all passengers to
disembark the trains off the station side of the carriages. Trains run through
the station on the mainline, and they can't stop in a hurry! Please watch your
children. This is especially important for those holding parties in the 5 Inch
Station. Climb off the train on the Left-hand side, and
wait until it is clear to cross the tracks.
Costs
Well,
that's the safety side of things taken care of. So now you are probably wondering
what all this is going to cost you! Parties are $6 per child, with a minimum of
ten children (or $60). The children get a stamp on the back of their hand, and
this allows them to ride the trains as many times as they like during your
visit. All the parents in the party ride the trains for free! As far as
catering goes, it is BYO. We sometimes have a Canteen set up, which sells
Sausages in Bread and cold drinks etc. We cannot guarantee that the canteen will
be set up, as the Ladies sometimes have other commitments! When the canteen is
un-available, our BBQ is available for you to use for $10. Please check
with
us first. You are most welcome to bring along your own BBQ, Tables and chairs
and anything else you can think of. We do have a couple of plastic tables that
are used
in
the canteen, which can be borrowed on the days when the Canteen isn't running.
Bookings
So
now you know about us, you'll want to book a party! There are several ways – The
easiest is to call Robert and Lorelle on (07) 3393 3176. They can also be contacted
via email at info@brisbanebaysidesteamrailway.com.au
If you get no answer, feel free to contact Gordon on 0427 893 404, or
via email at gordonjedwards@bigpond.com
. He can check availability
with Robert and Lorelle and get back to you. You can also find us on Facebook.
Search for "Brisbane Bayside Steam Railway". Otherwise, just come
along on one of our Running Days and speak to one of our members in the Ticket
Box. They can normally take bookings on the spot, if we aren't too busy selling
tickets!
When you get here
When
you arrive for your Party, please come and find one of
our members before setting up! This is to make sure that your party is set up
in the correct area, and that you know what to do when your guests are ready to
ride the trains.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If
you've read this far, thanks! Please feel free to contact us with any queries,
or suggestions. We hope to see you down at the Brisbane Bayside Steam Railway soon!
info@brisbanebaysidesteamrailway.com.au
Train rides on 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month from 10am to 4pm.