Deals on Wheels #469
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W<br />
Brisbane Metro RC Truck<br />
and C<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> Club<br />
owner Chris Leech<br />
Even the little man in the<br />
truck is highly detailed<br />
ith poor mental and physical health<br />
of truck drivers <strong>on</strong>e of the big issues<br />
facing the industry, small respite from<br />
the road can be found in the form of radio<br />
c<strong>on</strong>trolled trucks, and they aren’t just for<br />
kids anymore.<br />
The Brisbane Metro RC Truck and<br />
C<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> Club is a collecti<strong>on</strong> of<br />
individuals who share the passi<strong>on</strong> of<br />
building, modifying and creating in 1:14<br />
scale. And it’s not just trucks either, with<br />
the club boasting a ‘mini city’ display at the<br />
2021 Brisbane Truck Show with trucks, cars,<br />
machinery and buildings all c<strong>on</strong>forming to<br />
the scale with the usual transport-centred<br />
sprawl of depot, quarry and petrol stati<strong>on</strong><br />
giving the display a life-like feel. There’s even<br />
a doughnut shop for the cops to hang out at.<br />
“People who’ve come up to us here at the<br />
truck show are all impressed by the scale of<br />
everything," says club owner Chris Leech.<br />
"The detail, the lights <strong>on</strong> the trucks and the<br />
sounds they make, it’s all pretty realistic."<br />
Looking at the display it really is like a<br />
world in miniature with a loading dock<br />
complete with pallets of oil drums being<br />
loaded via a remote c<strong>on</strong>trolled forklift<br />
<strong>on</strong>to a trailer, which then takes the load<br />
to another destinati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
But it’s the light and sound element<br />
that bring it to life – the beep of the truck<br />
reversing, the simulated pneumatic hiss of<br />
air brakes, even the blare of a truck air horn<br />
is replicated.<br />
It’s easy to see why the hobby is massive<br />
overseas, especially in Northern European<br />
countries like Sweden and Norway where<br />
the weather doesn’t allow a lot of outside<br />
activity, as those countries enjoy large RC<br />
truck shows (pre-Covid anyway) and big<br />
membership numbers in clubs.<br />
While Australia has hundreds of RC clubs<br />
catering to cars and off-road buggies, RC<br />
truck clubs are not as supported but that is<br />
something the Brisbane Metro club wants to<br />
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