Today 27th April 2018 marks the 50th anniversary that KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) opened its first store in Australia in Guildford Sydney's western suburbs. I was only just over a year old and wouldn't remember it. However, I had fond memories of going to KFC as a young child in the early 1970s and always wanted to have a KFC outlet on my layout.
Mid 1970s KFC ad
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| My KFC diorama as a tribute to 50 years in Australia today |
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| Opening of Guildford store - Source: https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/04/26/14/00/kfc-australia-50-years-anniversary |
Childhood memories
Most times we would visit KFC on a Sunday or Saturday late afternoon as we lived during the weekdays at Bondi Beach where my parents had a restaurant and then go back to our family home at Belmore over the weekend. There was no M5 motorway in the early 1970s so my dad would drive to Bondi via Homer St Earlwood, where we would ask if we could go there to pick up KFC and we would eat in our light blue Holden Kingswood station wagon as there were no tables and chairs back then.
My favourite menu item was the snack box with potato and gravy as well as the coleslaw. I remember they also had roasted BBQ chicken but we were never fans and enjoyed the original KFC with 11 herbs and spices a time before the hot and spicy.
Modelling my memories
If you go around most train shows you will bound to see the Life Like KFC kit built on a layout. Whilst the kit is great as the first version of the KFC store and is still widely available, the one thing I did not like was the carpark and footprint which did not resemble anything in Australia.
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| Above: Opened kit ready for building and kit bashing.
Modifications
Instead of building the kit as is I had reduce the size of the back kitchen in order to fit in the space I had on my layout.
I also added both interior and external LED lights. The carpark was enlarged to what I remembered it at Earlwood and I also made the bucket rotate.
The rotating bucket is a source of trial and error and I have installed one motor but the rpm appears to fast. I have tried to slow it down with resistors but it did not help. I have ordered a 3rpm motor so hopefully that would look more realistic.
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Above is the finished model with all lights lite next a competing fast food outlet that never last.
See my previous post. http://innerwesthoscale.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/hurry-on-down-to-hartees-where-burgers.htm
Attached is the bucket finally rotating
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bib3OnynlhC/
Attached is the bucket finally rotating
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bib3OnynlhC/
50 years on KFC is not the same as I remembered it the servings are smaller. I still like the mashed potato and gravy and the coleslaw but feel disappointed after having it. I just have to yearn for those good old times. For those wanting to live the past here are some old KFC commercials on You Tube
First Australia KFC TV ADMid 1970s KFC ad
