May 2023 Scottish Mini-meet

Was it really five years ago? The last time the two Scottish area groups of the 2mm Scale Association attempted to explain themselves to a select group of invitees was in Perth in April 2018. (The original Perth, Kevin, not the one in Western Australia).

High time then for a follow-on event. Public halls available for hire at pocket-money prices have become even less common than five years ago, so we were fortunate that the Edinburgh Society of Model Engineers stepped up with the offer of their large conference room for our 2023 Scottish mini-meet. This gave us space for eight layouts in various stages of development, two specialist traders, and two demo tables.

Alisdair Campbell's "Aucheidh" started life as a test track but then took on a life of its own as (according to the show guide) "a highly unlikely minor Highland Railway station somewhere near Granny's Hielan' Hame". Highly unlikely or not, an intensive train service of green locomotives and green-and-white coaches was to be seen:

Those who went camping or caravanning in 1970s Scotland may recall that "Granny's Hielan' Hame" was a real place not far from Dornoch. Perhaps they built it on the site of Aucheidh goods yard?

Andy Peggie's "Lomond Bridge" is a development of his N gauge layout based on elements of Leslie in Fife. Regauging is still under way.

Martin McIntosh only put saw to timber in late December, but his baseboards are ready for tracklaying in earnest with most turnouts already built from Finetrax kits. His terminus layout, "Cathkin Central", is inspired by the Cathcart Circle in Glasgow but with aspects of other locations added in to the mix. He had some of his Caledonian wagons, from member Jim Watt's Buchanan Kits range, in the goods yard.

A backdrop of low-relief tenements is planned and the first cutouts for these are propped against the back board.

 Simon Hadwin brought a couple of boards from his West Highland Mallaig Extension project - the station boards from Glenfinnan, now with track more or less complete - and a selection of stock including a 20-van fish train.

The Forth and Clyde group's own cameo project, intended as a conversation point for the 2mmSA Further North roadshow at exhibitions, was also on display. Alistair Mearns took the chance to measure up for the backscene he will paint for the layout.

FCAG member Jim Watt intended to bring "Kirkallanmuir" but had to withdraw at the last moment due to a "heavy general" repair at the NHS main works. The boilermakers did their job and outshopped him in good order but put him on gentle running-in turns for a few weeks. We missed him, and wish him a fast return to top-link duties.

The Grampian area group brought a section of Dunallander, their development of the late Neil Ballantyne's layout based on Dunblane near Stirling, with three of their members making the journey south to explain their work. Their blog has more details. A variety of locomotives were in their stock box.

 

The North East (of England!) Area Group provided 2mm finescale inspiration before the Scottish area groups got going, so it was fitting that two of their stalwart members brought their established layouts to the event.

Mick Simpson (who also had a "heavy general" recently, but who is happily back on main-line duties with his bone-crushing handshake intact) brought Callaton:

and Anthony Yeates brought Corrieshalloch, with stock from both HR and BR(ScR) periods:

The fiddle yard cassettes are worthy of note:

Chris Gough, who is well-known for his P4 layout "Cadhay Sidings", is also a FCAG member who in the past has given us some memorable demonstrations of his 2mm scale building techniques. He offers a complete layout design service as "Model Layout Services" and had brought some of his laser-cut baseboards along:

 

 

Martin Stewart, who modelled in 2mm for some years and had "Ketton Cement" on the exhibition circuit, now  runs his own design firm, "Architectural Railway Models", producing laser-cut and 3D printed building components in 2mm, 4mm and 7mm scale. His West Highland station elements are a particular delight for those who know the buildings: they capture their subtle textures better than we've seen elsewhere. He's used them on several of his own West Highland layouts.

All the shots below are of the 2mm versions, straight from the cutter or printer. The different media fit each other very precisely.

Martin is contactable on archrailwaymodels (at) gmail.com or 07536 677756 ... we hope to see him at FCAG meetings again when he can find time.

FCAG member James Batchelor was demonstrating various elements of getting started in 2mm scale, as well as the piezoelectric steam generation technology he is building into the P4 "Burntisland" layout:

 

Ray Nolton, another who works mostly in P4, had the next table to James.

Ray brought along his 1:144 ship models with a beautifully-observed diorama including 1:152 wagons. He was seen to depart with an Association starter kit, so we await furher developments with interest!

We had a healthy number of visitors from outside the 2mm scale fraternity - strong contingents from the N Gauge Society and the Scalefour Society's East of Scotland and West of Scotland groups, and individuals from the 3mm Society and of course from the larger scales favoured by ESME members. By mid-afternoon everyone had settled down to the kind of contented chat familiar from other Association mini-meets.

The event was certainly a success for the attendees, and we signed up a new member, paid our hall fee with something left over for local Area Group funds, and sold a good number of 2mmSA publications. Thanks to all the exhibitors, traders, demonstrators and visitors, to Alisdair Campbell for organisation, and not least to ESME for tolerating the 2mm folks. We look forward to the next event, hopefully this time sooner than five years away!

 

 

May 2023 Forth and Clyde Area Group meeting

The sun seems to have finally got its hat on in central Scotland so it was shirtsleeves and shorts for some attendees of this month's meeting, as usual at the Almondell premises of the Edinburgh Society of Model Engineers. Others, for whom experience overrode hope, stuck to their sweaters. The word "anorak" was heard, in its non-pejorative sense. But in the event, the weather stayed sweet and we were even able to eat our sandwiches outside at lunch-time.

Simon, Alisdair, Alistair, Andy, Graham and Martin (with James making a cameo appearance) spent the day largely on personal projects. There was also some organisational discussion of the Scottish minimeet next Saturday, 20th May. Not aware of this sensational event? Weel, ye ken noo. Set your sat-nav to EH52 5PF and turn up at 11.00am next Saturday with a fiver in your hand and we might even let you in.

A little more fettling was made to the Group Layout, Alisdair elbowing his way to the front of the queue of willing volunteers so he could check that the P.W. was up to his full-size standards at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway a twenty-minute drive away. Did we mention that the B&K is running a steam timetable on May 20th and 21st? Another reason to visit the area.

The lump of wood on the track is in fact a test vehicle (prompting the inevitable gags about timber traffic and one-plank wagons) which was propelled by finger through the turnouts to see whether it stayed on the track now the turnout operating units are linked up. One slight kink was found in the curved road of a point and adjusted slightly with the soldering iron.

Since last month, a bank of slide switches has appeared at one end of the layout (top left of the next photo):

These change the polarity of the turnout crossings while simultaneously operating the wire-in-tube drive to the TOUs hidden below. As mentioned last month, the turnout at the far end of the baseboard resisted attempts to be operated directly by wire in tube, so an operating rod in the form of two bicycle spokes and a bell crank was added to transfer a more positive drive. One of the baseboard bracing struts also had to be moved. Our experience is that the Association TOUs are slightly more flexible than expected, so that it helps to secure them at both ends to ensure motion is not lost through flexing.

Meanwhile in the background, Graham made a further slow progress with an Association etched kit for an LNWR van, bought on a whim at the Derby expo. The bottle contains liquid rosin flux: the needle turned out to be a bad idea, since it delivers far too much rather than the small drop required, but in any case it blocked solid after first use. A length of wire with a flattened end for dipping would work better and make much less mess.

Simon was busy with 2mm scale boats:

Martin had a Worsley Works LMS non-corridor 57' carriage under construction, as a temporary stopgap until he decides how to tackle the prototypical LMS 52' stock he will need for his Cathcart Circle-inspired layout:

Andy was working on turnouts for his layout which is scheduled to be at Almondell on show next week: will he, won't he be ready:

Alistair was working on the backscene for the shed layout. (Maybe we should call it "Mearns Shed" ... geddit). All that was missing was his beret.

And so another meeting drew to an end and we went our separate ways. We hope to see as many of you as possible next Saturday for the mini-meet!

April 2023 Forth and Clyde Area Group Meeting

Throughout Central Scotland, the sound of scurrying feet could be heard last Saturday. "What could be causing such a commotion?" was the cry from the worried populace. Was the End of The World nigh? Truly scary times, what with the sky having mysteriously darkened the previous afternoon. However, thankfully, in due course the said populace was able to heave sighs of relief. (Point to ponder - why are sighs of relief always so heavy as to require heaving, as opposed to gently lifting?) 

Of course, those cognoscenti wot read this blog, will already have been aware that it was the second Saturday of the month, when the scurrying feet are sure to be those of the keen members of Forth and Clyde Area Group of the Two Millimetre Scale Association making their way to their monthly conventicle at Almondell.

This month, the numbers were slightly down, due, no doubt to the fashion of taking holidays around Easter time. For those errant members, such backsliding will result in a period using the Blunt Scalpel of Repentance at the next meeting. Yese have been warned! However, the Faithful were represented by only 2 Als, but two J's along with solitary examples of a Simon, a Nigel, an Andy and, back for a second time, Stuart, groping towards the light.

More home sledgehammer work had been undertaken over the preceding month, with nearly all the track on the Group demo layout laid:

 

Nigel and Jim duly got to work on making switches on the turnouts operational, by linking up the already installed Turnout Operation Units (Association 3D printed, for youse nosey wans) with double throw single pole switches by rod in tube. 

Successful, except for the one at the entrance to the coaling stage (the nearest on in the photo above), with the run proving too long and convoluted to allow satisfactory working. Thoughts will be garnered as to how to sort this out - probably involving a stretch of rod with crank. Once that is done, we can run stock over the track using the Hand of God, as leccy has yet to be introduced, to start checking the trackwork. The next stage will be wiring, after which we can get on with the full track check.

 

There was some discussion over the best way of attaching the backscene, which will have to be removable to allow the layout to be packed away. Not yet sorted out, but some ideas were starting to formulate. Inspired by this discussion, Al the Artist was sketching away at some possibilities for the backscene:

Meanwhile, Simon had brought along an American N Gauge train (whit!) to run on the ESME layout. It chuntered its way round very effectively nearly getting some words of admiration. At least the gauge is correct for scale, with it being American N. But, still, that sort of apostasy needs to be stamped out, before it gets hold of his soul...

However, he is not totally lost to perdition, as he had brought along (yet more) fish vans being built to the One True Scale which he was bringing to fruition:

New chap, Stuart, was progressing his mill building, which he had brought along last week. He was applying acrylic paint to it to simulate the millstone grit with which the prototype was constructed. It was coming up a treat with some subtle variations bringing it to life. Unfortunately, the subtlety doesn't show in the photo below:

 Andy, who is in the throes of converting his extant N gauge layout to 2FS, had brought along some lengths of Easitrak into which he was threading rails, using his Great Rail Threading Machine (patent pending) :

Lastly, although I have been trying not to reveal the shame of it, one of our members just sat at his table and got steaming with a piece on electric chips. (Ahhh! Piece on chips! Magic!)

Fear not though, gentle reader, for it was not the sort of steaming which is all too common in the West on a Saturday, but the creation of water vapour by magic, by means of a sort of electronic gizmo, apparently called a piezo-electric chip (must get my hearing checked), creating steam and the subsequent water vapour, from water drawn up via an absorbent cylinder in the bottle below:

Why this madness? Well, James is a two-timer who is also involved in the 4mm East of Scotland mob's magnum opus, Burntisland. Apparently, he is hoping to use it to bring some atmosphere to the loco roundhouse. Your scribe is amazed at the things some can do with volts.

Anyway, that's it until next month, when we will meet on the 13th May. That's only one week before the World Famous Scottish 2mm Association Mini-meet also being held at Almondell. An event not to be missed. Be there or be a equal sided rectangle.

March 2023 Forth and Clyde Area Group meeting

Maybe the threatened bad weather had something to do with the reduced turnout. Andy, Alistair, Alisdair, Graham, Chris, new member Stuart, and curious visitor Jack met at the usual Almondell venue for a show-and-tell session. The ESME clubroom was snug and warm in spite of the hard frost outside.

The group diorama is making progress: most of the track is down and the final turnout - on the coaling bench siding - was to be laid today.

Chris has been working on his Raithby 4F. The boiler is now attached to the frames.

Andy has been prepping his old N gauge layout for the forthcoming Further North open day. The N gauge has been torn up, Easitrack has been laid, and ballasting commenced. He was working on turnouts.

Stuart, who joined the Association at the Glasgow show last weekend, showed us his first attempt at a model building, and very impressive it was too - a mill from the Calder Valley ... no, not the one in South Lanarkshire, the Calder Valley in England deep in L&Y territory.

The exterior walls overlays are from 1.5mm mounting board, with stomework scored on with a knife.

The overlays are then used as templates to locate the window openings on a shell of 1mm clear acrylic sheet covered with a white film which is cut away slightly smaller than the template (by drawing with a point slightly offset from the overlay cutout) to represent windows with reveals.

Glazing bars are then drawn on by ruling pen in dilute acrylic paint. The walls are joined with pipe welding cement from Screwfix. The base has an extra couple of centimetres depth so it can be sunk into the surrounding scenery. Pretty impressive for a first structure model!

Graham talked about 3D roof design and printing for Jim Watt's impressive Caledonian Railway 12-wheeler Edinburgh-Glasgow coaches.

Alisdair explained how he built a stone bridge destined for Laurie Adams' Yeovil Pen Mill layout. The dressed ashlar slabs are represented be SE Finecast styrene sheet, chopped up and laid in strips to overcome its rather obvious step-repeat pattern. The voussoirs (Alisdair speaks French to impress us when Scotstoun is out of earshot, but apparently these are the stones in the arch outside face) are in raised relief formed by applying drops of life-expired thick Easitrac glue with a cocktail stick to the centre of each hand-carved stone. Three or four coats are used with ten minutes between each - just time to have another cocktail.

It has to be said it's a nice model. How will we keep Alisdair focused on the Highland now he has discovered the Great Western?

That's it for this month, thanks for reading.