April 2026 Forth and Clyde Area Group meeting

Our April meeting took place at Almondell on a sunny but cool Spring morning. Jim, James, Alistair, Alastair, Alasdair, Simon, Stuart, Graham, John, Angus and Andy worked away on their individual projects.

Stuart was adding livery details to 16T mineral wagons, using Woodland Scenics dry transfers to add the end-door loading stripes.

He'd finished quite a few by the end of the afternoon.

Simon was working on Gresley bogies for BR-era observation cars.... somewhere in his box of bits...

The group's mini-layout "Mearns Shed" performed quite well at Model Rail Scotland last month but there were one or two things to fix. Alisdair was wielding a soldering iron doing something, possibly, to the trackwork. Jim was removing checkrails from the fiddle-stick cassettes, which he'd found frustrating to use during the show. They'll be replaced by a simpler styrene central strip to aid re-railing of locomotive bogie and pony wheels.

James was fixing assorted problems on various Class 37 diesel-electric models, both his own and other peoples'.

Alastair was working on the baseboard design for his South Queensferry layout. He'd aimed to buy a large sheet of ply from a DIY warehouse with a cutting service, and turned up there early one Saturday morning, cutting list and wallet in hand, only to find that the bandsaw operator would not be available until the end of the afternoon.... his rapidly-formed plan B was to buy smaller sheets (so they would fit in his car) and do his own cutting with a circular saw at home. This was duly done, and he was rehearsing on his laptop how to assemble them.

Angus was also planning with a laptop, aiming to ensure the curves and transitions on his nascent Callander and Oban extravaganza will definitely fit in the available space without going below minimum radius. Graham was busy with keyboard and screen as well, slowly advancing a design for 3D printing. Alistair was planning (without a laptop)  another layout backscene. 

John had brought with him the bits for his J39 (based on a D&S Huddersfield/BH Enterprises whitemetal kit plus a 2mmSA etched chassis)... he'd discovered the tender axle centres of the etch and the whitemetal parts did not quite coincide and canvassed opinions for the best solution... the consensus was to align the centre axle of the etch with the centre axleboxes of the casting, and live with the fact that the outer axleboxes will be misaligned by a fraction of a millimetre with the axles themselves. The etch may also require to be shortened slightly so it does not extend beyond the tender ends. All good experience-building stuff.

After lunchtime, the Short Talk was from James, on the subject of DCC keep-alives, their theory and practical construction. This was based on the article he penned for a recent issue of the 2mm Magazine (October/November 2025) ... the printed version had some unfortunate errors introduced in the production process, but a corrected online version is available in the 2mmSA magazine archive (members-only link here). There followed a discussion with contributions from those who'd tried keep-alives. All very informative.

After that we went back to our tables for the rest of the afternoon. Next month's meeting will be a week later than usual due to the 2mmSA Derby expo, which several FCAG members plan to attend.

March 2026 Forth and Clyde Area Group meeting

 Almondell saw only six stalwarts attend the March meeting of the august Forth and Clyde Area Group of the, even auguster, 2mm Scale Association on Saturday 7th March. Unfortunately neither the Press Officer or the Assistant Press Officer was present so the POTUS* was forced to record the meeting.

Despite the shortage of attendees, it was a productive meeting. James was working on sorting out someone else's class 37 which is not running. (I've forgotten who that someone else is, but J does know...) He also had in front of him, his own Poole era class 37 to which he had added a DCC chip.

James had also been doing his homework, completing the viewblocker warehouse building for Mearns Shed.

A nice building but a tad clean for being located next door to a loco shed. By the end of the meeting it had been carefully weathered, but the POTUS forgot to take a photo. (By the way, the big stick in front of the shed, is actually a bit of rail in the process of being used for creating doorstops along the front of the shed.)

Talking of Mearns Shed, Alisdair was preparing it for its next outing to Model Rail Scotland, with buildings being fixed in place with repair of the surrounding terrain to follow up as homework. 

Across in the other corner of the room, Alistair was applying colour to a brake van. He was using modellers' acrylics for the first time and was expounding on the difference between those and the artists' acrylics he usually espouses.

And in yet another corner, yet another Al, this one with the moniker, Alastair, was continuing work on planning the support structure for his wee NBR layout CAD. 

He did shamefacedly admit that progress was being slowed by his concentration of his scratchbuilding of a racing motor car (the make and model names flew over the POTUS' head as its it's irrelevant to wee train lovers). The body being shaped out of thin wood, the photos shown to POTUS impressed with the workmanship. But, come on laddie, a scale of one to twenty-five and a half - what sort of madness does that represent? Everyone knows, the One True Scale is one to one hundred and fifty two and two fifths. Nice and easy to work out in the head...

Alastair had also brought along a Unimat SL lathe (from a deceased member of ESME, I think),as Simon had expressed an interest in acquiring a lathe, but Simon had the gall not to be there. The machine might be a bit dirty and perhaps the cable could do with being replaced but the bearings feel fine and all the bits seem to be there.(There was box of bits which hid from the camera, as it was very shy.)

Last but not least, by any means, Jim was working on a couple of brake vans made by the absent Simon from Jim's etches. As Simon had only been using them for soldering practice he has given them to Jim for him to add AJs and to do the lettering. Here's a  somewhat fuzzy photo of the little beasts.

And that was that for a productive day.

Our next event will be Model Rail Scotland in Glasgow on Friday 27th March to Sunday 29th March. We'll have the 2mm Roadshow along with Mearns Shed. If you're at the exhibition, come along and say hello.

Our next Area Group meeting will be on Saturday 11th April, when we should be having a demonstration on DG couplings.

*POTUS - Press Officer Totally Useless. Mind you, wouldn't it be nice if only the other POTUS could be persuaded to spend all his time 2mm modelling...

February 2026 Forth and Clyde Area Group meeting

Our February meeting took place at ESME's Almondell clubrooms on a sunny morning with ice on the puddles after three weeks of grey, wet weather. Eleven members turned up: James, Simon, Alisdair, Alastair, Alasdair, Angus (special prize for longest journey), Stuart, Chris, Graham, Justin and Steve.

Chris was working on his L&YR 2-4-2 chassis from a Nigel Hunt etch. He was looking for advice from experienced builders, which Alisdair was happy to provide. 

Simon had responded to appeals for yard lamps for the group's Mearns Shed cameo. The posts are from brass rod, the lamps from 7mm pinpoint axle bearings, and the 'glass' shades are made from clear plastic sprue from model aircraft canopy parts, simply filed to a suitable shape. Simon went on to add crosspieces and insulators for the overhead electric cables which powered the prototype lamps. Steam shed yards were poorly lit, even in BR days, with a four-road shed typically having a single electric lamp (and before that a single gas or oil lamp at a much lower level). Presumably enginemen found their way around in the gloom using flare lamps.

Simon has also started an experiment to create an ex-NBR J36 0-6-0, based on parts for a SECR "C" class which he picked up at last year's Derby Expo. A scratch-built Holmes cab certainly gives the character of these small, long-lived locomotives. The boiler fittings are too large (and the cab has no roof currently) but further work in this area is planned.

Angus was working on an Association tender chassis etch for the Farish 4F.

He finds solder fumes irritating and wafts them away using a portable fan online bought online for £15. Not a bad idea.

Alastair was rewheeling a Peco wagon with Association products. Graham was struggling with his computer. Justin and Steve escaped the roving camera, but Jim was caught working on one of his own wagon etches.

He'd also brought along the signals he built for Dunallander from his own etches. Presumably the plastic box is some kind of propagation device which provides the warm, wet conditions signals require to multiply. You can ask him at the Derby expo in May. Other etch parts for Dunallander are in progress.

 

Alasdair was continuing the design of his layout subframe. This will use standard aluminium square tube, with three-way elbow connectors either bought commercially or printed with FDM. Pop rivets will be used. At joints where a tube-end butts onto a continuous section, a rivnut inserted in the latter will accept a bolt through a commercial or printed connector, onto which the second tube-end will be pushed.

Stuart gave the day over to thinking and planning. Some of the buildings for his mill layout, and the canal lock, require to be fitted over baseboard joints and he was working with prototype photos and a full-scale layout drawing to decide exactly how this will be handled. 

In the afternoon, Alisdair gave an informative video presentation on his experience with Electra couplings. With the help of slow-motion video we learned how exactly, and why, the dropper or tail of the coupling must be at a shallow angle to the hook when seen end-on (to prevent recoupling after the electromagnetic uncoupling action); why the rear of the hook must be a minimum of 0.5mm in front of the buffer face (so the hooks engage and couple before the buffers kiss); why the pivot tubes must be 0.5mm-0.75mm off-centre, and accurately orthogonal to the headstock (to ensure consistent operation), and why the bend for the weight tail must be at 45 degrees (so the coupling hooks hang correctly for the coupling action to succeed). Use of an Electra construction jig is recommended. A very helpful presentation indeed, for those swithering over coupling choice.

The group will be manning the 2mmSA roadshow at Model Rail Scotland's 60th anniversary show at the SEC on March 27, 28 and 29. Come and say hello if you're visiting, we'd love to see you.

January 2026 Forth and Clyde Area Group Meeting

Inclement weather in January! In Scotland, that well-kent tropical paradise! Who would have thought it! But that explains why only a few stalwart individuals braved the black ice and snowdrifts to make their way for their monthly dose of FCAG joy at Almondell. Unfortunately, the Press Officer and his Deputy did not show sufficient stalwartism so it is left to this, ever so humble and self-effacing scribe to produce deathless prose describing the efforts of the brave.

Stewart, Alastair, Alisdair, James, Chris and John faced the weather and road conditions to attend.

Stewart was having a change from his usual production of buildings for his interesting N-fine layout; "Copy Pit Line : Lydgate Viaduct and Robin Wood Mill". He's going to need lots of long trains, so he was painting up a pile of minerals. Never one to do things by halves, is our lad.

Alastair was working on a support structure for his embryonic layout.

Not a believer in the good old 2" x 1" topped with Sundeala (remember that?), he's going for a lightweight board supported on an aluminum square tube section contraction which can fold don. The middle bit holds stock boxes.

A wee bothy/store for our Mearns Shed layout was being constructed by Alisdair

Apparently the hole in the ceiling is to allow Big Eck to stand up after he's finished his piece.

Meanwhile, across on the other side of the room, James was displaying his Class 37. (Or was it an English Electric Type 3?  I get so confused.) He has replaced the motor with which it was born with a Tramfabriek motor, much to his satisfaction with the improved controllability. He also brought along the warehouse he is building for a wee corner of Mearns Shed. 

Sharp-eyed readers will notice that space has been left for Big Eck in the attic space.

Chris had brought along his wee test track and his ever-lasting 4F. As it is his first loco build, he really can be pretty chuffed with what he has achieved. The paint needs some touching up then some weathering, but it is really looking the part. 

As it hadn't been out the box since painting, it needed a lot of running up and down to get it running properly, but by the end of the day, it was moving nice and smoothly.

Last but not least, John, new to 2mm and our latest member, brought along his first effort, a mineral wagon built from our taster kit. A neat job, it had only been tested on the wee straight length of track that comes with the kit. So, the acid test. Would it run through a turnout? Nae bother on Chris' wee test track.

John has just started a J39 conversion kit and was working on the tender underframe

So a busy day, but we cut it a bit short given the possible weather conditions to let everyone get home in the daylight.

Next meeting will be on February 14th when Alisdair wil give wee talk on his experiences on Electra couplings along with a wee demo on how he makes them.

 

December 2025 Forth and Clyde Area Group Meeting

Another rainy Saturday, another FCAG meeting. One with a difference however - members frae a' the airts (well, Kilmelford and Aberdeen) and a show-and-tell session in the afternoon, which we have not done for a while. Alistair, Alisdair, Alastair, Angus, Simon, Chris, Graham, Tony, Stuart, Justin and John took part. 'Flu kept a few more away.

Tony had brought some DG couplings parts with him, aiming to delegate assembly to idle hands. Simon and John stepped up (or failed to step back quickly enough) and were soon hard at work.

 

 

 

Mearns Shed was in evidence. Richard's recently-added joiner's workshop has not featured in the blog so far, so here's a general view. It's yet to be bedded in.

 

Justin had brought his 57xx chassis - the new Association design in which the motor sits on a 3D printed mount, the position of which governs the worm's mesh with the worm wheel.

 

 James had his 57xx project also, using the earlier Association chassis with the fold-up gearbox which can give meshing problems if it flexes under load.

 

 

James has made a little platform to hold the loco body above the chassis during testing using lengths of studding into the body fixing points. This is better than the blobs of blu-tac and random weights the test of us use, since it assures correct distribution of the body's weight during testing, and doesn't fall off..

 

 

Alistair was working on a cutting board.

 

Stuart had started a FiNeTrax turnout.

 

 

Alastair had a design for a fold-away layout - the board splits in two and folds down either side of the legs for storage. Perhaps Irn-Bru aids creativity.

 

Angus was hard at work assembling Association bogie kits. (Chris Bentley has a more systematic approach using a simple jig, which he describes in the current 2mmSA magazine). Angus just uses a smile (or perhaps a snarl at the pesky photographer?) and a soldering iron.

 

 

In the afternoon each of us showed and told an aspect of a project we'd worked on in 2025. Since there is a projector and screen in the meeting room, we experimented with using a camera on a clamp to let the assembled multitude see what was going on without stirring from their seats. This was partially successful and may be used again in future for demonstrations (another thing we've learned from the North East Area Group).

 

Alisdair was first up, describing his travails with his Highland Railway "Big Goods" (a 4-6-0 with very close wheel spacing). The positive points were to use subassemblies, and to stock up on Hobby Holidays 0.2mm nickel-silver wire, which is just right for making loco handrails with compound curves around the smokebox.

 

Simon described the Caledonian Railway 49' bogie coaches he'd made from Worsley Works etches. Although easy to assemble, using solder balls in his case, the tab-less "scratch aid" style can be tricky and requires a bit of forethought. In some cases floors have to be added. He'd also added detailed interiors. Since he's modelling the West Highland, where Caley coaches were certainly not to be found,  he tackled these coaches just for fun. In the event they were thoroughly enjoyable to build.

  

Chris took us through his experiences in trying to get a dead flat finish when painting his 4F tender. Multiple attempts using high magnification failed, and eventually he realised that he needed to pay more attention to process. He became scrupulous about removing dust and muck from his brush; he made a simple power paint stirrer to fit a Dremel tool; and he changed paint from Phoenix Dirty Black with Phoenix thinners - which smeared rather than going on smoothly - to Railmatch Weathered Black with a drop of white spirit. Having got a dead flat paint surface, he then found that using Micro Sol to soften the (Fox) transfers destroyed the smooth paint finish, possibly because the bottle was 6 years old. However, a good finish was finally obtained (which the photographer unfortunately failed to record), and he can turn his full attention to his next loco. 

Alistair described how he'd made the very long backscene for the ESME club layout in a limited space with an attempt to keep costs down. He primed a long roll of decorator's lining paper with artist's white acrylic undercoat, by rolling it up like a scroll and working on two-foot sections, each time letting it dry then moving to the next two-foot section. Once the front was complete he repeated the process to prime the back. This made a stable base on which to paint the countryside, using artist's acrylics. He recommended obtaining materials from an art shop rather than a hobby store: the artist's materials are more expensive but have more pigment and less filler and thus better covering power, so are more economical in the long run. Mixing paints to get a shade which can be bought can also be a false economy - quite apart from the time, extra paint is used in testing and adjusting the mix, and it may save time and money just to buy the correct colour. Otherwise, pairs of each basic shade are sufficient: cerulian blue and ultramarine for the sky, Hooker's and chrome green, orangey and crimson reds, lemon and cadmium yellows, and yellow ochre and burnt sienna browns. Inspiration came from "trains in the landscape" picture books. Finally, mounting the backscene so it is dead flat and wrinkle-free adds greatly to the illusion.

 

Tony talked about bridge supports and walls on Dunallander, and also explained some of the information-gathering and planning techniques he uses. He marks up individual plan copies to show locations of specific features across the layout. For example, relay, battery and phone cabinets:

 

 and lamp-posts:

Stuart described the flight of locks he'd made from three J&M Models kits, on the right side of this view. The canal runs along one side of the mill with a railway siding snaking down between it and the mill building. He found the build very rewarding.

 

Angus had brought the Templot plan for his Callander module and took us through his thoughts regarding possible tight radii in access to sidings. Trains were split and joined at Callander so it's important propelling moves work smoothly. He talked about the need to foresee difficulties like this, as far as possible, at the planning stage, particularly for a large layout where easing curves in one area may have consequences elsewhere. The result is that many planning iterations are needed. The gentle curve of the prototype will be brought round to a full 90 degrees in the model. He's aiming at having two running periods: directly before World War 1, and at the steam-diesel transition on the line in 1962.

 

Graham talked about 3D design and printing of buildings for Simon's "Glenfinnan" layout.

 

James talked about his experiences with the fold-up gearbox chassis design referred to earlier. He plans to experiment with a straight-cut worm wheel since he thinks the skew-cut design causes oscillations in the gearbox, contributing to problems. He is a convinced user of DC Concepts' NoClean flux, which he finds much preferable to Powerflow, and recommends applying it with a syringe with hypodermic needle, and use of an ultrasonic cleaner. He also ran us through some of his recent AliExpress successes: a nice lamp withe two "arms", and a decent small machine vice, both for £5.

 

Alastair showed us some of the North British wagons he has 3D-designed and printed for his South Queensferry project.

 

He prints body and underframe separately, assembling with superglue, and painting with acrylics.

 

To push the limits a bit, he's working on printed drawhooks (shown below) and buffers.

 

And that was that for 2025 - fortified by Simon's Christmas tray bake, which apparently contained most of a bottle of rum, we picked our soggy and dark way home. Thanks for reading this far! The Forth and Clyde blog team wishes everyone a very cheerful Christmas, Hogmanay and a guid New Year. See you in 2026!