November 2022 Forth and Clyde area group meeting

Nae luck, O Gentle Reader! Despite the knowledge in advance of the date, time and location of  the November meeting of the 2mm Scale Association Forth and Clyde Area Group, The Press Officer swanned off to browse and sluice with some effete southrons, leaving me, his Modest Understudy, to provide the intellectual verbiage to ease the bated breaths of our loyal fan base. To the relief of those many thousands, it is time to cease with the harmful bating of breath, as the secrets of the November Conventicle of the bold brethren  are released into the wilds of the web. These secrets will be swept to all corners of the earth where keen readers, in such far flung places as the Atlantic peninsula and the Atacama desert, can catch up on the doings on a bunch of Central Scotland misfits. (Whether or not they do so, is, of course, a moot point. Arguably, it's difficult to think of a point more mooter.)

Anyway, this month, nine bold brethern consisting of the usual 3Als, two Js, and one each of a Nigel, a Simon, an Andy and the Keen Youngster, attended that temple of Eastern Scottish model engineering owned by the Edinburgh Society of Model Engineers, at Almondell in sweet West Lothian. 

The everlasting group layout was there, as usual. There was Progress, but, once again with the preceding adjective of Slow. We decided (after a couple of hours of haggling, shouting and a few blows) on the angle of the track layout will make with the baseboard.

The bits of paper were stuck down and left to dry. And that was it... No doubt next month, a hole might be drilled to accept a track feeder, but, then again, more haste, less speed.

Meanwhile, James was showing us how he had created the prototype of a turnout operating switch which was wired to show a lighted diode in the path to which the turnout was set. All without the use of electronickery and, as far as the Modest Understudy could see, any visible means of support from above. This was in response to a request from a prominent member of the North East Area Group, also is also a country member of the FnC. Lucky chap!

Those fortunate individuals who are members of that select organisation, the 2mm Scale Association will be able to read all about it in a future edition of the Magazine. Just as well, as I can't remember what he said, now.

Over on the right, Nigel was waving a hot soldering iron in a threatening manner in the direction of an Association etched buffer stop. Here we are at an early stage in the proceedings:

Jim had brought along his, almost completed, 65 feet Caledonian Railway 12 wheeled First. 

(Those who read the First Edition of this important part work, will know that I had originally described it as a 65 foot Third. Of course, as the more astute readers will have jaloosed, Thirds were 68 feet long with an extra two compartments for the plebs to squeeze into. Jim, unaccountably, refused to amend his model to a Third by inserting another two compartments and stretching it by 6mm. Would only have taken a few weeks. If only he had done that, I would only have had to replace a single digit, rather than 5 letters. My poor wee typing finger is now worn down, nearly to the bone. Jings! No wonder the Press Officer sloped off; it's hard work this, with the Press Commissioner coming down hard on touchingly human mistakes.) 

Painting of the outside was well underway. Meantime, the interior was being fitted out to save the poor passengers from standing all the way from Glasgow to Edinburgh. (Difficult for this Weegie to understand why anyone would want to make such a journey, but there's no accounting for taste.)

Martin put the Auld Yins to shame by bringing along his scale model of his putative layout. The buildings in the background are based on standard Glasgow Corporation Type B Tenements . He'll have great fun doing the washhooses and middens in each back court. And broken glass along the top of each wall. He is also working on a Worsley Works Caley class 439. Puts us all to shame...

Meanwhile, an Al (the one with an I and a D) was plodding away on some LNER coach bogies for his long -awaited Craigendoran to Arrochar push-pull train. Just as well Mr Gresley was somewhat quicker in production of them things.

Another one of the Als, this time with an A and a T, was using Association jigs to make a soldered turnout, with some good progress made during the day.

Another A but without the undoubted benefit of an L, oor Andy, had been building a Finetrax turnout. Shown in its unfinished and fuzzy (but I think that's the photo) state here, it was finished off by the end of the day and will subsequently appear as the entry turnout to the coal road on the Group layout.

The third Al (I and T this time) had brought along track plan(s) for his future layout. However, he was mostly involved in reading up the magazines brought along by James. Just as well, as our usual Librarian, Stephen, hadn't made it.

That's it folks! "But what about the ninth chap?" I hear you cry. Well that was the Soo'sider, who sloped off early before the clockwork in the Modest Understudy's phone had been properly wound up, so no record of what he was doing remains.

And that will be it until next month's meeting on Saturday 9th December. From two points of view, thine and mine, it is to be hoped that the Press Officer will have returned to his duties by then. Really, it's been so hard to get reliable staff since the war.