Forth and Clyde Area Group at the Perth Model Railway Show 2024

This weekend, the Forth and Clyde Area Group unveiled Mearns Shed to the general public at the Perth Model Railway Exhibition.

A lot of work has gone into the layout in the last few months - much of which has been covered in this blog, but the weekend show, held in the Fair City, was the first time many of the components had come together.

This, atmospheric, shot, shamelessly stolen from Graham, shows a mix of locos on the shed.

An ex-North British C15 sits over an Ash pit, an ex-Caledonian Jumbo waits for the instructions to proceed to the coaling road for a top up, whilst an ex-LMS Black 5 takes on water. 

Hinted in the foreground, a Sulzer Type 2, sits, engine off, wondering what all the fuss is about. Whilst in the very foreground a short engineering train of a Shark Brake Van, four Grampus wagons, a Warwell and an ex-LMS 16t unfitted Brake van rest from overnight duties. 

Most of the locomotives and stock are from the collection of Alisdair - if you search back far enough in the blog, you'll find posts of the construction of all three Steam Locos!

The Coaling stage, built by Alisdair, is based on a Highland Railway example found in Aviemore. The coal bins seen on the stage were used to move coal from the wagons in the siding to the locomotive that sat under the shelter if the roof.

The Shed is based on Abroath, with a similar design seen in Forfar, is a 3D print with etched detailing, designed in Fusion 3D and printed by Graham. The etched detailing is from artwork by Jim. The shed was assembled and painted by Martin, who was still working on it at midnight on Friday before the show. A further design iteration of the shed has been produced and will be assembled and painted in due course.

The grounded van is an Association Midland outside framed van, converted, assembled and painted by Richard.

The water tower is a plastikard construct by Jim, it is detailed with brick paper, the tank being an etch of Jim's design.

The water cranes are designed, 3D printed and painted by Alastair.

The bothy is a plastikard construction by Richard. This does have an open door and an LED to provide the illusion of a warm fire where the shed workers can take a well earned break, but sadly this wasn't wired in or functional this weekend.

The backscene was imagined and painted by Alistair - it gives a fine impression of a Scottish Town, with a mix of residential and industrial buildings backing onto this Shed.

There is lots still to do to finish the layout, but overall, a fantastic first outing.

Of course, whilst the main interest was naturally the Shed, and the moving locos, the Further North Road Show was on hand to extol the virtues of 2mm Modelling to the General public. Modelling demonstrations were ongoing throughout the weekend, and lots of people were given the Sermon according to Alisdair.

FCAG were not the only exhibitors of 2mm Finescale Modelling present at Perth this weekend. In fact, directly next to us were the Grampian Area Group, who had brought along the viaduct module from Dunallander.

This lovely shot, stollen from Graham because someone forgot to get their camera out, captures a mid-1960s scene in Central Scotland. An ex-LNER A4 on its final passenger duties on Glasgow-Aberdeen 3-hour expresses, a Black 5 on a loose coupled freight from Perth to Stirling and Oban - Glasgow trains on the branch towards Callander.

This is hopefully a taster of the whole layout, which may be at Perth in 2025. For more information, please see the Grampian Area Groups Blog.

Now with the excitement of the show out of the way, and a countdown to next year's event, the next meeting of FCAG will be on Saturday 13th July, at Almondell. Further information in the Association Newsletter.