Scotland Area ScOONs meeting 8 January

[Ian McAulay]

Happy New Year ScOONers!

For our first meeting of 2022, we are trying out a Saturday meeting in place of our usual Monday or Wednesday evenings. The meeting will begin at 3pm on Saturday 8 January, UK time (adjust as appropriate if this isn't your time zone). As is customary, the Zoom session will be live well before that to allow everyone time to join and for the usual pre-meeting chit-chat to take place. (It also allows us to address any technical problems that might arise.)

Graeme Dunbar will be chairing the meeting. Feel free to join us, even if you're not in Scotland (we have several regular participants from further afield).

The Zoom details are below:

Ian McAulay is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: 009 Society ScOONs online meeting
Time: Jan 8, 2022 15:00 London

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87479120307?pwd=bjhMU3FGK2s2VlBxVk9JSitlMU1xdz09

Meeting ID: 874 7912 0307
Passcode: scoons8jan

[Graeme Dunbar]

Sorry - quite a lengthy report - but that just reflects how good the meeting was!

A Happy New Year to all ScOONers and other 009 Society members. A round dozen attended the first ScOONs meeting of the year and there were apologies from a few people.

It was a lively meeting and apart from being the first to be held on a weekend and during the day it was also a first in featuring live modelling demonstrations or 'Model as you Meet'.

We started with a discussion on the Model Rail exhibition at the SEC in Glasgow in February. At present it is unclear whether the exhibition will go ahead. As mentioned in the meeting, under current restrictions of the size of public meetings in Scotland it could not take place, but it is unclear for how long they will be in place. We understand there is a meeting of the AMRSS on the 16th of January, so we might be fortunate to have some further information in time for our next meeting which takes place on the 17th.

At the start of the meeting it was not looking hopeful that we would have enough members to cover the stand over the four days (including setup and breakdown). Things were looking better after more people came forward, but we are still short of support given that some members have other duties at the exhibition and travel arrangements mean that some members cannot be there before the public gain entry to the hall or stay to the end when the public have cleared the hall in the evenings.

I will circulate my spreadsheet to those who have come forward and post again to highlight when extra help is needed.

We could have two layouts to show. As they are both small, we may be able to show them simultaneously or, as was suggested, exchange them, either during the day or between days. (More on this below).

We are also looking for stock to run on the layouts. Both have tight curves (possibly about 8" or less) so locomotives should have short of flexible wheelbases and stock not have a lot of overhang.

Sara gave a demonstration and explanation of modifying Peco points to give them a slight curve for her engine works layout and showed how an effective track bed can be made by layering material combining the group meeting with a layout building session.

Ron gave an update on his brickworks layout featuring the detailed building shown in a previous meeting that will be shown at Model Rail.

Brian showed his work in converting an A1 Model 3D printed railcar which runs on a GP40 chassis and also his 'Nam'68 layout that he is bringing to Model Rail.

Both layouts feature double-sided viewing and the options for exhibiting them were discussed. Rotating them to show either side, using a mirror or exhibiting them 'end on' were mentioned.

Andrew gave an update on refurbishing the late Geoff Carter's layout. Work includes replacing some track that needed to be replace when cutting the baseboard for transport. He is also looking for help in repairing a Lilliput Hoe jackshaft diesel shunter having no success when approaching the manufacturer.

Dave gave a virtual tour of his layout, featuring a newly acquired double Fairlie. By all accounts it deals with sharp curves well. There was straw poll of new Fairlie owners.

Hugh N. showed the work he is doing on the 'Great A'tuin' (Discworld world turtle). It is a magnificently large 3D print in several pieces kindly printed for him by Tom. Hugh is looking for ways of motorising it and there was some discussion on how the disc actually rotated on the shoulders of the elephants.

Tom announced he now has an Elegoo Mars 3D printer and ancillary cleaning and curing equipment to work alongside his filament printer.
Ian has been working a Thames barge for another layout.

I showed a couple of NG railway books I got for Christmas - Scotland's Island Railways by James Carron and Narrow Gauge Railways of Ceylon by Raiska Wickramanayaka - and an entertaining book on Slain's Castle.

Before we broke up for the day there was a discussion on holding further meetings at the weekend and during the day as work and other commitments mean that our usual Monday or Wednesday times do not suit everyone. Input would be very welcome here. If weekend and/or daytime meetings were to become a regular feature, what is the preferred time or times and how frequently should they be slotted into the schedule?

That about rounds it up. That is about all I can decipher from my scribble. I hope I have not forgotten anyone. Please add to or amend if I have missed anything.