ScOONs Zoom Meetings October 5th and 17th Reports

[Graeme Dunbar]

In a slight change to proceedings, here is a brief summary of both the October meetings.

Wednesday 5th October

We had ten members take part and a number of apologies. Our number appear to be quite consistent and healthy though we would be very pleased if additional members could join us. With nights drawing in modelling activities are increasing.

Hugh N showed us the control board for his test track.
Alan was asking about sound and DCC.
Brian was congratulated on his article in the 009 News and making the front cover with his 'Nam '68 layout. He was making a start on some David Churchyard 3D locomotive prints which run on Kato 109 chassis. He has been selling prints to raise money for charity - Alzheimer's I think. I've not found the link, but here is his blog. The information may be in there somewhere. https://www.steamydave.co.uk/other/coffee-table-railway
Tom, or rather his son has is working on an 009 layout in an Ikea unit and Tom has created some 009 well wagons that he is printing. Another 3D printing project is some neat sanding blocks. He showed a curious purchase from Aldi - a twist drill set that contains both left and right handed flutes and we pondered why that might be.
Sara had given a presentation on NG operations to another railway group and offered to delivered at a future ScOONs meeting. She has also been working on a 12 mm gauge conversion of a Hornby Peckett.
John has been working on model from Stan Williams (at least I think that is what my scribble says!).
Dave showed us his slate wagons for Glen Dull.

Monday 17th October
There were seven of us present. The arrangements were a little different with discussions centring on topics rather than individual modelling updates.
We started of with some groups business and decided we would fix the dates for the next three months. The details will be posted here shortly and I will also email them out to all who have joined our distribution list.
Preparations for the Renfrewshire exhibition  were next with Ron and Alan covering recent developments. We don't have final confirmation of a stand but they have heard of other groups who have. We are ready to gather up the display materials and I will ask for some more Society leaflets.
This developed into a general discussion on exhibitions. There was no news of the recent Dundee exhibition which has moved further from the centre of the city but members were planning to visit Greenock and Falkirk. (See Alan's recent post, where hopes to post to post some photos.) We asked Paul about exhibitions in the USA and he shared photos - the exhibition in a school sports hall looked very familiar!
Sara, who had been held up in traffic due to a nasty accident gave an update on the Hornby Peckett conversion and showed how with a little modification it fits her NG loading gauge.
Brain showed the result of his David Churchyard prints. They are inexpensive filament prints and with his filling and surface preparations have made very handsome models. He is also making some scenic extensions to 'Nam '68 which are curved to match the lighting pelmet and will provide extra depth and interest including more film cameos. They are removable for convenience of storage and transport.
Alan has found and built another Althearn HO model wagon and we got to discussing Sweetpea locomotives in relation to exhibition ride-on exhibits.
Ron is working on a box file micro layout that will show another aspect of modelling at exhibitions.
I had no modelling to show (having been busy lifting and re-laying quarry tiles in preparation for the installation of a new wood-burning stove that I am happy to report is now in and working) but shared information about a tramway at Footdee in Aberdeen that came up in a thread on NGRM Online.
https://maps.nls.uk/view/74480517

[Hugh Ransom]

Not heard of the Fittie tramway before - I assume given the reference to "Mud Tramway" on the map for transporting dredged material away from the harbour?  Map suggests it was double track, but I'm guessing from the presence of an engine house that it was cable/rope hauled from a stationary engine, therefore one track has the cable running out, the other back.  Graeme - Do you have any other information?  Hope to make a meeting in the near future.  H