January 2024 SEQAG Meeting

New Year, new plans.  At least that's what we are hoping.

We had our first meeting since November (we did meet in December, but it was a Christmas Party and Significant Others were in attendance - no modelling) with 5 regulars and a newbie in attendance (the newbie has a CF claim - Ross designed the etched hearse which isn't that far from my Gents!).  Ross has only recently (early December) moved to SEQ from Canberra but his reputation as a fine modeller preceded him - his models of Sydney Central and Newcastle (NSW) stations are brilliant. 

David spent the time trying to get organised for the year - as it happens, his organisation is critical to the Further Adventures of Wansbeck Road as he is the designated driver to take it to Colo Vale, NSW, for the Australian Supermeet over the 12-14 April, and also taking it to Goulburn NSW for a model railway exhibition in September.  I'm the driver for the Brisbane Miniature Train Show and the RMCQ Expo - so 4 bookings for WBR for 2024.  This has meant we spent some time discussing future developments of the layout - one of them being the desire to put point rodding in.  Dr Adams, of the 2mm Publication on such matters, has been consulted but the diagnosis, has at the time of writing, yet to materialise.

Other efforts on the 20th included building signals with a view to making them operational for a model of Leyburn (N rather than 2mm - it's been in process for a long time and pairs with Grassington and Threshfield which is presently 25 years old but doesn't look it!) and work continued on some Metcalfe kits.  I tried to get wheels sorted on some Victorian Railways J class locos - they are cosmetically almost finished but as locos, not so much yet.  I thought I had it but found the gearing, whilst meshing, hadn't matched the quartering so naturally in taking it apart, I broke a bit.  Ho hum.

We had a brief discussion about a challenge for 2024 and have decided a lineside structure would be a good idea.  Most of us have need for such things on our layouts and we felt that be making it a challenge to be completed by the December Christmas Party we might actually get somewhere.  So where did I put those station building plans for St Albans??

Until next month, hoo roo.

November 2023 SEQAG Meeting

Seven members today (with three apologies) with much of the focus being on the work done on Wansbeck Road and a discussion on what was on the "must do before the show"; the "would be nice if we get it done before the show"; and the "we should look at that for future shows" lists.  On the "must do" is putting a couple more coats of paint on the new backscene and organising a spare controller "just in case".  We also really should organise a transition wagon so the Electra fitted stock can be hauled by a DG fitted loco (which is the coupling system we had already decided on) should the need arise.

All in all, we are very pleased with the renovations on Wansbeck Road and the show looks like it will be a great start to is official Australian career.

Outside of the WbR discussions and work there were further discussions on designing decals and 3DP - it turns out quite a few of us are owners of upgraded or first-time owners of printers and so discussion was centered around types of resins.  It seems most of us follow the "Holden parts in Holden cars (or Vauxhall for the UK readership) and Ford parts in Ford cars" maxim - i.e. the resins designed for the printers tend to work better than resins designed for other printers. 

At the recent British Railways Modellers of Australia Queensland division modelling competition two of the group were awarded trophies - Barbara won the Diorama section with a shot down Scalescenes OO Boxfile kit - rather than her usual N gauge she was persuaded by David to give it a go in 2mm and did an excellent job.  She did admit there were some parts she found a little challenging but given she is over 90 we felt that was ok.  Your humble correspondent was awarded the overall "Best Model" trophy for my Ale Dock brewery building.  It didn't win a category as it was the only "scratch built" building there but the judges felt that it stood up ok v the 7mm wagons, OO Saint and other assorted models.

Another enjoyable morning.  Whilst we won't be having an "official" meeting at the show next weekend, at last count, 6 of us are either there with WbR or helping out in other capacities as members of other groups.  Two of the wider Australian 2mm Group are joining us from NSW - one being, like me, an International Member of the NMAG group.  We shall have to organise a cake I think to bring a bit of NMAG fairy dust to SEQ.

Our next meeting is the 16th of December and is our Christmas gathering.  Please get in touch if, like the Hon. Sec. you happen to be around and would like a 2mm fix.

October 2023 SEQAG Meeting

  In an effort to "report" more widely on Area Group activities, Area Groups of the 2mm  Scale Association are going to be encouraged to put their reports on a Blog (like this one) or on RM Web rather than in the Newsletter.  No one from the Committee is suggesting the Newsletter shouldn't contain news, but the reality is, only a few AGs are using it and the information isn't a) up to date (the copy for the next 2mm Newsletter isn't due for another ten days, it won't be published until December and the last one was published at the beginning of October - we will have had another meeting by the time the newsletter is published, and likely a third by the time it arrives Down Here).

So, being as you humble correspondent is the present Publications Officer of the 2mmSA, I felt I had better come to the party and lead by example!  Fortunately, I once had a blog - and having dusted the shelves, beaten the carpets and swept the floor, found I could easily adapt it to serve as a point of reference and record for what we get up to in South East Queensland.

Now, for those who came in late (to borrow a phrase from the Phantom comics which I used to collect and my son is now reading with great enthusiasm), the SEQAG is a hybrid AG.  It has members who are 2mmSA members (nominally four) as well as being a focus for N Gauge Society Members and British Railway Modellers of Australian N gauge enthusiasts who fall in the catchment.   I'm a member of all three.  There are a couple of hangers on and interested bystanders as well.  If you are interested in joining us because you are a member of any one of the three groups, or would like more information about the three groups, please get in touch.

Meetings take place on the Third Saturday of the month, generally from 10am at Burpengary.   We are the present custodians of Wansbeck Road, a 2mm scale layout built by Mick Simpson and generously donated to us by him after a long career on the exhibition circuit in the UK.  It will be appearing at the RMCQ Model Train & Hobby Expo at the end of November.

And so to this month.

It was a smaller than usual group which got together in the usual meeting place but it was felt to be quite productive.  Discussions centered around 3D printing, the reworking of .stl files particularly from other scales and conversions of old Poole Farish into different models via the scratch aid method.  My RevolutioN Class 128 was "run in" as was a Southern Liveried Dapol Schools on my N gauge layout and further progress was made on a couple of Scalescenes kits.  

I attempted to do some CAD work only to discover some serious differences between the model I'm trying to copy and the published diagram for the prototype.  As this is for a couple of mates in another group I belong to, I'll have to enquire what they want - something which is accurate to the drawing (my preference) or something which works with the existing model (of what providence we know nothing!).  Ordinarily I'd tell them I'll make it "right" but since there were only three of these wagons in existence (Victorian Railways QAB wagons for those interested) I think having an odd one out would be - well - odd.

I didn't think to take any photos of people at work or of the models at play but will try to do better next month.  The next meeting is scheduled for the 18th of November.