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 already have this blog - and having dusted the shelves, beaten the carpets and swept the floor, it should 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. I'm a member of all three. There are a couple of hangers on an 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.
