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Pre Hornby J36 on Alloa. If I can make my shiny new Hornby loco resemble this kit I'll be happy. Dave.

He's a pussycat...well with people he likes! Dave

One of the resident Alloa J36s suitably detailed and weathered. The Hornby model will look a lot like this shortly. Dave.

It arrived tonight when I was out..and its now wrapped up and the German Shepherd instructed to guard it until the 25th! The invoicing suggests a late crest and thats certainly what I ordered however its no big deal as the period modelled is ok with both and the first thing that will be done when its eventually opened is to weather add detail and renumber..and lose the Haig name! Dave.

Advised by email that my late crest will be delivered by DPD tomorrow Wed19th. Pressy from the missus so I won't be able to open it for a week! Dave.

Im sure you fell asleep in the back in your leather heated seat as you were so quiet..or perhaps in shock in reaching Glasgow in under 2 hours?!

My goodness Mr B you have certainly put us on the spot now...but thank you for your kind words and endorsement of what we are trying to achieve. Progress continues albeit slower than we would like partly due to two members own very fine EM layouts being worked on simultaneously however its not about speed but quality so I hope that when the time comes we don't disappoint. Tasks like building the many scale signal components and kit building the required catering cars are taking place behind the scenes so progress continues even if it doesn't always look that way. Latest task is Modelu point stools and stainless channel rodding being laid prior to ballasting. Chas is muttering something about how it surprised him that these scale components are so tiny..we are having a whip round to send him to Specavers! Previous posts have mentioned inaccurate train formations on exhibition layouts however Larbert will be formed as accurately as possible with train formations taken from records of the day. Goes without saying you won't see an unweathered loco or an unrealistic gap to a tender plus of course all corridor coaches will close couple and have no daylight between and be sensibly weathered..Mk1s even on named trains had a certain amount of grime on roofs coach ends and underframes. A fiddle yard with 84 x 4ft sections will allow flexibility to accommodate anything from two coach trains to 50 wagon minerals and will accommodate the huge variety of trains that could be seen at this location on a typical day in the 60s including the A4s on the 3 hr trains and on the interregional services Duchesses and Clans and really just about anything else from Duke of Gloucester to the original named Peaks. A Duchess with ten on looks lost and takes a decent scale time to pass front of house so thats very encouraging and justification of the layouts' 40 ft length although its been suggested that some exhibition managers are reluctant to afford this amount of space when they might have say three smaller offerings..this has certainly been the feeling we received from our home show! A little licence will be taken with the period to allow local services to feature Caley 0-4-4 tanks and 4-4-0 Bogies but which can be updated to Gloucester 2 car dmus and Railbuses. The classic central Scotland mineral trains of the time will be well represented with the many NB 0-6-0s first seen on Alloa plus the WDs both 2-10-0 and 2-8-0..yes Tony all kits! The inevitable RTR locos will also be a part of the operation but all will be detailed weathered and hopefully look much more like a scale model than a shiny toy for a train set so hopefully Tony wont be offended by these. If we all live long enough and remain strong enough to 'humph' this monster downstairs and transport it south we might if invited once again experience the immense pleasure we enjoyed exhibiting Alloa at the many great shows south of the border. Thanks again Manxcat Dave.

Will send you a mail Archie with details of our working discs. For Larbert they are LMS pattern of course. We use Palatine etches which are dead scale and work well with minor modification. Dave.

Davy Dunns patter and great catering ..who could resist. There'll be at least a couple of us traveling down ..looking forward to it. Dave.

Its not DCC but there were a few locos on Blair that were sound fitted.. a 20 whistled past me with convincing sound. Big Mike B told me it was witchcraft. Dave.

Ayr MRG consistently put on a good show and attract quality layouts which is all important. This years show was excellent with some fine layouts not least the groups own Pathead which impressed with some beautifully weathered locos. Blair Atholl I was pleased to see again because I was a bit unimpressed with the running when I saw it at Perth last year but it performed well at Ayr and the attention to detail on the trackside is superb. Always nice to come home having learnt something new..and I did just this when the secret of the superb lineside post and wire fencing on Blair..about a scale mile no doubt when its added up..was revealed. Thanks Simon for imparting to the inquisitive what is a simple but very effective way to construct such things. The other fine layouts and some good trade completed a nice quality show which is an example to others. I spent over £100 on items that I apparently needed..always a sign of a good show. Well done. Dave.

Dunne..Duune..Dunnie..aye that sounds about right! He's been called worse I'm sure.. No offence Davy Dave.

Herein lies the problem..the average age of the more serious modellers that attend these finescale shows is getting older each year. Quality finescale shows with specialist trade are the highlight of my calendar and I'm sure many more like me but we are a dwindling bunch given the advancing years. Personally I would like to think that I'll still be looking forward to these shows in 10 years time but who knows. Our own group has exhibited at many quality shows over the last 10 years and we are currently building another large finescale layout but the concern is that by the time its ready given the average age of the group will we still have a membership fit enough to travel and exhibit it? Purely from a personal viewpoint I would rather have a venue west of the Pennines and as said Partington is an easy drive via the M6. Dave.

Great show once again and easy to access once again. I listen to the comments regarding re locating but Partington is 15 mins traffic free off the M6 at jct 21 ..what could be easier from either the north or the south? We were 3 hrs down and same home from Glasgow. If the gates through to the school are secured open then parking is also pretty decent.

Blimey Dave they've got your number right enough..

A contingent from the west of Scotland will be making their way south. Great show good trade and top notch demonstrators plus the chance to meet up with friends that we don't see enough of..no Mr Franks not you..we see you every week! Dave.

Last year we arranged a free vintage bus service to run all day between the main Glasgow stations Queen St and Central direct to the entrance of the SEC for Modelrail Scotland. It was a great success and even though there is a local station adjacent to the exhibition centre it seems people like the idea of jumping on the old bus and getting a ride straight to the door. It might be worth considering something similar..it also might encourage a few to leave the car and ease the parking issues although we parked at Morrisons and it was fine. Railex NE is one of the very best shows around and we would attend regardless but there will be others who might not return if the travelling or parking caused them issues. Beautifully restored AEC Regent at the entrance of the SEC for Modelrail Scotland 2018. This free service will be repeated again next year for Modelrail 2019. Dave.

Great show as always with some truly great layouts. Personal favourites were Blackgill South Pelaw and Fencehouses but there were many others too. The six hours we had were not enough and we left all too soon but suitably inspired to return over the border and 'do better'! Great craic with Davy Dunn as usual and great tips from Paul Moore on painting and lining. One of the best shows on the circuit and deservedly so. Dave.

..and in different corner a Stanier 2-8-0. Quite an unusual visitor to the land of WDs Dave.

What a cock up..everything freezes then sends three times without attachments! Above post should have included .."Old Buffers' ..and

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Another pair of old buffers to go with the ones in the group. The bigger picture.

Stunning pics as always. Love the 26 pan shot..and is that Derek Cross counting his sheep? Dave.

We find it better to model actual locations with the trackplan to scale and no foreshortening for the main part of the layout which is the station in its entirety and immediate approaches. There has to be curves eventually of course as the stock has to find its way back to the fiddle but yes you are right in that invariably the track approaches on very long radius curves with in our case the only actual straight track being within the platforms of the station. One of the downsides of modelling an actual main line location to scale of course is the length required with our layout occupying a frontage of 40 feet but the upside is that there is no head scratching as to what signals are needed and where they go! Dave.