Tuesday, 9 December 2025
More Photographs Of Dunallander During Elgin Exhibition
Below are more photographs of Dunallander taken by Tony during the Elgin Exhibition in November.
Saturday, 6 December 2025
Grampian Area Report 6th December 2025
Over the past couple of months since our last post we have been busy, especially Roy, who has put in an immense amount of time and effort getting ready for our trip to Modelfair at Elgin in November, which was also going to be our first outing with Dunallander away from Aberdeen.
The Friday morning was an interesting one trying to arrange everything into a hired van, which was also a first for us. It was a tight squeeze but we eventually succeeded in getting everything in, or so we thought, and we set off up the A96 to Elgin where we were joined by Alisdair Campbell and Jim Watt from the central belt and Angus Higgings making the long trip from Oban.
All was going well and we were looking at completing set up at around 6.30 when we discovered we had left one of the main buildings in Aberdeen. A massive thank you has to go to Angus who after making the journey from Oban then drove Tony back to Aberdeen to pick up the building.
They did however end up having more luck than the rest of us meal wise stopping off at a chip shop on the way. The rest of us set off into the centre of Elgin seeking some sustenance only to find everywhere busy and ended up at a Kebab shop struggling to find things on the menu to take back to our rooms at the hotel.
We were joined on Saturday by Mike. Overall the weekend was successful and we had plenty of interest and some very encouraging comments, including from the exhibition manager which is always a good sign.
As with every outing of a layout we ended up with a list of faults/improvements which we are now in the process of carrying out. Although there is a few possible futher exhibitons with Dunallander in the pipeline we have one confirmed outing which is the 2mm expo at Derby in May 2026. Below are a few photos taken during our outing to Elgin and I will post more shortly.
The Friday morning was an interesting one trying to arrange everything into a hired van, which was also a first for us. It was a tight squeeze but we eventually succeeded in getting everything in, or so we thought, and we set off up the A96 to Elgin where we were joined by Alisdair Campbell and Jim Watt from the central belt and Angus Higgings making the long trip from Oban.
All was going well and we were looking at completing set up at around 6.30 when we discovered we had left one of the main buildings in Aberdeen. A massive thank you has to go to Angus who after making the journey from Oban then drove Tony back to Aberdeen to pick up the building.
They did however end up having more luck than the rest of us meal wise stopping off at a chip shop on the way. The rest of us set off into the centre of Elgin seeking some sustenance only to find everywhere busy and ended up at a Kebab shop struggling to find things on the menu to take back to our rooms at the hotel.
We were joined on Saturday by Mike. Overall the weekend was successful and we had plenty of interest and some very encouraging comments, including from the exhibition manager which is always a good sign.
As with every outing of a layout we ended up with a list of faults/improvements which we are now in the process of carrying out. Although there is a few possible futher exhibitons with Dunallander in the pipeline we have one confirmed outing which is the 2mm expo at Derby in May 2026. Below are a few photos taken during our outing to Elgin and I will post more shortly.
Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Grampian Area Report 10th September
Work is progressing on Dunallander as we prepare for the Exhibition at Elgin on the 1st/2nd November. Again an immense amount of work has been carried out by Roy on the scenics, including the an excellent garden at Calderwood House. Roy has also began fitting the point motors. Work on the station board is also progressing well by Tony and John and Mike has been adding the fine details such as guttering and chimney pots to his buildings and also varnishing them. Below are some of the latest photographs of our progress.
Friday, 1 August 2025
Grampian Area Report 1st August 2025
Just a quick update on the progress on Dunallander which has been mainly revolving around scenic work. The main platforms have been completed and work is also ongoing with Mike adding detailing such as guttering to his buildings. Tony has also been carrying out work on some of the layout's locomotives and Roy as usual has been carrying out an immense amount of work on the scenics, including making the electricity substation. Below are a few images of the latest progress.
Last but not least Roy's excellent platform flower bed
Last but not least Roy's excellent platform flower bed
Friday, 21 March 2025
Grampian Area Report 21st March 2025
Although it has been some time since our last post, work has been steadily progressing on Dunallander, not only on a Tuesday evening, but members have also been carrying out tasks at home. Roy especially has carried out an immense amount of work on the layout. Mike has been continuing to create the buildings and Tony has been working on the layouts locomotives, stock and water columns.
On the layout, progress has been made on the second scenic board by Roy and Tony and small removable sections have been added by Roy to accomodate further buildings. (Roy could definately have a sideline in making jigsaws). John has been trying to get the platforms to match the photographs and as the song goes 'Someday Soon'. Below are a few photographs of the latest work carried out.
Springwood Crescent
Springwood Crescent and Calderwood House
Springood Crescent, signal box and Calderwood House
Calderwood House
Converted 4F
On the layout, progress has been made on the second scenic board by Roy and Tony and small removable sections have been added by Roy to accomodate further buildings. (Roy could definately have a sideline in making jigsaws). John has been trying to get the platforms to match the photographs and as the song goes 'Someday Soon'. Below are a few photographs of the latest work carried out.
Springwood Crescent
Springwood Crescent and Calderwood House
Springood Crescent, signal box and Calderwood House
Calderwood House
Converted 4F
Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Grampian Area Report 12th November 2024
We've been making good progress on several fronts on Dunallander. We continue to meet at Roy's shed on Tuesday evenings and the occasional Saturday, with Roy spending a lot of additional time in the shed, and also other work being done away from the layout.
The path towards the Springbank mill has been realigned to make it more prototypical. Near the mill too, but on the opposite bank a small burn has appeared. Meantime, the site of the electricity sub-station has grown and following a tip off at Perth, we contacted the SSE Heritage unit, who were very helpfull and sent us a site plan, some historical and technical information and some images, resulting in Roy carrying out some baseboard surgery to enlarge the site.
Roy has now resumed tree making for the hill east of the main line and a fair sized wood has now appeared.
In August we visited the Stirling Archives to inspect three large-scale Aerofilms pictures of Dunblane dating from 1962/63. As a result Roy has done yet more baseboard surgery, involving about two square feet across the join with the northern part of the junction board.
We have gained a lot of new information about the goods yard, including the water tower and a previously unknown second goods dock.
After spending months of plastering, fettling and painting the goods yard we've found ouselves remodelling the entrance area and creating a lot of raised ground above the plaster between the entrance and goods shed.
Away from the shed, Mike has completed the buildings for Caledonian Place. Working out the levels here and building a demountable sub-structure will be the next task for the area.
On the locomotive front we have used the last few spares of Ballantine driving wheelsets to replace a broken geared axle on a GEM parallel boiler Patriot, several ex LNER locos have been coaxed back into life, and we have discovered we have all the necessary parts for completing a part-built Foxhunter WD 2-8-0.
We were invited to the Elgin Modelfair on the 2nd /3rd November where we displayed the viaduct board. It was a very successful weekend and again we have learned a few things from people who knew the area in the 60's. Below are some photographs taken by Tony over the course of the weekend.
Our next planned exhibition will be at Elgin next year with hopefully the completed layout.
The path towards the Springbank mill has been realigned to make it more prototypical. Near the mill too, but on the opposite bank a small burn has appeared. Meantime, the site of the electricity sub-station has grown and following a tip off at Perth, we contacted the SSE Heritage unit, who were very helpfull and sent us a site plan, some historical and technical information and some images, resulting in Roy carrying out some baseboard surgery to enlarge the site.
Roy has now resumed tree making for the hill east of the main line and a fair sized wood has now appeared.
In August we visited the Stirling Archives to inspect three large-scale Aerofilms pictures of Dunblane dating from 1962/63. As a result Roy has done yet more baseboard surgery, involving about two square feet across the join with the northern part of the junction board.
We have gained a lot of new information about the goods yard, including the water tower and a previously unknown second goods dock.
After spending months of plastering, fettling and painting the goods yard we've found ouselves remodelling the entrance area and creating a lot of raised ground above the plaster between the entrance and goods shed.
Away from the shed, Mike has completed the buildings for Caledonian Place. Working out the levels here and building a demountable sub-structure will be the next task for the area.
On the locomotive front we have used the last few spares of Ballantine driving wheelsets to replace a broken geared axle on a GEM parallel boiler Patriot, several ex LNER locos have been coaxed back into life, and we have discovered we have all the necessary parts for completing a part-built Foxhunter WD 2-8-0.
We were invited to the Elgin Modelfair on the 2nd /3rd November where we displayed the viaduct board. It was a very successful weekend and again we have learned a few things from people who knew the area in the 60's. Below are some photographs taken by Tony over the course of the weekend.
Our next planned exhibition will be at Elgin next year with hopefully the completed layout.
Tuesday, 9 July 2024
June Grampian Area Group Report
DUNALLANDER UPDATE
Tony and John have continued working on the ground cover on the goods yard and Roy has been busy with the scenics, including some tree building, on the viaduct board ready for the visit to the Perth Exhibition. Mike has continued modelling the buildings and is now down to his last five.
The highlight of the month was the Perth Exhibition where we had the viaduct board as a demonstration along with a small screen showing some of Mike's buildings and photos of the full layout as it was at the Aberdeen Exhibition in October. We picked up quite a lot of information from people who knew the area and also a possible source of information for the sub station. During the course of the weekend a couple of bridge engineers paid the stand a visit and were very impressed with Roy's bridges, so a massive thumbs up for our bridge builder. The other highlight of course was once again meeting up with the team from the Forth and Clyde Group with their excellent layout Mearns Shed.
Below photographs taken by Tony during the weekend and two of Mike's latest building.
Faery Bridge
Alasdair Campbell's Jumbo
Mike's latest model building of 16 Caledonian Place
The Perth Exhibition would not be complete without the Saturday night exhibitor's BBQ at Wester Pickson Railway
Tony and John have continued working on the ground cover on the goods yard and Roy has been busy with the scenics, including some tree building, on the viaduct board ready for the visit to the Perth Exhibition. Mike has continued modelling the buildings and is now down to his last five.
The highlight of the month was the Perth Exhibition where we had the viaduct board as a demonstration along with a small screen showing some of Mike's buildings and photos of the full layout as it was at the Aberdeen Exhibition in October. We picked up quite a lot of information from people who knew the area and also a possible source of information for the sub station. During the course of the weekend a couple of bridge engineers paid the stand a visit and were very impressed with Roy's bridges, so a massive thumbs up for our bridge builder. The other highlight of course was once again meeting up with the team from the Forth and Clyde Group with their excellent layout Mearns Shed.
Below photographs taken by Tony during the weekend and two of Mike's latest building.
Faery Bridge
Alasdair Campbell's Jumbo
Mike's latest model building of 16 Caledonian Place
The Perth Exhibition would not be complete without the Saturday night exhibitor's BBQ at Wester Pickson Railway
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