Dunallander - The signals

Since returning from the 2mm event at Derby we have now extended the width at the rear of the boards, by approximately 6 inches, and are also making some alterations to the mill board, all of which will be the subject of a separate entry. Below are a couple of photographs of the recently installed signals, which have been brilliantly etched by Jim Watt of the Forth and Clyde Group. The signals are also motorised.

Dunallander Heads South To Derby 2mm Expo

The last couple of weeks leading up the the 2mm Expo at Derby has been busy, with Roy especially puting in once again an immense amout of work, which included wiring and work on the cassette connections. We have made a few changes from our last outing, mainly having a running session on the weekend prior to Derby to identify any stock which was causing problems. To help us we were joined by Alisdair and Graeme from the Forth and Clyde group, and we were treated to an excellent lunch from Roy's wife Margaret. Another change was checklists for the storage boxes and having them numbered which was a great help.

Thursday 7th May we arrived at Roy's, who was completing a couple of tasks, and we set about loading the van. Loading was completed around 16.00 and we headed off with myself and Roy in the van, with Roy driving, and Tony taking his car. We split the jouney with a couple of breaks finally reaching the Travelodge at Carlisle at 21.30. The only issue being we discovered the tressles did not like roundabouts however well they were secured, but luckily nothing was damaged.

Next morning we headed for Derby reaching there just before 16.00 but we had a bit of an issue finding the venue. At a set of traffic lights we managed to ask someone directions, which proved to be spot on and at the venue we were joined by Alisdair, Jim, Graeme, Angus and Simon. From the start of unloading to having something running took approximately two hours which I think was our best time to date. Time to finally sit back and relax, more so for Roy than anyone else, with a well earned curry and a few drinks.

Saturday saw the venue open to the public and was very busy, which was good to see. Saturday night's meal was at the venue and again it was time to sit back and enjoy the evening. Sunday was a more relaxed day which was only open to 2mm members and an offer was given to members to run their stock on Dunallander if they wished. We started to break down the layout at 15.00 and were back on the road again around 17.00 making our way to the Travelodge at Sedgfield for the night. We set off on our last leg of the journey back to Aberdeen on the Monday morning arriving back at 16.00 to start unloading.

All in all, although tiring, a very enjoyable weekend with plenty of laughs and it was great to meet up with the guys from the Forth and Clyde group again along with other members of the 2mm Society. It is now back to completing the layout, with our next scheduled outing in June 2027 at the Perth Model Railway exhibition. Below are some photographs taken at the event.

Van loaded up ready to go

Setting Up

Jim Watt's Caley Special

Grampian Area Report 26th February 2026

A short update on the progress of Dunallander. Roy has been busy replacing the boards for the end curves making them much lighter, more compact and easier to transport.They are now hinged and can be packed face to face. The Oban fiddle yard has been moved through 90 degrees which will simplify cassette transfer.

Work has also been carried out on the abattior board by Tony along with some tidying up and detailing of the station board. The goods yard turnouts have had CR point levers installed thanks to Jim Watt.

Prior to the 2mm Expo at Derby in May, the priorities are the laying and wiring of the track on the new end boards and changing the couplings on some of the coaches.

Below are a couple of photographs of the new end boards.

More Photographs Of Dunallander During Elgin Exhibition

Below are more photographs of Dunallander taken by Tony during the Elgin Exhibition in November.

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.

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.

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

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

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.