September Meeting

September’s meeting will be held at Keen House on Sunday 15^th, formally from 2pm to 5pm, There will be someone to let you in earlier than that to allow for travel timings. This month’s topic will focus on track making- with the emphasis on pointwork. It is proposed that we have a look at the basics of ‘Templot’, and how to create pointwork templates using that software. This would be followed by a practical session on point construction, and turnout operation methods. A copy of the Association book on Trackwork will be available for reference (if you haven't already got your copy!)

The suggested order of the day would be:

1-2pm  Arrivals and general open meeting (bring a packed lunch if it suits)

2pm -3 discussion on Templot

3-3:15  Break for refreshments

3:15pm to close Practical session.

But I guess all times will be  a bit flexible

 It would be a good idea to bring along some basic tools and gauges if you want to join in the practical session. I have to say that I have not tried any of the plastic components for pointwork, and if any attendee who has used these systems would like to bring examples this would be very welcome.

Suggested tools:  Soldering iron flux etc, track gauges, a selection of files, tweezers and other small clips. Sleepers and rail would be handy too!

I look forward to seeing you there.

July Meeting - Wagons and Wagon Building

The topic for the most recent meeting held on July 21st was wagons and wagon building. Some confusion about the start time meant that the meeting re-started at least twice as the attendees arrived. Richard apologised and the 'correct' start time for future meetings has been agreed. He promised to get it right in future.

We had 6 members in attendance and most had brought along relevant sections of their libraries and there were plenty of models on show and to discuss. There was plenty of lively discussion and debate about all aspects of prototypes and methods and ideas for their reproduction as models. Despite having taken a camera I didn't take it out of the case so there are no photographs, for which I must apologise.

The meeting date for September is to be agreed but the time will be 1pm! The topic will be trackwork. It is hoped that we will have a live copy of Templot for a demonstration and some time for a hands on session to get people started on making 'points'.

Advance notice is also given that the November meeting will be something a little special as Keen House opens it's doors for a 2mm themed open day. This should feature all sorts of demonstrations among the usual social activities and even a layout or two. More details nearer the time.

May Meeting - Locomotive Chassis Building

Today's meeting was mainly a talk by Richard Wilson.

Also included was distribution of a draft of his "workshop tools" list, which will probably finish up on the VAG - this gave rise to some discussion of various individual items on there, such as optical centre punches, with Richard and Justin using their tablets to look up suppliers, specific models and prices.

Richard had brought along about half a dozen varied locomotive chassis to accompany his talk, and a wide range of tools, as well as his "test track in a snooker cue case", and various other members had brought along examples they wanted to talk about.

There were wide-ranging discussions on various different techniques, and their advantages and disadvantages, with Richard contributing some of the history behind them.

The afternoon concluded with a brief tour of some of the machine tools available at Keen  House

Next meeting is scheduled for Sunday 21 July, 1pm to 5pm, Keen House again, and will be on the subject of building wagons.

Topics earmarked for future meeting include trackwork, weathering, DCC, and more on loco-building (probably bodies).

Starting up

This blog is intended to record the activities of the newly-resurrected London Area Group of the 2mm Scale Association.

An inaugural meeting was held at Keen House, at the invitation of Richard Wilson, on Sunday 3rd March 2013. Unfortunately this clashed with a maintenance session on Copenhagen Fields, prior to its appearance at Alexandra Palace later in the month, and free space was a bit limited, so the meeting adjourned upstairs to the Library.

Also present (apart from the author) were Noel Leaver and Richard Brummitt.

Unfortunately nobody took pictures for the blog, so you will have to make do with my verbal description. The main item on display/under discussion was brought by Noel Leaver, a somewhat mangled chassis from one of Damien Johnson's 2mm Locomotive kits, and shortcomings in the design and possible cures were discussed.

For the short-term future, the following plans were agreed:

• Timetable of one meeting every two months, probably on Sunday afternoons at Keen House.
• Each meeting to have a pre-defined topic
• Next meeting to be 19th May, starting at 2 p.m. with the topic "Building Locomotive Chassis"

Richard Wilson has agreed a preferential rate for room hire - £5 per head per meeting. This is limited to the usual £35 room charge,. so if more than 7 members attend, the charge per head comes down.

So an invitation is extended to members in the London area to come along to the next and subsequent meetings. Even if the listed topic doesn't interest you, there will probably be enough topic drift during the meeting to cover other areas that are more relevant.

David Walley