Each year, the model railway scene in Scotland starts with a bang at Model Rail Scotland. The largest model rail exhibition in Scotland (with our own, at the end of June, being the next largest), Model Rail Scotland attracts thousands of enthusiasts to the SEC in Glasgow. This year, our model railway group (Perth Model Railway Group - PMRG) were in attendance with Calla Fountain Crossing layout. SMET also had a stand advertising our larger-scale ride on railway. Both were a huge success at the show!
Calla Fountain Crossing
PMRG are annual attendees at Modal Rail Scotland (we are part of the group that organises the event, AMRSS) and it is always a pleasure for the group’s members to exhibit our work to the attendees of the show. Calla Fountain Crossing is a relatively new layout, able to operate with DCC or DC locomotives; this weekend it was configured for one loop with DCC, and two DC. Set in North America, Calla Fountain Crossing depicts a mountainside with a river flowing through, with railway lines from two competing companies running through the valley.
We are delighted to say that Calla Fountain Crossing won third place in the Association Layouts category!
Gallery
Photography credits: SMET
Model Rail Scotland conducted interviews with representatives of each layout during the show. Below you will be able to find the interview with our very own Stan, discussing Calla Fountain:
Videography credits: Model Rail Scotland
SMET
This is the first year that SMET has had a stand at Model Rail Scotland dedicated to publicising our ride on railway at Wester Pickston. The stand consisted of:
- A 7 1/4" steam locomotive
- A 5" diesel outline locomotive on a diorama
- A slide show detailing the history of the Trust and the development of Wester Pickston as a ride-on railway.
Seeing the larger scale locomotives really captured the attention of passers-by at Model Rail Scotland, with many stopping to chat with the SMET members on the stand, who are always very happy to talk about model engineering!
Gallery
Photography credits: SMET
Coming up
The next opportunity to see the work of PMRG will be at Preston & District Model Railway Society’s 2025 model railway show, 1st and 2nd March, where we will be again showing Calla Fountain Crossing.
The next Open Day at Wester Pickston is Sunday 20th April and our own model rail show is 28th and 29th June 2025 at the Dewars Centre, Perth.