This was one of our informal quarterly meetings where our members showed off their latest Meccano creations.
At around 2:00pm we had a short committee meeting, followed by the Model Tour in which members were invited to give a short talk about their models — in particular their entries for the Secretary’s Challenge!
The Hornby O Gauge Trains Secretary’s Challenge
This Challenge was for us, collectively, to build a mixed passenger/goods train to fit onto Hornby O gauge track. This was our first ‘Big Challenge’.
The idea was that each member would construct one or more carriages, wagons or a locomotive and then we’d couple them together at the meeting and run the train, seeing how long we could make it!
To ensure that they can couple together, members made sure that all of their rolling stock had a coupling at both ends. The coupling simply consisted of a horizontal strip or plate protruding from the vehicle end with a long bolt, protruding upwards, fixed in the end hole. The strip was approximately 1” above rail level. They were joined by a fishplate or short strip.