Meccano Show 2021
Report written by Tim Surtell for our Winter 2021 Newsletter
Saturday 9 October 2021
Falconwood Community Centre
Falconwood
Our first exhibition at Falconwood Community Centre was a great success, with every available table filled with models from 18 exhibitors, which included two guests: Paul Leech from NELMC, with his car transporter, and Andrew Tickle, who brought along some of his late father Bill’s working agricultural models.
The stage was dominated by Ted Muggridge’s impressive crane (which took him several hours to assemble and dismantle!) along with his parts for sale.
Andrew Tickle with his father Bill’s agricultural models
Ted Muggridge’s crane
Viewed from above…
…and below!
We were a little worried come opening time as nobody was queuing to enter, but over the next half hour visitors began to arrive and soon the hall was busy. Early indications suggest that the show has been successful financially.
The two Meccano Creative Challenge tables and the Make It With Meccano workshop tables in the centre of the hall were occupied all day, and we had 20 Challenge entries. The winners (as judged by Chris Warrell and Brian Leach) were Hanna Serwinska, 9, and Sofia Ramus, 7.
Hanna Serwinska
Sofia Ramus
Hanna’s model
Sofia’s model
You can see all the Meccano Creative Challenge photos in our Facebook album.
I’d like to thank everyone for helping with the chores, and special thanks go to Cathy Claydon and Chris Warrell for running the refreshments, Peter Clay for managing the paydesk, Frank Paine for running the raffle, and Brian Leach for transporting tables and equipment.
A view over the hall from the stage
Models Shown
Ted Muggridge: Manitowoc 8000–1 crawler crane.
Cathy Claydon: Volkswagen Type 82 Kübelwagen; lorry.
Greg Clarke: Cable car; dragline.
Greg Clarke’s cable car
Alan Wenbourne: Heatherwick’s rolling bridge; Mars rover; M4 high speed tractor; Morgan 3-wheel car; Cletrac tractor; DSG auto transmission.
Tim Surtell: The Lightning Leap buzz-wire game; The Spanish Knight; unicyclist; diabolo player; Connect 4 game; maraca; mug; shopping trolley smartphone holder; spider’s web.
Eric Smith: Locomotives including the Baltic tank locomotive and the Golden Arrow.
Eric Smith’s locomotives
Les Chatfield: Indian Patiala State monorail train; V8 engine; Series 1 Land Rover.
Bill Tickle (exhibited by his family): Bulldozer; combine harvester; tractor.
Paul Leech: Car transporter; tunnel digger; mini excavator, tractor; caterpillar tracks.
Paul Leech’s car transporter
Guy Loveridge: Granddaughter clock.
Frank Paine: Tower Bridge; car chassis (Supermodel); traction engine (Supermodel); Blue Bird car; № 0 Aeroplane Constructor seaplane.
Ronan Carroll: Digger.
Ronan Carroll’s digger
Andrew Couzens: Space 1999 Eagle Transporter with laboratory pod and ultra probe command module; moon buggy.
Brian Leach: Obstacle game; kangaroo; Meccasaur; Nunhead signal box; windmill.
Santiago Plicio: Galacticus fairground ride.
Santiago Plicio’s fairground ride
John Gay: Sports car.
Peter Clay: Meccanograph; Jeep; sardine tin; delivery cart; car.
Chris Warrell: HR1 tramcar; Rogue-Bot; Hungerford Bridge; floating wind turbine; bike.
Models from John Clifton, Chris Warrell and Peter Clay at the front of the hall