Another large scale model of a home-built French-built light plane known as a Pou-de-Ciel. Literally ‘Louse of the Skies’! This model has been ‘on the stocks’ for a long time but now with this enforced home lock down I have finished it. It features a…

My Mug Holder holds a plastic Keep Cup. A Gear Ring (part № 180) holds the bottom of the mug and a series of Stepped Curved Strips support the top. They’re joined by four Double Angle Strips. The handle is three 4½” Angle Girders bolted together. A small…

Meant for the March 2020 meeting for depositing survey forms on the club’s future. COVID-19 put paid to that.

This novelty mug holder incorporates a removable crane for dunking biscuits into tea.

A puzzle was posed in the November 2019 issue (Vol. 43, № 4) as follows: “To describe a spur gear train using metal Meccano factory gears that will produce an output of 3.14 turns for an input of one revolution. Minimum acceptable level of precision is…

The Earth rotates 28 times while the Moon orbits the Earth once. The Earth rotates 360 times while the Earth orbits the Sun once. The Earth rotates 24 times for 1 rotation of the Sun. So the orrery is as accurate as it reasonably can be. The Earth is a…

A return to a classic Meccano theme. The crane is hand-operated, for small hands, for when the current COVID-19 precautions are lifted and they are allowed to visit again! I used nylon fishing twine to string the crane, not having any strong thread to…

Tilt mechanism to facilitate drinking. Retractable cover. Can be fixed to any convenient surface (e.g. best dining room table) through holes in base, using suitable wood screws. When so fixed, can be used to permanently reserve seat (unusual…

This is the 4th crane I have built from within the contents of the Spin Master tower crane set. It is a freelance forge crane with slew, bucket hoist and traverse functions. The set itself could do with some wheels and additional gears to increase its…

My mug holder uses parts from the 20 model helicopter set from Spin Master plus wheels from the 5 model motorcycle set, and is meant to represent a vintage water bowser. The mug holds a pint, so it’s perfect for beer! I have included anti-tip devices…

A racing game intended for the October 2020 exhibition. Your car needs to avoid obstacles on a moving track.

Uses Robin Schoolar ratchet mechanisms to be as compact as possible. Output only goes one way regardless of input direction.

Large scale model of the ‘Military Mini’ complete with front wheel drive and steering. Incomplete but I was planning to bring it to the March 2020 meeting.

This was one of our informal quarterly meetings where our members showed off their latest Meccano creations.

Doctor Who fan Chris Warrell showcases a variety of Dalek models that have been built with Meccano over the years, including his own set of four.

With this enforced isolation nonsense, the model has progressed quite well. I finally fitted the larger motors to the track frames, put the tracks on and as luck would have it, it seems to work.

Simple cup holder design mainly based on rods.

I was set about unloading my latest Meccano model called the Paddle Screamer from my car having just got home from the first meeting of 2020 at the South East London Meccano club, when I was caught thinking how many recent designs of my models were…

This is a two-player racing game I am working on. Each player will have a handle to turn in order to be the first to reach the end of the track. At the end lamps (or LEDs) will indicate the winner and the horses will automatically return to the start of…

Built from curved strips and a rack strip.

With the slowly turning mixer, this lorry is a good model for model shows. However this is not a common model in Meccano, probably because there are a few problems to solve: The conical shape of the mixer is difficult to make with Meccano parts. The…

In this mechanism the output shaft always turns in the same direction, regardless of how the input shaft is turned. This is accomplished using ratchets and pawls.

In this mechanism the output shaft always turns in the same direction, regardless of how the input shaft is turned. This is accomplished using ratchets and pawls.

These number ‘cards’ were used at a quiz night to mark the tables.

Based on a model from the № 9 set manual, but with several alterations. In the last four photos it is under construction. The model was finished in March 2020 and has six cars — three on the top ramp and three on the bottom ramp. The car is based on the…

A generic model, not based on any particular type of gun, but showing the heavy basic construction of the real thing.

A model that doesn’t need a motor! I don’t know who made the parts I’ve used for the mudguards and the seat — they certainly aren’t Meccano!

The nine span Hungerford Bridge carries the five track railway over the River Thames on the approach to Charing Cross station in London, and was designed by Sir John Hawkshaw in 1864. My model just hints at the bridge, being too short and not wide enough!

Inspired by manual model № 152.

Model № 6.47 from a 1930 Super Model Leaflet.

This tractor’s steering uses peg wheels and lots of trunnions! Built using long bolts and set screws.

Two robots built from modern set parts.

From a modern set.

From a № 5 set with a few extra bolts and different undercarriage.

Driven by a Magic Motor.

This chiming clock is not from a kit, and sits on its own stand. I have used Meccano chain instead of cord, but the problem with it is that the escape wheel is off-centre by ½ mm; otherwise the method is demonstrated quite well.

Work in progress.

This clock takes advantage of the fact that if you place a diagonal line on a rotating base, it’ll trace out a hyperbola shape in 3D.