September 2013 Newsletter
September 2013 Newsletter
Issue 148
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!
Report written by Peter Clay
Nine intrepid exhibitors turned up to this display, on a fairly hot day. It was my first time here; I found the working beam engine — all three stories of it — very impressive. Crossness has a functioning sewage processing plant, as we were made aware of when the wind was in the right (wrong?) direction!
To start with — exhibitors and models:
Allen Berman had a four-wheeled robot controlled by a computer program. Visitors were impressed by its facility to travel forwards, backwards, sideways or diagonally, or to spin on its axis. His SMEE Rover 1 also impressed, running on tracks and able to sense obstacles. He also showed the SML railed steam excavator powered by a live steam engine he had built himself.
Allen Berman demonstrates his robot
Douglas Windibank brought his usual immaculate display in contemporary colours, comprising Everglade one man hovercraft; Meccano multimodels set motorcycle; Dragster from a set from the 1990s; Meccano multimodel fork lift truck; three-wheeled motor scooter; Renault F1 racing car, as issued by Renault.
Guy Loveridge displayed an entire train. A diesel locomotive pulled a flat wagon, coal wagon and tank wagon. The track was 3½” gauge.
Alan Wenbourne demonstrated his Heatherwick Rolling Bridge.
Brian Elvidge brought a marine engine, and a steam power plant designed by Andreas Konkoly. To complete his display he showed a 25 pounder gun, limber and tractor in khaki Multikit livery.
Frank Paine had, as usual, a complete exhibition. The № 10 set motorcycle engine worked at the push of a button, with lights showing the firing sequence. His SML 1 car chassis and Tower Bridge were also working, as was his steam engine. A factory built display model with lights drew the eye, and a display of vintage Meccano sets added historical interest.
Frank Paine’s Meccano display
Tim Surtell provided hands-on amusement with his Lightning Leap game. His Spanish Knight made an attractive display model. He also had a maraca from a SELMEC challenge.
Ralph and Sue Laughton brought a display big wheel. A saw bench with genuine Circular Saw Blade (watch those fingers!) was powered by equally genuine 1929 Steam Engine. A mini motorbike and figures set off their display.
John Gay and Cathy Claydon collaborated as follows: John showed a working model of an early beam engine with parallel link motion, electrically driven at the push of a button. Also, a working model of a road sweeping lorry from the May 1952 issue of Meccano Magazine. Its drive ran from electric motor to rear wheels and road cleaning brush. Cathy showed an armoured car in red and green with plastic road wheels, built from 1950s set 6 manual. Also her lovely ambulance in army green based on an Austin K2/Y 2 ton army ambulance, built from 1940–1945.
Models by John Gay and Cathy Claydon
Peter Clay had as his main model a Meccanograph ‘Super Universal Design Maker’ based on a Konkoly model in a much enlarged frame with an enhanced range of design variables. It kept the public amused churning out designs. Peter also had some small models — a tricycle cart, small Xtreme car and ‘pinhole lens’ magnifying glass and railway crane.
So much for the models — what about ‘front of house’?
All the tables were well set out, with posters about our club and October exhibition. Our club banner was hung up. It’s so easy at an exhibition to see as we are, ‘backstage’. Of course, we can all take credit as exhibitors for what the public saw from the front — but what about ‘behind the scenes’? Nothing just happens — it takes a lot of work from people who deserve to be credited. In this respect I shall mention Tim Surtell, Ralph and Sue Laughton, Frank Paine and Chris Warrell who came for a couple of hours and helped set up. To this list I must add Brian Elvidge, who gave Douglas and myself lifts to and from the station. In addition Ralph took my heavy Meccanograph in his van, making it possible to exhibit it.
Furthermore several visitors turned up from SELMEC and West London Meccano Society to visit us. Unfortunately, I did not get all their names, but their support was much appreciated.
There were also model railways, ships and ‘real’ (live steam) locomotives and road locomotives — one was being steamed up outside — as well as bookstalls (one with issues of Meccano Magazine for sale).
All in all, a good day to which our club contributed, flying the flag for the hobby as well as ourselves, and attracting interest from visitors, fellow exhibitors and museum staff alike. A tip here — wear your club badge! One of the staff asked me who we were and I was able to point them in our direction.
You can see more photos from the Model Engineering Day in our Facebook album.
Report written by Chris Fry
This event, coinciding with Armed Forces Day, took place on a very sunny Saturday at the end of June in the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich.
Arriving shortly before 9:00am I found myself in a queue of traffic waiting to get vehicle access to the site. Eventually persuading the security guard that I was an official exhibitor I was in and quickly found Frank Paine setting up his display and laying out the tablecloths. We had been allocated ample table space in a spacious marquee in the arts and crafts area, but everything seemed quite disorganised. However we eventually managed to get power and chairs delivered. I do wonder if the organisers had hired a generator for us at short notice — it was massive and way beyond our meagre needs.
Having set up our displays we readied ourselves for the public to arrive from 11:00am, and arrive they certainly did. By lunchtime there were thousands circulating amongst the many stalls, displays and attractions and we were collectively kept busy demonstrating our models, answering the usual — and some unusual — questions from the public. There was no rain and we were blessed with good sunshine most of the day.
Chris Fry chats with John Gay about his models
There was much else for the public to see and do including:
- Drawing, designing and making music in the craft area
- Birds of prey, owls, parrots, farm animals and a mini zoo complete with python and meerkats
- Animated tyrannosaurus rex (well, it was a man in a rubber suit, but very entertaining)
- Live music on stage
- Fairground rides
- Trapeze acts
- Zorbing
- Military hardware, bands and demonstrations
- Red Devils parachute display
Some of Chris Fry’s models
By the time the event closed at 6:00pm I was quite tired — it had seemed a very long day, but also very worthwhile, and we had handed out a lot of publicity flyers for our October Meccano Show.
Given a similar opportunity to participate I would recommend getting involved.
Francis Paine’s vast display always pleases the crowds
Models Displayed
- Tim and Felicity Surtell: The Spanish Knight, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, The Lighting Leap, Maraca
- Chris Fry: Konkoly Meccanograph MK1, Piper Cub Aeroplane, Digger, Dragster, Triumph TR3A, Centre Lathe, Flat-bed Lorry, Motorcycle, Sports Car, Double-acting Ratchet Mechanism
- Chris Warrell: 0–6–0 Tank Locomotive, 3 Robots, Clockwork Walking Machine, Bicycle, 3-wheel Scooter, Bugatti in blue and gold, 0-Gauge Breakdown Crane, Perrier Water Bottle, Drum Kit
- Francis Paine: Motor Chassis, 4-stroke Engine, Tower Bridge, Ferris Wheel, Stationary Engine, Historical Sets 0 and 4a
- Douglas Windibank: Two Bi-planes, Red Arrow, Tank, Field Gun, 6-wheel ATV
- Peter Clay: 0-Gauge Railway Crane, Buggies, Safari Jeep, Konkoly Crescent Graph, 3-way Drive Mechanism, Magnifier
- John Gay and Cathy Claydon: Beam Engine, Bren Gun Carrier, K2 Army Ambulance, Armoured Vehicle
You can see more photos from the Great Get Together in our Facebook album.
Written by Les Chatfield
This all started when I decided to exhibit my Meccano models at the Brighton Modelworld exhibition for the very first time. Being concerned as to whether my elderly trainset controller would pass its PAT Test or whether there would even be a suitable socket nearby I decided to investigate running my models on batteries — rechargeable batteries!
Battery-powered model control system
The entire system, with the battery ‘charger’ holder to the right, the switching unit at centre and two speed/polarity controllers to the left. Of course, if only one model is to be powered the switching unit can be dispensed with and the controller connected directly to the battery holder as if it were a transformer.
Most batteries available seemed to have several issues preventing their use for running Meccano models such as fumes, the dangers associated with modern LiPo batteries and also expense. I was just thinking of abandoning the project when I thought “Why not use cordless drill batteries?" By chance I have several batteries for my drill and started considering how one might connect leads to it to run models!
To this end I obtained an old drill battery charger, carefully opened it up and removed nearly all the ‘works’ from inside. I left only the battery connector contacts and the mains lead. I removed the 13A plug as it would never be plugged into the mains again (if it has a bonded-on plug then cut it off but make sure you throw the plug away). I soldered the live and neutral wires of the mains lead to the battery contacts inside the charger’s socket.
A quick check was carried out with a multimeter set to Ohms to make sure there were no short circuits or misconnections. All seemed well so I connected the charger’s cable to a Meccano Powerdrive motor, placed a battery into the ‘charger’ and hey presto the motor whirred into life! But too fast! (My particular battery delivers 18 volts). So I obtained a model railway ‘circuit controller’ which is a speed controller without a transformer and is designed to be connected to a separate transformer. This was connected between the Meccano Motor and the drill battery in its ‘charger’.
This has turned out to be the answer — perfect control and a day’s running from one battery. The tiny motors Meccano modellers use are a fraction of the size of a cordless drill motor so a drill battery will run such motors for a considerable time. Plus, of course, the DC voltage is considerably ‘cleaner’ and ‘smoother’ than the DC from a transformer and, as a final plus point, should you be running an old E15R motor (notorious for knocking out every TV within a hundred yards) you will find the interference much reduced as you are no longer connected to the mains!
In use this system has proved itself to be completely reliable and I have found that one drill battery will run two or three large Meccano models throughout an exhibition. Should the battery require changing this is accomplished in seconds. Pull one out and push another in.
At one exhibition after a power failure I was the only one left running models to the chagrin of other exhibitors. I have used my battery system for the last two years and it has caused no problems at all…
…and no more hunting for power sockets!