Summer 2015 Newsletter
Summer 2015 Newsletter
Issue 155
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!
Part 1 of a photographic look back at nearly 40 years of the South East London Meccano Club’s history.
Do you have any snaps that you can share with us?
If so, please contact Chris Warrell and we’ll arrange to make a copy of them for this series!
Go back in time to the 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
Pictured at our second meeting on 16th October 1976 are (L-R) Peter Clay, Geoff Davison, Adrian Ashford, Richard Greenshields and Charles Yearsley
The poster for our first exhibition on 29th September 1979, printed for us by Meccano themselves
David Whitmore with his Darby-Savage digging machine at our first exhibition on 29th September 1979
Neil Bedford with mobile crane at our first exhibition on 29th September 1979
Eddie Oatley with level-luffing grab crane at our first exhibition on 29th September 1979
Geoff Davison’s tramcar at our first exhibition on 29th September 1979
John Adams’ Meccanograph at our first exhibition on 29th September 1979
Cutting from the Eltham Times, 4th October 1979
Cutting from the Kentish Times, 4th October 1979
Read more about our 1979 Exhibition.
Go back in time to the 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
Part 2 of a photographic look back at nearly 40 years of the South East London Meccano Club’s history.
Do you have any snaps that you can share with us?
If so, please contact Chris Warrell and we’ll arrange to make a copy of them for this series!
Go back in time to the 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
Our stand at the Memorial Hospital fete in August 1980
Pictured at our stand at the Memorial Hospital fete in August 1980 are (L-R seated) Adrian Ashford, Chris Warrell, David Smithers, (L-R standing) Neil Bedford (top left) and John Adams
Junior members at our meeting on 12th April 1980
Norman Simper (operating crane) and Stan Bedford at our second exhibition on 27th September 1980
Paul Bedford (Neil’s younger brother) at our second exhibition on 27th September 1980
Neil Bedford at our second exhibition on 27th September 1980
Peter Clay and Roy Thompson model our very trendy T-shirts at our second exhibition on 27th September 1980
Read more about our 1980 Exhibition.
Brian Leach (left) and his tower crane, with junior club member Neil Carter, in 1981
Martin Clark with his robotic arm at our fourth exhibition on 2nd October 1982
A general view of the hall at Eltham United Reformed Church during our fourth exhibition on 2nd October 1982
Read more about our 1982 Exhibition.
The poster for our sixth exhibition on 6th October 1984
Read more about our 1984 Exhibition.
The committee at a meeting on 27th September 1986 — (L-R) Chris Warrell, Frank Pycroft, Robin Lake
Go back in time to the 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
Part 3 of a photographic look back at nearly 40 years of the South East London Meccano Club’s history.
Do you have any snaps that you can share with us?
If so, please contact Chris Warrell and we’ll arrange to make a copy of them for this series!
Go back in time to the 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
General view of the Eltham United Reformed Church hall at our 12th exhibition on 31st March 1990
Chris Warrell’s daughter Emma (aged 4) with a giant robot at our 12th exhibition on 31st March 1990
Read more about our 1990 Exhibition.
Cutting from the Mercury, 31st October 1991
Read more about our 1991 Exhibition.
General view of Christ Church Hall at our 15th exhibition on 9th October 1993
General view of Christ Church Hall at our 15th exhibition on 9th October 1993
Frank Paine’s display at our 15th exhibition on 9th October 1993
Andrew Couzens behind his block-setting crane at our 15th exhibition on 9th October 1993
Read more about our 1993 Exhibition.
General view of Christ Church Hall at our 17th exhibition on 7th October 1995
Read more about our 1995 Exhibition.
SELMEC members gathered outside St Luke’s Church hall at our 20th anniversary meeting on 13th July 1996
Len Spink with block-setting crane at our 18th exhibition on 12th October 1996 at Christ Church Hall
Read more about our 1996 Exhibition.
The poster for our 19th exhibition on 18th October 1997
Read more about our 1997 Exhibition.
Go back in time to the 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
Part 4 of a photographic look back at nearly 40 years of the South East London Meccano Club’s history.
Do you have any snaps that you can share with us?
If so, please contact Chris Warrell and we’ll arrange to make a copy of them for this series!
Go back in time to the 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
General view of our 23rd exhibition on 20th October 2001 at Bromley Scout Hall
Read more about our 2001 Exhibition.
The homepage of our website on 21st November 2002
Frank Paine and his display at our 25th exhibition in October 2003 at Bromley Scout Hall
Geoff Davison (standing) chats to Peter Clay and Geoff Carter at our 25th exhibition in October 2003 at the 3rd Bromley Scouts Group Hall
General view of our 25th exhibition in October 2003 at the 3rd Bromley Scouts Group Hall
Our members in the garden beside Sherard Hall, taken at our 30th anniversary meeting on 24th June 2006
Cathy Warrell cutting the birthday cake at our 30th anniversary meeting on 24th June 2006
The homepage of our website on 14th July 2006
Santiago Plicio (standing in light blue shirt) demonstrates one of his fairground rides at our 28th exhibition on 14th October 2006 at Eltham United Reformed Church
George Foard points a finger at one of Geoff Carter’s models at our 28th exhibition on 14th October 2006 at Eltham United Reformed Church
General view of our 28th exhibition on 14th October 2006 at Eltham United Reformed Church
Read more about our 2006 Exhibition.
Frank Paine at the Charlton Great Get Together on 28th June 2009
Tim Surtell (standing behind display) at the Charlton Great Get Together on 28th June 2009
Read more about the Charlton Great Get Together.
Douglas Windibank and Peter Clay at the Old Bexley Church of England Primary School Summer Fete on 11th July 2009
Read more about the Old Bexley Church of England Primary School Summer Fete.
The poster for our 31st exhibition on 17th October 2009
Read more about our 2009 exhibition.
Go back in time to the 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
Part 5 of a photographic look back at nearly 40 years of the South East London Meccano Club’s history.
Do you have any snaps that you can share with us?
If so, please contact Chris Warrell and we’ll arrange to make a copy of them for this series!
Go back in time to the 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
A general view of our stand at the National Maritime Museum’s 1930s Festival on 1st May 2010
Read more about the National Maritime Museum’s 1930s Festival.
The poster for our 32nd exhibition on 16th October 2010
Read more about our 2010 Exhibition.
Douglas Windibank (standing) describes one of his models at our seated model tour on 23rd June 2012
Les Chatfield (left) is presented with the Geoff Carter Cup by Chairman Frank Paine at our meeting on 23rd June 2012
Les Chatfield’s Geoff Carter Cup-winning model
Read more about the Geoff Carter Cup.
Ivor Ellard with his American-style lift bridge at the meeting on 23rd June 2012
Our stand at the Cultural Pursuits event at the Gerald Moore Gallery on 14 July 2012. L–R: Peter Clay, Alan Wenbourne, Felicity Surtell, Tim Surtell
Read more about the Cultural Pursuits event.
Brian Leach’s model tries to do battle with Alan Wenbourne’s Goliath-like monster in the Push-of-War competition in the MeccanOlympics at our show (that’s a bit of rebranding for you!) on 13th October 2012
Chris Warrell presents the gold medal to Alan Wenbourne (centre) for the Push-of-War competition at our show on 13th October 2012. Chris Fry (in red) won silver and Ralph Laughton won bronze
Read more about our 2012 Meccano Show.
Allen Berman demonstrating his robot at a chilly Chatham Historic Dockyard as part of the Medway Festival of Steam and Transport on 31st March 2013
Read more about the 2013 Medway Festival of Steam and Transport.
Our 2nd annual display in the Eltham Centre which ran from September to October 2013
Read more about the 2013 Eltham Centre Display.
Alan Wenbourne (standing) at the Crossness Engines Model Engineering Day on 22nd June 2014
Ralph Laughton at the Crossness Engines Model Engineering Day on 22nd June 2014
Read more about the 2014 Crossness Engines Model Engineering Day.
Youngsters try our Meccano in our Make It With Meccano workshop at the Great Get Together on 28th June 2014
Read more about the 2014 Great Get Together.
Chris Fry in his yellow jersey, having won it in one of our Bicycle Races at our show on 25th October 2014
A general view of the hall at Eltham United Reformed Church during our 36th show on 25th October 2014
Read more about our 2014 Meccano Show.
Our members outside Falconwood Community Centre, taken at our 40th anniversary meeting on 18th June 2016
Group photo after our anniversary meal in the White Hart pub in Eltham on 24th July 2016
Go back in time to the 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s
Reports written by Peter Clay and Bob Palmer
Watch our video of the show
Peter Clay’s Report
Chris Warrell asked me to do a brief report on this event of 18–19 April 2015. This is not an account of who brought what (for that see Bob Palmer’s report further down the page); rather it concerns the event as a whole and the refurbished museum. This was the first Magic of Meccano Show since 2012 due to rebuilding work at the museum (formerly known as Kew Bridge Steam Museum but now re-named the London Museum of Water and Steam).
My overall impression and feedback was that the event went well. I managed to get on the wrong train and had to go back to Kew Bridge from Staines on Saturday. Given the museum’s high standards, I expected to find my table gone. In fact the lady in charge (whose name I forget) welcomed me, took me to my table and gave me tea and biscuits after she heard my story.
So far as the museum itself is concerned, the entrance has been widened to include the admission desk, shop and café (which means you sit in a draught from the door). The queues for the café on Saturday were slow beyond belief but things improved on Sunday, though it is pricey.
A view of the Steam Hall from the balcony
The Steam Hall has not changed, beyond some extra display panels about the engines, and this was where most of the Meccano was exhibited. More was in the upper gallery and the Boulton and Watt Hall, which have not changed. The biggest change was the Waterworks Gallery, in the basement, which has more items and display boards. This meant that there was no room for Meccano (with the exception of an Eiffel Tower).
The old cafe was now used to display models including a ‘Make it in Meccano’ section for children (and parents). Tea and biscuits were provided for exhibitors throughout the day. The latter were given badges and briefings held each morning.
Outside there were new hands-on activities for children (all involving water) and the narrow gauge railway.
I should recommend anyone to exhibit who can. It’s still a good venue, and cheaper than just visiting! On balance I would say there is slightly less room for models, so get in as soon as booking starts for next year. (A shame the organisers haven’t revived the marquee — I am sure it would pay for itself. Maybe the Meccano organisers could suggest this to the museum staff).
Many SELMEC members were exhibiting, also under the aegis of NELMC, Holy Trinity and Runnymede. It would have been nice if we’d had a SELMEC banner up, but I’m aware that someone’s got to get it there.
There were also several visitors from the club. I did say I was not including a roll call or list of models, all of which (some old and some new) were up to usual standards and gave Joe Public great pleasure and impressed them. One exception must be made. I will single out Jim McCulloch for his part in working with the organisers, stewarding and taking time to check the exhibitors were happy, which, on the whole, despite wrong trains, we were!
Bob Palmer’s Report
This was my first time exhibiting at this event having visited just once before, during the last Magic of Meccano event in 2012. Both then and now I came away feeling the need to go back for a fuller visit and spend more time looking at the museum’s own exhibits.
For this report I will concentrate on just a few models that caught my eye.
Spot the difference: One ‘Waddon’ steam pumping engine…
…and another
Firstly, in the main steam hall, where much of the Meccano was to found, there is the ‘Waddon’ Steam Pumping Engine — a cross-compound horizontal compound pumping engine which, according to its information board, was the last steam engine used for pumping water.
One visitor said to me “Wouldn’t that be a good model to build in Meccano?” So I sent him up to the gallery overlooking the Waddon, where Jim MacCulloch was displaying his very neat model which he says is a completely new version of one built by the late Phil Bradley in 1992. You can just see part of the prototype through the railings behind Jim’s model. Jim also had a number of his ‘signature’ miniature models, which he says are often harder to produce than the more typical larger Meccano models.
John Rogers’ model of the LNER Ten Thousand locomotive
Another fine model that has impressed me since I first saw it a year or two back is this fine rendition of the LNER Ten Thousand by John Rogers. This appeared in the January 1935 issue of Meccano Magazine and is largely based on an experimental high pressure locomotive built in 1929.
Constructing the main body
As you can see in the excerpt above, the Meccano Magazine article called for the builder to construct the main body in the flat and then roll it to shape — a very daunting task indeed! John chose to create a suitable framework with strips he had curved and then plate it with various lengths of strip as needed. The original model used large quantities of the less common strip lengths so John rearranged the plating to use more common lengths. He also improved on the cab detailing by using parts not available when the earlier model was built.
Gregg Worwood’s Eiffel Tower
One criticism I later heard regarding this event was that there were no really big models. Well, there was one over 12’ high and that was the Eiffel Tower by Gregg Worwood, which was the only model in the newly revamped Water Hall. This separates into four sections for transport.
His other model was also the longest on show and was Stephenson’s Rocket complete with tender, open carriage and closed carriage. He included as part of his display a lot of information about the prototype including an account of the first recorded railway accident, which involved one William Huskisson, MP for Liverpool, who later died from his injuries.
Pete Wood’s Lamborghini Countach
Pete Wood had along his ¼ scale Lamborghini Countach, which, while a work in progress, already incorporates several features from both the LP400 and LP500 versions. Current features includes a fully ‘working’ V12 engine (displayed separately) with moving pistons, valves and ‘firing’ spark plugs; working clutch and 5-speed gearbox which matches the LP500 ratios; rack and pinion steering; spring suspension; ‘leather’ adjustable seats; ‘working’ speedometer and tachometer. He intends to add lights, windows, windscreen wiper and, possibly, working brakes.
SELMEC members will hopefully recognise Chris Fry’s Cricket Pavilion. Originally built for the Model Village Secretary’s Challenge, it is expected to be part of a village display at the 2015 Meccano Show in Eltham.
Another part of the village scene is an East-End London Pub, called ‘The Bolt Hole’. This was one of a group of models by Cathy Claydon and John Gay.
Geoff Wright showed a trio of public transport vehicles: a Leyland ‘Titan’ TD1 Double Decker Bus, a UCC ‘Feltham’ Class Tramcar and an AEC Q Double Deck Bus. These were all built to a scale of 1:16 and solely from the parts contained in a mid 1950s № 9 set.
Darren Bonner’s R3 Showman’s Engine
Geoff Wright’s UCC ‘Feltham’ Class Tramcar
Here we can see Darren Bonner’s fine model of a John Fowler R3 Showman’s Engine. Built almost entirely from refurbished Meccano, it has very few non-Meccano parts. Features include three speeds to the rear wheels, working winch and ‘feast’ crane at the rear; all driven by one motor. There are also working lights, working steering and a belt drive to the front dynamo.
Darren also showed his Wolseley WD11 1.5hp Stationary Engine. This is a very close copy of the 1940s prototype and is about ⅔ full size, built from 99% restored parts. Features include a working piston, governors, valves and magneto points. It is powered by a small 12V motor hidden inside.
Nick Rodgers’ Factory Steam Engine
Nick Rodgers had a selection of models for us. One I do not recall seeing before is this Factory Steam Engine. It is based on a design by Andreas Konkoly — his Supermodel 46. Building instructions for this will appear in volume 8 of the Andreas Konkoly Supermodels books currently being published by the Runnymede Meccano Guild.
Also on Nick’s table were two versions of a 4-wheel drive chassis. The one in army green was built by John MacDonald and was awarded the Phil Bradley Memorial Trophy by the Holy Trinity Meccano Club in 2014. The red and green version is a close copy, built by Nick, for which full construction details will be available in the future.
These were just a few of the many models on display. I could easily fill several more pages but I hope you’ve enjoyed this little ‘taster’.
Why not join in next year?
Report written by Alan Wenbourne
The Modelzone was held again over the Easter weekend in the Smithy building at the Historic Dockyard, Chatham, which is, at least, protected from through-draughts but not particularly warm due to the main doors being open to attract visitors from outside. The weather was generally bright and cool both days.
Meccano was well supported by Tim Surtell (with Felicity), Douglas Windibank, Andrew Couzens, John Cowdery, Chris Fry and myself, and promoted by banners and ‘Make It With Meccano’ tables for up to four builders. We were provided with as many tables as we required and, at times, particularly on Sunday, visitors were three deep around our exhibits.
Part of our stand
The Make It With Meccano facility was particularly successful as reported here by Tim:
“We collected 65 e-mail addresses of ‘new members’ for the club, but there were 104 certificates handed out as there were a lot of families with more than one child. I expect there were probably around 120 participants in reality as it was so busy Andrew and I didn’t always get a chance to give out certificates. Most people built from the plans, but there were some freestyle models, including a winged unicorn!”
One of our Make It With Meccano participants
You can see all the Make It With Meccano photos in our Facebook album.
Watch our Make It With Meccano video
The event in general was bigger and better than previous years in that there were many more classic vehicles on display including Shelby Cobras, Mustangs, Ferrari, Lotus and Lamborghini cars and my favourite Jensen Interceptor — the world’s first production car to use the Ferguson Formula four wheel drive and traction control system.
There were also additional fairground rides, some very interesting ‘Steam Punk’ stalls and characters and more refreshment facilities, although fewer live steam attractions.
Andrew Couzens
Douglas Windibank
Chris Fry’s cricket green
John Cowdery
Alan Wenbourne’s models
Felicity Surtell
You can see more photos from the festival in our Facebook album.
Report written by Brian Leach
SELMEC was well represented on the stage of the Welling Methodist church hall at Adrian Ashford’s 32nd Vintage Hornby Trains Show on 2nd May 2015. We had an L-shape layout of tables. From left to right there were:
- Peter Clay: L-form Meccanograph and various vehicles.
- Brian Leach: Model of his house and a 9-speed and reverse gearbox.
- Tim Surtell: Maraca; the Spanish Knight; ice cream cart; Meccanoide (a walking cat robot).
- Brian Elvidge: Horizontal steam engine; beach buggy; fire truck; grader; and articulated dump truck.
- Doug Windibank: Various bi-planes.
Plenty of children came up to see the Meccano; they seemed to like anything with wheels.
Brian Elvidge
On the train side of the show, Adrian Ashford had an excellent O-gauge oval layout with a four-platform station called Wembley. There were four other layouts; some O, some OO. Most of the layouts were from 50s to early 60s.
Adrian Ashford re-rails a wagon on his OO layout
About half of the hall was sales, and there were plenty of items; mostly second hand. I remember the Inter-city carriages when I was a boy. Most of it seemed reasonably priced. There was also a small amount of red-green Meccano on sale. The sales area spilt out into the side alley which is also the entrance to the hall.
Brian Leach’s house
The attendance of about 220 was way down on last year. One of the organisers commented that it may be due to the Bluebell Railway sales day. Things quietened down at 3:00 pm and some people were packing as early as 3:30 pm.
Douglas Windibank
The kitchen served a reasonable variety of food. Exhibitors received a free roll or sandwich, piece of cake and unlimited free drinks from the friendly tea ladies.
It was my first time there. I found it very enjoyable and would go again.
Peter Clay
A boy has fun with Tim Surtell’s Meccanoide model
You can see more photos from the show in our Facebook album.