Chris Warrell

Articles

50th Anniversary of the Death of Frank Hornby

Written by Chris Warrell in April 1987

Chris Warrell travels to Liverpool witness the naming of ‘Frank Hornby’, Class 86 locomotive № 86414.

65 Secretary’s Challenges

Written by Chris Warrell in August 2017

Chris Warrell looks back at some of the Secretary’s Challenge’s that the club has been setting its members since 2001, and shares his top ten Challenge models.

Daleks in Meccano

Written by Chris Warrell in March 2020

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.

James May’s Top Toys Review

Written by Chris Warrell in January 2006

The BBC documentary featuring Meccano is reviewed by Chris Warrell.

James May’s Toy Stories Review

Written by Chris Warrell in January 2010

Chris Warrell reviews the TV series and reports from the tie-in toy fair in London.

Mini Stiff-Leg Derrick

Written by Chris Warrell in June 2004

Chris Warrell describes his Secretary’s Challenge micro model.

SELMEC on TV!

Written by Chris Warrell in September 2022

Susan Calman visits Skegness as part of her Grand Week by the Sea series and looks in on the International Meccano Model Show, meeting Chris Warrell from SELMEC and several other well-known Meccano modellers.

The History of SELMEC

Written by Chris Warrell in November 2006

Chris Warrell tells the story of the club’s founding and its first meetings.

The Meccano Braced Girder

Written by Chris Warrell in March 2008

A short history of our club’s adopted symbol by Chris Warrell.

Twenty Years of the Secretary’s Challenge

Written by Chris Warrell in May 2021

Chris Warrell celebrates the first 20 years of the Secretary’s Challenge with a look at some of the ideas that have been tried out to fulfil our Challenges.

Visit to Recycling Centre

Written by Chris Warrell in March 2007

Chris Warrell reports on the club’s first non-Meccano outing to the Greenwich MRF.

Xtreme Dragster Races

Written by Chris Warrell in June 2011

Our members compete to find the best Xtreme pull-back motor dragsters and hot rods.

Event reports

Woolwich Memorial Hospital Fete 1978

Sunday 30 July 1978
Woolwich Memorial Hospital, Woolwich

This was our first outdoor exhibition at the Woolwich Memorial Hospital Fete in Shooters Hill, Woolwich.

Woolwich Memorial Hospital Fete 1979

Sunday 29 July 1979
Woolwich Memorial Hospital, Woolwich

This was our second outdoor exhibition at the Woolwich Memorial Hospital Fete in Shooters Hill, Woolwich.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1979

Saturday 29 September 1979
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was the first of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Woolwich Memorial Hospital Fete 1980

Sunday 10 August 1980
Woolwich Memorial Hospital, Woolwich

This was our third outdoor exhibition at the Woolwich Memorial Hospital Fete in Shooters Hill, Woolwich.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1980

Saturday 27 September 1980
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Woolwich Memorial Hospital Fete 1981

Sunday 2 August 1981
Woolwich Memorial Hospital, Woolwich

This was our fourth outdoor exhibition at the Woolwich Memorial Hospital Fete in Shooters Hill, Woolwich.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1981

Saturday 10 October 1981
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1982

Saturday 2 October 1982
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1983

Sunday 2 October 1983
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

London Transport Museum Meccano Exhibition 1983

Tuesday 27 December 1983 – Monday 2 January 1984
London Transport Museum, Covent Garden

A multi-day Meccano exhibition put on over the Christmas and New Year period by several Meccano clubs.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1984

Saturday 6 October 1984
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1985

Saturday 19 October 1985
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1990

Saturday 31 March 1990
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1991

Saturday 19 October 1991
Citizens’ Gallery, Woolwich

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1997

Saturday 18 October 1997
3rd Bromley Scouts Group Hall, Bromley

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1998

Saturday 17 October 1998
3rd Bromley Scouts Group Hall, Bromley

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 1999

Saturday 30 October 1999
3rd Bromley Scouts Group Hall, Bromley

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 2001

Saturday 20 October 2001
3rd Bromley Scouts Group Hall, Bromley

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 2004

Saturday 16 October 2004
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 2005

Saturday 15 October 2005
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 2006

Saturday 14 October 2006
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 2007

Saturday 13 October 2007
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Meccano Model Exhibition 2008

Saturday 11 October 2008
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano model exhibitions.

Charlton Great Get Together 2009

Sunday 28 June 2009
Charlton Park, Charlton

Meccano Model Exhibition 2009

Saturday 17 October 2009
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

Kidbrooke Great Get Together 2010

Sunday 13 June 2010
Samuel Montagu Youth Centre, Kidbrooke

Meccano Show 2010

Saturday 16 October 2010
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano shows.

Meccano Show 2011

Saturday 8 October 2011
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano shows.

The Magic of Meccano Show 2012

Saturday 21 April 2012 – Sunday 22 April 2012
London Museum of Water and Steam, Brentford

Saint Luke’s Fellowship Meeting, April 2012

Friday 27 April 2012
Saint Luke’s Church, Eltham

Crossness Engines Model Engineering Day 2012

Sunday 24 June 2012
Crossness Engines, Abbey Wood

Meccano Show 2012

Saturday 13 October 2012
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano shows.

Frank Hornby 150 Launch Event

Saturday 23 February 2013
Brighton Toy and Model Museum, Brighton

Chris Warrell enjoys some cheese and wine under the railway arches in Brighton!

Manual Labour: Making and Making-Do

Wednesday 28 August 2013
The Arch Gallery, Bethnal Green

Chris Warrell reports on an unusual series of demonstrations in which he was invited to participate.

Meccano Show 2013

Saturday 12 October 2013
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano shows.

Meccano Show 2014

Saturday 25 October 2014
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano shows.

Royal Institute of British Architects Day of Play

Saturday 8 August 2015
Royal Institute of British Architects, Marylebone

Meccano Show 2015

Saturday 10 October 2015
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano shows.

Brighton Modelworld 2016

Friday 19 February 2016 – Sunday 21 February 2016
Brighton Centre, Brighton

Henwick Primary School Summer Fair 2016

Saturday 16 July 2016
Henwick Primary School, Eltham

Meccano Show 2016

Saturday 29 October 2016
Eltham United Reformed Church, Eltham

This was one of our annual public Meccano shows.

Medway Model Show 2018

Saturday 1 September 2018 – Sunday 2 September 2018
Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham

At this event, hosted by the Medway Modelling Club, we displayed our models in the shadow of the Royal Engineers Museum’s military vehicles and artefacts.

Eltham Park Festival 2019

Sunday 28 July 2019
Eltham Park South, Eltham

Models

20 Fenchurch Street, London

3D Meccanograph

Art Deco Table and Chairs

Bleriot Monoplane

Breakers Yard Crane

Bride and Groom

Bugatti 35 Racing Car

Canadian Pacific Steam Locomotive

Canal Lift Bridge

Canalside Crane

Car and Caravan

Child’s 3-Wheel Scooter

Christmas Pudding Stirrer

Circular Narrow Gauge Railway with Quarry Train

CLASP Railway Station

Crazy Golf Hole

Crossrail ‘Phyllis’ Tunnel Boring Machine

Derrick Crane Hat

Double Cantilever Signal Post

Electric Crane with Elevated Jib

Floating Block-Setting Crane

Horizontal Rope Race Model

HR1 London Tram

Hunslet Narrow Gauge Locomotive

Invalid Carriage

James May’s Bridge

Locomotive Coaling Plant

London Underground Map

London Underground Map Section

Magic Motor Chassis

MeccanOlympics Ping Pong Put Machine

Mini Camera Tripod

Newton’s Cradle

Nuclear Flask Railway Wagon

Offshore Floating Wind Turbine Platform

Othello (Or Reversi) Game

Pacific Tank Locomotive

Perpetual Ping Pong

Perrier Water Bottle

Railway Breakdown Crane

Railway Breakdown Crane

Railway Breakdown Crane

Rotary Aerodrome

Royal Victoria Dock Bridge

Scrap Paper Holder

Single Deck Tramcar

Small Crash Tender

Space Rocket and Launchpad

Star Christmas Tree Decoration

Steam Excavator

Stiff-Leg Derrick

Table Football Game

The Mathematical Bridge

Van Gogh’s Chair

Various Chinese Set Models

Weather Forecasting Satellite

Xtreme Dragster

‘Mini’ Hungerford Bridge

“Bluebird” Racing Car

“Enterprise” Space Ship

“Liberator” Space Ship

“Lunokhod 2” Lunar Rover

“Thunderbolt” Speed Car