Paignton

Due to sad passing of David Worth, the Far South West branch of our club has had to be suspended. David was a true enthusiast as well as a real gentleman.  He encouraged others to get involved with our club and he spread the word 'Meccano' around wherever he could.  He donated the Ben Johnson Trophy to be awarded by public vote each year for the best model at a public exhibition.

The Far South West Meccano Club was launched by David to cater for Meccano enthusiasts who are based in the far south west and who struggled to get to our Bristol-based meetings.

 

Below is a personal memory of David Worth written by Philip Bond, a member of the Far South West Meccano Club.

David Worth Founder of The Far South West Meccano Club

David worked hard to promote Meccano in the Paignton area especially with advertising in the local press. He arranged meeting places originally at Tiffany's café and latterly at his favourite hotel restaurant - The Torbay Court Hotel - where all the staff knew him as he would often have family meals there and also celebrated his Golden Wedding there.

David's stories were legendary.  He liked to tell how he sold his Meccano collection to buy a motorbike to get to work, and like so many regretted it in later life as he tried to rebuild his collection.  Another story told how the Dartmouth coach had to be customised with its back end shortened to prevent it scraping the ground as it got off the Dartmouth Kingswear Ferry.

I have tried to support David by attending all the meetings even when the attendance was low. We set ourselves tasks, for example recreating the first model made or to build something with less than 30 parts excluding nuts and bolts.  I am happy that I have been a small part of David's life and without him I would not have taken the plunge and become a member of the South West Meccano Club.