Exhibition Easter 2003
Mervyn brought an operating tram, small lorry mounted mobile crane, dodgem cars and an Adreas Konkoly designed centipede model. He had also branched out into other systems and built a Marklin crane and a fairground ride out of Constructor.
However, the real master of the non-Meccano Meccano model was David Hobson who dazzled us with no less than 28 other system models from all around the world. Some countries would not have surprised you but did you know there were Australian, Israeli, Rhodesian and Bulgarian examples of the genre? Well thanks to David you do now! This Handley Page HP2 was his too.
Ron Garside continues to work his way through the supermodels and this time arrived with the Vertical Log Saw (which really sawed), the Railway Breakdown Crane and the Electric Mobile Crane. I’ve now lost count of how many he has still together but I don’t think he’s quite got to 37 yet, so the challenge remains!
David Miller has been buying some modern Meccano and showed us a car and a tractor he had made from it. He had also constructed a terrific model of the Falkirk Wheel. This extra-ordinary device links the Fourth & Clyde and Union Canals by effectively swapping bits of the them around through lifting one up by well over 100ft whilst dropping the other by the same amount. Amazing!
Ralph brought his Big Bertha, 0-10-0 loco.
Sam Medworth had a Meccanograph and nickel biplane plus his late father’s dark red/green No 3 set from the early 30’s.
Malcolm gave his model of Buckingham Palace its last run out before demolition and also brought a shop display model of an operating suspension bridge with Dinky Toy cars that circulated on it.
It was good to welcome new members in the forms of John Day and Sam Bishop: John had just fulfilled his childhood dream of building the Giant Blocksetting Crane so he brought it along to show us.
Sam, Mervyn’s grandson, had a fire engine, modern car and an ingenious model of the studio set from Robot Wars which he designed and built himself. Very impressive!
Don’t forget David Northcott’s Earth/moon orrery.
