NORTH WEST MECCANO GUILD


Clicking on many of the pictures enlarges them and provides extra information. The models are usually attributed to the builder.

The Guild is always interested in preventing good Meccano going to waste. If you have any Meccano to re-cycle, please contact the Secretary or a member at one of our events.

Click  “Exhibitions” for a calendar of our events. Or “Event Details” for information about individual ones.

Click “North West” for information about Meccano on display and  Meccano related locations in the North West of England.

A Third Page of Models which could not be taken to our meetings and events, cancelled because of the virus.

Clicking on some of the pictures produces an enlarged view. Click the back button to return to this page.


First some models which Brian Elvidge would have taken to the North East London Meccano Club’s Exhibition had it been able to take place.

Four Position Roundabout.

 A fairground machine with four chairs. It is driven by the Dave Taylor type electric motor  shown there. The motor drives the central 133 tooth gear by reduction gearing, this rotates the arms. The
second motion raises and lowers the arms by a second drive through the central gear.  On the extremity of this rod is a crown head cam, a bushwheel. When this rotates, it moves the arms up and down as shown in the pictures.

Farm Tractor Model.


 
This model was originally published in Meccano Newsmag No. 72 of July 1995, by French builder, Pierre Monsallut. Some modifications, since  publication, have been carried out by various builders to improve the running of this model. The model is powered by a 6 speed motor/gearbox and features a novel inside out differential that is key to this models running qualities.
 The differential consists of a central fixed four hole collar, around which are two free running contrates, these engage two pinions and these engage two 57  toothed gears at the rear axle. This is shown clearly on the underside view.  The model’s bodywork is fabricated as shown. This tractor has no anti-roll cage or cab as it was designed before these became mandatory.
 The main areas of modifications of the version shown are, the rear mudguards, the steering column , mountings and part of the transmission system.

 
It is thought that the model is based upon the series of Ford Tractors built in the 1970's to the 1980's.



Various Lorries with Multikit Prefabricated Cabs and Wheels. 

These are the subjects of  Model Plan 232 available from Howard Somerville of MW Mail Order. They use the Liverpool Meccano Multikit Cab and steer by a worm and pinion mechanism. The builder has found that the steering has no "feel" and an improvement has been researched. The result came from the website of The Meccano Society of Scotland, and Modeller, Dave Stanford, who built a series of new models shown on their site. He used a long rod underneath the chassis to a contrate and pinion reduction or the bevel pair 30a/30c. This, he adapted and works well. Both versions are used in these models. The models shown use a variety of modern and compatible parts in their construction including a very long Boiler.

Chris. Harris’s Michelin Tyre Man.

It contains 37 Tyres and some Caterpillar Tracks.

A contributor to the nzmeccano Rust Bucket found an Auto-reversing Mechanism in the April 1953 Meccano Magazine  based on a No. 1 Clockwork Motor. Dick Watson has tried to see if it can be used on an actual model. The first one tried was the Slag Dumper  in the 1954 Manual for Outfit No. 4. It can only be operated by hand because of the limited power of the motor. The skip has been redesigned to ensure that it empties properly.

 The second is a model of a Transporter Bridge, probably intended to be of the old Runcorn-Widnes one. It came from the No. 5 Manual of the same year.  

I have made the “Mersey”  a bit narrower so that it  now works quite well, but not for very long. Rewinding is rather tedious because the mechanism has to be partly dismantled to fit the key.

A You-Tube Video of these Models Can Found At:Video link

https://youtu.be/qlEXNW8b9Ss

Slag Dumper

Transporter Bridge

No. 1 Clockwork Motor with Autoreverse

Another of Brian’s Models - A Dumper Truck.

This was model 4.6 in the 1960 Editions of the Meccano Manuals.  

It is easy to build and works well. It has a nice steering mechanism that works, and a tipping body.

An interesting feature is the method of mounting the stub axles. A 2½” strip  is slipped inside a double bracket to provide a journal for the axle.  There were no 1½” strips in the No. 4 Outfit. A few years later part 11b was introduced. This made this combination of parts into a single one, retaining the, usually unnecessary, extensions in both directions.

Brian has used the better looking Plastic Roadwheels for the rear pair and some “heavy duty” tyres  (obtained from Dave Taylor) on 2” pulleys at the front.

The tipping cord and lever has been omitted and the construction of the bonnet improved.