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.

Smallwood Vintage Rally 23rd., 24th. & 25th. May 2015.

       3 members exhibited at this event which was  arranged at rather short notice. We had 6 tables of models on the first day and 5  plus two for Hands-On model making with Plastic  Meccano on the other two days. This was a very pleasant event with many interested visitors. Nearly 30 models were built.  As might be expected for a venue near Sandbach, motor vehicles including many locally built heavy lorries were on display. The food was good.

Manchester Day, 14th. June 2015

The Tower with Flying Aeroplanes

One of  organisers of Manchester Day (an event including a procession of floats and activities in the city squares) got in touch with Dick Watson of NWMG and Chris. Shute of TIMS to discuss the idea of getting members of the public to build a very large Meccano Model in Albert Square. He was somewhat put out by the cost of building some suggested models from new parts and even good secondhand ones. Because one the sponsors of the event was the civil engineering firm of Laing O’Rourke, a tower crane was suggested and design work commenced. However, another project also involved a tower crane, so Chris. suggested a tower with rotating arms carrying small model aeroplanes instead nd making use of his abundant stock of recyclable parts. This was to be based on one which he had built by a group of Cub Scouts and is described in Constructor Quarterly No.98. The tower was changed to a more realistic and stiffer design based on the tower crane proposals. Like a full size tower crane, the tower was built out of a number of identical modules which can be bolted together on site. The Meccano version of Pythagoras’ Theorem (a² + b² = c² -2 or + 4, hole space units), which takes into account the loose fit of the Meccano bolts in the holes, was used to design the bracing.  The modules were built out very common parts and could be joined together with 4 or preferably 8 bolts without having to remove any of the bolts already fitted.

    The construction workers, who were fitted out in the appropriate equipment, turned out to be much younger than expected and needed a lot more help. Nevertheless, the tower was constructed in good time. The rotating arms proved rather difficult and were finished by two of the helpers. The tower was built in two sections and the arms and aeroplanes were fitted to the top section and tested before being lifted into position.

   The arms were rotated by a small battery powered motor controlled by a long compound strip dangling down inside the tower.

     Two small aeroplanes were selected, built from recently available kits. They were the M&S Sopwith Camel and 3703 Red Arrows Jet.

    A page of photographs will soon be added to the Gallery.

Oswestry  20th. &  21st.June.

Only 2 members and one former member were able to exhibit at this event at which we are accommodated in a large old Army hut (a “pavillion”in the advertising literature).

More had been expected so that we had 3 tables for the Hands-On Plastic Meccano Workshop and 6 for a wide variety of Meccano models. Ian Petman’s truck chassis attracted a lot of attention as it is possible see and demonstrate the mechanism easily. Many peas were lifted out of a box and returned by conveyor by the crane in the background of the photograph,

25 Plastic Meccano models were made on Saturday and 10 on Sunday. Some of the best are shown on the Plastic Meccano Page of the Gallery.

British Commercial Vehicle Museum, Leyland, 16th. & 17th. May 2015.

    Nine members were able to exhibit in the museum, some in the “Cinema” and others among the smaller resident exhibits. An interesting variety of models was displayed. Two are shown below. Chris. Harris has produced a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cLXoLvVEEQ

and the webmaster will be producing a gallery page. Unfortunately, we had disappointing number of visitors.

North West Gauge O Modellers Trade Show, Leigh. 25th. April.

   This event was held in a sports hall which provided ample room for some large gauge O layouts  a number of trade stands. Our requirements did not fit in well to the layout and, as can be seen in the photographs, we were rather cramped. Three members exhibited and two more attended. We were surprised that only a few children came in, but there were a lot of interested adults.  However, Chris. Harris has produced a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKoB7kOdQdk

Masham, Steam and Fairground Organ Rally, 18th. & 19th. July.

This was the 50th. year of this popular event. Two members of the guild attended and there were two other Meccano exhibitors so that all together Meccano models filled about 10 tables. This year the cup for the best model went to an exhibitor who brought 4 tables of wooden models. He may have had the advantage of bringing battery powered models so did not have to wait for the generator. Once again the marquee was wired up by the NWMG.

 In spite of the marquee being pitched much further from the centre of activities than in previous years and being missed off the site plan in the progamme, we had many interested visitors. Many blocks were laid and we ran out of paper for the Plastic Meccano Meccanograph.

Events in May, June & July 2015

The Aeroplanes can be seen flying at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y-fNco7KsE