2003 show of the Transvaal Meccano Guild

(1 & 2 November 2003: George Lea Park (Sandton Sports Club), Holt Street East, Parkmore)

Model report (By Stuart Marr)

Dick Anstee

Level Luffing Automatic Grabbing Crane

Built from supermodel No.35. The model was built from restored parts (powder coated) and looked very attractive in its red and green.

Dick spent most of his time loading rice crispies from one bucket to another.

The grab at work.

Giant Beam Engine

The original was steam operated.

Some have beams weighing up to 34 tons and pumping 3400 Liters of water per stroke with a normal speed of +-10rpm.

A typical usage was draining Cornish tin mines in the 1880's.

Fowler B6 Lion Crane Engine.

It was the type of engine that was used in the boer war.

Typical Showman's Engine.

A very nice small scale working model in 1970's colors.

Twin Cylinder Steam Engine

Built from the 1929 supermodel leaflet No.32.

The model was built in 1960's red and green. The model has been seen many times and is still fascinating to watch.

Dick says the most difficult part was lining up the sliding gear.

Clifford Brown

Dry Dock Crane

An original design by Clifford. in red and zinc.

It is powered by 20 volt MonoPerm motors. Insulated wheel flanges provide the electrical pickups for the motors

Clifford has designed and built a five switch console for controlling the model.

Clifford was to be seen at the controls of his model throughout the exhibition.

He obviously loves operating his model for the pleasure of the public.

The drive to the bogies uses bevels throughout.

Graham Coombe

MeccanoGraph

Built from an original by Eric Baldwin (England). Graham can always be seen at our exhibitions entertaining the public with his meccanograph.

A Frame Beam Engine

This model was built from model plans No.93 in yellow, blue and zinc.

The model is powered by a 12olt motor taken from a photocopier.

Graham used 2 1/2" Argentinean circular girders to finish off the top of the piston.

Features all typical details of a mid 1800's pumping engine, including Watts parallel motion linkage, flywheel, valve gear, governor. The mass of the beam is such that it does not pivot on axle rods but on couplings which rotate in socket couplings.

Henry Coppins

Double Overhead Cam Engine

Henry displayed an excellent example of a double overhead cam 4 cylinder motor.

- 4 Valves per cylinder

- Cams act directly on the valves

- Cam chain tensioner

- The crank is made up from 2 collars bolted together.

Note the picture describing the possible types of cams you can fit to his engine to suit your needs!

GMA Garrett Locomotive

Driven by two of the new Exacto motors.

Anthony Els

Articulated Tanker

Based on a model in Constructor Quarterly by Bernard Perier (France)

3 Army Vehicles

Built in Army multikit parts.

2 of the tanks were built from the Army Multikit plans.

The third tank was built from a 1976 Meccano Magazine. It is motorized with an MO motor and

2 x "square" 4.5V batteries

M9A1 Half Track

An original by Anthony.

London RT Bus

Original model built by Terry Stuart (Canadian). The model is motorized with an MO motor through a 19/1 gear box.

Of note is the miniature differential.

One of the new 19t pinions running on a triangular shaft engages a miniature plastic collet to provide transmission of power from the propshaft to the rear axle.

Chinook 47CH

Originally built by Jan Ringeld (Nederland).

Anthony comments that it is a very difficult and finicky modeling at this scale.

Howitzer

Stothert and Pitt Hercules Blocksetting Crane

Based on a design by John Sinton. The prototype was used in South Spain in the late 19^th Century.

The compact model has neat pistons and lattice-work, and a small electric motor (running quietly on 1.5 Volts) hidden in the boiler.

ElectriKit Magnet Holders (Part no. 525) are used to close off the I-beams, giving the model a solid, finished appearance.

Chris Els

Fokker DVIII Biplane

Tug Boat

Original model by Jim Picton (England)

Chris downloaded the plans off the internet. The model runs on a base that rocks the boat in a realistic wave action.

Sports Car

Built from an early set manual in restored blue and gold.

Centenary Set Locomotive

The model ran on a raised base all through the show.

Steam Shovel

Built from Supermodel plan No.19a

Traveling Gantry Crane

Built from the Supermodel plan No.24, the traveling gantry crane.

The model is fully remote controlled through the use of a 2 channel radio control.

- One channel is used for the reverse and forward function on the main motor.

- The second channel is used to change between the function desired : travel, luff and slew.

This is done using Dave Heathcote's 4 function gearbox as seen at meeting 177.

LED's on the gearbox light up as each function is engaged to give visual confirmation from a distance.

Dr Jan Jordaan

Harbour Crane

Jo'burg's Last Tram

Pretoria Tram

Pieter Gouws

Red and Green Models

Pieter displayed a range of models from the No.5 set manual.

All the parts are second hand and have been expertly restored in red and green.

Steam Engine

Copy of a prototype 1920's factory steam engine.

Red and black parts are powder coated and all the brass polished.

Eugene Schneider

Breakdown Cranes

A nice collection of 6 breakdown cranes built from instructions found in various set instructions.

Blocksetter

An original Supermodel Blocksetter.

Built in red, green and zinc.

Peter Matthews

Narrow Gauge 0-6-0 Tank Locomotive

Freelance narrow gauge 0-6-0 tank locomotive and rolling stock.

Original model by Mike Edkins

Drive to the wheels is via 23c's rubber set collars engaging with the tread of the 3/4" flanged wheels which are held in a floating chassis.

The new gears 25c and 26n are used in the gearbox.

Snowdown Mountain Rack Railway

Inverted caterpillar track engages with the large gear from the caterpillar pack as drive.

The model is built in modular form and will be published as a Model Plan by MW models.

Rider in the sky

Marble Bouncer

Astronomical Clock

What The Butler Saw

Bubble Blower

E.1 London Tram

Light Aircraft from the Combat Multikit

Fairground Organ

Supermodel No.19a

Gas Engine

Rolls Royce

Examples of Meccano Gearing

Bill Steele

Bill Steele had the largest, most comprehensive and expertly constructed display on the show.

It must have taken many, many hours of pleasurable work.

The main features of the display were a Pinyon Blocksetter, Level Luffing automatic grab crane and Giant gantry crane.

Running below all three cranes were railway sidings with Hornby and Meccano locomotives and rolling stock on Hornby 'O'

gauge track.

The yard sported colored light signals and working buffer stops.

Level Luffing Automatic Grab Crane

Built in late 70's dark blue and yellow.

Electric controls and cab lighting. The cab was Bills own design.

Pinyon Blocksetter

This Blocksetter was to be seen on manual covers in the 1940's and on Meccano set box lids from 1954 to 1959.

This model was never built by Meccano Ltd, so bill decided to publish a model plan of the crane.

This is available as Model Plan No.143 from MW models.

Giant Gantry Crane

Based on a prototype that was used by Bow-waters paper dealers in Manchester (England)

Unfortunately Bill was unable to raise the jib due to the height of the girders in the ceiling.

The model features an Adcock and Wilcock patented Luffing mechanism and tracking geometry.

The 1920's design was promoted as requiring less power to operate because of the short balanced jib.

Examples of the crane were thought to have disappeared in the 1940's, but there are still three working in Cape Town harbor.

The bearing is from the late Bert Loves book using many slide pieces.

0-6-0 Terrier Locomotive

Modeled in Green and black, rolling on 'O' gauge track.

'O' Gauge Loco

Another 'O' gauge loco, this time in blue and black.

Tatchel Venn

Scotch Derrick Crane

Built from the Supermodel Plans No.36.

The jib on the model is 6ft in length.

It includes locally made parts from the days when the TMG used to manufacture parts for use by members of the guild.

Traction Engine

A refurbished dealers model.

Synchronous Electric Clock

This Synchronous electric clock was built by Tatchel 43 years ago!

The instructions were in the December 1954 Meccano magazine.

Paul Wright

Contra Rotating Double Ferris Wheel

Paul built this model for the display at the entrance to the exhibition.

The model is programmed to stop and let passengers off of each car in sequence.

T813 8x8 TATRA KOLOS (Heavy Towing Truck)

Original built by Howard Sie.

All functions are powered by a single motor.

The main features of the truck are as follows:

- The truck has stabilizers.

- Tilting Cab

- Battery operated

- Working clutch

- 5 speed inline gearbox with 2 speed transfer box. Operated from single lever.

- Full 8 wheel drive through 7 differentials.

- Extending boom

Tipping Motor Lorry

Built from restored blue/gold Meccano.

Frank Fereirra

Fifth-Order Meccanograph

This particular machine is one of the more complex variants of the Meccanograph, and is a modified version of a Universal Design Maker by Andreas Konkoly of Budapest, Hungary. Mr Konkoly enjoys a reputation as one of the world's leading exponents in the field of Meccano mechanisms, and his Meccanographs are legendary. The machine is capable of creating millions of different patterns, as the mechanical permutations are almost endless.

Willie Grobelaar

Willy's Jeep CJ5a

Willie built the jeep in 1961 while still in school.

It has been together for 33 years!

It has been entered in many competitions and exhibitions.