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New Zealand Meccano Exhibition 2007

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Introduction

Easter 2007 saw the biennial New Zealand national Meccano exhibition held in Upper Hutt, hosted by the Wellington Meccano Club. A wonderful time was had by all, thanks to the efforts of the club and in particular Simon Moody and his family.

There was a very large number of models on show, some old favourites and many new and exciting ones. This page shows many of the models and (we hope) some of the great atmosphere that we all enjoyed.

The prizewinners

All the exhibitors present on Saturday voted for the best model of the show, for which Ashok Banerjee had sponsored the first prize. In first place, winning the Ashok Banerjee Supreme Model Award, was this superb 1/8th scale Grove mobile crane by Les Megget.

1/8th scale Grove mobile crane All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Detail underneath seen in the mirror All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Cab detail All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

In second place was the B-46 International Hay Baler by Selwyn Bluett, a exceptionally well built and presented model as you can see:

Hay Baler All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Hay baler All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Hay baler All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

In third place was Don Flowers' enormous mobile crane, demanding as you can see the most headroom of any model in the exhibition. This model also won the prestigious Bruce Baxter Memorial Trophy, voted for by the public on the Sunday.

Don Flowers mobile crane All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Don Flowers mobile crane fully extended All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Detail of rear All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Some more amazing models

In no particular order (at the moment), and missing their descriptions, but here are a selection of some of the huge range of models on display. If any of the credits or descriptions are wrong, please use the 'contact' link at the top of the page and I'll correct it immediately.

Selwyn Bluett's Excavator

Excavator overall All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Excavator overall All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Excavator arm detail All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Selwyn Bluett's demonstration model of the four-stroke cycle. Clear diagrams and descriptions, with a button for the viewer to operate the cycle. Two great advantages to this method: the viewer is brought into the action, and the exhibitor doesn't have to be there to operate it all the time!
Andrew Palmer from Nelson has stripped and powder-coated all his Meccano, and displayed this very nicely working version of SML32. This model ran smoothly and continuously throughout the entire two days of the show. It is driven by a windscreen wiper motor sandwiched between a pair of surplus long motor side plates.

For Andrew's notes on how he modified SML32, hold your mouse hereI modified the design in several ways:

• using flexible plates in lieu of the huge number of flat plates required
• more solid looking bearings for the crankshaft using semi circular plates and girders
• the cylinders are constructed using flexible plates and semicircular plates instead of the face plates. This looks better in my opinion than the skeletal construction of the originals
• connecting rods have been "beefed up" by using two layers of perforated strips. I tried four layers, but ran into problems of excessive width between the crossheads
• beefed up the crank webs with several thicknesses of triangular plates (PN76). The original crank/connecting rod set up is very flimsy looking and this improves its appearance no end
• crossheads constructed using a standard coupling (PN63) on the piston rod. This coupling was sandwiched between the strips making up each half of the connecting rod, thus ensuring that the strip couplings(PN63b) forming the crosshead slides are held at right angles to the connecting rod. This is a major shortcoming of the original model, and many constructors find that the slides do not work satisfactorily
• handrails joined with rod connectors rather than couplings
• steam pipe improved with formed slotted strips (PN215)
• improved drive to centrifugal governor to speed it up
• infill plating used on the boiler ends to improve the appearance

I wasn�t happy with the original drivetrain as proposed in the build instructions. I thought that as the crankshaft was clearly the weakest link, the torque should be spread evenly over its length from a central drive, rather than it being driven eccentrically from one side of the model. The 50 teeth contrate gear providing power to the governor seemed ideal as a receiver for the drive, which comes up direct from the motor via a vertical shaft and a 15 teeth pinion.

John Ince had a very impressive display. This galleon has been on display in the Wellington Museum of Sea and Air, and the display included the plate roller he used and details of its construction. He is also a leading exponent of Meccanographs, and was demonstrating three of these shown below.

Meccanograph Mk II All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Meccanograph Mk IV All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Electrically powered Meccanograph All images on this site are copyright. This particular image belongs to the webmasters, and you may copy it for your personal use, or for a non- commercial website - if you credit the source. All other rights reserved. Click on this image to see a larger version.

Stan Baker was showing his brand new ball roller, doing its transfixing thing all through the two days of the show. This model makes more sense on video, for those who haven't seen one before!
The new Vintage Construction Set was on display, due in New Zealand in June 2007. Wording on the box is completely nonsensical, although this is similar to the Outfit 1 of 1933. Colours are similar to those used in 1933, that is, quite close to the post-war medium red and green although the red appears slightly brighter. The bolts are allen-key and the smaller pullies are plastic. The finish is a disappointingly lumpy powder-coating, nothing like the quality of the job done in 1933.

Low-resolution video of the exhibition

These video clips are not of a particularly high resolution, and have been split into two sections each about six minutes long. They're probably not suitable for viewing unless you have a reasonable broadband connection. Much better high definition versions of these video clips are available if you want, just email us on the 'contact' link above.

Images not yet described in detail...

Gary Higgins' Aeroscope
Bob Prescott operating his tower crane
Don Blakeborough's Ferris Wheel
Don Blakeborough's Traction Engine
Don Wilson's aero engine
Don Wilson's Multiplane
Don Wilson's cutaway jet engine
William Irwin's Mini Differential Analyser