News

Outcome of the RMG Subscription Vote

By Robin Schoolar • Published on Wednesday 11 June 2025, 5:00pm

Like all emails sent via the Runnymede Guild website, this email goes to everyone who has used their email address to subscribe to the website, regardless of whether or not they are a paid up member.

If you don't currently pay for membership, this message is probably of minimal interest (unless anyone is tempted by our magnificent magazine and decide it's time to pay to join).

It's important to be aware that the current subscription year includes the Summer 2025 Magazine (which may be ready to post in a couple of months), so paid up members do NOT need to renew at this time - they are already entitled to receive their 2025 Summer Magazine once it has been printed.

Expect an announcement (via RMG website, like this one) once the Guild is ready to accept subscriptions for the 2025-26 membership year.

This is most likely to appear early September.

Paying subscriptions by cash of cheque at the AGM (on October 4th) remains most acceptable, as always. 

The Decision!

Members present agreed that there was enough information already provided to go directly to a show of hands.

Nobody voted at the meeting for reducing activities to two meetings and two magazines per year in order to keep subscriptions down.

All votes cast at the meeting were for a £35 UK subscription to sustain three meetings and three magazines per year.

For the record, we also received over a dozen preferences ahead of the meeting, and with a single exception these similarly favoured the subscription increase.

The committee appreciates this as a vote of general satisfaction with how RMG is being run.

Our sole dissenter, who admitted his age made it unlikely he could still undertake the lengthy journey to meetings, was decent enough to add that he would not be unhappy if the consensus favoured subscription increase.

The meeting also agreed to introduction of a Junior membership category, costing £25, which will be available where the named member is under 18, but must be paid in person at an RMG meeting.

Whether or not membership is Junior, everyone in the named member's family remains welcome to attend meetings.

There was agreement that RMG committee should try to introduce an "electronic" membership category, where members will be able to download each magazine instead of receiving a printed copy.

As its primary purpose is to avoid the ever increasing postage costs for sending magazines overseas, cost of "electronic" membership is likely to be the same as UK membership with a printed magazine.

Assuming we are able to introduce "electronic" membership, price of overseas membership for a printed magazine will rise by £10 to £45 Europe / £50 Rest of World.

We apologise for the size of this increase, but it is unavoidable due to the extraordinarily steep rise in postage costs beyond UK over recent years.

In event (we hope unlikely) that we cannot arrange "electronic" membership in time for the new membership year, we'll aim to keep price rise for overseas members to £5 (which would imply overseas members paying a little below their "fair" share).

Regardless of membership type, paying via the website will continue to have a mark-up of £1, reflecting roughly the slice of each payment taken by PayPal for processing.

There will still be no markup for payment by cash, cheque, or electronic transfer in UK currency direct to the Guild's bank account, as such payments incur no extra overheads.

The committee is most interested in queries or reactions from this decision (or in connection with anything else), which can be made by simply replying to this email.

Runnymede Shield is awarded during RMG Summer Meeting

By Robin Schoolar • Published on Thursday 5 June 2025, 5:59pm

Apologies for yet another email from me (but at least this one is brief).

I had forgotten (and may not be the only one) that the Runnymede Shield is to be awarded at our meeting this Saturday, based on voting by all members present for what they consider the best model.

Collect your voting slip when you sign the attendance sheet.

So all the more reason to bring your finest and most appealing model.

PS I'm also pleased to say that Ted Muggridge has positively confirmed he does plan to attend as a dealer

Meeting Details Liphook Sat 7th June

By Robin Schoolar • Published on Wednesday 4 June 2025, 12:00pm

Yes, this is yet another message relating to Runnymede Meccano Guild ... It can only mean there's a Meeting at Liphook this Saturday 7th June.

We hope as many members as possible will attend bringing Meccano Models or other displays.

Don't forget

• Please bring a written description (showing your name) to accompany your model(s)
• If you use a computer to write your description, please attach the file to a reply to this email, so we can ensure it reaches whoever is writing the model report to make their task a little easier.
• Wearing name badges helps everyone.  (Anyone who doesn't have a name badge should let Pete Wood know)
• All being well, tea, instant coffee and biscuits should be available this time.  Taking used crockery back to the kitchen is always appreciated ... offers of help with washing up or drying even more so!
• If you would prefer more substantial fare, either bring your own pack lunch or buy from Sainsburys, across the car park ... but don't be too slow visiting the latter, as by late morning their selection can become rather limited.
• In event space becomes tight, members occupying more than two tables may be asked to free up space so it is possible for others to show what they have brought.

Timetable for the day (provisional)

10:30 Doors open for setting up tables, mains leads, table covers.  Help with setup greatly appreciated.  Please do NOT bring in models until setup is complete.  Putting anything on tables which don't yet have covers is particularly inconvenient.

11:00 Green light to bring in and set up models.

15:00 Business Meeting.  Business Agenda just below.

17:00 Venue must be clear and tidy with everyone out of the door.

Business Agenda (provisional)

• Welcome
• Apologies for absence
• Vote to decide revised subscriptions which will take effect October 2025 (details provided separately)
• Inviting suggestions so we can start planning how RMG might mark its 40th anniversary in 2026
• Upcoming Events
  • Kempton is NOT in June this year (June date which appeared in RMG magazine was incorrect, consequence of mix-up by the Steam Museum)
  • Eversley Steam and Vintage Festival, Sat 21st June - Jonathan Clark
  • British Motor Museum, Gaydon Sat 19 + Sun 20 Jul - John Sharp
  • Bursledon Brickworks Museum, Sun 24 Aug - Peter Goddard + Bob Palmer
  • Henley Gathering, Sat Aug 30
  • St Albans Model Engineering Show, Sat 27 + Sun 28 Sep - John Sharp
  • opportunity to mention more events
• Possible 2026 dates for Marvels of Meccano at Kempton Steam Museum
• Any other business
• Thanks

M25 / A3 Junction

There seem to be no planned closures for 7th June.  Works are still continuing (well the area seems littered with cones and 50mph speed limit signs, even if nobody is actually working) so expect slight delays but no diversions.

Meccano Sales

We hope that Ted Muggridge should be in attendance and should be delighted to relieve you of spending money in exchange for his irresistible selection of parts.

Members are encouraged to bring their own items for sale, so long as this doesn't result in insufficient space for models to be displayed.

Venue

Liphook Millennium Centre,
2 Ontario Way,
Liphook,
Hampshire,
GU30 7LD

Parking

Parking in front of the venue (preferably in the layby) is allowed so long as you are unloading or loading.

However you must move your vehicle as soon as you have unloaded - the venue inform us that penalties have been imposed on vehicles left too long.

There is no charge for parking in Sainsbury's car park, with no time limit, and there should be plenty of space in the zone closest to our venue (which is furthest from supermarket entrance) 

Voting on revising RMG Subscription rates this Saturday

By Robin Schoolar • Published on Tuesday 3 June 2025, 4:27pm

During coming RMG meeting in Liphook on 7th June there will be a vote to decide how subscriptions should change for the fresh membership year (which starts with the Liphook meeting & AGM on 4th October and the Autumn 2025 magazine)

All paid up members can be assured that they will receive the Summer 2025 magazine once it has been created and printed (in very roughly 2 months' time) regardless of whether they renew for the fresh year.

Why do subscriptions need to change?

Because the value of money has fallen (or if you prefer, prices have risen, especially postage).

We have been using money from RMG bank account to delay the subscription change as long as possible, but funds are now depleted and insufficient to continue this for 2025-26 membership year. 

Why is a vote being called at this time?

Because there are two proposals ...
... one increasing subscription to maintain 3 meetings and 3 magazines per year
... the other reducing subscription, but reducing RMG activities to 2 meetings and 2 magazines per year

Agreeing the revised subscription ahead of the AGM will give members the convenience of renewing before the AGM if they wish (but probably not until September)

What if I can't attend to vote in person?

Please let us know your preference by replying to this email, and it will be taken into account when votes are counted.

What are the proposed subscriptions?

The table below shows proposed subscriptions with separate columns based on keeping RMG activities as they are or reducing them.

Rows are for different geographical areas, reflecting how postage rates differ.

For comparison, table has extra columns indicating expected outlay per member, which include most major costs, but actual costs may be higher, as I haven't included minor items, such as light refreshments at meetings, mailing envelopes, postage on correspondence sent by committee members, price rises for next year, etc  

How are Indicative Outlay columns calculated?

They are based on current paid up membership of 101 UK members (of whom four are honorary because of the unpaid work they do for RMG) and 21 overseas members.

Major fixed costs are as follows ...
£90 Insurance (we cannot hire our venue without insurance)
£50 Website costs (exact figure not to hand - possibly underestimated)
£184.32 Venue hire per meeting

The magazine currently costs £784 to print 130 copies, ie roughly £6 per magazine.

Royal Mail's current charges for magazine and envelope (weighing just under 250 gram) are ...

• £2.00 UK
• £5.80 Europe
• £7.70 Canada / S.America / Africa / Asia
• £9.00 Australia / New Zealand
• £8.00 USA

Why have Indicative Outlay figures been calculated on basis that overseas members pay towards meeting costs?

Although overseas members are rarely able to attend, they should bear in mind that RMG meetings are the source of almost all magazine content.  To put it bluntly, without meetings, the magazine would very thin indeed!

If overseas members were exempted from meeting costs, the same reduction might be expected for UK members who don't come to Liphook, which would place a greater burden on those who do attend (paying their own travel costs to do so).

The committee is strongly against forcing members who attend to carry all costs attributable to RMG meetings.  On the contrary we want to encourage members to attend meetings.

To put this in perspective (making the assumption - hopefully overly pessimistic - that 100 members renew for the fresh year) three RMG meetings per year cost members less than £7.

Might an "Electronic" membership category be introduced, where members can avoid postage cost by downloading the magazine rather than receiving printed magazines?

Although RMG committee hopes this will be possible in time for the fresh year, we can't promise until our investigations are complete.  We would favour setting the subscription for "Electronic" membership the same as for UK membership, because if downloads were cheaper, our print run would be smaller, losing economies of scale, increasing unit price of printed magazines.

Congratulations to anyone who has read this far.

The committee welcomes thoughts, comments and suggestions on this topic from all members, either during the discussion at Liphook this Saturday ahead of the vote, or by replying to this email.

Model Reporter(s) needed for RMG June Meeting

By Robin Schoolar • Published on Monday 2 June 2025, 5:16pm

Hello everyone.

We hope many of you are planning to attend the next RMG meeting in Liphook this Saturday (7th June), and bringing Meccano models and / or displays.

Please could you consider volunteering to write the model report for this meeting.  If we have a number of people willing to be asked to write model reports ...

• Not asking the same person to do it every time should make it feel less of a burden
• Ideally we'd like to reduce the load still further by having enough volunteers to split the room between a different pair of members each meeting
• Having a different reporter each time, means the writing style will vary which makes for a better read 

For the February meeting, Murray Russell volunteered his services and his excellent write up in the most recent RMG magazine attracted much favourable comment.  We wouldn't have asked Murray twice in a row, but in any case, Murray has sent apologies that he can't be at Liphook this time due to a family visit.

Don't feel that by volunteering you'll be required to emulate Murray's style.  It's exactly the opposite, as a big part of the idea is to have variation of reporting style.  If you don't feel up to including photos, simply writing words will be fine.  Various photographers share their images with Craig after each meeting, so he can combine them with the words.

Don't worry about imperfect spelling or grammar, it's enthusiasm that counts, and the proofreading phase provides opportunity for phrasing etc to be polished.

No previous experience needed, so if you might consider trying your hand, simply reply to this email.

Looking forward to hearing from some of you!

Robin Schoolar (RMG Membership Secretary)

Spring 2025 Magazines are being posted

By Robin Schoolar • Published on Monday 28 April 2025, 3:13pm

Runnymede Meccano Guild's Spring 2025 Magazine is now printed and being posted out to paid-up members.

Members who have paid for 2024-25 membership year should receive their copy soon (inevitably sooner for those in UK than elsewhere)

Messages such as this one are sent to everyone who has subscribed on the RMG website, regardless of they have actually paid to be a member.  So if you're NOT yet a paid up member, the only way to obtain the latest magazine is to pay for membership here ...

• Runnymede Meccano Guild Annual Membership

and for that you will be posted the Autumn 2024 and Spring 2025 magazines, plus the Summer 2025 issue, once it is printed in a few months' time.

We're not promising to send a message like this every time a newly printed magazine is mailed out.  The main reason for doing it this time around is to provide an easy check for members to see whether they are receiving these website messages, as described in the article on page 55 of this magazine.

Meeting Details Liphook Sat 1st February

By Robin Schoolar • Published on Tuesday 28 January 2025, 6:00pm

We hope as many members as possible will be at Liphook this Saturday, 1st February

Don't forget

• Please do bring models and historical displays
• We still need two or three volunteers to share writing Model Report between them.  If no volunteers are forthcoming, expect a very minimalist model report in the next magazine.  All that's needed is writing - Magazine Editor (or one of his minions) can deal with adding pictures
• If you have a description of your model which can be emailed, please send it in reply to this message, and I'll ensure it is forwarded to whoever is writing model report
• Please make sure your name is displayed alongside your models.  Even better, ensure your name is on a written description by your display.
• Wearing name badges helps everyone.  (Anyone who doesn't have a name badge should talk to Pete Wood)
• RMG hope that tea coffee and biscuits will be available - thanks to a volunteer (at least this time) to look after them
• In event space becomes tight, members occupying more than two tables may be asked to free up space so it is possible for others to show what they have brought.

Timetable for the day (provisional)

10:30 Doors open for setting up tables, mains leads, table covers.  Help with setup greatly appreciated.  Please do NOT bring in models or auction lots until setup is complete.  Putting anything on tables which don't yet have covers is particularly inconvenient.

11:00 Green light to bring in and set up models.  Lots can now be accepted for auction.

13:00 No further auction lots can be accepted after this time.

13:30 Start of Business Meeting.  Business Agenda below.

........ Once business is complete, 5 minute break, after which auction will commence.

17:00 Venue must be clear with everyone out of the door.

Business Agenda (provisional)

• Welcome
• Apologies for absence
• Committee changes and vacancies
• Introducing new committee members (subject to meeting approval)
• Inviting suggestions so we can start planning how RMG might mark its 40th anniversary in 2026
• Upcoming Events
  • Midhurst Sunday 9th February - Pete Wood
  • Kempton Sat 12 + Sun 13th April - Robin Schoolar
  • Hollycombe Sun 4th + Mon 5th May - Andy Ripley
  • opportunity to mention more events
• Any other business

Venue

Liphook Millennium Centre,
2 Ontario Way,
Liphook,
Hampshire,
GU30 7LD

Parking

Park in front of the venue (preferably in the layby) is allowed so long as you are unloading or loading.

However it is important to move your vehicle as soon as you have unloaded - the venue inform us that penalties have been imposed on vehicles left too long.

There is no charge for parking in Sainsbury's car park, with no time limit, and there should be plenty of space in the zone closest to our venue (which is furthest from supermarket entrance) 

Bumper RMG Auction Sat 1st Feb 2025

By Robin Schoolar • Published on Monday 27 January 2025, 4:26pm

Our meeting this Saturday (1st February 2025) will feature a bumper auction, in that the first 28 lots will be Meccano owned by the late Michael Edwards.

His brother Phillip has decided that the RMG auction will maximise the chance of Michael's Meccano finding new owners who will appreciate it.

Undoubted highlight will be lot 26, which is the whole of Michael's Exhibition Model of a Tramway with three Trams.

Given this is the model for which Michael was probably best known, Phillip is hoping that whoever buys it may be able to keep it intact, at least for a while, and if possible operate it at a Meccano meeting/exhibition or two.

The setup includes three trams running on 22 feet of 3.5" gauge track, complete with overhead gantries, and there is a control system which can be used to operate the system automatically, or it can be switched to an automatic mode where one tram periodically runs as a shuttle service 

For an idea of what lot 26 comprises, see this Gallery.

The system comes complete with this copiously illustrated 17 page manual, written by Phillip, detailing how to set up, operate and fault find the system.

Information and pictures of all Michael's lots can be found at the end of this news item.

There will be no reserve prices on any of Michael's Meccano.  All his lots must be sold given Phillip lives in California, so there is nowhere for unsold lots to be returned to.

Please note practicalities of this auction as follows

• Auction cashier (Robin Schoolar) can only accept lots between 11am and 1pm.
• Payment in cash preferred, cheques accepted.  Electronic payment will not be possible.
• To keep the auction manageable, we must limit members to two lots each (limit does not apply to lots where all proceeds are to RMG funds!)
• There will also be a limit on total number of lots on the auction
• If there is demand, a further auction may be scheduled for subsequent RMG meeting at Liphook on Sat 7th June
• With a large number of lots to deal with, RMG auctioneer will be encouraging brisk bidding.  Anyone who is slow deciding to bid, or who doesn't call out their bid loudly and clearly, is at risk of missing out.
• Sellers may set a reserve price, but the 10% fee for this must be paid to the auction cashier when the lot is accepted for auction.  If lot doesn't sell, fee will be retained for RMG funds.  If lots sells, seller will be refunded the fee and receive the usual 10% commission.  So a reserve of £50 would need £5 initial fee.  If a lot sells for £70, seller will have £5 refunded plus receive £63 (ie 90% of proceeds).  RMG nets £7, ie 10%. 

Michael Edwards' Meccano Lots

Lot 1: Christmas Decoration - motorised

Lot 2: Small Bus - Driven by PDU

Lot 3: Stationary Steam Engine driven by 20V motor

Lot 4: Aero Constructor 2S - repainted

Lot 5: Robot powered by Stokys sideplate motor

Lot 6: Meccanograph from 1960s set 8

Lot 7: Bunch of three fun models - good for shows

Lot 8: Two boxes of electric and clockwork motors

Lot 9: Tub 1 of parts, with motor gears and over 1kg nuts and bolts

No picture available ... will be on view at Liphook

Lot 10: Tub 2 of parts, with motor gears and over 1kg nuts and bolts

Lot 11: Tub 3 of parts, with motor gears and over 1kg nuts and bolts

Lot 12: Tub 4 of parts, with motor gears and over 1kg nuts and bolts

Lot 13: Number 2 Car Constructor, repainted, with repro parts too

Lot 14: Meccano Hornby Speedboat, small, repainted

Lot 15: Meccano Hornby Speedboat, large, repainted

Lot 16: Meccano Hornby Speedboat, medium, repainted

Lot 17: Group of "play" models, two motorised, including 7 set exploding ship

Lot 18: Models & parts from the Special Edition set in red&green

Lot 19: Box of mainly pre 1934 parts

Lot 20: HCS books including Vol 6, four CQ and Meccano Constructors Guide

Lot 21: Framed Meccano images

Lot 22: Nickel 3 and 3a (doubt complete), repro 3 lid, poor manuals; plus box of dark red/green 

Lot 22 continued: Nickel 3 and 3a (doubt complete), repro 3 lid, poor manuals; plus box of dark red/green

Lot 23: Restrung set 3, repro lid

Lot 24: Restrung set 4 (1937)

Lot 25: Fake Meccano Spitfire and unusual old Electrical set

Lot 26: Michael Edwards' Tramway System

See here for pictures

See here for copiously illustrated 17 page manual, written by Phillip Edwards, detailing how to set up, operate and fault find the system

Lot 27: Steam Powered Lorry

Lot 28: Tub 5 of parts

No picture available ... should be on view at Liphook

Meccano Parts Donations

By Craig Longhurst • Published on Monday 27 January 2025, 2:32pm

Dear members,

At the upcoming Midhurst and Kempton exhibitions I will be showing a variety of models built from the 00+ set (as used in the 2008 Spanner Christmas Challenge and based on the 1928 Outfit 00), to demonstrate the versatility of just a handful of Meccano parts.

To enable visitors to take some Meccano magic away with them I plan to have sets on sale, with 100% proceeds going to club funds. I have designed and 3D printed small parts trays that use a 5.5" flanged plate as lid - so our new recruits to Meccanoland can keep their treasured Meccano parts together.

It would be a huge help if you are able to donate any of the Meccano parts listed, in any quantities. Bolts to be Allen head. Also need Allen keys rather than screwdrivers. Parts need to be in good condition (either original finish or resprayed), no rust(!) please.

I will be at the meeting in Liphook on 1st Feb and happy to accept parts donations there. If you have parts available but are not able to attend the meeting then please get in touch - we may be able to arrange collection.

Very many thanks,

Craig

Urgent RMG Vacancies

By Robin Schoolar • Published on Tuesday 21 January 2025, 11:17am

Greetings Runnymede Meccano Guild members and website subscribers

Important note about emails like this
This email is being sent via RMG website, and going forward, RMG will probably be using emails like this as most straightforward way of communicating with members.
If you really would prefer not see emails like this, you can login to rmguild.org.uk (using email address to which this was sent), go to AccountPreferences, and then un-tick subscription checkbox(es).
Alternatively you can simply reply to message saying "stop news emails" / "stop event emails" / "stop all emails" and I'll be happy take care of it for you
However any member choosing to disable subscriptions, will miss out on important messages such as this from RMG.

Urgent RMG Vacancies
As you can see listed below, RMG now has a number of vacancies, some rather urgent, some longer term.
Background to this is that John Rogers has decided to step down from editing RMG Magazine with immediate effect.
John no longer feels able to put in the time to produce three 60 page magazines per year, and states that the most recent (Autumn 2024) issue must be his last.
John has done a superb job of maintaining and improving RMG magazine's quality for over five years, so my own feeling is that we should thank him for all that hard work and respect his insistence on standing down.

Most fortunately, Craig Longhurst has volunteered to take over not just as Magazine Editor, but also some other important roles as well (see below)
I hope that at next Liphook meeting, members will express their appreciation to Craig for taking this on.
To ease Craig into his new role, I feel I should point out that RMG magazine can only be as good as the contributions that members such as you write.  So if you receive an issue which contains fewer than the 60 pages we have become accustomed to, please do not criticise the editor!  Instead, get writing in order to help increase the amount of worthwhile content in the next issue.

Regards Robin Schoolar (Provisional Membership Secretary)


Despite Craig filling some vacancies, a number remain unfilled
PLEASE THINK HARD WHETHER YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE VACANCIES BELOW

URGENT VACANCY: Refreshments and Kitchen Co-ordinator
Following John Rogers' decision to stand down as editor, his wife Lisa is no longer available to look after Refreshments and Kitchen.
Given that refreshments at RMG meetings are tea coffee and biscuits, this is not a particularly onerous duty, but is greatly appreciated by members.
Burden could be reduced by sharing the load during meetings amongst a few people taking turns through the day. 
Main "duties" are (a) topping up biscuit plates (b) refreshing the teapot (c) processing dirty items through the (simple and rapid) dishwasher that is available in the Liphook kitchen (d) (optional) maximising gossip circulating amongst members.
Please would anyone potentially interested in this role respond BEFORE February meeting, because supplies (whose cost is reimbursed from Guild funds) are generally bought ahead of the meeting, which would become a waste with nobody to serve them out on the day.

Clearly it follows that if nobody offers to take on this role, anyone attending Liphook on 1st February should assume there will be no refreshments whatsoever.

URGENT VACANCY: Model Reporters
Arguably John Rogers was too good to the Guild, by often writing the model report in addition to producing the magazine.
Producing the magazine is already a big enough task for RMG's new editor, Craig.
So RMG really does need some of those who come to meetings to take on writing the Model Report.
The essential requirement is to write the words.  Craig can then do (or delegate) the page layout, combining words with pictures (which may well be supplied by more than one person)
This is a role where there would be real advantage in being able to call on a pool of volunteers.
That way each person needs to report on only a half or a third of the models during a meeting.
If task of Model Reporting can be rotated to others at subsequent meeting, this not only spreads the load still further but also increases the variation in writing style.
Note that at February meeting, all RMG committee members will be preoccupied with the auction (more auction details will be sent to members soon), so they will not have capacity to write model report.