Henley Gathering 2020
By Pete Wood • Published on Wednesday 29 July 2020, 10:52pm
Dear all,
Please see the content from the Henley flyer below for further details of this years Gathering, and if you are interested in attending, you will need to contact the HSME secretary Ian Henwood to register your interest (e-mail link below).
(Apologies for the lack of images/maps; I couldn't get them to load up).
The Henley Gathering 2020
We are hopeful to be holding the 49th Henley Gathering at the Christ Church Centre, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1AG on Saturday September 5th 2020.
In these difficult times arrangements will have to be a little different from normal. We will need to keep a record of everyone attending for contact tracing purposes. We will also need to plan for 2 metre social distancing throughout the Centre so display tables will be arranged as individual tables 2 metres apart.
Notwithstanding all this however we would be delighted for Meccano Club members to come along and bring a model.
If you are able to come please let Ian Henwood know so that we can start the contact list and details of what tables you want if you have a model.
ianhenwood12@hotmail.co.uk
You can find your way using the simplified map above. Doors open at 09:00am.
Some car parking is available at the centre: please respect the disabled bays. If designated parking spaces are full, please deliver your model, and move your vehicle to a long stay park.
A £5.00 admission fee will be charged to help defray exhibition costs.
If you can bring your own extension leads/adaptors and table coverings that would be useful.
The Henley Society of Meccano Engineers
www.hsme.org.uk
Shop re-opened
By Pete Wood • Published on Wednesday 17 June 2020, 8:10pm
Hi all,
I'm pleased to announce that the shop is now open for business once again, so please feel free to browse and order as required.
I will still be limiting my visits to the post office to a maximum of one per week for the time being, so as a result there may be a slight delay in orders being posted out. Please bear with me until things "get back to normal".
Kind regards,
Pete
Stay safe.
Shop closed temporarily
By Pete Wood • Published on Monday 30 March 2020, 9:22pm
Dear all,
Apologies for any inconvenience, I have temporarily suspended the shop for sales of magazines etc to avoid un-necessary trips to the Post Office.
I hope to resume normal operations as soon as possible, please bear with me.
Take care and keep safe
Impact of Covid 19 on Meetings
By Pete Wood • Published on Monday 23 March 2020, 6:26pm
Hi everyone,
I sincerely hope that you are all well and keeping yourselves safe under the current threat which you may have heard about in the news?!
None of us can know how long this crisis might go on for and of course all manner of social interactions are having to be cancelled or postponed now and well into the foreseeable future.
It is looking extremely likely that we will be doing the same for our next meeting in June, just as many clubs are already doing well into May if not beyond.
Having said that, being the eternal optimist and despite the fact that Chertsey Hall has already announced the cancellation of all future events until further notice, we have decided to hold off making our own official announcement as long as possible. The meeting reminders will be sent out as usual two weeks before, with our final decision one way or the other.
We can all probably guess which way it will go, but some of us still believe in miracles !
We will look forward to seeing you all again before too long however, so until then please do accept the following "advice"...
Stay safe, look out for each other, keep in touch and let us know that you're alright?
Beyond all that, build as many great models as you can.
Magazine Issue 101 October 2019
By Pete Wood • Published on Tuesday 26 November 2019, 12:29pm
Hi Guys,
A few people have been asking me if the October Issue is on it's way yet,
I am now able to let you know that the draft is now at the printers, and all being well it should be ready for posting out very soon.
Hang in there folks, we're nearly there!
regards
Pete
Auction Special - Tank Transporter part 2
By Pete Wood • Published on Sunday 6 January 2019, 6:02pm
Following up on the earlier Auction announcement, Nick Rodgers has now very kindly provided some splendid photos and a brief description of the model to further whet your whistles...
“Dragon Wagon” Tank Transporter and Sherman Tank
This is a large model measuring 5’-10” with the loading ramps in the down position. It is 11” wide. It comes in three sections: The Tractor Unit (2’ -3” long), the “Dragon Wagon” trailer is 3’ – 5” long and the Sherman Tank is 2-2 long.
The tractor unit has two motors. The smaller one drives the front steering and the bigger one the master gearbox. This is 4 speed gearbox with an additional gear box behind it to give high and low ratios. These drive the front and rear bogies through a series of differentials culminating in a chain drive to all four rocking axles. There are also two winches fitted at the rear and these are also driven through the gearbox. The 5th wheel can be raised and lowered as well as being locked for transportation. There is a lifting framework around the 5th wheel that enables additional cables to be fitted for loading The two bogies are connected together by a swan-neck and the framework around it carries the cabin. The model is also fitted with lights. The whole package is controlled from an external control unit that is run off a 12 volt supply.
The “Dragon Wagon” trailer is fitted with two axles fitted to rocking arms allowing it to be driven over the roughest terrain. These wheels are not motorised. The loading ramps are manually operated and held in place by chains at the rear.
The Sherman Tank is basically a big box driven by heavy duty tracks. These tracks are home made and are very robust. They are driven from Sprockets at the front. The turret rotates and the gun can be elevated. There are lights on the front and back. The main driving motor is at the rear and drives a four speed gearbox through to a differential to the front sprockets. The model comes with its own control panel allowing the operator to lock the tracks either left or right, elevate the gun or rotate the turret and operates the lighting. It would be powered by a 12 volt supply.
Auction Special - Tank Transporter
By Pete Wood • Published on Saturday 5 January 2019, 6:23pm
The RMG Auction Meeting is to be held on Saturday 2nd February 2019. More details will follow in the Meeting Reminder Notice shortly, however I would like to highlight one particular Lot of special interest, which will be featured in the sale.
John MacDonald's Sherman Tank was featured fairly recently in the RMG magazine, and of course Nick Rodgers produced his own version of the model while he was in the process of writing the article for it.
The tank itself is just half of the complete model however, the other half being the "Dragon Wagon" Tank Transporter seen in the photo above. This fabulous machine will be described in the forthcoming magazine issue, and we can look forward to a complete review of its features when this is published.
Imagine if you can, the fearsome Sherman Tank sitting on this supremely robust trailer, and hauled by the Monster tractor Unit at the helm. A full 5 feet long, (5 1/2 feet with loading ramps extended) The complete model commands considerable awe, and it fully represents the modelling prowess of it's designer and builder, John MacDonald.
The Auction Lot is the complete model, Tank and Transporter together.
Such a model will no doubt be highly desirable, and it is looking for a new home with a kind and loving owner!
Could that be you ....??
If you think so, please be sure to attend the auction and be ready to do (Tank) battle and win your coveted prize.
The stage is set, and the battle lines drawn...who will triumph as the sun sets on the Battle Arena of Chertsey Hall!
RMG Magazine Issue 98 October 2018
By Pete Wood • Published on Thursday 15 November 2018, 10:08am
Hi Folks,
For info, RMG issue 98 is now at the printers, we are just waiting for the proof copy for final approval and we are then ready to go! It won't be long now.
While we are on the subject, we are only 6 months away from the 100th Edition and we really would like to make this a bumper issue in celebration of a landmark occasion.
The editor is of course always asking for material, articles, news, reports, etc to fill all editions of the magazine, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE where-ever you are in the world, we would love to hear from you and feature you and/or your models in this Historic Edition of the Magazine?
So get your writers caps on, and start scribbling!! Please send all your offerings to the Editor Nick Rodgers.
In the meantime of course there is issue 99 to fill up too, so any articles you might have now or in the near future will always be welcome ....
REMEMBER - THE MAGAZINE IS ABOUT YOU AND YOUR MECCANO!
Konkoly Model Plans
By Pete Wood • Published on Thursday 25 October 2018, 11:18am
Breaking News on the availability of Konkoly Model Plans!
We have now been able to replenish stock of the first six volumes,
so (for the time being at least) we are able to supply a full set of volumes from 1 to 18.
If you wish to complete your collection then now is the time to act,
and if you wish to buy a complete set then HURRY while stocks last ...
a few of the later volumes are also running low on stock. Check details in the shop.
Further volumes are planned and more news on these will be issued later ....
Marvels of Meccano - Kempton Great Engines
By Robin Schoolar • Published on Wednesday 26 September 2018, 11:22am
Hi Meccanofolk
I'm sending this to people I've noted as expressing possible interest in exhibiting at Marvels of Meccano this year, and I'm hoping to reach a wider audience this way.
Some interest may have been more definite than others, but please forgive an exhibition organiser for trying to tempt you.
After all its a lovely venue which attracts an audience just made for Meccano
... and those magnificent Triple Expansion Engineers deserve our support
There's a poster attached too in hope a few may get displayed to generate a bit of extra publicity
If you can think of any other potential exhibitors, please feel free to forward this as widely as you like
I'm aiming to firm up most space allocations between now and Runnymede meeting on 6th October
If anyone is planning to be at Chertsey, I'm happy to catch you there
Also happy to discuss arrangements by phone.
(if you don't have Robins contact details the club secretary will be happy to pass them on to you individually. Pete)
Here's the sort of information which would help my planning (but you only need to fill in what seems relevant)
... which day(s) you can exhibit
... how much space you can fill (either in tables or feet)
... whether you might be able to expand a bit if space is available
... if you'd prefer a particular table arrangement (L shaped? squarish? or even straight line!)
... whether you'd prefer upstairs (about 30 broad steps) or downstairs (about 15 narrower steps)
... whether you need mains power
... whether you prefer to provide your own table covers (otherwise covers will be provided)
... whether you're happy sitting behind your model(s) or whether you'd prefer a different arrangement
If you're not yet certain what you can manage, I'm happy with provisional information - tweaking things later isn't a problem
And of course nothing is definite until people and models turn up on the weekend itself
Directions and map for anyone who doesn't know the way: http://www.kemptonsteam.org/visit-us/directions/
All the best Robin