Canadian MeccaNotes · June 2013 Canadian MeccaNotes 3 Upcoming Meccano Shows 2013 Milton Steam Era - Milton Fairgrounds August 31st - September 2nd, 2013 Exporail Show, August 17

Canadian MeccaNotesCanadian MeccaNotesCanadian MeccaNotesCanadian MeccaNotesCanadian MeccaNotesIssue #70 • June 2013Issue #70 • June 2013Issue #70 • June 2013Issue #70 • June 2013Issue #70 • June 2013

2 Canadian MeccaNotes2 Canadian MeccaNotes2 Canadian MeccaNotes2 Canadian MeccaNotes2 Canadian MeccaNotes June 2013June 2013June 2013June 2013June 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SubscriptionsSubscriptionsSubscriptionsSubscriptionsSubscriptions(4 Issues Per Calendar Year)

o within North America: Canada - $45; U.S.A.- US$54. Make cheque or money order payableto CMAMAS, mail to Treasurer.

o elsewhere: £38, US$65 or C$63

o payment via PayPal is available, contact ColinHoare for details

© Copyright 2013 C.M.A.M.A.S. and/or Copyright 2013 C.M.A.M.A.S. and/or Copyright 2013 C.M.A.M.A.S. and/or Copyright 2013 C.M.A.M.A.S. and/or Copyright 2013 C.M.A.M.A.S. and/orIndividual Contributors.Individual Contributors.Individual Contributors.Individual Contributors.Individual Contributors.

Meccano and Erector are registered tradenames and are used in Canadian MeccaNotes

by kind permission of Meccano Ltd..

North American subscribers to CanadianMeccaNotes are automatically members of

the Canadian Modeling Association forMeccano and Allied Systems (CMAMAS).

Canadian MeccaNotesCanadian MeccaNotesCanadian MeccaNotesCanadian MeccaNotesCanadian MeccaNotesThe “Canadian MeccaNotes” newsletter (ISSN1207-2249) is published 4 times per year(March, June, September and December) bythe Canadian Modeling Association for Meccano& Allied Systems (CMAMAS).

“Written and produced by Meccanoenthusiasts for Meccano enthusiasts.”

Canadian Modeling Association forMeccano & Allied Systems (CMAMAS)

http://www.cmamas.cahttp://www.cmamas.cahttp://www.cmamas.cahttp://www.cmamas.cahttp://www.cmamas.ca

CMAMAS ExecutiveCMAMAS ExecutiveCMAMAS ExecutiveCMAMAS ExecutiveCMAMAS ExecutivePresident ... Colin Hoare, 18 Tweedle St.,Glen Williams, Ontario, Canada L7G 3S5,[email protected], (647) 226-5006

Vice President ... Attila Szakonyi,10 Fendley Crt, Brampton, Ontario, Canada,L6Z 3H9, [email protected],(905)846-5287

Treasurer ... Mike Sobanski,26 Superior Ave., Toronto, Ontario, CanadaM8V 2M6, [email protected]

Secretary ... Frank Curry, 8 Windham Drive,Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2K 1X8,[email protected], (416)221-3093

Newsletter Editor/Webmaster ... D a v i dWilliams, 3017 - 111A Street, Edmonton,Alberta, Canada T6J 3Y5, [email protected],(780)438-1197

Parts & Sets Manager ... Dave Duncan,55 Lurgan Drive, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaM2R 1K7, [email protected],(416)733-8670

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of Contents

Editor’s Notes 3Upcoming Meccano Shows 2013 3Presidental Perusings 4Product Manager’s Report 5Obituary - Len Waltham 6More About the Big Wheels 7Meccanuity 2013 8Barrie CMAMAS Show - March 2013 13Kingston Rail-o-Rama Show - March 16-17, 2013

14Ottawa Train Expo 2013 18The Hub Disc and an Amazing Coincidence 21How to Easily Cut and Re-attach Meccano Chains

24The Peddler 27Ottawa Train Expo 2013 28

June 2013June 2013June 2013June 2013June 2013 Canadian MeccaNotes 3Canadian MeccaNotes 3Canadian MeccaNotes 3Canadian MeccaNotes 3Canadian MeccaNotes 3

Upcoming Meccano ShowsUpcoming Meccano ShowsUpcoming Meccano ShowsUpcoming Meccano ShowsUpcoming Meccano Shows20132013201320132013

Milton Steam Era - Milton Fairgrounds August 31st- September 2nd, 2013

Exporail Show, August 17 & 18, 2013, St. Constant,south shore Montreal. Exhibitors’ presentationsare scheduled on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is agood cafeteria as well as many fine train exhibits,so it’s a nice venue, very comfortable - see:http://www.exporail.orgFor more information contact Hubert Hogle,[email protected]

Editor’s NotesEditor’s NotesEditor’s NotesEditor’s NotesEditor’s NotesThis 2nd issue of 2013 showcases many of thespring shows. Thanks to Larry Yates, James Bobyn,Hubert Hogle, Ron Lepofsky,Don Morton, Leslie Roberts,Ed Barclay, Frank Curry, DaveDuncan, Colin Hoare and oth-ers for supplying items for thisissue. There was too muchmaterial so some was delayeduntil the following issue.

Google regularly creates“Google Doodles”, graphic im-ages to commemorate worldwide events which are featured on the Googlesearch page. Recently the 150th anniversaryof Frank Hornby’s birth (May 15, 1863) wascelebrated with the doodle below. More infor-mation about Frank Hornby is available on thewebsites below:http://www.frankhornby150.orghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Hornby

Next Issue DeadlineNext Issue DeadlineNext Issue DeadlineNext Issue DeadlineNext Issue DeadlineWe plan to publish the September 2013 issuein early September 2013; the final deadline isAugust 30 more or less.

David Williams


Presidental PerusingsPresidental PerusingsPresidental PerusingsPresidental PerusingsPresidental PerusingsFirst of all, I want to extend our best wishes, onbehalf of all, subscribers, to our Editor DavidWilliams as he embarks on a new ‘career’ - retire-ment! David has worked for the Government ofAlberta for over three decades, but that will becoming to an end as of mid-June. Hopefully, thespare time that he now finds he has on his handswill give him the opportunityto get more involved in thehobby of Meccano.

Of course, that is easier saidthan done, as I can testify.When I left my employmentin 2001, I had high hopesthat I would be able to buildmany more models than Ihave been able to do. Otherfactors got in the way, how-ever. One was my love of theatre: when I wasworking, I organised groups to attend various playsand musicals in and around Toronto. I was expect-ing that someone else would take this over when Iretired, but it did not happen. I was asked to keepproviding the service, and it has expanded signifi-cantly since then - almost to being a full time job!The list of contacts expanded considerably, and Ihandle many requests that take up a largechunk of my so-called free time. Inaddition, I am a volunteer driver for ourlocal Cancer Society, something from whichI derive a lot of satisfaction, especiallywhen subsequently I learn that one of mypassengers has, as a result of the treat-ment that he/she has taken, has beenable to beat this insidious disease.

So where is this leading? I have decidedthat, after being President of CMAMAS forthe past eighteen years, it is time to stepaside when the Annual Meeting takesplace in November. It has been an honourto be involved with the hobby, and to workwith an excellent Executive who, throughall the changes that have occurred overthat period of time, have all made strong

contributions in ensuring that the hobby continuesin Canada. It has been a lot of fun. I still plan tocontribute as much as possible e.g. proofreadingthe magazine, preparing the envelopes for mailing,writing for the magazine, organising shows inHamilton & Milton, etc.

Of all the other magazines devoted to the hobbypublished around the world, the one that I am surecomes to mind first is “Constructor Quarterly.” Themost recent issue, dated June 2013, was the onehundredth to be published, and in celebration,consists of 100 pages of Meccano-related material,instead of the usual sixty. What merits mention isthe fact that there is a Canadian contributor whosegenerosity enabled every subscriber to get a freegift. Our own Greg Rahn, whose collection ofMeccano memorabilia is one of the best, was kindenough to forward his personal Meccano 12-inchcardboard ruler to the publisher, Robin Johnson, sothat a replica is now in the possession of allsubscribers.

Colin Hoare


Product Manager’s ReportProduct Manager’s ReportProduct Manager’s ReportProduct Manager’s ReportProduct Manager’s Report“I am overstocked”. I almost feel like I am on a“Bad Boy or Leon” commercial. But it is true. I amin possession of too much gold. The good news isthat gold prices are falling, andthat means now is the time toreach out to me. I have loads ofthe highest quality reproductionMeccano ever seen. Structuralparts, brass, gears etc. I haveall your favourite colours. (Me-dium red, medium green, Frenchyellow, French blue and glossblack). I have also received apile of new Meccano allen headbolts and nuts ($195.00 for a1000 of each). Bulk orders will continue twice ayear (March and September), but if you needsomething now, I probably have it.

I want to address the creation of some exclusivesets that myself and fellow members have devel-oped. Many of you have seen the CMAMAS 10A andthe recent “Inventor’s Set”. I will post the contentson our site for your perusal. I want to thank JimBobyn for his efforts on sharing these sets to“Spanner”. There has been some feedback andcomments from the masses and I need to explainthe purpose and origin to everyone.

I believe the hobby is growing around the world,and to keep the momentum going, I decided toprovide something special to our club members. Ithought of an expansion set to compliment “Outfitnumber 10”. Colin Hinz offered his help to designsuch a beast. Brent Simpson crafted the perfecthome for the contents. Like a time capsule, theCMAMAS 10A appeared. We were very proud of theoutcome, and several members are extremelypleased with their set. With the addition of manynew parts to the system from various manufactur-ers, I was able to assemble the best of the best andoffer further additions such as the “Inventor’s Set”.For members, these sets are available through aspecial offering. Brent Simpson on his own devel-oped the Kubota Kit. The success of the programhas spawned new innovations from other mem-

bers. Paul Dale, Colin Hinz, Brent Simpson and PhilClappison have this message: “Stay tuned”.CMAMAS 10A ....... $2950.00 value (Membersprice ... $2250.00 plus shipping)Inventor’s Set ....... $1650.00 value (Membersprice ... $1150.00 plus shipping)

If you do not want the cabinet, deduct $150.00from the total. If you want colours other than red/green, just specify.

Merry Christmas!

See the photo of the “Inventor’s Set from JimBobyn.

Cheers,

David Duncan, [email protected]


Obituary - Len WalthamObituary - Len WalthamObituary - Len WalthamObituary - Len WalthamObituary - Len WalthamLen Waltham, who was an active member ofCMAMAS for quite a few years, passed away inFebruary. Len was a builder of what can best bedescribed as “classic models,” with his two largestcreations being a modified version of the Set 10Eiffel Tower, and a magnificent Carousel with acolourful canopy that his wife Eileen had made forhim. The latter was modelled after a prototype thathad been in use at a fair in the vicinity of his home.He displayed the model annually at the fair. Inaddition, he always brought a Meccanograph aswell as several smaller models that were intended

for the youngsters who came to shows to enjoy viahands on experience.

When Len’s wife Eileen passed away suddenly inJanuary 2011, his life changed dramatically. With“his little helper,” as he so affectionately called her,no longer by his side, he lost interest in his hobbies,which consisted not only of Meccano modelbuilding,but also of brewing home-made wine. Despiteseveral overtures to try and encourage him toreturn to the fold, he never returned.

For those of us who had the pleasure of meetingand knowing this gentle man, it is a sad loss.


More About the Big WheelsMore About the Big WheelsMore About the Big WheelsMore About the Big WheelsMore About the Big WheelsThe Rotinoff truck, featured in MeccaNotes issue#69, did not hold up well to the field testing at arecent show. All of our equipment received serioustesting by a bus load of kids, who arrived at about10 am. I had not suffered this degree of fieldtesting of our engineering efforts since starting upthe first oil sands plant. Better models will no doubtemerge as a result, as in the other world ofengineering.

One of the problems wasgetting a firm lock with setscrews on shafts. The com-bination of the weight of thevehicle and its haul load putso much torque on the finaldrives that they slipped, re-gardless of how much I tight-ened and doubled up on setscrews. Having shown that itcould look a bit like a realtruck, from underneath, byfeaturing a couple of differ-ential gears, I simplified the drive train by removingthe differentials and providing a chain drive to therear set of driven wheels. Now it does not look sogood underneath but it can haul the trailer andtank. Not my first design compromise.

Here are a few suggestions for models featuringthe (X-600-15) 6" wheels, available at http://www.cmamas.ca/meccano/cmnversand/tires/.Don’t forget to double click the pic for a great close-up.* Secure driven wheels to shafts with doublebossing and double set screw* Use five hole bush wheels from CMAMAS forthe main shaft attachment* The bush wheel holes may need drilling out fora good fit.* Use #109 or #109a face plates which bolteasily on to the outside of the wheels* Use Vex square shafts and bearings if needed,http://www.vexrobotics.com/search/?keyword=shafts* Set up gears to stay firmly meshed* For angle drives, bevels gears seem to mesh

better than pinion and contrate* Remember that 6" diameter wheels need atleast 2:1 more gear reduction than 3" wheels

Even the tank, which has been around for a fewyears, got a serious workout in battlefield condi-tions. As I checked it out after the show, the rodand strip connector which holds the gun in place,was almost sheared off. I also replaced the gearedturret slew drive with a set up that could allow some

slippage. Now I have a 3/4" contrate driving a smalltire on a 1" pulley in “contrate” configuration. Nowif there is stress on the tank, like a 3 year old pickingit up by the gun barrel, the drive mechanism slips,protecting itself and the gun barrel.

Frank Curry


Meccanuity 2013Meccanuity 2013Meccanuity 2013Meccanuity 2013Meccanuity 2013Among Meccano shows in Britain, the largest isSkegness at the beginning of July each year.However, there are many others throughout theyear in interesting places that I have had theopportunity to visit. For a complete current list seehttp://www.hsomerville.com/meccanoevents/. Inthe regatta town of Henley-on-Thames, there is theHenley Gathering at the end of August originatedby Geoff Wright and continued by the HenleySociety of Meccano Engineers. Some years ago,earlier in August, I much enjoyed the Meccanoshow in connection with the Lincoln Steam Rally,where steam traction engines of all sizes for all overBritain competed. Another time in April I attendedthe Meccano show at the Kew Museum in London,where giant beam engines once used to pumpwater for the city are still intact. Unfortunately thelast two events no longer are regular events forMeccano.

This year I was able to add another location byattending the Meccanuity Show at Ironbridge orga-nized by The Telford and Ironbridge MeccanoSociety (TIMS) over the May Bank Holiday (May 4,5 and 6). Telford and Ironbridge are in Shropshirebetween Birmingham and theWelsh border. The EnginuityMuseum in Ironbridge providedtwo galleries for displaying theMeccano models adjacent tothe main hall. The museumhas many hands-on exhibitsincluding a crank and pulleysystem for testing visitors’strengths by moving a tankengine along a short section ofrailway track.

The community of Ironbridge,located in a gorge of the SevernRiver, is an interesting andappropriate place for a MeccanoShow. With abundant suppliesof iron ore, limestone and woodfor charcoal, the Coalbrookdalearea of the Severn valley be-

came an important place for iron making early inthe 16th century. Then in 1709 Abraham Darbymade a major improvement in quantity and qualityby using hotter fires from burning coke. Adjacentto the Enginuity Museum in another old factorybuilding is the Museum of Iron and in a little hollowbeyond the parking area is the remains of one of theDarby furnaces now protected by a modern build-ing. The improved quality of the Coalbrookdalecast iron was central to the British industrial revo-lution providing cylinders and pistons for steamengines and wheels for locomotives and bringingmuch industry to the valley.

A bridge across the busy Severn River clearly wasneeded so in 1773 an architect Thomas FarnollsPritchard made the far-sighted proposal for one ofcast iron, something never before used for abridge. Local leaders, sensing this superb opportu-nity to advertise their ironwork, obtained an Act ofParliament in 1776 for its construction and agreedwith the grandson, Abraham Darby III, to producethe iron the and construct the bridge. He com-pleted the world’s first iron bridge, which wasopened on the first day of 1781. The arch spanned30.6 m with 384 tonnes (384 tons) of cast iron withdovetails, wedges, mortises and tenons adopted


from the known woodworking practices tojoin the metal components. Eventually thecommunity assumed the name of its famousbridge. (Darby had estimated a cost of 3200pounds and committed to pay for any over-run. The final cost was almost twice this soDarby died a pauper, in spite of a share inthe tolls.)

After the construction of an alternate rivercrossing, the bridge was restricted to peopletraffic in 1934. A few years ago members ofTIMS constructed a 1/20 scale Meccanomodel of the bridge and presented it to themuseum.

Other structures of interest near the iron bridgeinclude the Hay inclined railway dating from about1792. It once connected the Shropshire Canal tothe Severn to bring raw materials to theCoalbrookdale industries. The canal ended 63 mabove the river, where tracks carrying 4-wheeltrolleys on a 320 m incline were used to lower andraise small barges to a canal below that connectedto the river. The original iron tracks have been

replaced but the upper stonework and shortsections of the lower canal remain. There aremany trails throughout the Ironbridge area toexplore and altogether ten museums.

The Meccano show was well organized byTIMS Chairman Chris Shute and SecretaryRoger Thorpe. The museum permitted onlyone vendor, so Dave Taylor and his wife camewith the usual wide assortment or Meccanoparts and literature and many replica parts.Since this year’s theme was railway breakdowncranes, Dave included his own large modelwith its hauling tank locomotive. Greg Worwoodalso had an excellent railway crane and KeithWay modeled the 4-ton steam crane in one ofthe Ironbridge Museums. Colin Davies appro-priately reproduced Trevithick’s Coalbrookdale

steam locomotive known only from a drawing in theBritish Science Museum. Geoff Brown from Lincolnbrought an extensive Hornby O-gauge 3-rail layoutand operated it for the pleasure of many visitors.

John Molden erected his 7-foot diameter Ferriswheel. Noteworthy of this model is the way it isconstructed from components carried by threelarge tractor-trailers just like the real portable


fairground ride. Ken Senar displayed his version ofa French knitting machine that wove a long rope ofwool and a tubular knitting machine that produceda wool tube of changing colours. Ivor Ellard had an

interesting variation of a Meccanograph with mul-tiple pens. Michael Denny presented a model ofWatt’s Cornish pumping engine. Nick Rodgers fromthe Runnymede Club brought his model of aMercedes bulk cement carrier with careful formingof flexible plates to form the hemispherical ends ofthe cylindrical tank. Ralph and Sue Laughton fromLondon spoke about their projects to refurbish andsell old Meccano-Mamod and Meccano steam en-gines.

My own contribution showed a bit of Meccanohistory with a crank-operated version of the GantryCrane Supermodel constructed with tin-plated partsfrom A. C. Gilbert’s American Meccano of 1929 -

1938. Although most of the plating had tarnished,a few pieces retained their original brilliance. Themodel included light-green braced girders withholes where the diagonals intersect and gears witha diametral of 24 per inch.

A fun feature of Meccanuity 2013 was a race of two-wheeled self-powered Meccano machines over a15-foot course with the requirement to pass be-tween posts 6 feet apart at the finish line. Severalcompetitors mounted clockwork or battery-pow-ered electric motors between pairs of hub discs orflanged rings, while others ensured stability, butnot necessarily direction, with one wide front wheeland one narrow rear wheel. After three heats JohnNuttall won the race with an electric motor turningtwo flanged rings.

So if you happen to be in Britain in early May nextyear consider stopping at the Meccanuity show andtaking in some technological history as well.

Don Morton




Barrie CMAMASBarrie CMAMASBarrie CMAMASBarrie CMAMASBarrie CMAMASShow - March 2013Show - March 2013Show - March 2013Show - March 2013Show - March 2013CMAMAS was invited to the SimcoeCounty Museum in Barrie ON toentertain the school kids visitingduring March break. BrentSimpson, Cathy McConnell, HansPape, Frank Curry, Ed Barclay andHubert Hogle took a selection ofmodels and set up a hands-onarea on the weekend of March 9-10. Eric Eisen and Brent Simpsonreturned on Saturday, March 16.We had a large area for our dis-

play and a good turnout of visi-tors big and small who playedwith Brent’s remote control carsand R2D2 and built a few modelsof their own. CMAMAS is invitedback for the Wheels and Tracksin Motion show June 8-9.

Hubert Hogle, [email protected]


KingstonKingstonKingstonKingstonKingstonRail-o-RamaRail-o-RamaRail-o-RamaRail-o-RamaRail-o-Rama

Show -Show -Show -Show -Show -March 16-17,March 16-17,March 16-17,March 16-17,March 16-17,

20132013201320132013Al Bedford, Leslie Rob-erts, Doug Armstrongand Hubert Hogle filled5 tables with meccanomodels at the KingstonRail-O-Rama on March16-17. Don Redmondjoined us for about anhour on Sunday morn-ing. Don and his wifehave moved to a long


term care home and it was a joyto see him perk up at the sight ofhis favorite toy.

Hubert Hogle, [email protected]

Photos by Leslie Roberts




Ottawa Train Expo 2013Ottawa Train Expo 2013Ottawa Train Expo 2013Ottawa Train Expo 2013Ottawa Train Expo 2013In its second year revival, the Ottawa Train Expo(May 4 & 5, 2013) seems to be well on tracktowards a continuing success. The space allottedto the Meccano exhibit was good, but a few extratables would have made it more comfortable. Alltold about 16 builders, half from Quebec, showeda variety of models; a brief summary follows.

Douglas Neil had a set #9 from the 1950’s nicelypresented in a restored box, but his pièce derésistance was a light oak reproduction cabinet forthe 1930s “L” set to which Douglas added one ofPierre Dupont’s repro GRB’s, a sort-of “L+” set-to-be, in step with outfits such as the No. 10A asproposed by CMAMAS.

Jean-Maurice Deveault showed another way ofmodeling in Meccano with a mint Dinky Builder #2.Even the presentation card was mounted on asupport of assembled Dinky Builder parts.

André Théberge, our electronics expert, presentedan improved version of his MEC BUG, a six-leggeddevice slightly smaller than his original prototype

attempt shown in Laval earlier this year. In additionto turning left or right, his improved model canmove two different ways and operates by way of anARDUINO programmable module. Perhaps Andrécan teach it to dance the cha-cha? André also hada small model of horse and buggy driven by a #1clockwork motor ... low tech by comparison.

Jim Bobyn exhibited during both days a variety ofthe newer Meccano offerings. But what we wouldreally like to see are some of his collectible items -if ever Meccano Québec can foot the bill of Brinksor Garda protection services.

Laurent Daoust, on his first visit at an Ottawa show,brought along two model tank trucks as well as afairground ride of his own design. His was theunique fairground model of the weekend.

Robert Gibeault, also a first time attendee at theCarleton Fieldhouse, presented an F1 racer and hismodel of an 1905 Rolls-Royce, “grilled cheese”version because if its partial escape from thedisastrous fire suffered by Robert in August 2011.

Paul Defour likes to model trains and displayed a


very elegant blue and red Gresley W1 4-6-4 No.10000 “Hush Hush” locomotive, so named becauseof the initial secrecy of the project. However thereis no secret concerning the blue flexible plates -Paul sprayed them that colour!

Larry Yates demonstrated a Climax locomotivemounted in a revolving cradle, designed to bettershow the under workings of a geared steam drivenlocomotive used in the forestry industry.

Leslie Roberts produced a simplified version of theSinton blocksetter that originally appeared in CQ#27 in 1995. Leslie replaced the complex gearboxwith four motors radio controlled from a Vex unit.I like these smaller blocksetters, they are easier onone’s back.

David Duncan had a very nice blue paddle steamerproduced in Metallus parts in the new CMAMASexclusive colors. As parts manager, David appearsto be doing profitable sales with this special seriesof colors. He also displayed the new CMAMASInventor Set, full of lovely Metallus parts in a finewood box that was custom made by Brent Simpson.

Hubert Hogle attracts continued attention with hisMöbius Loop, and his ever popular R2D2. It must

be at least his third ver-sion of the loop, and,with a bit of guidance,he lets kids maneuverhis robot ... nerves ofsteel that man. He alsohad many items forauction including a No.10 set in a beautifulreplica No. 10 cabinet,again made by BrentSimpson.

And here we come toRon Kurtz with his yel-low and zinc HummerH1 (is hummer derivedfrom humdinger?), alarge model 14½” x 31"with 6" tires, sportingfront wheel drive with

hub reduction and independent suspension foreach wheel ... the type of vehicle that only ourNormand St-Aubin has the knowledge to fullyappreciate. Congratulations, Ron.

Another detailed and complex model was BrentSimpson’s road grader, all in yellow Metallus (anda bit of black), with many motors and multiplefunctions, a nice piece of model engineering.

Hans Pape was showing several models amongwhich his beautiful traction engine previously shownin 2012, and his 1804 Trevithick steam locomotivewith special gears. I forgot to ask who made thecompatible gears, but they sure look good in hismodel.

Besides his huge Ferris wheel, Doug Armstrong hadtwo tower cranes so high you had to crane yourneck to see the workings (pass the binocularsplease). All three models were built on the largeformat and expensive 2mm-thick Metallus plate(49 x 49 holes). Stability was definitively not anissue.

We close with two assemblies by Colin Hinz: a twinbeam pumping engine in red and green and a verynice Hungarian steam engine ... an Andreas Konkolyoriginal.


All in all, a very nice and pleasant day, withhopefully a bit more table space at the next event.

Larry Yates with some photos by Jim Bobyn - morephotos on pages 1 & 28.

See the CMAMAS website for more photos!


The Hub Disc and anThe Hub Disc and anThe Hub Disc and anThe Hub Disc and anThe Hub Disc and anAmazing CoincidenceAmazing CoincidenceAmazing CoincidenceAmazing CoincidenceAmazing Coincidence

Within the standard range of Meccano parts thereare a few anomalies. First and foremost I amreferring to the Liverpool years of standardizationand not of today’s Meccano with its proliferation ofweird and odd shaped parts.

Most of the anomalies within the standard systemcan be easily explained as special use parts such asthe Shuttle and Digger Bucket. There are twostandouts which, when used together, arouse muchinterest. The two parts and their obvious anoma-lies are:

1. Part 110a Rack Strip 6½”

Apart from a solitary axle this is the only partmanufactured in the odd 6½” length.

2. Parts 118 Hub Disc and 143 Circular Girder

The overall diameter of these parts does not con-form to the ½” standard. For the remainder of thisarticle I’ll simply refer to the Hub Disc as the CircularGirder is a Hub Disc without the web.

First of all the 6½” Rack Strip: I really can’t find anygood reason as to why this part was manufacturedin this odd length. There does not seem to be aproposed or factory model which needed a part ofthis specific length. The only relationship I canthink of is that 6½” is the length of two 3½” RackStrips bolted together by their end holes. Perhapsthis was Meccano Ltd.’s thinking - I’ll leave it at thatfor now.

The Hub Disc. The overall diameter of this part isvery strange indeed. Meccano Ltd. always listed itas being 5½” in diameter but in actual fact it is 5 9/32". All other parts do indeed conform to the ½”standard, even the circular plates are 4" and 6" inoverall diameter. The reduced diameter of the HubDisc does cause some problems in model building.For instance it is impossible to bolt parts inside theflange and in the end hole of the web. When a partis attached to the top side it will always overlap theHub Disc. Why such a strange size? To answer thisquestion it is necessary to look back to page 13 ofthe January 1924 Meccano Magazine. The relevant

article shows the Hub Disc used as a centre of alarge flywheel with an outer rim constructed fromeight Channel Segments, part 119, which areconnected to the Hub Disc by means of 2½”x½”Double Angle Strips, part 48a. This, I thought,would be the perfect reason for the odd diameterof the Hub Disc but on further consideration I couldnot think of any model where Meccano Ltd. hadused this construction. A quick look at theSupermodels of 1929-1936, especially SML32 TwinCylinder Steam Engine, shows a completely differ-ent method of forming a large flywheel. IntriguedI decided to build the wheel as shown in the 1924


Meccano Magazine and immediately ran into prob-lems; the modern parts just did not fit. At this pointI remembered that the early Double Angle Stripshad the end lugs bent at a different location thanthat of the modern type. A further problem with theolder type is that there does not seem to be any realconsistency as there is a considerable variety here.A quick look at the OPM (On line Parts Museum)section of New Zealand Meccano site notes thisquirk but goes on to show that the Double AngleStrips were standardized to the current shorterlength early in 1925. I tried a rebuild of the wheelusing the older 48a’s and by carefully selecting thelongest ones and making sure that they were all ofan identical length the wheel fitted neatly together.So, within a year of the article showing how toconstruct a large wheel this couldn’t be accom-plished without a lot of extra packing Washers. Thisexplains why the built up wheel vanished fromMeccano Ltd.’s literature. The next question is whywasn’t the diameter of the Hub Disc increased at

the same time the Double Angle Strips were stan-dardized to the shorter length?

This now brings in the amazing coincidence be-tween the 6½” Rack Strip and the Hub Disc. WhenI constructed my fairground Skid Ride I decided tomake the cheese wheel by bolting Rack stripsaround a Hub Disc. (I actually ended up using aCircular Girder but as previously mentioned it is thesame overall size as the Hub Disc). I remembered

reading about the late Bert Halliday’s experimentsin this regard but fully expected that very carefulspacing by means of thin washers would be neces-sary. But no! A 6½” and three 3½” Rack Strips fitexactly around the perimeter of the Hub Disc - theend teeth line up perfectly. In operation the pinionruns around the built-up cheese wheel perfectlysmoothly. Now, just what are the odds of this beinga coincidence? If the overall diameter of the HubDisc was fractionally smaller, or larger for thatmatter, the rack strips just would not line upproperly.

It might just be sheer luck but there is some otherevidence to present. Many years ago I was showna nickel plated Hub Disc of a slightly larger diam-eter, in fact the current version could be placedwithin the larger nickel version. In constructing thelarge wheel this size would have worked with thenew shorter size of the 48a’s. I can’t rememberwho had this odd-ball part and I have never seenanother. On the New Zealand Meccano site in theOPM section the larger version is not listed, how-ever, there is a footnote from one collector notingthat he has a Hub Disc of the correct diameter butwith a much deeper flange and so must be manu-factured form a different blank. Could this be ablank from the larger diameter version? It doesindicate that originally the Hub Disc was possiblyplanned to have a larger, maybe standard, diam-eter but was abandoned.

Could it be that Meccano Ltd. deliberately made theRack Strip 6½” and the Hub Disc with a 59/32"diameter with a view of being able to create a largecheese wheel? The project being abandoned dueto the extreme difficulty in curving the Rack Strip.This cannot be performed without the use of aheavy duty strip bending machine. Another reasonfor not completing the project would be the prob-lem of lining up the holes/slots. No matter how oneplaces the parts there is always an unfastened end.I solved this problem by using Bert Halliday’s ideaof holding the odd ends in place by means of narrowstrips. The date of introduction for these parts is1923 for the Hub Disc and 1929 for the 6½” RackStrip. A rather long gap between the two but notunreasonable given the aforementioned problems.


Bear in mind too that as the 48a’s variedin length the diameter of part 118 couldalso have varied. Was it just a fluke thatMeccano Ltd. just happened to choosethe exact length of 48a’s to give a diam-eter of 59/32" to the Hub Disc?

I like to perform as much research aspossible regarding my articles and in sodoing I have found one more interestingreference. In the July 1926 MeccanoMagazine, page 453, there is a reply to areader who suggested a circular rack as anew part. Meccano’s reply was “Thankyou for your suggestion that Rack Stripsshould be bolted around the circumfer-ence of a Circular Girder when a largereduction gear is needed. We have madeuse of a similar device already in certainMeccano models ...” So, Meccano Ltd did know about this, however, it doesn’t prove anything. Atthis point in time we will never know the thought process in the 1920’s but it all boils down to justwhat are the odds of a diameter of 5 9/32" being nothing more than an amazing coincidence?

Ed Barclay


How to Easily Cut and Re-How to Easily Cut and Re-How to Easily Cut and Re-How to Easily Cut and Re-How to Easily Cut and Re-attach Meccano Chainsattach Meccano Chainsattach Meccano Chainsattach Meccano Chainsattach Meccano Chains

Tools RequiredTools RequiredTools RequiredTools RequiredTools RequiredGet the required tools including:1. Snips with at least 7 inch grips for appropriateleverage for cutting and for holding chain links.2. Needle nose pliers with at least 5 inch gripsappropriate for closing chain links.3. A nail that fits through a link, in order to holdthe link in a vise.4. A vise that is securely fastened to a table oranother stable tool. Image #15. Magnifying glasses in order to clearly see yourwork.The rest of the items are shown in Image #2.

Mark Where to CutMark Where to CutMark Where to CutMark Where to CutMark Where to CutMark the length of chain you require on your projectby wrapping the chain around the target sprocketsand insert the nail into the top part of the chain intothe last link on the bottom. That way there is lesschance of confusing the desired length. Shown inImage #3. Cut chain shown as Image #3a.


Secure the Chain in ViseSecure the Chain in ViseSecure the Chain in ViseSecure the Chain in ViseSecure the Chain in ViseSecure the chain with the nail into the vise. Leaveabout 5 – 7 links space between the link you willwork on and the nail, so that you can adjust theposition of the link for the easiest work position.Shown in image #4.

Cut or Open a LinkCut or Open a LinkCut or Open a LinkCut or Open a LinkCut or Open a LinkUsing the snips, cut a link, remove link remnants oropen a link while the chain is firmly held in place bythe nail / vise.

1. To open a link, grab a closed portion of the linkwith the snips, with the link on either the right or leftside of the vise, and carefully pull. You may wish tomove the chain from the right side of the vise to theleft side (depending on if you are left or righthanded) in order to gain better access to the link.

2. To remove remnants, position the chain thesame as for opening, grab a remnant with the grips,and quickly pull. The remnant will easily slide out ofthe chain.

Positioning chain for opening or removing rem-nants is shown in image #5. Moving from right toleft side of vise shown in image #5a. Remnants ofa link are shown in image #5b.


Trial Close a LinkTrial Close a LinkTrial Close a LinkTrial Close a LinkTrial Close a LinkBefore closing the chain, you may wish to save timeand frustration by doing 2 steps:

1. Position the chain in the vise with the open endsof the link at the top of the vise, with the two openprongs of the open link facing up. Then lift theclosed link at the other end, MAKING SURE THECHAIN IS NOT TWISTED, and ensure you can fitthe closed link into the open prongs.

2. If not, use the needle nose pliers to twist /persuade the prongs to be in line with all the otherlinks and in the right position to accept the openlink.

Check the Chain Length in yourCheck the Chain Length in yourCheck the Chain Length in yourCheck the Chain Length in yourCheck the Chain Length in yourWorkWorkWorkWorkWork

Once you are sure you can close the chain, here isanother time and frustration saving tip: Install theclosed chain back onto your work and ensure thechain is not too loose or too tight.

1. If the chain is too loose, remove as many links asrequired. Helpful tip; Remove the closed links as itis easier to remove remnants of closed loops thanto open links.

2. If the chain is too tight, add another couple ofinches of chain and start again. Helpful hint; tryingto add one or a few links is very difficult, timeconsuming, and frustrating. Your time and sanityare worth more than a few links you throw into thegarbage.

3. If a link has been damaged and is too skinny ormisshapen you can attempt to fix the shape byputting the nail into the damaged link, lightlyhammering the nail while the damaged link isresting on the vise, or by adjusting the link witheither the needle nose pliers or snips.

4. If the link is too badly damaged, cut it off and addmore chain.

Close a LinkClose a LinkClose a LinkClose a LinkClose a LinkOnce the chain fits the work and is in working order,you can close the open prongs with the needle nosepliers preferably while the chain is installed in yourwork. Otherwise you can close the by positioningthe link you are working on in the vise and use the

needle nose pliers to close the two prongs. Shownin Figure #6.

10 Minute Cycle10 Minute Cycle10 Minute Cycle10 Minute Cycle10 Minute CycleOnce you become familiar with this process, oneentire cycle will take you about 10 minutes.

Hope this helps.

Ron Lepofsky


The PeddlerThe PeddlerThe PeddlerThe PeddlerThe PeddlerFOR SALE: Erector 500 Model Set

I live in Fergus, Ontario and have in the original box– all parts included – an Erector 500 model set thatwas my brothers! He is now 40 yrs old and movedaway and my mom asked me to sell it for her.

Cathy Beardmore, [email protected]

WANTED: I needa large quantityof old, broken,incomplete redset boxes, lids,trays, stringingcards from theMeccano periodfrom the 1940’sto the 60’s. Willtake a nice red box too!

This is an excellent way to be “green” and recycleall the boxes and bits every Meccanomanhas and cannot bear to throw out. I usethese boxes and parts in restoring ef-forts.

The larger the box surface area thebetter! That includes larger sets’ boxes.I will take orphaned bases, lids, etc.The large parts with the yellow innardsare used for making stringing cards,etc. I would also not refuse any blackcartons from the 20’s and 30’s too inwhatever condition. Larger the betterfor surface area ...

I will pay for postage of course...

Greg Rahn, contact me at:[email protected] or phone: 403-932-6643


Ottawa Train Expo 2013Ottawa Train Expo 2013Ottawa Train Expo 2013Ottawa Train Expo 2013Ottawa Train Expo 2013See pages 1 & 18 for more.

Documents

Canadian MeccaNotes · June 2013 Canadian MeccaNotes 3 Upcoming Meccano Shows 2013 Milton Steam Era - Milton Fairgrounds August 31st - September 2nd, 2013 Exporail Show, August 17