Melbourne Meccano Club Inc. at Steamfest 2002

Steam and ancient machinery patrons had a clear view of the building housing the Meccano display, this year. Although the public attendance over the three days, appeared to be down on last year. Our display attracted a steady stream of adults and children, plus babes-in-arms throughout the display. We even had a Meccanoman from South London, Robin Schoolar , pay us a call. He and his wife were holidaying in Australia. Robin arrived by taxi from Waverley railway station! DW Denner delivered him to Mitcham station on his, way home. Hope Robin had sufficient zones on his ticket!

DW Denner's utterly reliable "Twiky-Twak" earned him the title of "King of the Kids". Dave's lateral thinking, resulted in the addition of a unique, automatic 'shoo-fly'. This enables two locomotives, to be run at the same time without collisions. This increased the entertainment value by the square! Such was the attraction of this display, more than one child, had to extracted kicking and howling blue-murder, by a frustrated parent who had seen quite sufficient! "T-T" will be hard to gazump methinks Dave.

Roger and Sandra Hall travelled up from Geelong. Sandra displayed several small, neatly constructed pieces. Roger's larger, fire-appliance and English style cab-over truck, were great examples of what can be done with carefully restored parts. A lesson to those of us with much used components? Perhaps, some of us should take note, stop building and start restoring!

Patrick Russell-Young fielded hundreds of the same questions about his semi-automatic version, of the unique scissor-action, "Rapier" loom. Which begs the question: what's he done that we haven't eh?

Carol Parsisson brought along her No.5 Outfit Instruction Manual helicopter and racing-car. Jack's usual pristine display, included a steam cable ploughing engine. (How about a making it a pair Jack!), an inverted, triple-expansion, marine engine, the tandem road-roller plus his totally rebuilt and much improved beam-engine. Juniors and Seniors alike, enjoyed cranking up the gear-systems display.

Kimball Monger's version of Bernard Périer's "Rider-in-the Sky" bewildered infants, brought knowing smiles to the faces of married women and looks of despair amongst men!. (Cycling- Sid, has now peddled approximately 16.3 km). A small steam plant with twin, Lancashire boilers, smoke-stack and beam-engine with a 33:1 all belt, reduction drive from a 3V motor, was KSM's only new piece on display.

Jack Parsisson & Kimball Monger