London model engineering exhibition

Martin

That is a very heartwarming tale. There are folk about who like to do things like that - without any thought of reward -but just because they feel that it will give pleasure to others - you in this case. I’m sure you will appreciate having your Grandfathers work but appreciate it even more by the route it found it’s way to you.

Norman

Sam

I wonder which 'MEX' that might be, and if you have discovered something which we have all been waiting expectantly to hear.

I particularly like your term "proper" model engineering exhibitions, which I remember from the New Horticultural HallS, back in 1946. Yes, you did one and then went across the road to the other - both packed.

Mike

I got searched going into an ice hockey match last night, It's how things are these days.

Beer bans will be down to the venue, not the exhibition organisers. Venues make a decent premium by selling food and drink be glad they didn't try and pinch your sarnies.

It would be nice to hear some more reports of models and/or tooling on show!

Neil

Curious, both Ickenham and Romford Clubs got a third place in the Club stand vote as well as Moorhen model boat club, were there three third places two second places although I did not see one and one first place. Just asking?

I was only told of the winners I mentioned. Didn't actually notice the certificates.

On the Epping stand I liked the simple but effective Galileo escapement using lolly sticks. The detent now plastic had originally been a lolly too but was a bit too high friction.

On the Romford stand there was a interesting indexing attachment from printed plastic including the detent spring in this case for a Southbend with the wheels having a splined hole to fit the gear on the rear of the spindle.

And they had printed markers with squares and triangles onto the wheels for subdivisions.

Harlington had this typical London bridge/embankment that is often modelled in O gauge with a Pansy nearly finished on top, a chassis in front. Then another was being re-boilered with some complex pipework for the two injectors (which won't work off the pannier tank water if they are like mine ).

On the Chelmsford stand this impressive crane (builder now deceased) was in action all day lifting and lowering its load.

The voting for best club stand was close this year. Harlington came 1st, Chelmsford and Northolt MRC were joint 2nd, there were 3 clubs that were joint 3rd but I can't remember which.

Some photos of models which caught my interest.

Hello Bazyle,

There seem to be very few people about, when did you take your photos? I always have to fight to get near anything of interest! Come on tell us all when this slack time is.

Andrew.

Anti-dementia time, hopefully someone can help!

Before the 'London' exhibition was at its current location and when it wasn't at Wembley, where was it and in roughly what years?

I know I've been, maybe in the 1980's or 90's, maybe at Olympia?

Before Wembly Arena it was at Picketts lock in two halls.

The other ME exhibition that was last at Brooklands before that Ascott and Sandown Park and before that Olympia when it was with the other magazine interests such as military AFV models, model planes, soldiers and railways etc

Steve

Seymour Hall, maybe??? ... with the Myford's 'boss' doing hand turning demos in brass, and so, so, so much more interesting!! Mind you, rose coloured specs etc. and I gave up when it moved to the latest venue and its dim-witted traffic police

rgds

Bill

In answer to Martin 100

It all depends what you mean by the London exhibition.

The Model Engineer (MEX) was at Wembly and Olympia and Ally Pally when it was associated with the international odel show and was always in the Christmas holidays between Christmas day and New year. After parting company with the war gamers and the plastic meccano it shot off to Sandown Park in a cut down engineering model format which was by definition smaller. After moving to Ascot and changing dates to be a summer event it then returned to Sandown Park in the just before Christmas slot. By this time the TEE publishing sponsored show which was at the Lee Valley leisure centre in the mid January slot had grown sufficiently large to move to Alley Pally. So we then ended up with a show at Sandown at a less desirable time competing with the growing show at Alley Pally mid Jan. Add in the advent of internet shopping and you get even more problems and pressures.

The upshot was that Sandown shrank and Alley Palley grew to the point where MEX 'evaporated' and had to be reinvented at Brooklands with almost no trade stands and a much smaller set of exhibits. (I did go and I did enjoy it but I'm not sure it would have warrented the trip without the addition of the Brooklands Museum).

I may have got some details wrong but thats the gist of it.

MEX managed somehow to shake off many of the regular attenders by all the chopping and changing of both venue and time of year which is sad considering it's history. I'm sure none of it was intentional and it's very easy to comment in hindsight. I'm not at all sure I would like the job of organising such an event

regards Martin

Edited By Martin Kyte on 22/01/2018 15:13:11

Just got my breath back after returning from the Exhibition. Have to say it was a great success for us, particularly Friday and Saturday when the attendance seemed fantastic.

We at CuP Alloys always have our card machine ready to take customer's money(!!) and even though it costs we have never charged any extra. We didn't experience any problems either, apart from once and that was operator error!!

But as I always say it's not just about sales, we go to support the 'hobby' offer free impartial advice and generally enjoy the chat and banter with you all.

A great weekend for us at CuP.

!st, 2nd and 3rd certificates are the equivalent of gold, silver and bronze at many exhibitions. Entries compete against a standard rather than each other so multiple winners at a level are not unusual.

Neil

Andrew T. I took my photos about 14:45 when it had thinned out a little from the crush before midday. The car park was full by about 12 when the snooker people had taken any spaces left though early arrivals were starting to leave for lunch by 12.30 and it seems to keep thinning out from then.

If you want the emptiest time it is about half an hour to one hour before closing though some traders will then be covering their stands maybe 15 minutes early and of course on the last day things shut down earlier. It is strange how some club people who are retired and have all next week off still panic to get things shut down even when they then have to wait an hour for their pick up slot.

Ally pally is not a good venue for exhibitors as the loading and parking is crap even before putting on two events at once. Sandown is actually good for loading as there are loads of doors though the slopes make it a bit hairy with a bid model on a skate. Ascot could have been ok but the numpties running it kept vehicles no closer than 100 ft in the second year there. Olympia and Earls court have little parking but in the old days you could drive in to unload. I even took the Landy up in a lift once (computer show). This is where Warwick scores I imagine though I've never exhibited there and last year there was definitely more stuff at that show.

Neil,

In this case the competition for best stand is voted by the clubs themselves. Each club or organization eligible is given a voting form where they vote for three stands placing them in order of 1st, 2nd and 3rd. You cannot vote for own stand.

Should point out that in this show there no competion models, and all the models on show are the work of club members (mainly), and was sad to see that a number of clubs had decided not to exhibit this year.

Regards

Luigi

This one...

I seem to recall either that year (1968) as a 10 year old, or maybe the previous year, talking at a stand with a Mr (professor) Chaddock, who had a model gas turbine exhibited. Wonderful chap, with a friendly explanation of a fascinating model...

Wembly conference centre show was after new years day (or continued to then). Same time as boat show. I used to go to both on opening day of boat show circa 3/4 Jan. Last time I went to Wembly was in 1966