Michael Poxon's Models

Each model title links to a large picture of the model described.

This model is based on a huge dockside gantry made by the Foshan Nanguiwang Cranes Machinery Co of China, though my version differs insofar as the trolley runs partly internally, being self-aligning, rather than along the top of the gantry. It has, however, a transparent frontage so the driver can see where he is going!
The model is approximately 6 feet long and is built like the proverbial brick outhouse.
Note that instructions for building a slightly later version of this model are now available.
At a past TEAMS meeting, the battery pack accidentally slid out of the undercarriage, taking one of the motor leads with it, and I was unable to put it back again (there isn't much spare room inside that travelling unit)- so to prove it really does work, here is a snap of it transporting an old No.4 outfit model of a Cabin Cruiser (Model no. 4:16). This little thing was great fun to build. A bit of a change from seeing how many mechanics one can cram into a small area!
I believe the instruction book this came from must have been from the late sixties or early seventies. The instructions were not textual, but looked sort of similar to engineering drawings, with "exploded" views and the part numbers indicated in red on the drawings themselves. This particular book included outfits 4, 5 and 6. I know I was bought the "Site Engineering Set" for Xmas one year and am sure this was included with that outfit.
These books also included, as a sort of appendix, a set of Basic Meccano Constructions (BC) such as lock-nutting, butting and so on, but in practice these were rarely used in the actual instructions, presumably because they were so basic and common; to have a red circle with BC2 (I think it was) inside it at the site of every locknut would have made most drawings too cluttered.

Foden Dump Truck

The Meccano Magazine of October 1961 contained a feature on, not a meccano model, but a Dinky Toy facsimile of a "Foden dump truck with bulldozer blade" with enough details of the original for a scale model to be made. Especially convenient were the measurements given: width was 7ft 6ins (reducing to a nice 7½" with a scale of 12:1). I have tried to incorporate as much detail as possible, including air-filters, spare fuel tanks, and driver's rear-view mirror (using an electrical rectangular core holder, which actually reflects!) Unfortunately the E15R motor got so carried away at the meeting that the worm on the drive shaft worked loose - and that was before my camera started to self-destruct. So here's a pic of the model, taken with a newly-acquired camera. By looking at various views of the toy on the net, it could be seen that the rear end of the 'bucket' section was in fact angled upwards, presumably in the original to prevent spoil from spilling out, since it had no rear 'door'. As the Foden company are no longer in existence, to some extent the dinky toy is a piece of industrial history.

Trench Digger

I always liked the No.10 model because of the large amount of "works" in it, but in practice it is not very easy to render; the method of attaching the buckets to the chain is highly unsatisfactory since as the securing is down to cord with the buckets merely riding on the chain, no matter how tight you draw it, the buckets would be liable to creep, to say nothing of those on the underside fouling either the framework of the model or the conveyor belts. Also, the way the model achieves varying angles of dig could be bettered.

In this version each bucket is edged by a 2½" Double Angle Strip and one of those 'stick-men-shaped' paper clips goes through its central hole and thence through a link of the endless chain. After splaying out the legs, a fairly rigid lateral positioning is achieved by butting each leg against a bolt, as in the diagram here.
Another problem with the original is that elevation of the 'machine head' of the digger is performed through the medium of hoisting cord, with the concomitant need for a pawl-and-ratchet control, adding to the number of levers the poor operator is faced with! In my case this operation is carried out by a more positive, and more finely-adjustable screw thread. Additionally, the drive to the bucket chain is at the fulcrum of the machine head rather than at the head itself, which puts far less strain on the mechanics.
The operator's position looked rather precarious to me - there was nothing to stop him falling into the innards, which in these days of health and safety just isn't on! Therefore, my version is closed off. Here is another view, this time from the conveyor belt exit side. By the way, thanks to Sid Buller for advice on what to make conveyor belts out of!
As I was giving a talk (on star formation) on the day of the meeting I couldn't bring the model, but I trust that, if tradition was to be maintained, something would have fallen off it at some stage (as indeed proved to be the case when I brought it to the August meeting!) Thanks also now to Geoff Tooley who suggested a remedy for the vibrating grub screws which caused the problem.

Trench Digger Mark 2

Just a bit of a re-do of the above. This one uses parts that I am quite keen on - braced girders. These are the older, double-braced type. I like them for this kind of model as they look quite 'industrial' and enable you to see what is inside while at the same time protecting the innards. I show it here with just a couple of buckets attached for the sake of clarity. You can see how square-on they are, which could never happen with the original!
A couple of nifty little additions: the operator's seat can be raised and loweered as well as swivel, and again I have taken health and safety into account by installing a guard rail between the operator and the 'works'. It can be seen just below the top line of holes in the 3" x 1½" flat plate. Another modification is that conveyor and bucket chain are coupled drive-wise so they always work together. I couldn't think of a time when you would not want them to do so. Also in the picture you can see the screw drive that changes the angle of the machine head.

Two Earth Movers!

An upset tummy prevented me from exhibiting these at the last meeting, so here they are. Whilst building the famous No.10 Lifting Shovel, I realised that I had enough parts left to build something else, so decided to give the lifting shovel something to empty its load into! I decided on a side-tipping lorry. This one has a 3-speed and reverse gear box, differential... you know, the works. It's a big thing but the valiant Meccano 6-speed PDU had no problems with it! Meanwhile, inside the Lifting Shovel, the supposedly more powerful E15R motor struggled and coughed a bit; shortly after this picture was taken, smoke and smells started to come out of it. I'm all for a realistic atmosphere, but this was scary!

Transverse Forklift

Again I have used past MM's as inspiration. Here the original was in that of October 1959, page 456. It was built by a Mr. Kind from Luxembourg. This model used two electric motors but mine uses just one. The chassis has the usual features such as clutch, gearbox, leaf springs and differential. The motions to the forklift apparatus for hoisting and lateral motion across the chassis are controlled by levers in the cab, and I have added a few extras to the body such as driver's ladder, rearview mirror and so on. I now feel duty bound to use an electrical core holder as a mirror for any vehicles I construct! The gearbox and driving train comes from the No.10 Double Deck Bus, and I feel that it could do with rather more speed reduction at source. Here's another view, looking into the cab.

Lorry Mounted Crane

A combination of the two generally-held favourites... cranes and vehicles. A fairly standard Meccano model, with all the crane motions (slewing, lifting, luffing) being carried out from a set of levers in the cab. The paired rear axles have springs and shock absorbers and the steering is via a 15-tooth pinion engaging a pair of face-to-face worms, which gives a nice positive feel.

Lifting Shovel using PDU

I wanted to recreate the iconic No.10 model but replacing the old-style motor with the more recent PDU. Final speed is very realistic and, dare one say, stately. Drive is from a ¾" sprocket to a 2" one. After that the 'undercarriage' is the same. Using the PDU changes the bonnet design and I used braced girders which actually add to the retro feel of the model which itself was based on a rather charming old-fashioned design.
I'm not the first to point out that some of those Special Models featured impossible constructions. One of these was inserting an oblique normal 5½ strip inside the cab to support the jib. This is however possible using a narrow strip instead!