New Race Car!

About time too!

If like me you have been eagerly awaiting this one, your patience is about to be rewarded. It is now in UK distribution and should start appearing for sale any time now. I don't think you will be disappointed, it is a really good portrayal  of a generic Formula 1 car. Not aligning itself with any one team, there are even extra parts that can be used to change the look of the finished model by swapping some of the more obvious silver/zinc parts for black ones.

New cam fits onto the axle nicely

The first thing I always do is hunt for new parts and this set has it's fair share. New cams are supplied to lift the 'pistons'. these are driven from the back axle and are reasonably effective, if not at all prototypical. I guess the kids will like them - it is doing something and it does not need batteries...

The new cams slide onto the tri-axle rods with ease. I am really pleased that Meccano have resolved the problem of 'fat ends' to the axle rods. They have also made sure the rods are the correct length, or even slightly longer. This is one of the main reasons the small gripper washers, used to hold parts on the rods, got so much bad press. I agree that they are not the best solution, but they do work better now that have some length to grip and are not right on the end of an over-thick rod.

New large pin

The other new part that nearly sneaked in under the radar is a new larger securing pin. The original pins were first seen securing the nose cone to the Rocket in the Space Quest set. They have since been used in the Mountain Rally set, where as here they have been used to secure the new fabric body 'panels' in place.

I know there was a lot of talk about these little bits of stretchy fabric when they first made an appearance when the new models were shown at the 2015 toy fairs around the world. I am undecided myself. I hated those red triangles and squares introduced in those horrible 'space' sets that came in the yellow plastic boxes, back in the early 1980s. It only took me about thirty years to accept they could be useful... It was only about twenty years to get to appreciate the yellow boxes.

Love 'em or hate 'em they look as if they are here to stay. I am sure we will find some useful purpose for them in time. It has already been muted that they might be of some use in a Marble bouncer, not so much as the bouncer pad but as part of the catcher mechanism.  As far as the Race Car is concerned, they are used to make an indication of bodywork. Does it work, I suppose it does but I must confess I struggling with this concept myself. This is irrelevant, of course, as it is the target market that have to approve and for the most part are not shackled with my preconceptions of what Meccano should be.

The Build

This is a simple build, a reasonable amount of it but clearly laid out and if there were any mistakes I did not see any. I say that because it is very easy to get ahead of yourself as the instructions are very comprehensive building left and right constructions one after the other bolt-by-bolt. I found I was building the other side before the instructions got around to telling me to.

The building begins - note the new cams

The build starts with the interesting part, building the fake engine and moving 'pistons'. That all goes together well and actually works as it should. This is built into two of the new (this year) plastic flanged plates that make up the chassis. The shape of the car is then 'outlined' using mainly the straight and curved narrow, ¼ inch hole spacing, strips and lots of brackets of all shapes and sizes. There are an awful lot of small parts used in these modern sets. The set also includes two pair of bevel gears and three cams.

Taking shape

Almost there

The construction continues by bolting on a few more strips, straight and curved. The spoilers are fabricated as sub-assemblies and bolted in place. all of a sudden the the models has become instantly recognisable as a slick streamlined racing machine.

Elaborate front spoiler detail

 Now for the wheels. Probably the most fiddly bit of the job is getting the tyres to sit nicely on the rims. There is a bit of a knack to this. I managed to get is worked out after I had fitted the forth one! The new wheels look really good with the red rims.

Now all that is left is to fit the bodywork and its is off to the track. The wait was worth it. One of my personal favourites of all the 2015 models I am sure this will be popular with the buying public and enthusiasts alike.

Finished - Click to enlarge!

The new models really have evolved from the nondescript fantasies of a few years ago. The system has evolved and some will like the new direction, others will not but Meccano have simply gone back to its origins - building the world we see around us today! The parts may look different, to our eyes, but the fact the DNA is still there means that every new part is generic, based on imperial hole spacing and 5/32 BSW threads are used throughout. That means it is all compatible with every Meccano part ever produced.

Finished - Click to enlarge!

 If you look closely at the finished pictures you will see that the new larger clip referred to above, used to secure the rear of the 'body' panel,  has a hex socket moulded into it. Not only does this look better, but it will enable it to be positioned, using a hex driver, into usually inaccessible places.

Is it a bolt - No!

Finished - Click to enlarge

There is a even more to come next year so look out for our Toy Fair coverage in January and, if we can, we will let you know a bit sooner. The future is looking good for the brand and it looks like will end up with a lot of new and interesting parts to experiment with in the coming months.

Ralph.

Did you miss us?

Like most of us, Sue and I have other interests and commitments outside the our passion for Meccano. Sometimes this takes us away from the mainstream and we can appear to have dispersed. Well, we have not! This year, yes we have been active in some of our other interests, but we have also been working hard, behind the scenes, on various Meccano projects like this one...

The Meccano Community website was launched back in the Spring of 2014. Although we were involved with it from day one, we were not in the driving seat and were following the initial concept. The site was plagued with problems and it was getting to the stage that nothing was getting done. Eventually, by this time last year, we had given up and resigned from the project. The site lay all but dormant until the late summer of this year when after some negotiation with Meccano we agreed to be involved in a relaunch. The main difference being that we are now running it and it is hosted in-house by Meccano's IT team giving us a direct link with the people responsible for the platform. In a nutshell, we should be able to get things done. We have already given the place a lick of paint to bring in visually in line with existing the Meccano presence and are slowly working on getting it running as it should.

Summer 2016 - Please note, the community site is no longer active.

Enough of that, I have just received the latest Meccano set, the long awaited Race Car. Several pictures of the prototype were seen at the beginning of the year but due to production problems the launch had to be delayed and has now reached the UK distribution centre. It should start appearing in the shops and on the internet for sale any day now - if it is not out there already!

Here at last, the eagerly awaited Race Car

 That's enough waffling, I've got a Race Car to build - I will show you how I get on and let you know what I think tomorrow - hopefully...

Ralph.

A tall story...

A couple of years ago, Sue and I had a meeting with a couple of guys from the new owners of Meccano just a few weeks after they acquired the brand. At that meeting, among other things, we discussed the introduction of what was referred to at the time as a 'connoisseurs' set. This was to be a set aimed at the enthusiast to show that the new owners were absolutely going to support the hobby. They also said they they were going to introduce a now product they had been working on before the acquisition. That 'product' was Meccanoid.

They explained that although they wanted to support the enthusiast, they were not going to take Meccano back to what it was. The market and the retail environment has changed and Meccano had to change with it. Lots of things were discussed at that, and subsequent meetings.

The 'connoisseurs' set was discussed at length and a questionnaire was circulated via the clubs and societies. Of course, there was the call to re-issue  the No.10 set but, if you think about it rationally, the cost would be phenomenal and, let's be honest, even if they did how many would they sell? Very few I suspect. It is perfectly possible to buy good, even unused 10 sets today at far less than it would cost to make one, let alone what the retail price would have to be. After much discussion it was decided to go back to the original Frank Hornby principal and to supply parts to make a model of a current icon of our age. Looking out of the office window in any great city and you will see a tower crane. Indeed, looking out of my window here I can see one.

The production set box

The tower crane was conceived and developed with the enthusiast in mind. Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed that in our posts regarding the London Toy Fair15, There is a box showing the crane with a tower made from narrow strips. This was deemed to be impractical for several reasons but as far as I was concerned, building it with standard strips and angle girders would put lots of standard building parts back into the set making it far more versatile.

The tower from the test/display model

Once the initial design was done using all sorts of parts in all sorts of colours (just like we do in our hobby due to lack of parts to hand) a comprehensive parts list would have been produced, any injection mouldings would have been commissioned and test shots (usually in white) supplied to build test and display models - so don't you believe that the models are not tested - they are, over and over again. The Tower Crane set Sue and I have been displaying at recent shows is one of those test builds, some of which were used at the toy fairs to show prospective buyers.

The problem

It is very easy to look at a problem in hindsight and say that it should never happen, but it does. The crane had been designed and built using real Meccano. I know from first hand experience that the models are not designed using CAD as many others have stated in recent weeks. As I have explained, the crane was prototyped and built using actual Meccano parts. Any parts that do not exist in the range are drawn and then 3D printed so they can be used to provide the part in a real model. Don't forget, you can click on any of the pictures in our posts to enlarge them. most of them will have been made to a larger size than the Bloger software will display them within the post.

The problem - miss-alignment of round holes

The problem that has come to light here is one of manufacturing tolerances that have always been present in the range. The prototype models went together correctly. The girders fitted together and there was not a problem. I have removed some of the bracing so you can see inside one of the pre-production model towers.

as you can see it fits perfectly on this test model

The production sets contain standard girders that have obviously been manufactured to the opposite extreme of the tolerance than would have been helpful. You will find if you test the narrow girder against your existing stock of girders that it will fit some perfectly and others it will not. I have tried it with girders from all eras and found in all cases it will fit some and not others. The original test/display models were built with girders that had been produced to favourable tolerance. 

The narrow girder bolted to two angle girders from our own collection.
the one on the left is French production from the 1980s/90s and the one
on the right is Binns Road production of the late 1960s/70s

The narrow girder, supplied in the set, is an existing part that first appeared in the Evolution Tow Truck first announced at the 2013 London Toy Fair. This part was designed by the previous owners and took no account of the manufacturing tolerances so long associated with traditional Meccano. If it had it would have been manufactured with slotted holes on one face as it's larger cousin the standard girder. If it had been manufactured with the slotted holes, this problem would not have arisen. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here for the future.

Standard girders are connected through the round holes - it should not be possible

The variation of tolerances in the manufacture of these girders is well documented and even used to its advantage. The Steam Wagons I have built in the past couple of years exploit this anomaly of tolerance to the full by suggesting in the instructions for the chassis that two 12½ inch girders are bolted together through their round holes to extend their length. The only way it is possible to achieve this is to exploit the fact that these girders did and still do vary from one to another. Click on the picture above to enlarge it and you will see the joint, circled.

Okay so now we know what has happened Meccano have told Ralph and Sue's Meccano News that:

"We are aware of the problem, working on it now 

and will offer the solution by early next week."

So we know it will be sorted out for existing customers and future sets. Let's look at a few alternatives that can be implemented right now for those who want to build it without waiting for the solution to be rolled out.

The first suggestion to be made was published on the Rust Bucket forum by our good friend John Hornsby. This is the one I will use on our production model we have here in the office awaiting to be built. It entails using a few standard and narrow strips (that most of us serious Meccano nuts have in abundance) bolted to the inside of the girder. To be honest, even if there was not a fitting problem I would probably have adopted this route to free-up those girders for use in other models.

A simple solution for now

Another way to get around the problem is to go outside the the official range of meccano parts and use some of the extended range of narrow girders that are available from third party suppliers. These will bolt directly to the girders supplied in the sets.

Extended range parts fit nicely and are another work-around

I realise that there will be those of you out there saying that it shouldn't happen and that this is down to 'this' or down to 'that',  but I assure you, nobody is more upset when things don't go to plan than the guys who actually design the sets and models and I know they are doing whatever they can to put it right.  The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, but I am totally confident that this problem will be resolved soon and everybody will be happy... Well almost everybody!

_______________________________________________ 

 

Good News!

If you have bought a Tower Crane set and need replacement girders please contact customer service via the Meccano.com website (link below)

Follow this link:

http://meccano.com/support

Claim your parts by calling or send an e-mail to the Meccano support team and your replacement parts will be sent to you.

Please pass this information on to any other people you know who have purchased the crane set in recent weeks. This problem has now been rectified on the production sets and all new sets will contain the correct parts. 

Ralph.
 

The new face of Meccano...

As you may know, Sue and I can be seen at all the big shows with the latest Meccano boxed sets and usually the models too. We usually have prototypes of future releases. This year we had the pre-production model of the Tower Crane and a disobedient G15 KS at Skegness.  We even had the box for the new Thunderbird 2, that we announced HERE back in June, this year. I should have one of the production models next week to show you.

The big news story this year has been the Meccanoids. Love 'em or hate 'em they are poised to be a big seller this Christmas. The robots themselves are entertaining enough but what is making me think is the potential of this new venture for Meccano. We have spent a lot of time over the past few months with these guys.

The new logo has the words MAKER SYSTEM incorporated and is instructed to be used only as a whole. This logo will become very recognisable over the next few months as Meccano roll-out the publicity machine on the lead up to Christmas. The two robots are now being seen in all the big shops and as the name suggests (the 'G' stands for Genesis - the origin of something) This is only the beginning. Extension packs are already starting to appear in the American stores and will be available to all via the internet.

The first of these packs is the smart servo assembly shortly to be followed by the battery packs. This is only the beginning, we are looking forward to getting stuck into this new development in our hobby and seeing how we can combine this high-tech new kid on the block with the classic Meccano we all know and love. Even though Meccanoid and the new Meccano Tech is state of the art 21st century toy, it is still 100% compatible with all the meccano that has gone before. The DNA of Meccano is still there, ½ inch hole spacing, 5/32 BSW threads and square nuts.

As the new developments happen we will bring you the news first. In the mean time we will be experimenting with what we have already and building some new and exciting programmable gadgets and models.

Don't fear, there is plenty of new classic Meccano to keep us busy too, now the Tower Crane set is becoming available, through the internet, we have got our hands on one and will be playing around with that to see what else we can build with it and discuss a few of the problems that have been reported regarding the fitting of the narrow girders inside the standard ones...

Ralph.

G15 - The little build!

After a slow July recovering from Skegness and collecting together new models we are back with a whole host of new sets to talk about. The first of which is the G15 Meccanoid. Little brother of the larger 'Kids-Size' version this is the first of the new generation Meccano Maker System 'Tech' sets to become available here in the UK. Released in very limited numbers through Argos stores, initially to coincide with their autumn/winter catalogue, and should become more readily available over the next few weeks, and of course leading up to Christmas. Already tipped to be among the top ten must have toys this Christmas, it is already outstripping demand.

There are shades of the clever marketing that made Meccano a household name for decades in the middle of the last century. Frank Hornby (the inventor of Meccano) teased his prospective users (the kids) with pictures of huge models on small boxes. That 'impossible dream' was instilled into the boys of the time. In those days the toys were unashamedly  marketed to gender. Toy domestic appliances and dolls to the girls and construction sets, trains and cars to the boys.

Today's marketing has to comply with all sorts of rules and regulations that Hornby was not restricted by. To get the toy world excited by launching all the publicity around a larger version that won all sorts of awards as I have mentioned here in the past, to get the attention of kids and parents alike really worked. The master stroke, and brilliant bit of marketing, was to announce a smaller set, a few weeks later, to blow the parents defence of "Its a fantastic toy but it is a lot of money"  Straight out of the water with an almost half price version. Brilliant!

At an initial price if £169.99 it is now 'affordable' and is a real contender as a Christmas gift. Initial supply was very short but I have just checked the Argos website this morning and it is in stock and available for collection at all my local Argos stores after 4:00PM today. That probably means it is 'in stock' at central distribution and can be delivered to the local store for collection this afternoon. However it works, it does mean that it is available. Okay, I know It is all right for me, I live in London and I have heard of some fellow enthusiasts having to travel miles to obtain one, but if you will live in far flung places with stunning scenery and a more relaxed way of life, like Scotland, you can't have it all!

Packed with parts... So keen was Sue to get on that we forgot to photograph the
open box This is a picture of our good friend's G15 box (Photo: Chris Instone)

Meccanoid G15 is supplied in a suitcase-style box that has a cardboard,segmented liner and is pretty much stuffed full. All the parts are packed in plastic bags and are well protected. A plastic bag contains the instruction manual and various other pieces of paper warning you not to eat him or strangle any children under three years of age with the cables. I know this is all there to comply with the toy trade legislation, but some of it is a bit over the top to say the least and is more about the manufactures (I am referring to all toy manufactures here) having to cover themselves against litigation claims. Don't get me wrong, I agree there should be some warnings but pages of it are surely non-productive. Again I am not having a go at the manufactures here, they are just complying with the latest mad-cap theory imposed upon them by the legislators.

The build

I am not going to go through the build stage by stage as I am sure that will be all over the internet soon and there is no point in repeating it here just to fill space. What I will do is point out any problems, or to quote a good friend of ours and prolific Vlogger on the YouTube, 'issues' we had with the build. Sue decided to build G15 on the kitchen table using only the tools provided and a pair of scissors to make opening the plastic bags easier.

Kitchen table build... What's for supper dear?

The first thing we encountered was that the four short pivot bolts that are used to hold each servo shroud around the servo do not have the threads fully formed making them stiff to tighten. This is a shame as it becomes apparent in the early stages of construction and could put some builders off. It is easy to rectify by just running the bolt through a nut held in the centre hole of the spanner. It is not much but just enough to be a problem. Meccano are aware of this problem and it will be rectified in future production.

One of the servos all wrapped up in a nice Meccano-friendly parts

The build is fairly quick and it does not take long to have a good 'lump' of him built. The larger parts and single bolt and locator construction makes it much simpler to assemble. This is the first time that Meccano have designed a speedy construction method that, not only works but, is completely back-compatible with all that has gone before. As high-tech as this set is it still retains the DNA of all that has gone before; 5/32 BSW threads and half inch hole spacing albeit  on a ¼ matrix making it compatible with the newer parts as well as the X-Series parts of the 1930s. The servos are wrapped up in Meccano-friendly mountings making them easily interfaced with the other parts of the G15 as well as as being totally compatible with classic Meccano if and when required in the future.

Stop it... That tickles!

The instructions can be a little confusing in places but that may be more to do with acclimatising to the new parts and methods. The hand orientation caught us out. I am not sure how the hands were intended to be but we have fitted them so they look right to us. Other than that he goes together very easily.

Now he is built we will spend a day or so working out how he works and we will be taking him and his big brother to Blists Hill at the weekend. We will report back next week and show you the finished model, complete with feet!

Ralph.   

Back to reality...

From the time we left here last Wednesday, to go to SkegEx 15, to the time we arrived back on Monday evening we just did not stop. It is one big merry-go-round from packing the van, setting up, manning the stand and being parts of the social life in the evenings, sleeping and back on the stand. The interest in the new product range and packaging was manic. The really nice thing about the weekend, and what made it so rewarding, was that without exception, everybody was being complimentary about the packing and the new models.

G15 KS was a hit with the selfie brigade!

Meccanoid stole the show but the new Thunderbird 2 was also a big hit. It makes such a change to stand there and agree with the comments, something that has not happened before. We usually find ourselves trying to justify what is in front of us. I have been emphasising that Meccano in the real word is a toy. It is only going to be successful if it can become a must-have brand with the kids and the parents alike. Again, for the first time in decade the kids were excited, not only with Meccanoid (which everybody loves - even my 88 year old Mum is taken with him!) but with the classic sets. I am sure this is because they can relate to the models. What's more, it is not just the boys. The girls like a lots of the classic sets too.

On the Friday evening Sue and I were asked to talk about flowers, Meccano and the new product range, after the official SkegEx 15 dinner, held in The Vine Hotel, Skegness. Tim managed to make a reasonable recording under far from perfect conditions and here are the highlights for those who are interested. Sue started it off with a short talk about Meccano, flowers and a gold medal. Sue's video is only five minutes.

I then took up the baton and did my bit.  Anyone who knows me will tell you I am not shy about getting up there and saying my piece, but I can tell you I have not felt so nervous about addressing a crowd for years - you can tell by the Umms and Errs and the fact that most of the talking is done with my arms! I was not aware I did that! Anyway I hope this short video is informative and not too long - at just a shade over 10 minutes.

 
Before we set off for Skegness, we had started to talk about the new sets. We had got as far as the Space Quest set see HERE. The next two to be put under the spotlight will be the Desert Adventure 20 model set and the Mountain Rally 25 model set. Both these sets make up well and include some new parts - we particularly like the new tyres!  Below are a couple of publicity shots of the two box-art models. Keep coming back and checking, lots more to add over the rest of this week and next.

Desert Adventure - The tyres look good!

Mountain Rally - Nice profile and new parts!

 Ralph.

Sun, Sand and Meccano!

Final update and videos!
CLICK HERE 

It's that time of year again! Time to get out the knotted handkerchief, pick up the bucket and spade and head for the Seaside! Yes, this weekend, anyone passionate about Meccano will want to be in Skegness for the premier international Meccano event of the year - SkegEx 15! 

To see the alternative side to this huge event, click on the image above. We will be blogging live from the show before, during and after the doors open. There will be plenty of images of the goings on, the people and the drama. We will show you all sorts of things related to the show that the usual internet coverage ignores. Yes we will show you the odd model that catches our eye, but there will be dozens of people posting model pictures on line and we will link to any of those as and when we discover them.

So stay tuned and come back to the live page throughout the event to keep up with what is happening. You can also join in with your ideas and requests by making a comment below.

Oh, I nearly forgot, I suspect our tame (at least I hope so) Meccanoid, Frank, the G15 KS is bound to make an appearance at some point in the proceedings....

Can I drive?

...NO! You can't drive  - Get out of there and tuck your battery pack in!

Ralph.

Space Quest 15 model set

I was tempted to start this post with a countdown, but I have used that recently...

Nice solid looking model

The first of the new autumn releases to get the once over is the new Space Quest15 model set. This set introduces three new parts to the system including the latest in a long line of nut-less fixings. Don't throw your hands up in horror, this one actually works and it is not used exclusively, rather as an additional part when it can prove to be useful.

New set, new box!

The most obvious new part is the new plastic moulded nose-cone. This has plenty of fixing holes and in addition it has 'nut retainers' moulded into the interior. This means parts can be fixed to it without having to get a spanner inside to hold the nuts.

Nose cone - I think we might see more of this piece...

The second new part is the plastic, flanged plate. This is a versatile new part that I think will be a mainstay of the future system. I know there will be people who will always dismiss plastic parts but hopefully parts like this will change your mind. The parts are designed to fit together neatly or be used individually. in this model they make the back of the launch tower.

I was not too keen on these bits but they are growing on me

The third new part is probably the most contentious, mainly because of the attempts to produce such a part in the past. This push in fixing is small simple and very effective it has taken a lot of work to get this just right. It will hold with just enough force to stop it falling out but is easy to remove. It is ideal for blind fixings as used here to secure the nose-cone to the body of the rocket. They also have another use, as you will see when we get around to talking about the Mountain Rally set.

The new plastic pins work surprisingly well

These are some of the first of the truly new parts to be designed and introduced by the Spin Master's design team and it is obvious that a lot of thought has gone into them. For years Meccano have been trying to make the system 'simpler' by doing away with nuts and bolts, or just the nuts, as they tried with the Xtreme sets of a few years ago.  The new push-in pins have been introduced for a purpose and are intended to complement the existing fixings, not replace them.

This, and the other new models to follow, are so new we have not had time to build anything other than the box-art model. But I am sure we will be finding some alternative models to build with the parts in the near future! That aside, the model builds very easily and quickly from the instructions and, as far as I could see, there were no mistakes or anomalies in the assembly sequence of this model.

Ready for blast off!

The model is good and solid when finished. Plenty of play-value is included, the tower retracts by way of a hinge and the nose cone is easily separated from the rocket, by removing the aforementioned pins. This is a nice set with a good selection of classic and new parts. If you like white Meccano, there are a few bits here to stock up your collection and if, like us, it is the zinc you crave, you will not be disappointed.

Ralph.

The last Evolution...

Ralph has already looked at the orange 4 x 4 Off-roader HERE. That set has now been re-boxed so the only thing add here is a picture of the up-to-date packaging.

The new box for the Canyon Crawler

In a quirk of branding, a remote control car was also released under the Evolution banner. This has also been re boxed and will be reissued in the new style packaging. Again the two sets are identical. All the radio control sets that have gone before, with maybe the exception of the Rabbids Police Car,  have been fairly complicated to build. In the past the body has been formed by bending and forcing flexible plates into all sorts of extreme positions. None of that with this set.

New and old boxes for the same model

The buggy style car is simple and minimalist  making it fairly easy to assemble once it is realised that the art is to lightly tighten all the bolts until it is time to assemble the 'body' with the chassis. Once the two are fixed together all the other joints in the body can be tightened.

Easy and quick to build - Tick!

There were no problems with the instructions other than the rear spoiler in the kit is supplied and listed in the parts list finished in zinc. The box art shows the spoiler in red. This means the sticker supplied to decorate it allows zinc finish to show through where it should be red. The other niggle is the sticker itself is not cut correctly meaning that the bolt holes used  to secure it to the car are partially obscured. The result of this is that the spoiler has to be removed before the sticker can be applied and the holes cleared to allow the bolts to be refitted.

The spoiler blade should have been red!

That aside this is a super little toy, intended for the kids, that can be built with a minimum of fuss. I am sure a lot of the older cars just never got built. I feel sure that most of these will. This is not a set that has any appeal to us builders. There are few parts of any great use that cannot be acquired from other sets more cheaply. Personally, although not of great parts value, this is perfect for the toy market. Any reasonably competent youngster would be able to build this car and there is nothing critical about the build, nothing to foul the wheels if the build is not just right and nothing that looks wrong if it is not perfectly aligned.

Sue.

New 5 and 10 model sets

It is all moving too fast for me!

The repackaged 3 model set 

Back in January we reported on the new 3 model Multimodels set - See HERE. This was the first of the new sets to incorporate the redesigned tools. Shortly after that The new 5 and 10 model sets appeared along with the two new Evolution sets, the radio control car and the orange 4 x 4. We did get around to publishing our thoughts on the 4 x 4 (HERE)  before life got in the way and we took a short break.

Well, what a time to sit on our hands! Now Meccano have rolled out the new packaging for not only the new models but all the earlier releases have been repackaged and will appear in the shops with the new models due to be released over the next few months. Although these are essentially the same models they are now manufactured in China and have newly designed manuals with new corporate design front covers to fit in with the Meccano Maker System image.

Chinese bolt on the left, French bolt on the right

The only obvious difference I have noticed so far, is the black parts in the original Air Force (10 model set) are now gloss and not matt. Incidentally, it is easy to tell the difference between the French and Chinese production set by the type of bolts used.  The Chinese production models are supplied with the flat-top bolts and the French produced models have a slightly domed look to the head. Both bolts are cheese-head in profile. We prefer the Chinese pattern and try to use those in preference.  From a cosmetic viewpoint, it looks so much better to use bolts of similar style, especially on smaller models. Now, you may think we are stark raving bonkers, but we separate the different styles when we are sorting out stock of standard length bolts. We have not bothered to separate out the longer bolts as they are easier to sort during a build as they are not usually used in the same quantities - we are not that nuts!

To save repartition, we will talk about the new re-issued sets and where it applies we will show the earlier packaging so you know what to look out for. I suspect the old packing will be around for a while yet.

Construction Crew - 5 Model Set

The 5 model set is the first one to look at. Originally issued in the Multimodels range earlier in the year, it is about to be reissued in the new packing as the Construction Crew set. The box art of both boxes carries imagery of the loading shovel. This nice little model looks the part even if the 'shovel' does not lift. One of the four other models is a dumper truck. This model is a revamp of the M&S special edition set for Christmas 2010, see HERE. The original model has a special part formed to represent the tipping body. The current model has the tipper body made up from standard parts.

Old and new design of packaging - same set.

The models we have made up have gone together easily from the instructions, which are clear and concise. For a small set it offers plenty of play value and encouragement to buy more than one set. The themed sets idea is harping back to a time in the 1960s when the black/yellow/silver, progressive numbered sets, were each given a theme and an appropriate name. The No.3 set was given the name Highway Vehicles and I always liked that set (in all its reincarnations) as it made vehicles that were recognisable at the time. Today the models that could be made with that old set and, the others of the period, look very dated. The new construction set follows a similar idea and all the models are recognisable today as the sort of thing you will see while out and about in the normal course of events.

The box art model looks the part.

It is amazing what box-art can do for a model. The original box really did not inspire me to build this model as, to me, it looked rather simplistic. However, the same model photographed from a lower angle and dropped into a realistic background transforms  look and appeal of the model greatly.

The new Chunky dumper truck from the Construction crew

The tipper truck makes up very easily and has plenty of play value with a tipping body and it's chunky wheels. here again, old meets new with the modern reversible wheel centres used in the recent Evolution sets being married up with the existing tyres originally designed to fit the 1 inch pulleys, metal or plastic. 

The 2010 Christmas offering from M&S

The small tipper originally appeared back in 2010 as an M&S branded, limited edition. That model had a new bent part that was used to represent the tipper body. That part has not been used since and to this day, that short-lived little set remains the only source.   The new model with its redesigned tipper body and larger chunky wheels looks more like the big heavy dump trucks used in open cast mines, than the road legal, American-esque  design of the M&S variant. The wheel hubs can be reversed to give that deep inset hub so often seen on the rear axle(s) of heavy vehicles, used the other way around, they give the opposite look, often seen on the front wheels. The small gripper collars, that so often caused problems in the past, have plenty of axle length to grip on making them far less likely to work loose and although not the prefect solution they do grip a lot better on these round axles.

Going up!

Now if there is one thing Sue would dread, it was if we had need to use an elevated platform. In our previous working life we could find ourselves faced with having to use one to access an out of reach area that needed signing. She hates them and I can understand that as they do wobble a bit even at low levels. So I thought it only fair that I tackled the model that can be made with this set.

A very simple little model that although it does not work, due to the lack of nyloc-type nuts in this set, it is instantly recognisable as to what it is. It goes together well and providing the wheels are fitted to the axles the correct way around, it runs freely. One side of the wheel hub's rim protrudes past the tyre and this side has to bear on the sides of the vehicle to prevent the rubber tyre binding.

Flight Adventure - 10 Model Set

The third of the earlier releases to be re boxed for the relaunch. The set first appeared with a rather smart looking fighter jet adorning the front of the box. On the new box, the fighter is still evident in the background but the main image is that of a futuristic stealth bomber or flying wing.

Change of box art model, but still the same set

The jet makes up to a really solid model that uses all the parts in the box. There are no new parts in this set but again the use of older parts in conjunction with modern parts is evident. The triangular flat plates have made a comeback after a long absence from the range. The use of the small Driving Dog, designed to be used to prevent wheels and plastic mini strips from rotating on tri-axles, as the cowl of a jet engine is perfect at this scale.

I bet you didn't see that one coming!

The black colouring and the angular parts help make the stealth bomber instantly recognisable and maybe one of the reasons for changing the box art for the new packaging. The model uses fewer parts than the jet fighter but goes together easily with little effort. The finished model is soild and although not modelled on any particular prototype captures the essence of the prototype.

Ralph.