NZFMM

The "Slice of Heaven" Meccano display at Te Papa Museum Wellington

This exhibition took place in the 1st floor foyer on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st November 2010. NZFMM members from around New Zealand gathered together to put on a superb show in this prestige location. The display formed part of a wider on going Te Papa display showcasing life and events in New Zealand during the twentieth century. The exposure during the weekend was phenomenal with many international visitors passing through individualy or in groups as Te Papa museum is one of Wellington's prime tourist attractions.

A variety of models were on display from small to very large, from both an entertainment and scientific viewpoint. Education was not negleted with a few tables available for children of all ages to try their hand at model building and get their hands around using nuts and bolts with a screwdriver.

Click here to listen to an MP3 Podcast by Radio NZ of interviews at Te Papa on Saturday 20th November (22 minutes).

A View from above

John Denton dressed for the part with some of his models on display. His squadron of Red Falcon Fighter jets bursts out of the clouds above.


Below is the ever popular 'Tricky Track" model expertly built and operated by Max George.

Peter Hancock busily assisting youngsters at the model building tables. Below children of all ages trying their hand at building something. Imagination can run riot. One young lad had built a man on top of a box and informed us it was Michael Jackson performing!

A myriad of small models displayed above.



Bob Prescott's animated model of ABBA playing Mama Mia which provided background music throughout the show.

Captain Nemo in his Nautilus submarine being attacked by a giant squid, by Gary Higgins.

The Mini Differential Anaylser by William Irwin which is programmed to solve the differential equation for simple harmonic motion and to plot the result out on a plotter as a sine curve.

This model is to demonstrate the principle of the larger historic Cambridge Differential Analyser currently on show at MOTAT museum in Auckland in their "I am the Last Tram" exhibition. A MOTAT poster was displayed alongside and can be viewed by clicking here.

Above: The late Lindsay Bond's Eiffel Tower with some of Bruce Geange's models below it.

Below: Simon Moody's magnificent Tower Crane.

Les Megget's Scammel Explorer vehicle.



Below: Les Megget's Liebherr LTM 1050-3.1 crane with extended boom at full extension.

There were not one but two Tricky Track models present. Bob Prescott's Topsy and Turvy engines puffed around and are here admired by two young fans.

David Wall's radio controlled off road vehicle, and his magnificently reproduced model of the classic SML 1 Motor Chassis.


On the right is Keith McMillan with his fairground carousel model in traditional red and green.

Above is Bruce Geange's very smooth running model of a mini Blocksetter Crane. Below are some more of John Denton's models including his Stationary Steam Engine and various nickel period models.

Above is Alistair Tong's dealer model of a Rotating Car Chassis which he had salvaged and re-created by meticulous research into old Meccano literature. Below is a model of the Queen Mary and other small models by Brian Peterson.

Part of the extensive poster display set up at the entrance to the exhibition.