Ironbridge museum goes Meccano mad
It's the building toy we all loved as a child – and some of us never grew out of it.
Blists Hill Victorian Town hosted miniature versions of trains, cranes and even a working mine over the weekend – and all made of Meccano.
The Telford and Ironbridge Meccano Society invited enthusiasts from as far as Southampton to come and show off their latest creations at the living museum in Telford. Displays ranged from a Victorian train to steam engines and lorries – some of which had taken months to perfect.
Society chairman Chris Shute, of Churchill Drive in Wem, said the society thought it was possibly seeing record numbers at the display. He said: "People are enjoying having a look around.
"We're the first thing they see in the town, and the last thing they see when they leave – so we've got a good spot.
"We try and get people to build Victorian things in keeping with the museum, and we've got a real range. I think people enjoy Meccano because it's all the skills we don't get to use anymore. In the Victorian time everyone would know how to use a screwdriver and fix things, but we don't all use those skills anymore, so Meccano is a good way to keep those skills going."
While some members built creations from the well-known box sets and instructions, others came up with their own ideas.
John Castledine, of Whitchurch, and David Lacy, from Shrewsbury, were showing off a range of vehicles.
Mr Castledine said: "We were doing this in the 50s, and I'm a retired engineer so I enjoy building and making things."
