Gaydon Motor museum, MG's and Meccano

We had a fantastic day out at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon, just a few pictures relative to MG's and also motoring related Meccano models, including the od vintage MG!
Apologies to anyone who has been before, but I am posting some pics up for the benefit of those who have not and may be interested.

First the Museum's MG pedigree, and we discovered it all over the place, with classics, prototypes and some very special last of line cars...

First up, we found a Car SOS special display involving some of the cars that have been resurrected on the show, they good on TV, but I was amazed at just how good a job Fuzz, Tim and the team do on these cars. This was the MGA from a program I only first saw earlier this year, some of you may remember how bad the car was, involving a totally new bodyshell, and a surprise cameo from James Nesbitt.


Next this little classic J2, one of my Meccano friends who displayed a garage full of MG models - more on that later - used to own one of these, and he told me just how much fun and reliable it was!


This MG 1880 Speed was also very eye-catching, an impressive looking car considering its nearly 90 years old, it must have been one of the supercars of the day


Here we have one of the rejected MGF prototypes from back in 1993, this was called the MG DR2/PR5 development car, its dashboard reminded me very much of a TR7, what was really noticeable was how big and wide the car was, dwarfing the actual final design. Still a very handsome vehicle and one that must have been close to getting the final approval.


Now for some of the speed record attempting cars, first the 1938 EX135


This is the 1952 EX179 which finally hit over 170MPH


MG EX181 was a record beating car, driven to 245MPH by Stirling Moss in 1957 and even faster by Phil Hill (254MPH) in 1959.


Finally this was MG's last and failed attempt to break its own speed record, the EX255, made in 1998 and based on MGF hardware, Andy Green was to pilot this car, however, the car did not get to run on the Bonneville salt flats due to MG's failure to complete the vehicle in time to compete.


This was the car I really wanted to see, the 1985 MG EXE - I was disappointed that they had mounted the car onto a giant "Matchbox" so I could only study it from down below!
It was just such a handsome machine, though, and one wonders how well this may have sold if it was ever put into production...


Of course, MG's first and only attempt at a modern day supercar, the SV, had to be there. This is the lower spec version of the car, the lowly SV, with just over 80 cars produced before MG-R ceased producing, this car is a very rare animal.


The original TF from back in 1954, it still bewilders me why MG called the 2002 TF the same, as it still engineers confusement, and sometimes disappointment when people ask what kind of MG I have, with the MG old boys looking at the original TF with rose coloured tints and my 2004 model with a bit of distaste!
Still, I love my TF, but wouldn't say no to an original either!


This is another MGA, but in cutaway format for display, showing just how clean and simple the earlier cars used to be..


Similarly, a MGB GT which has been split down the middle to expose the engine, gearbox diff, etc....just like a modern day MRI image, it was eerie looking into the radiator vanes, crankcase and even the bodywork. A first class exhibit!


Now for a real bit of history, the final MGB GT off the production line at Abingdon, back in 1980. Not sure if this was the last car ever made there, but at least it has been preserved for posterity.


Now for something of interest for MGF owners, this is the Metro "Mule" from back in 1994, a modified Metro pickup body was bolted on to a pre-production MGF chassis, or subframes, and driven around the streets of Birmingham to test the characteristics of the car, without the risk of revealing the new design to the public and press.

Here you can see the rear mounted engine....


Finally as a pre-curser to some outstanding Meccano models, here are some MGF models on display at the museum.


Now for the Meccano exhibition, and just the vehicular models to save a bit of time...

This Packard racing car won first prize at the annual Meccano show in Skegness this year, I was happy to see this outstanding model for a second time this year..


My good friend and fellow MG enthusiast, Pete Evans, showed off another prize winning model, his Brooklands garage, full of car, mainly vintage MG's and a fully stocked workshop, ramps, etc...


Here is the workshop..


And a Bugatti on the rolling road dynomometer!


A selection of fire engines, from the earliest horse drawn and steam powered, through the ages, to the modern day Dennis and AEC varients. Also a couple of Green Goddesses there too!


I have shown this Lambo Countach before, but its such an accomplished model...


This is my Kawasaki KZ1000P ....


And my Savage Center Engine, used in fairground rides at the turn of the 20th century, my most detailed and favourite model to date.


And finally, Mrs Sundance is a dab hand with a spanner, winning 3rd prize at the international show this year with a model of her little Chihuahua, Gracie....here she is!


Hope you enjoy the post!

Sundance

Fabulous stuff every bit, however the stand out for me is the workshop. Right from the nude on the wall through to the bending machine, rollers, oxy', gantry crane & English wheel; a tour de force. You keep looking & more detail pops out at you; the lathe, pillar drill, vices on the work bench & hydraulic press, & so it goes. Great stuff, I must go back to the museum & have another look, the displays change from time to time I believe.

I've just been comparing your centre engine model against the ImecE model MUS/91 https://archives.imeche.org/archive/artefacts/591381-savage-centre-engine & it's remarkable. For those not familiar with these engines & to judge the modelling quality of both items just take five minutes & have a look.

Impressive !

great stuff, :broon: :broon: :broon:

Airportable wrote: I've just been comparing your centre engine model against the ImecE model MUS/91 https://archives.imeche.org/archive/artefacts/591381-savage-centre-engine & it's remarkable. For those not familiar with these engines & to judge the modelling quality of both items just take five minutes & have a look.

Many thanks,
Cherry Hill's fabulous scale model was the spark that created the idea to build the model, I hoped to build the most accurate and detailed model steam engine in Meccano. I had little to go on except some crude CAD images of the basic layout and a photo of Cherry's award winning model.
The final accolade of my endeavors, was when I was exhibiting the steam engine at a show at Blists Hill - the Victorian museum at Ironbridge, where they had an actual working example on a carousel. The guys that run the ride came to scrutinize my model and gave it the thumbs up!
The model was built to an accurate 1/10 scale and went together like a dream, a sign of good scale choice and correct usage of parts. The engine has two motors to drive each separate steam engine and even has a simulated glow of hot coals inside the firebox and boiler tubes.
I have since been invited to display my model at a Savages heritage exhibition which I could not make, but maybe next time....

A couple more pics of my favourite creation....I am slowly pondering on the possibilities of replicating my TF at about 1/12 scale.....

This is the semi completed boiler, firebox and cylinder block with the crosshead slides in place.


Another general view of the engine


The cylinders, crosshead and crankshaft, valvegear with the governor and lubrication box..


The steam engine carried two steam engines on a common boiler, the big No.6 engine to drive the fairground ride, and the smaller No.4 engine mounted on the end of the smokebox, to drive ancilliary equipment such as lighting generators, or a organ. This meant that the chimney had to be relocated on the side of the smokebox. Here is the No.4 auxilliary steam engine prior to fitting on the main model.


Sundance

Fantastic work and attention to detail. Well done!!