So it is that time of year again when modellers are frantically putting the finishing touches

A VW Campervan

to their models and displays in the hope that they will perform as expected after the long haul up (across or down) to Skegness. Here it has been a little different….

I fully intended to look in on one day, but had no plans to exhibit – and then Meccano’s advertising agency got in touch to ask if I could help them with models to fill a 21ft window display they had obtained in Skegness’s shopping centre! These had to be there from 28th June through to July 6th when the show closes. Cue some rapid stock-taking … yes, there were enough models around, though all needed some attention and repair after a lot of shows and journeys. And then there was the Eagle space ship …. not finished, but it just had to go! But I was going to be away on holiday from 14th – 28th June, so there was even less time available! That meant a lot of late nights to finish the cab, the engine bay and the central passenger module. It was worth it, though, to see the reaction when the agency director kindly came over to pick the models up and saw it for the first time!

So a varied collection of my trucks, rockets and space ships are currently sitting in a window in the Hildred’s centre in Skegness, hopefully inspiring the punters to look in on the Skegex Meccano Show in the Embassy Theatre from 4th – 6th July. (Strangely the one that usually provokes most reaction is my VW Camper! Perhaps because we all either had one or knew someone who did) Vast numbers of models from across the UK and far beyond promise to be there, including the famous James May Meccano TT Bike!

Perhaps we will meet up there as well – till then …..