NZFMM 2001 Wellington Convention
MECCANO GEARED ROLLER BEARING c 1937
Phil Grover displayed this rare Geared Roller Bearing at the convention. To the right of the image is the bearing's story:
Part
number 167 Geared Roller Bearing is designed to provide a ready made
“turntable” bearing for large crane and other models. Its most famous use is
in the Super Model Leaflet 4 model – Giant Block Setting Crane. Geared roller
bearings were manufactured from 1928 to 1940 and retailed for one pound – far
and away the most expensive part at the time.
This fine example has never been used in a model and has a fascinating history. It has passed through the hands of 2 famous Meccanomen – Bill Inglis (Australia) and Clyde Suttle (USA).
The
piece was manufactured at the Meccano factory in Liverpool and shipped to Sydney
Australia. Here Bill Inglis takes up the story:
“In the late 60's I met a chap, Walter Boyd, about 15 years my senior
whose main interest
in Meccano was the historical aspect of the system and we used to visit
quite regularly as he lived in Pascoe
Vale when we discussed matters Meccano and
looked at our various Meccano
treasures. He had the Mint R/G GRB in its original
box. He told me that he was walking
past E. Page and Co in Sydney (the main
Meccano Agency in Prewar Australia)
one day in early 1940 and saw the GRB in
their Window. He thought to himself
that they could become hard to get if the
War dragged on and, having the money
on him, he went in and bought it and it sat
in his house in its box from then on.
As far as I know Walter never married and
he certainly lived as a Bachelor when
I knew him and worked as a senior
Librarian at the Victorian Public
Library with an interest in history.
Unfortunately he was not in very good
health and in due course I was contacted
by his Executor with the news that he
had bequeathed his Meccano collection to
me
and thus I became the proud owner of his Mint GRB amongst other things.”
Bill Inglis’ Meccano collection (weighing 7 tonnes!) was sold in the USA in 1980 by Bob Bowley (Des Moines, Iowa). Clyde Suttle(California) bought the piece, who sold it later to Sidney Sellickson (Texas), who died in 2000. Erector specialist Bill Bean (Ohio) bought it at Sellickson’s estate sale and sold it to Phil Grover (Nelson) in November 2000.
Part 167
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