Page 2
Fromthe editor
You have probably noticed that we celebrate our 35 anniversary this year. In the meantime a lot of work has been made already behind the scenes. In this episode you can find all the information and a call for notification of taking a part to this Guild event. The attachments with this MN also relate to this great happening of the MGN. Everything is aimed to make this anniversary a success.
The call to report your most beautiful model has brought a lot of registrations in the meantime, and people are working very hard at the Anniversary gift.
But there is another event that asks for attention, and then I mean the exposition in the ‘NationaalStoommachine Museum’[National Steam Engine Museum, BB] in Medemblik.
Of course in this edition you find a number of reports of gatherings of the past months. From a received article is placed the first part in the meantime. Also we have an item in the rubric ‘Tips & Tricks’. Further we have placed a beautiful offer. From the latest garage sale we have placed a report in this MN, in the hope that these sales will get more interest from our members in the nearby future.
Finally I want to invite you to read all the information in this MN and the attachments concerning our anniversary, and next to take part of this 35 years anniversary in October.
Furthermore I wish you lots of joy reading this edition of MN.
Your editor
Charles Spierdijk
(Translation: Bea Brouwer)
Pages 4-5
Report of the gathering with
Spin Master Benelux in Amsterdam
By: Hans Kuijl
(Translation: Bea Brouwer)
Preface
On Wednesday 22 March 2017 the entire MGN-board was welcomed by Spin Master Benelux (from now on: SMB) in the person of Charlie Hemmes, marketing manager Benelux and Jesse Pijpers, brand manager (Meccano) Benelux. The goal was at first the visit of the new office building and secondly tuning the cooperation for the 35-year Anniversary of our MGN, in the autumn of 2017. Also present were Harry Verhoeven from the ‘techniekHuys’ [Technique House, BB] where we hope to celebrate our 35-year Anniversary, and Hans Imanse from MOOS STUDIOOS; he had a high participation in the manifestation in the MEGA STORES in the autumn 2015 in The Hague, where the UP-house was built amongst others for the occasion of 115-years Meccano.
Opening and introduction
After an animated introduction, where already were given some visions of the subject of all our interest by the present ones, and exchanging some anecdotes, and the inevitable business cards, the program was told: an ‘update’ about the Meccano strategy by Charlie Hemmes who on the side also gave some insight about the extensive product range of Spin Master International. Next an update about the marketing plans of Meccano 2017/2018 by Jesse Pijpers. Both introductions turned out to connect seamlessly at the last paragraph of chapter 4 (at this time only known by just a few) of the coming Anniversary Book “The life circle of Meccano’: “In the third episode of Epoche III, the shares are sold in 2013 by both family holdings to the Canadian toy giant, Spin Master s.a.r.l. 1.; the shares and the production of Meccano are in one hand again since 1936.” Spin Master was set up in 1994 and experienced a stormy growth. From 11:45 o’clock a ‘simple, but nutritious lunch’ 2 was served. Around 13:00 o’clock it was a farewell symphony; in small groups the MGN-people left the SMB-offices with gratitude.
At the end of the both introductions an animated discussion took place about a number of subjects.
Processing introductions and target groups
It was decided that a review of the both introductions was added in the last two chapters of the coming Anniversary book. Circumstantially discussion took place about the target groups of Meccano, of course the future and specific the youth, and more specific the question ‘which youth’. You can think of a wide young market, where with the help of Meccano the skills of the developing child can be supported, from let’s say 6 years old. We, Spin Master and MGN, will never maintain this subpopulation completely. From 8 to 10 years children develop a technical insight; with this category one must be expressly warned for offering too large scaled models in an early stage of the development of the child. The concentration time of children of this age is maximum 10 minutes, so it takes too long and with a too large model is the chance to failure emphatically present; when the project does not succeed in one attempt, the odds are big that the chosen Meccano-box is put in a closet. A step further you find the powered models and the models with electronics, the radio controlled models.
Three lines
As told with the introductions, the developed products can be divided in three lines:
1: Meccano core line with the classic construction sets, for example: ‘5-Model Set – Motorcycle, 10 Model Set – Truck, 15 Model Set Buggy, etc’.
2: Next there is the licenced line: classic construction sets with a vehicle licence, for example: ‘Meccano Elite Motorcycle Ducati 3, Meccano Ferrari 488 Spider, or the Meccano Lamborghini Aventador’.
3: The third line, is the Meccano Tech line, where the technical playing develops in a base form of programming. The client will be challenged to build robotised Meccano constructions, and next to code the movement in a simple way.
Focus on automobiles
In one of the lines is spoken of a focus on automodels. Here are needed licence agreements with well-known car brands. Also there is attention for the difference within one line concerning the size of the models.
It may be obvious that from the side of SMB also a clear view on the assortment of models was offered, of which later more. Possibly by 15 photos of recent models, for which the MGN-board offered space in the Anniversary book to SMB.
Boxes and supplement boxes?
It has become clear that the old Meccano-system with the characteristic supplement boxes to come to a next set, will nog return; for one thing because certain essential parts for the adult builder was not produced anymore, and next because the handling to come to the ultimate chest 10 was hardly cost price technical interesting, and third because the parts that were taken out of production are replaced by a numerous of new, mostly plastic, parts. A not clarified compromising idea, for a second, was spoken of, so we are curious.
Experience room in Veldhoven
Agreed was the participation of SMB on the ‘reopening’ of the Experience room in Veldhoven for children and students of invited schools during the entire anniversary week. Suggested by Hans Imanse, a Meccano building diploma will be handed out after building in the Experience room, signed by the attendants. Also the UP-House, now in modular composition – thanks Charles – will be built during the anniversary period.
Education
SBM tries to cooperate with elementary schools to get attention for space and interest in technique in general. It is concluded that the old Craft schools and MTS [Secondary Technical School, BB] are missed, and one is pleading for technical education on ‘havo’-level [Higher General Continued Education, BB], and also the term ‘technasium’ comes by. 4
STEM-emblem
Important is the fact that Meccano equipmenthas a little STEM-emblem: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, a term that is used when education policy and curriculum choices in schools are used ‘to improve competitiveness in science and technology development’. 5
Jury model building contest
The jury will be expanded with a representative of SMB; because Charlie will be on maternity leave, her job will be done by Jesse Pijpers. SMB will also think about prizes for the anniversary model building contest.
Finally
The message is being made of the purchase of 500 Meccanoïds for schools in Friesland.
It is pointed out that an exhibition of Enrico Baj “Play as Protest” that runs until 14 May in the Cobra-museum in Amstelveen, where also Meccano parts were used.
At the end of the gathering chairman Willem Livestroo thanks with some well-chosen words our hostess and host for this very useful gathering, and secretary Hans Kuijl gives the hosts, and also Hans Imanse and Harry Verhoeven the first anniversary-present; the in the meantime well-known to you MGN-35-year-pen, sent to you with the latest MN.
______
- Private company by French-Canadian law; because located in Toronto.
- The paraphrased use of this expression of Marten Toonder, spiritual father of Olivier B. Bommel, is justified since his ‘old Schicht’ [type of car, BB] was also fornicated, see MN 35.1, page 18 left bottom, a model of H. Piersma. Furthermore the ‘simple’ lunch must be taken as a ‘Bommelian’ understatement.
- The MGN-board is pleased with the fact that Charlie Hennes and Jesse Pijpers also took the Meccano (motor) challenge, to build the Ducati and both have signed it up as their most beautiful model; indeed it is beauty; see chapter 5 of the coming anniversary book…
- See ‘Het Financieele Dagblad’, Monday 27 March 2017, page withthe headline ‘Techniekopleidingen ingehaald door nieuwe ontwikkelingen / Vooral vmbo vindt moeilijk aansluiting bij veranderende wereld’. [Technical education caught up by new developments / Especially vmbo (preparatory middle-level vocational education) finds it difficult to connect the changing world, BB].
- See Wikipedia at ‘STEM’.
Pages 6-9
The Meccanoman you always wanted to meet:
Frank Dijkshoorn
Interview: Hans Kuijl, photos: Frank Dijkshoorn & Archives Editor
(Translation: Bea Brouwer)
On a clear day, just after the annual change your reporter drives by bus through a winter wonder land on the roads of ‘Vleuterweide’ to have himself dropped by the NS [National Railroad, BB] in Tilburg. Through a humorous e-mail the interviewed had told me to pick me up at a ‘kiss & ride’ spot and that he just one of the verbs would effectuate; I am curious. Also the date, with some sense of mathematic beauty, has been picked: 170117, such a ‘01’ between two times ‘017’ would also enjoy my young colleague IonicaSmeets, that mathematic girl, while she of course also would immediately recognize the prime numbers.
Unfortunately it went all quit different; more than an hour after leaving Maarssen, I walk around like a zombie on Utrecht Central Station: there are no trains running, as a result of a major power failure in the ‘Centrale Hemweg’ [power station, BB] in Amsterdam, with spreading like an oil stain around the complete town. There the chaos is even bigger, thanks to a bomb alert. The experts recognize immediately the disrupted operation of such a bomb alert. I decide to go home and inform the interviewed about this fate later that day; of course the battery of my mobile phone died. An accident never comes without company.
On the newly agreed place and time, in the meantime ten days later, is there the Meccanoman who agreed voluntarily to have an interview concerning his Meccano-life. I have the honour and the pleasure to introduce you, dear reader of our favourite magazine, to… Frank Dijkshoorn.
LIFE
Born, well and how? Some close people stick to the story that Frank himself still shows it and you can notice it. The midwife dosed the mother to be the anaesthesia ‘per ox’; freely translated, she was a bit tipsy so the anaesthesia was given to the woman giving birth by breathing out. Further the delivery went well, according to the stories, of course with the exception of the opinion of those close people.
Born on 5 December exactly at 24:00 hours, as you wish at 00:00 hours, as a beginning of the next day. In the family number 5 and also the first boy, it was a great joy for the young parents after all the girls. The thought of 5 mothers occurs to me as a reporter, but Frank’s wife Ria says firmly ‘well no, he didn’t even notice that’. We leave this probably strange topic, not knowing what a further investigation can do to Frank.
Born on 5 December 1945 in Vlaardingen, the old part of the city, in the meantime broken down and in the same street as Ria; the parents knew each other. Frank thought I seek ‘it’ closely at home, so not the adventurous ‘what you get far is nice’. After Frank two more brothers came and after that two sisters. “A good protestant family but not too religious, not ‘Bonders’”, says Frank, typical for where he came from.
And so in 1948 they moved to a new home, with a shower, an unprecedented wealth for that time, the beginning of the new era.
His 11th birthday was celebrated together with his best playing friend, so quit an amount was gathered for an investment in Meccano and ‘a father who gives his son Meccano, must love him”. Frank knew Meccano just from the stores. He needed creativity with his hands, so to prevent some nails in the new furniture, they bought a box of Meccano. Then his oldest sister got involved with her current husband. The sister was nice but the Meccano of his brother-in-law was nicer, and they exchanged ownership. It lead to the favourite brother-in-law-ship. He kept constructing with his Meccano until his study took more time, and also the mopeds and the girls. However he has never considered to get rid of the equipment. Later, he has built some nice items, but it was too few to really build something; that lasted until approximately 2000.
Primary school finished without any problems, father got ill and looking back on things he had no father left to lean back on. Professor Barnard – cardio surgeon with his heart transplantation team in the ‘Groote Schuur Ziekenhuis’ [hospital, BB] in Kaapstad – came too late with an excellent solution for his father. He died on the age of 59 years. In the crises years he owned his own butcher shop, but it was not very successful. After that he worked in the abattoir in Schiedam. Frank was 21 when he died, the oldest son in the family and married himself in the meantime. One income, and that was not a top income, and ten mouths to fill, was not easy.
After the primary school he went to the LTS [Lower Technical School, craft school, BB] with a job on the side to finance the Boy Scouts camp. Frank was 12 years old, the craft school was a nasty time. Preparing year with several subjects: wood, metal, welding, electro, but all very basic. Next electro, but he became a metalworker. All well, but metalworking was nicer that woodworking. All kinds of skills you met, in a wide variety, but the perfection arrives in the further education. After the LTS to the company school of Wilton Fijenoord (WF), from 1929 until 1999 the name of a shipyard in Schiedam, specialized in building ships and repairs, and one of the large shipyards in Holland. Here was metalworking quit something different, namely just the column drill. Back then, so says Frank, I did not understand very well that I would work with machines. The education was not what I had expected from it; metalworking finished in two years with good grades. Done BEMETEL at the foundation occupied with ‘BEdrijfsopleidingen in de METaal en ELectrotechnischeindustrie’ [company education in metal and electro-technical industry, BB]. It is a ‘fingerspitzengefühl’ what kind of metal you deal with. After graduation – 1962 was Frank’s examination year – never worked that accurate again. What is the value of an education when you have a machine with 0,2 mm accuracy. But making object by hand is still a skill that he performs. Ria shows her wooden mouthpiece cutter for her hobo, and a search on Google learns that there are even specialized shops for buying tools to cut these wooden mouthpieces for instruments. This device, made by Frank himself, shows a great deal of virtue.
WF was next to shipyard also device builder, production machines for Shell, AKZO; experienced the conversion from a declining shipyard in the 60’s to device building. The last one was preferred by Frank, but at first it was repairing ships for him, heavy and dumb work. His education was aimed for more sophisticated work. Ship with machine damage, the main goal had to expanded; the double bottom is also warehouse for fuel, water, oil and after sufficient drainage going through the manhole into the double bottom, loosen clamping nuts. The engineer wears next to his overall a boiler pack, a shirt and a pair of trousers. That pack needed to be changed three times a day. Revising engines of submarines ‘Hr.Ms. Potvis and Tonijn’, produced according the three cylinder principal for submarines by which not only the stability improved but they could also dive deeper. Joined the army in the midst 60’s, and in 1968 participated in the search for the missing Hr.Ms. Walrus, this was because a message about the positioning not had arrived. The Tuna was taken out of service in 1991 and since 1994 open for the public in the Marine Museum [Navy Museum, BB] in Den Helder.