Aberdeen Mechanical Society

------=====The====------Aberdeen Mechanical Society (Instituted 1888)

Minutes of 112th Annual General Meeting

Date:- 24th October 2000

Venue:- Lecture Theatre No. C601, Robert Gordon University

Chair:- Mr S Mess, President

Present:- 37 members and guests were present.

Item 1: Introduction by The President

Sandy Mess opened the meeting by welcoming all, especially the younger guests.

Item 2: Apologies for absence

Apologies were received from Messrs D Barber, A Rennie, S Reid, J Collie, B Simpson, J Mortimer, J Ganley, K Peake and J Bryce.

Item 3: Minutes of the last meeting: Taken as read.

Item 4: AMS Prize for Best 2nd Year Student RGU 1999-2000

The President presented the prize to Mr Robert Stephen, and awarded it in absentia to Mr Keith Martin. The prize was awarded jointly this year due to the 2 students’ marks being so far ahead of their peers and yet very close together. They shared the £50 prize and were awarded certificates.

Item 5: Prof. R V Jones Memorial Trophy

The trophy was won by Aberdeen Grammar School Team 2 for their model crane, designed and built at Techfest 2000, demonstrating the qualities of ingenuity, innovation, observation and precision. The President presented the winning team of Judith Swanson, Rose Grogan, Jennifer Garden and Jeremy Watt with the trophy and certificates of their achievement. Their teacher Mr Trevor Jones was presented with a certificate for the school.

Item 6: Annual Report of Council for session 1999-2000

The President presented the 112th annual report attached. The President paid particular thanks to Mr Jim Mitchell for the photographic record of most of the Society’s proceedings, as well as recognising the Council office-bearers and event organisers.

Item 7: Financial Report & Balance Sheet

Mr David Moore, Honorary Treasurer summarised the balance sheets, concluding that the drop in income is primarily due to a reduction in subscriptions. As the main expenditure is postage, the mailing list is under review. Members were again asked for ideas for spending the assets which now amount to £3820.75. Item 8: Election of Office Bearers

Mr Peter Barber has resigned from Council following his marriage and move to the USA. Mr Alan Fotheringham was nominated. No other nominations were received and the meeting approved the election of Alan to the Council. The President summarised the numbering changes to Vice- President and re-election names and positions which were agreed by the AGM.

Item 9: Adoption of new Constitution

Mr Mark Ferguson proposed the new constitution which had been issued last year for comment, and Mr Ian Wattie seconded. The AGM agreed the new constitution, which is now in force.

Item 10: Lecture by Mr Alex R. Paterson “Press Working and the Manufacture of Commercial Vehicle Chassis Frames”

The President introduced Alex Paterson, who has had a career spanning tool & die maker to managing director. Alex opened his talk with a few photos of AEC Regent and Leyland Titon buses, both designed by John Rackham. Mechan’s of Scotstown, Glasgow (EST 1860) built the chassis frames, using their own designed and manufactured presses. Early trucks departed from car designs and used structural steel sections which were heavy, and this press technique made variable section members which reduced weight. Alex listed 23 vehicle manufacturers and the 4 chassis frame manufacturers who supplied them, which was soon down to just Mechan’s, Thompson (Wolverhampton) and Rubery Owen (Darlington). The three were members of a price cartel, the Commercial Vehicles Frame Makers Association. Thompson and Rubery Owen are still in business. Sir Henry Mechan was a charismatic leader and a few tales were told to the credit of his business acumen.

The AEC Mammoth motor truck chassis was 30 feet long and fabricated from hot pressed steel sections, heated to 860 deg F by coal. The die arrangement for an offside side member was made using a press with 1000 tons capacity made in 1906 to Jimmy Thompson’s design. QA &QC were non-existent. Men were proud of their work and did not produce poor products. Alex described the pressings for war-time missiles, with thick pressed flanges milled and straightened. Pressings extended to 40 feet long, ¾ ins. thick and 12 ins. height. The presses were used for artillery shell driving rings, water-tight doors and many other war-time products.

A key element of Alex’s presentation was his description of the characters involved from the beginning of the century, their ingenuity, integrity and dignity. The President complimented Mr Paterson on the technical content and entertaining anecdotes about those participants, and the meeting thanked him warmly.

______Joint Secretary ______President

______Date