Society General Meeting

Talk: “A century and a half of Toy Stationary Steam engines and Accessories” by Bob Lovett.

Bob will give an insight into a ‘golden age’ of steam-driven toy engines and accessories produced by manufacturers in the UK and across Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. Focussing on the best-known UK and German manufacturers, he will highlight some of the social and commercial drivers behind this significant toy industry and then review the operation and some technical variations in a variety of stationary engines. In addition, he will show examples of the wide range of accessories produced for use with stationary engines. His talk will be supported with examples from his personal collection.

Bob has a science and technology background with a career including teaching Physics and Chemistry, technical product management and development, and latterly, marketing. Now retired from his last role as an international Marketing Director in the world of mobile communications, Bob has time to spend on his hobbies and interests. As a long time collector of old toys and trains, he has a particular fascination for almost anything that runs on steam. He enjoys spending time in his engineering workshop maintaining and curating his collection of ‘old stuff’ – trains and motorcycles – as well as driving trains on the National Railway Museum’s miniature railway in York.

Bob is a member of the York Society of Model Engineers and serves on its committee.