REME Museum Show, Lyneham UK

[Stephen White]

Great day at the new museum of the British Army's Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, the people who fix and recover our tanks, amongst other things. The Museum moved from its home at Arborfield, to the former C130 Hercule base at RAF Lyneham, which is now the Defence School of Electronic and Mechanical Training.

Thanks to Chris Hall, who identified the opportunity and organised for us to attend and to Steve Stuart, David Battson, Mark Weddell, , Dan Scholefield, Denny Patterson and Adrian Harris for bringing an unusual collection of models, with only two panzers but two Mk IVs, a Comet, a Cromwell, a Stuart and three Centurion variants, a BARV, Bridgelayer and Mk 5/1.

Running a model show for the first time, the REME Museum staff couldn't have been more welcoming and delighted in allowing us free rein to run throughout the display halls, including a spectacular tank column or crocodile winding its way around the exhibits. Adrian demonstrated superior driving skills, negotiating narrow doorways and spaces with the bridgelayer, although the low ceilings defeated him in one room.

One for a repeat next year.

A video follows on my channel on YouTube, Tank Builders, once I've edited the films.

Stephen

[Chris Hall]

It's the first time the REME Museum has done such a thing, but it certainly won't be the last ! I genuinely think that our turnout was the 'icing on the cake' for them - the Education Officer patted me on the shoulder everytime he walked past !

It really is a nice little Museum, with two Halls of vehicles (including a Sherman BARV, Churchill AVRE, Scammell and Challenger ARV), an amazing Gun Room, a nice medal display and lots of information on how REME keeps the mechanised parts of the Army moving. Highly recommended, and relatively easy to get to (just off the M4 south of Swindon).

Thanks to the 'usual suspects' for turning out with a goodly display. It was very welcome not to be Panzer-heavy for a change and, given the provenance of REME, it was great to see the 3 variants of Centurion:

including the Bridgelayer, which is enormous !

And it was fun doing a 'cavalcade of tanks' around the main vehicle halls - looking forward to seeing the Go-Pro videos shot by Stephen and Daniel.

It looks like this one will become a regular item on the show calendar - nicely timed for the end of the season. I'll advertise it more widely next year, now we know what we can get away with . They've also told me that there's going to be a WW2-specific show in early May, so I'll post up details of that one in due course.

All the best,

Chris

[Adrian Harris]

"including the Bridgelayer, which is enormous !"

With the turning circle of a small battleship, so definitely some route reconnaissance required to avoid getting into tight spots.

Happy that the problems of Bovington have been 'bashed out' and she's fully operational again.

Thanks for the organisation Chris. I certainly hope this becomes a steady fixture, and only an hour from home for me, so doesn't require a silly o'clock alarm call

Adrian.

[Daniel Scholefield]

Good day out, even if I can't claim a short journey! First batch of photos, more when I get time:-

[Stephen White]

Big tank action ...... latest Tank Builders production "Big Tanks Tour the Museum" is now up on YouTube for your enjoyment. Includes two Mk IVs leading the tank carousel around the REME Museum, a trio of Centurion variants, Mk 5/1, BARV and Adrian's incomparable Centurion Bridgelayer (well, David Skeldon's really), Comet, Cromwell, Stuart and of course a couple of panzers to show willing, Tiger (inevitably) and Jagdpanther.

If you enjoyed it, please consider a "Like" and subscribe to Tank Builders. With over 200 subscribers, the channel is growing at the speed of .... paint drying ..... but it gets the Armortek/one sixth message out there.

It's a whole different world out there on YouTube, they talk about SEO which I gather is "Search Engine Optimisation" and Audience Retention, which is apparently helped by using Cards and End something or others. Life's too short to bother with that **** but then I don't make a living being a YouToober nor being an "influencer". I just like tank videos.

[Daniel Scholefield]

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