Model collection reflects passion

About 1700 models are on display at the gallery until Saturday in the club’s annual model expo.

Otago branch secretary Eric Brockie said this year’s theme of commercial vehicles had given club members the opportunity to showcase everything from V8 supercars to trucks and agricultural vehicle models.

Nine club members are involved in the exhibition, which also features Lego models and figurines.

Eric Brockie holds Bevan Wilson’s die-cast Mercedes car transporter model. About 1700 model vehicles are on display in the New Zealand Model Vehicle Club Otago Branch’s Model Expo, on now at Dunedin Community Gallery. PHOTO: BRENDA HARWOOD

"Everyone is interested in collecting different vehicles, which means we are able to bring together a really varied exhibition each year," Mr Brockie said.

"Some of the models in our members’ collections are very rare and hard to come by in this country, and some of the older ones were made by firms that no longer exist."

Part of the joy of collecting models was in tracking down a particular model to complete a set, which could be tricky and time-consuming.

Other members invested a lot of time and effort in building models from scratch, including the late master modeller Lester Hopkins, whose work was also part of the display.