We are sad to announce that Cherry Hill died on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. Our sincere condolences go to her sister, Ro, her family, and many friends in the model engineering community.

Cherry was arguably the finest model engineer we have seen.

Her first model, like many other beginners, was a Stuart No 9. It took 18 months to build in the 1950s. Cherry said: “for the first time I experienced amazement that I had managed to build an engine that worked.”

Models that followed were an Allchin traction engine; a vertical engine based on the Stuart D10; a Burrell showman’s engine, and a Merryweather fire engine. Those early models were awarded bronze or silver medals at the Model Engineer Exhibition.

What followed was quite different.

From then on her models were no longer based on published model designs. Everything was based on research using contemporaneous sources.

Nine of them won Gold Medals and two achieved equivalent awards. Cherry was given many other awards including nine Duke of Edinburgh Awards. She received an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II for services to model engineering.

Cherry designed the models at her drawing board; no computer was used or, indeed, owned. All the designs were checked (often including a ‘mock up’ model} and sometimes original designs were improved so that Cherry’s models could work even if the originals did not.

When completed all the models were fully running.

Every last part was made from metal stock, every chain link, rivet, tiny nut and bolt. No supplied or bought in items can be found on any of the later models.

The craftsmanship is legendary, self taught, and non-digital.

After being exhibited, all the models were given away, early ones to friends and family. Later ones can now all be seen at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

We hope to showcase some of the models later.