Engineering In Miniature December 2022

CAB RESTORATION IN GAUGE ONE PAINTING A 5-INCH ‘SINGLE’DECEMBER 2022 ❙ £5.49 THE MAGAZINE FOR MODEL ENGINEERS Oh what a Show... Top quality on display as Midlands event returns PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR THE FIRST-TIME LOCO BUILDER

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS FROM US HERE AT STUART MODELS

CONTENTS 28 DECEMBER 2022 Volume 44 Number 6 06 13 EDITORIAL A welcome return – in this observer’s judgement... 06 2022 MIDLANDS MODEL Welcome to the December issue of EIM – and as I write these ENGINEERING SHOW words I’m thinking back to a very enjoyable day doing by John Arrowsmith something we haven’t done in three years – going to a show! We always give the Midlands show plenty of coverage – well we 13 GAUGE 1 COMPOUND – RESTORING CAB DETAIL do sponsor the event – but this year the first of John Arrowsmith’s by Anthony White two reports is a little larger than usual. The first show since 2019 16 71/4-INCH GAUGE RIDE- ON TENDER PROJECT highlighted what model engineers have been up to in the intervening by Peter & Matthew Kenington period – every visitor I spoke to commented that the quality of the 22 CONWAY: NOVICE GUIDE TO LOCO BUILDING models produced was particularly high, partly of course because we by Rich Wightman were effectively getting three years’ worth of engineering excellence. 26 WORKSHOP: SOLVING A MARINE ISSUE In one of the loco classes, for example, we reckoned there were engines that in other years by David Coney could each have won the class, but this time had to be ranked into first, second and third. 28 HARRY’S GAME – A LOCO SUCCESS I saw the challenges of this process close up, as for the first time I joined the judging by Harry Billmore panel – it was an eye-opening and highly enjoyable process, but also not at all easy. Our 31 PAINTING & TESTING THE STIRLING SINGLE discussions before deciding the winners were long and involved! by Bruce Boldner There was only a slight disappointment for me, and a surprise in that there were no entries 36 LOCOMOTIVES: WORTH THE 50-YEAR WAIT in the class for locos up to Gauge 1. Many readers know my background is in 16mm and I by Stuart Rothwell know there is some excellent and highly skilled model engineering going on in that scale, as 37 GENERAL NEWS there is in the other smaller scales. Perhaps those working in the smaller scales did not realise 38 CLUB & TRACK NEWS that their efforts would be highly appreciated by visitors, and could win an award? Hopefully 39 CLUB & TRACK NEWS FOCUS they will seize the opportunity at next year’s event (12th-15th October, get your diaries out). Dublin SME open day Yes the show was slightly smaller than in the past but after the Covid uncertainites that 43 CLUB DIARY was to be expected. Comments I heard during the event and read afterwards on social media FRONT COVER were hugely positive, everyone seemed to have a great time – it’s good to have the show back. Any one could be a winner – the display of competition locomotives presented at the This is quite a loco-centric issue of EIM, which is fine, but as again you will read in our Midlands show was of the highest quality – and this is one that didn’t win! Midlands show report, model engineering is a much broader church. We’d like to see some Photo: Andrew Charman more clocks, model boats, stationary engines and workshop equipment and techniques in our pages, so why not spend a little of the festive break (Season’s greetings by the way) pennning something for your fellow readers (and earning cash to help with next year’s potentially show award winning project...)? Andrew Charman – Editor Editor: Andrew Charman Technical Editor: Harry Billmore Email: [email protected] Tel: 01938 810592 Editorial address: 12 Maes Gwyn, Llanfair Caereinion, Powys, SY21 0BD Web: www.engineeringinminiature.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/engineeringinminiature Subscriptions: www.world-of-railways.co.uk/Store/Subscriptions/engineering-in-miniature FOR SUBSCRIPTION QUERIES call 01778 392465 – the editor does not handle subscriptions. Publisher: Steve Cole Published monthly by Warners Group of the publishers be lent, resold, hired out, or Email: [email protected] Publications Plc, otherwise disposed of by way of trade at a Design & Production: Andrew Charman The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, price in excess of the special recommended Lincolnshire PE PH. maximum price, and that it shall not be lent, Advertising manager: Bev Machin resold, hired out, or otherwise disposed of in Tel: 8 Articles: The Editor is pleased to consider mutilated condition, or in any unauthorised Email: [email protected] contributions for publication in Engineering cover by way of trade, or affixed to as part Advertising design: Amie Carter in Miniature. Please contact us to discuss of any publication or advertising, literary or Email: [email protected] your work. pictorial whatsoever. Ad production: Allison Mould © Publishers & Contributors Tel: 8 All rights reserved. No part of this publication Whilst every care is taken to avoid mistakes Email: [email protected] may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval in the content of this magazine the publishers system, or transmitted in any form or by any cannot be held liable for any errors however Marketing manager: Carly Dadge means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, arising. The reader, in pursuing construction Tel: 8 recording or otherwise, without the prior and operation of any product, should exercise Email: [email protected] permission of the Publishers. This periodical great care at all times and must accept that is sold subject to the following conditions; safety is their responsibility. that it shall not without the written consent Engineering in Miniature – ISSN 6





SHOW REPORT 2022 Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition It was worth the wait... Roving reporter John brings us part one of his report from the first major show since the Covid pandemic, and one which attracted many top quality models. BY JOHN ARROWSMITH ABOVE: Back in action and a At long last the Midlands Model lot to see at the EIM-sponsored Engineering Exhibition 1 Midlands show. opened its doors to large 2 Photo: Andrew Charman numbers of visitors for the first time in three years. All the usual features PHOTO 1: This large-boilered were present at the EIM-sponsiored ‘Tich’ by Richard Folwell earned show, held at the Warwickshire Event a highly commended certificate. Centre between 13th-16th October but on a slightly smaller scale, as the PHOTO 2: First Prize in Class 3 organisers were not sure what the went to Paul Norrington’s 5-inch reaction of both exhibitors and gauge Schools class “Epsom”. visitors would be following the Not sure who the scruffy chap in pandemic, along with the sad loss in the background is... May of Chris Deith, the founder of the show. But to everyone’s delight the event went ahead and a fine selection of excellent model engineering was presented and apparently greatly appreciated by the many visitors. As usual in this initial report I will focus on the show’s Competition classes and follow that next month with the clubs and display stands. As in previous exhibitions there were 16 classes plus a brand new Chris Deith Memorial Trophy to be awarded for the best model in the show in the opinion of the judges. Two classes could not muster any entries but the rest included a good representation of their class. Class 1: Locomotives up to and including Gauge 1 There were no entries in this class which was surprising considering the amount of interest there is in these scales – perhaps something for EIM readers working in the smaller scales to consider for future shows? Cl 2: Locomotives 21/2 and 31/2-inch gauges Two awards were made in this class, both for 3½-inch gauge ‘Tich’ locos – one was a large boilered version (Photo 01) built by Richard Folwell and the other a standard LBSC-design engine built by Dave Lee, both nicely made and finished. Richard’s loco received a Highly Commended certificate while Dave’s was Commended. Cl 3: Locomotives 5-inch, 71/4-inch gauge and above This really was the class for competition with eight excellent 06 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

SHOW REPORT 34 models to be considered. I do not PHOTO 3: 5 unusual prototype located on a s know how the judges made their Alan Crossfield’s different display stand, a 5-inch gauge decision but I’m glad I didn’t have to 5-inch Achilles Manning Wardle 2-6-2T ‘Yeo’, built model of a Crewe Tractor as used in do it. All the entries were excellent 4-2-2 came by John Fysh, really captured the France during the Great War and built models with fine workmanship and close to victory in imposing looks of the original (Photo by Gerald Newbrook (Photo 07). finishes and a great attention to fine class 3. Photo: 06) and earned John a Commended details and the prototypes. Andrew Charman certificate. A similar award went to an Winner of the First Prize and the PHOTO 4: 7 Reeves Challenge Cup was Paul Third for David Norrington for his 5-inch gauge Nesbitt’s 5-inch Southern Railway Schools Class 4-4-0 Princess Royal. ‘Epsom’ (Photo 02). This was an outstanding example of model- PHOTO 5: making skill and a superb locomotive. Mike Pavie’s LMS 2F was Highly Paul must, however, have been Commended. challenged very closely by Alan Crossfield with his impeccable 5-inch PHOTO 6: gauge GWR 4-2-2 Achilles Class John Fysh’s L&B locomotive ‘Royal Sovereign’ (Photo 2-6-2 loco ‘Yeo’. 03) – this was placed second in class. PHOTO 7: A Third went to the 5-inch gauge 5-inch Crewe LMS Princess Royal Pacific class 4-6-2 Tractor by built by David Nesbitt, which again Gerald Newbrook. showed some wonderful workmanship and finish (Photo 04). PHOTO 8: An LMS/BR 20T Not just the large locomotives brake van built by caught the eye – the delightful little Adrian Morris. LMS 2F 0-6-0 built to works drawings by Mike Pavie was awarded a Highly Commended certificate (Photo 05). Also in this display, a fine model of a Lynton & Barnstaple Railway 6 8 www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 07ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

SHOW REPORT 10 9 “I do not know how the judges made their decision but I’m glad I didn’t have to do it...” Cl 4: Rolling Stock etc, In second was David Rhodes with an Cl 7: Machine tools and PHOTO 9: any gauge excellent example of Bodner’s workshop equipment This vertical sliding-cylinder steam engine (Photo stationary engine First Prize and the Burton Rose Bowl 10). And third prize in this class went The four entries in this class were all was built by Cup in this class went to Adrian to Brian Holland for a colourful located on the Birmingham Society of John Fysh. Morris for his 5-inch gauge version of example of James Booth’s Rectilinear Model Engineers stand and were all an LMS/BR 20T brake van to Diagram Engine in 1/12th scale (Photo 11). awarded Highly Commended PHOTO 10: 1919 (Photo 08). Dave Lee gained the certificates. Stephen Harrison gained Bodmer’s sliding second prize with his well-made A Very Highly Commended went three of these for his Hemmingway cylinder engine, 3½-inch gauge LMS three- plank 8T to John Wing for a very nice Stuart sensitive knurling tool, a Reeves the work of wagon to lot 636, and also the third No. 4 engine with reversing gear. sensitive drilling machine and a David Rhodes. prize for another brake van. Highly Commended was John Fysh for Hemingway graduating tool, Keith a well-made Clarkson horizontal Bloor received his certificate for a PHOTO 11: Cl 5: Stationary Engines steam engine and he was also Simple Dividing Head. James Booth’s Commended for his Stuart S50 engine. rectilinear engine A good entry in this class saw seven was built by awards made from the 16 models Cl 6: Steam Road Vehicles Brian Booth. entered. There was some excellent work on show and some very complex Just one competitive entry appeared in Cl 8: Internal PHOTO 12: designs in a very competitive section. this class, but what an entry it was. Combustion Engines Davinder Singh Matharau presented This fine 2-inch Two first prizes and the Phoenix his scratch-built example of a 2-inch Three winners were awarded in this scale Fowler Precision Paints Trophy went to John scale Fowler Showman’s Engine – a class which showed exemplary skill Showman’s Fysh for his double entry of a large superb piece of work that fully and workmanship. Mike Tull took first engine built vertical engine and boiler (Photo 09). deserved the First Prize and the prize and the Engineering in by Davinder Staffordshire Joinery Cup (Photo 12). Miniature Trophy with his superb Singh Matharu 11 attracted a lot 12 ¼-scale working model of a Bristol of praise. Mercury Mk 8 9 cylinder supercharged PHOTO 13: radial engine (Photo 13). Class winner, and of the first Chris Deith Memorial Trophy for the best in the show – Mike Tull’s working model of a 9-cylinder Bristol Mercury radial engine. Photo: Andrew Charman Photos in this feature by the author unless credited 08 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

SHOW REPORT 13 14 15 16 PHOTO 14: Brian Harrison built this miniature V8 engine with overhead cams. PHOTO 15: The second prize went to Brian quite a difficult part to machine. 17 Mike Tull’s Harrison for his scratch-built Second prize was awarded to second radial, miniature V8 engine with overhead s an exploded cams. This was another outstanding Andrew G Dunn for a small weight- version of his model of a complex engine in a small driven tower clock movement with winning model. scale (Photo 14). large driven dial (Photo 17). Viewing from ground level it looked to be a PHOTO 16: Mike Tull also took third prize, for well-made example. An example of the Strutt his ¼-scale model on an exploded Cl 10: Marine models, elliptical clock scale (over 50% scratch) built by display stand showing the internal Andrew Read. details of his first prize winner (Photo Four models competed in this class 15). In essence this showed that Mike with John Elliot winning the first PHOTO 17: had made two radial engines, what a prize and the Marine Challenge Cup Towering above task that must have been. for his Type 42 destroyer ‘HMS York’ the displays, (Photo 18). Built in 1/96th scale the Andrew Dunn’s Cl 9: Horological, model has full radio control including weight-driven scientific and automata the 4½-inch gun and turret. It took tower clock. 1600 hours to build over four years. First prize in this class and winner of PHOTO 18: the Clockmaker Trophy went to In second place was a steam yacht The large model Andrew Read for his version of a gondola (Photo 19), an attractive of HMS York Strutt elliptical clock (Photo 16). This looking boat and the work of John built by John timepiece showed intricate detail and Hollis. A third prize was given to the Elliott and which the main drive wheel with its internal 1/12th scale model of a sailing ketch won Class 10. and external gears must have been 18 www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 09ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

SHOW REPORT 20 19 ‘Ashmead’ (Photo 20) – the work of included lots of interesting details PHOTO 19: Webb with a scratch-built 3D printer. Anthony Judd this was a very detailed (Photo 23). A Commended certificate The Steam yacht (Photo 25). Zahra has exhibited in large model. Steve Briancourt earned was also awarded to Eric Keggans for gondola built by previous shows and it is good to see a Commended certificate for his his 1/6th scale farm tip cart. John Hollis in how she has progressed from more Meccano-built model of the battleship 1:18th scale. simple models to this quite complex ‘USS Missouri’ (Photo 21). This really Cl 12: Scale aircraft machine – I wonder what she will was a large example and earned PHOTO 20: produce for next year. deserved recognition for the builder. A Very Highly Commended Another large certificate was awarded to Terence model was this In second place was Matthew Unfortunately there were no Orton for his interesting model of a 1/12 scale Sailing entries in class 11, for Marine Models Blackburn Iris lll three-engined Ketch by Anthony Kenington with the 7¼-inch gauge – Kit (standard or modified). biplane flying boat (Photo 24). Judd. self-designed driving tender (Photo Cl 12: Horse-drawn Cl 14: Young Engineers PHOTO 21: 26) which is currently being serialised vehicles Award (under 20 years) Built in Meccano, in EIM (see page 16). This quite large Steve Briancourt’s model showed excellent workmanship Winner of this class and the Lenham In recent years this class has seen a USS Missouri. and fully deserved its award. Pottery Trophy was Stuart Ball for a good increase in entries and again this fine example of a 16-pounder rifled year it did not disappoint, with some PHOTO 22: The third prize went to James muzzle-loading cannon and limber in excellent examples of what young The 16-pounder Knight for a very innovative self- 1/8th scale (Photo 22). It was nicely people can do these days when given rifled muzzle- designed combination lock (Photo 27) proportioned and finished. good support and direction. loading cannon – there was some quite difficult and limber by machining needed on this entry. In second place was Dr Patrick Taking first prize and the Stuart Stuart Ball. Hendra for a gypsy caravan which Models Shield was 16-year old Zahra Luke Mason gained a couple of PHOTO 23: Highly Commended certificates for 21 A fine Gypsy his Stuart Progress oscillating engine caravan by Dr and his machinist’s hammer, both of Patrick Hendra. which showed some excellent machine work and finishes. Finally 13-year old Oliver Powell was Commended for his little oscillating engine assembly. This was a good class – hopefully next year there will be another wide range of models and small workshop equipment made by young engineers from all over the UK. 23 22 10 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

SHOW REPORT 24 25 Cl 15: Miscellaneous s PHOTO 24: 26 27 Terence Orton’s 28 As the title suggests there was a real Blackburn 29 11ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022 eclectic mix of superb models in this ‘Iris lll’ three- class this year which really added to engine biplane the overall standards of the exhibition. flying boat. First prize went to John Luscott for his example of a 1/3.5 scale model of a PHOTO 25: BSA DBD34 Gold Star motorcycle Zahra Webb, (Photo 28). This was an outstanding aged 16, built example of the model maker’s art. this 3D Printer from scratch. In second place was the 1/8th scale model of a 1913 Mercer 35J Raceabout PHOTO 26: built by Brian Swann (Photo 29) – this The 7¼-inch was another superb model and was driving tender beautifully finished. Taking third built by 17-year place was a model of a foghorn on the old Matthew deck of an early lightship and its Kenington. accompanying Carronade (Photo 30). Another well-made small model, it PHOTO 27: included a working foghorn. The combination lock designed Two Very Highly Commended and built by certificates were awarded to George James Knight. King for his wooden examples of farm machinery (Photo 31-32). The detail shown was excellent and with fine finishes to all the different woods used made for a superlative pair of models. Eric Keggans earned a Highly Commended certificate for his 1/6th scale scratch-built Ford GPW chassis and component pressings, making for another unusual presentation and a 30 PHOTO 28: Much admired, the 1:3.5 scale model of a BSA DBD34 Goldstar motorcycle by John Luscott. PHOTO 29: The little Mercer 35J runabout was the work of Brian Swann. PHOTO 30: This neat little model of a working foghorn on the deck of a lightship was built by John Clarke. www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

SHOW REPORT 32 31 PHOTO 31: A Fowler ‘Superba’ ploughing engine built entirely in wood by George King... 33 PHOTO 32: ...as was this 1/8th scale Fowler anti- balance plough. further Highly Commended certificate certificate for his self-designed and PHOTO 33: The the Fosseway Steamers presented the went to Brian Swann for his example made hot-air engine (Photo 33). self-designed award for Best Engine Management of a 1912 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. and built hot-air over the exhibition period to Anthony To conclude the presentations the engine by 19-year Batting with his 4-inch scale Foster Cl 15: hot-air engines Len Crane Steam Trophy for the best old Daniel Bell. agricultural engine (Photo 35). working engine went to 10-year old Just the one award here to Daniel Bell Will Haynes with his dad’s 4-inch PHOTO 34: The award for the best Society who received a Highly Commended scale Burrell ‘Bertie’ (Photo 34) while 10-year old Will display judged by all the other clubs Haynes won the and societies went to the Melton 34 Len Crane Trophy Mowbray & District ME (Photo 36) with his 4-inch – Kingsbury Water Park was runner- Burrell ‘Bertie’. up and the Hereford ME in third. PHOTO 35: The final award of the day was the The winner presentation of the new Chris Deith of the best Memorial Trophy for the model traction engine judged to be the Best in Show and by management was unanimous verdict by all 13 judges it Anthony Battings went to Mike Tull for his superb with his 4-inch Bristol Mercury Engine. scale Fowler. In closing this report I would like PHOTO 36: to thank all the entrants for a Winner of the magnificent selection of models which Club Shield, voted really gave the judges a headache and for by all the to all the judges who gave up their attending clubs, time and made the effort to study was the Melton every model presented before making Mowbray & any decision – it was a great way to District ME. close a great exhibition. EIM 35 36 12 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

SMALLER SCALE Restoring a Gauge 1 Midland Compound Anthony’s workshop restoration of an electrically-powered Gauge 1 locomotive focuses this month on producing a level of cab interior detail to impress viewers. BY ANTHONY WHITE Part 8 of a short series The cab interior of my Midland underside of the bodywork and PHOTO 59: future drilling and fixing. ▲ Compound turned out to be a firebox was touching the driving Template for You can see with this the problem much bigger restoration job wheels, another consequence of the backhead and than I had bargained for. The narrowness of the gauge in 10mm, the metal cut for of 10mm scale again, the backhead backhead I had realised would need where said wheels are a little more the cab floor. should come down fully either side making as I wasn’t happy with the inboard on the chassis. Fortunately, it but has to be as shown because the whitemetal casting fitted to the was just surplus metal, hidden from PHOTO 60: rear driving wheels are closer model but everything else in the cab view, that could easily be burred away The backhead inwards and within the outline of the had to be removed as all the to achieve clearance. and cab floor firebox, Fortunately the splasher components were of incorrect size screwed boxes in the cab disguise this error. and proportion. Rather than make up new cab together and splashers I cut and filed the originals position of LEDs The next task was to build up the This was particularly true of the back to size, although I had not as yet to represent fire thickness of the backhead by square wheel splashers in the cab. decided whether to make all the cab determined. soldering a brass strip around the These had been built to accommodate details attach to the floor or to attach rear as partly shown in Photo 60 the original 40mm back-to-back the splashers to the inner cab sides Photos by where the floor and backhead are wheel measurement plus some and make the floor just as one piece the author shown screwed together rather than generous clearance because the with the backhead. As things soldered. This is important because wheels were originally required to be progressed and I tack-soldered parts although at the moment the insulated and this had considerably in I realised that making the combined unit can be slid into reduced the footplate space for the splashers a permanent feature of the position in the cab, when various driver and fireman – they had also cab with a removable floor attached items such as the reverser are fitted been taken too far to the rear. to the backhead that would end up bolted or screwed to the cab front 59 This is one of the drawbacks of would be the best solution and work modelling in 10mm scale as opposed progressed on that design plan. to 1/32, as in 10mm the track gauge is too narrow for the scale and you lose Cab layout another couple of mm. However, by reducing clearances (they don’t much I made a floor and a backhead to fit matter here anyway unless the as shown in Photo 59 from 0.6mm splasher wall is tight against the rear nickel silver. For the backhead I had of a driving wheel) I managed to get first to print out to 10mm scale a within a milimetre of the prototype drawing of the layout taken from one dimensions within the cab so things of the books on the prototype I was looked much better. using as a guide for my project – this would act as a template and I glued it I thought I ought to do a running to the nickel silver. But before cutting test once the cab splashers were the outline I used an optical punch to tacked in position and although they mark every item and its centre for were fine I discovered that part of the 60 www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 13ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

SMALLER SCALE they will need to go in separately and be screwed together from underneath 61 once in position. Hence the next task was to drill through the backhead for PHOTO 61: Construction of backhead developing, working firebox doors now fixed in place. suitable fixing points then PHOTO 62: Backhead fittings beginning to accumulate and to be fitted. transferring these hole positions onto PHOTO 63: Comparison of the original whitemetal backhead and the new detailed version. the cab front. 62 Note that before starting on any detail fittings which might get 63 damaged or in the way you should mark and cut the main circular 14 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE firebox hole (Photo 61). I have marked which is the underside of the footplate as it’s very easy to find that the symmetry of the shaped floor may be slightly different from side to side after you have finished filing it to be a lovely slide-in fit. Lighting up Now is also a good time to mark and drill the holes for the two 3mm flickering LEDs to represent the fire. I buy mine from Small Scale Lights (www.smallscalelights.co.uk) with built-in resistors in the leads to suit whatever voltage you are using, in my case it’ll be 12 x 1.2-volt AA NiCad batteries so 14.4 volts. It’s as well to experiment with how far up to place the LEDs now and see what sort of fire effect there is as it will be more difficult to change things once the backhead is fully detailed. My own experiments suggested that the LEDs would give a better effect if raised. I made a 6mm diameter brass rod, 7mm long and drilled 4mm to take the whole LED, but left the top 0.5mm only 3mm in diameter, so that the LED stopped short of going through when pushed up from below. Once I was happy that everything was okay for fitting the LEDs when necessary it was time to move onto the detail on the face of the backhead. I started with the sliding firebox doors, cutting two 0.7mm nickel- silver rectangles 8mm x 19mm and using them as a spacer I soldered in the upper and lower channels of some 1mm U-section brass channel. But I soon realised that it might be a good idea to have the 21 x5 mm shelf in place before getting too far with the door mechanism as the main handle has to clear that shelf All this can be seen in Photo 61. After that I fitted all the sunken fittings using some old 7mm scale washout plugs. They are not quite to size but no one is going to be able to see them close-up unless they remove the backhead for closer examination. The first piece of the operating mechanism is the main handle made from 2 x 0.5mm nickel-silver. All the pivoting joints are 16BA bolts and nuts, unfortunately I discovered rather too late that the two points that require the 16BA to fix into the www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

64 SMALLER SCALE 65 base of the backhead have the LED drawings in the Locomotive Profile PHOTO 64: sized scrap of nickel silver and turned ‘tubes’ behind them. This was a book to cut, size and bend pipes and Cab interior nuisance rather than a disaster as I levers to appropriate angles, you’ll shown in a couple of brass rims from a ¼-inch would have liked to have put the bolts end up with a reasonable position and in and soldered them in position representation of a backhead, and removed to brass rod drilled 5.5mm and soldered from behind. The end result, before given that photographs show many allow painting. them to the plate. all the nuts were added to the various variations you can never be proved bolts is shown in the photo. wrong with your choices. Photo 63 PHOTO 65: I had originally intended to solder shows the completed new backhead The reverser, or even glue them on the cab front Backhead Fittings compared to the original whitemetal completely but realised that it might be easier if casting and what the cab is starting to fabricated from the assembly was soldered to the The first hurdle was the pair of water look like. The new one, which is now stock metal. firebox top. Then when the backhead gauges – I hoped I could find these as of correct size to match the firebox was painted I could insert the a casting to save time but nothing although not correct in absolute PHOTO 66: suitably sized photographs of the two was available so it was down to finest detail, has a representation of Cab backhead gauges into the brass circles to scratch building. The start point was all the main features with working completed and represent the gauge dials. The a length of 2mm square brass turned fire doors and a movable regulator. after painting finished result after painting can be down at one end to 1.6mm to fit a Photo 64 shows how the backhead completed – seen in Photo 66. EIM suitable hole in the backplate. and floor can be removed for easier note the detail in painting. the dials. n Next month Anthony concludes his Onto this I soldered a 4mm project with the final restoration and diameter brass disc half a mm thick The reverser 66 testing of the finished model. Parts 1 and I needed four of these. The to 7 of this series were published in the square end needs a 0.7mm hole This was fabricated from a piece of April to October 2022 editions of EIM. centre-drilled in it in which to solder brass soldered onto a suitable plate For details of how to order printed or a 16BA hexagonal bolt head and into top and bottom using measurements digital back issues see page 21. the square end you need to put a from the Wild Swan book on the loco 1mm hole to take a 14BA bolt. Onto class. I was not sure whether once the this everything will later be reverser was soldered in position that assembled, with nuts as spacers above I would still be able to get the and below the actual gauge and backhead in and out so I screwed it in nearer the backhead a 0.7mm hole to position with a 10BA bolt from take a length of nickel-silver wire that underneath that is accessible from will later be bent to form the handle. under the cab. Although a test run seemed to work, I thought that later For the gauge glasses I used a would not be a good time to realise I 4mm length of 3mm square brass, had made an error. Photo 65 shows it centre drilled for the aforementioned in position, many of the soldered 14BA bolt with each face countersunk joints were just tacked at this stage in a little with a 2mm mill to represent case any part needs removal for the glass. Photo 62 shows some of the further work or modification. But all parts and assembled in position – the would be completed and tidied in one actual gauge is only 4mm in height final job before painting. and the gauges are made up from 15 parts so far with more to be added at Cab Gauges the lower end before finally soldering on the pipework. Sadly, the crew and I was expecting to attach a couple of cab roof will hide most of my work... gauges to the backhead by pipework but I found looking at photos that on I will not go through each these engines they seem to be fitted individual item built, just suffice to high up on the cab front. On closer say that with some milling, turning inspection they seemed to be and fabricating with especially some attached to a plate so while things 14BA brass nuts and a few 16BA were out of the cab I cut a suitable- hexagonal bolts, plus a lot of drilling, soldering pieces together and using www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 15ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

BUILD PROJECT Building a ride-on tender from scratch Peter and Matthew continue their 7¼-inch ride-on tender build, designed in 3D CAD and intended as a ‘beginners’ project to teach or practice a broad range of skills. BY PETER AND MATTHEW KENINGTON Part two of 11 The coupling of our ride-on “Even degree of structural security simply will ‘sell’ you a cylinder (including gas) tender is designed to press-fit the most from the integrity of its press fit, it is which you therefore don’t need to rent. together, forming a rigid and incompetent still necessary to ensure that the top You can then get this cylinder ‘refilled’ strong structure which does not rely of welders and bottom plates cannot come loose (actually, the cylinder is swapped for a upon the integrity of any welds, in can build a during operation. This can be full one), paying only the refill charge. order to retain its strength when strong and achieved by adding a few tack-welds The name of the company is pulling (or being pulled). It is made safe coupling along the lines indicated in Figure 15. ‘Hobbyweld’ (http://hobbyweld.co.uk) from 6mm thick mild steel and using this To be clear, the only function of these and it has a range of stockists consists of four parts: a rear plate strategy...” welds is to prevent any vertical throughout the country. Note that I (Figure 12), a front plate (Figure 13) movement in the top and bottom have no connection to this company, and a pair of top/bottom plates PHOTO 10: plates and the welds have essentially other than using its products. (Figure 14). First step in no bearing on the horizontal (pulling) making the strength of the coupler – one of the There are also welding sets In the prototype, these plates were coupling is to beauties of this design. Thus, even the available which have the capability to laser-cut and required no press the top most incompetent of welders can do MIG, TIG and stick welding (we modification before being pressed and bottom build a strong and safe coupling, using have one of these), so there is no need together – they formed a good, solid, plates onto the this strategy. to acquire a small collection of press fit; we used a woodworking vice front plate. welding sets in order to be able to for this purpose. We are not sure we would quite undertake all forms of arc welding PHOTO 11: count either of us as ‘incompetent’ but (including TIG). Like any skill, it takes The first step is to press the top …which should we’re certainly not experienced, a bit of practice, but not too much and bottom plates onto the front plate result in a certified, welders and I wouldn’t want – Matthew learnt TIG welding, at age (Photo 10). This can be undertaken part looking to rely upon our welding skills if the 13, so it can’t be that hard… one plate at a time or both plates can something consequences of failure result in a be added simultaneously, as shown. like this. runaway loco! (save that a safety-chain Corner Angles Care is needed to ensure that the top/ is provisioned for in the design and bottom plates remain parallel to one Photos by should be used at all times anyway). The corner pieces are made from another, after pressing together, the authors 5mm x 25mm steel angle and four are although any tendency for them to Note that TIG welding is probably required. Whilst it would have been ‘toe’ together is easy to rectify with a the best choice for the above tack- few taps from a hammer. Once added, welds – it is relatively easy to achieve the partially-complete coupling the small, neat, tacks required and should look like Photo 11. Finally, the little or no filing will be needed rear plate can be added and pressed afterwards. There is also no need to into place (Photo 12), with the use filler-wire for this weld; simply resulting coupling then looking like melting together a portion of the ‘tab’ Photo 13. and rear plate will be sufficient. Whilst the coupling has a good As an aside, for those who have long shied away from TIG welding, 10 due to the requirement for shielding gas (pure argon, typically) and the expense of renting a cylinder for only occasional use, there is a supplier who 11 16 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

BUILD PROJECT 12 13 possible to fabricate these using PHOTO 12: frame sides to the vertical – there is no cross-sectional area of metal to bear laser-cut tab-and-slot construction Then press on slack as there would be if a standard the strain and little danger of methods, the integral strength of the the rear plate twist-drill based clearance hole was partially-stripped threads being a resultant part would be based upon (Matthew doing used. The movement is small, but major safety issue. the quality of the weld holding the two his equivalent could impact the smooth operation of parts together – as discussed above of a daily the axleboxes and horns, notably after The only fabrication required for we’re not yet sufficiently confident of workout here). welding the frames. We will discuss these parts is to cut them to length our welding skills to trust our valuable this in more detail later – suffice to and then drill the holes (Photo 15). loco to them and so didn’t go down PHOTO 13: say for now that the heating of rolled Note the use of a machine stop (the this particular route. The completed steel plate, whilst welding, can cause it colourful yellow/red item on the right coupling, before to bend appreciably and in turn, result of the photo) to aid in reproducing The five holes on the front of each welding (not in the aforementioned problems with these parts. If you haven’t come across corner piece are shown, in Figure 16, that this view operation of the axleboxes and horns. one of these before (we hadn’t until we as being clearance holes. We chose to will look any were part-way through our machining thread these and so drilled them to different after). The same thread-shearing issue is ‘career’), they are well worth seeking the appropriate size for this purpose. also true of the coupling, of course, out. They are fairly inexpensive and This could be considered to be PHOTO 14: and it has fewer retaining bolts. It save a lot of setup time, particularly ‘over-the-top’, since each bolt which Tack-welds on does, however, have the ‘backup’ of when working with a digital read-out goes through these holes will be the rear of the safety-chain, whereas there is no (DRO) or CNC machine. retained by a nut on the inside (and the coupling. ‘backup’ for the buffer beams. there are 10 of them in total at each Horn stays end of the tender). It is worth bearing PHOTO 15: The two side holes in the corner in mind, however, that the threads on Centre-drilling pieces can also be threaded, if desired, The horn stays (Photo 16) are these bolts are the only bits of metal corner angle- although since the bolts will be in fabricated from 6mm mild steel and preventing the loco (say) from pulling pieces – note use shear when the tender is being pulled were laser-cut in our case. The holes the buffer beam plate off the front of of a workpiece by the loco, there is a much greater the tender – and the threads are not locator/stop Continued on page 20 very thick. Threading the corner to aid in making 14 pieces roughly doubles the amount of four of these. ‘retaining metal’ at this point in the design, for no additional cost or PHOTO 16: weight, likely making the time spent Horn stay after cutting the threads worthwhile. undercoating with etch-primer. A more beneficial (and less ‘over-the-top’) reason for doing this is that it very precisely constrains the 15 16 s www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 17ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

BUILD PROJECT FIGURE 12 Coupling rear plate FIGURE 13 Coupling front plate FIGURE 14 FIGURE 15 Coupling top-bottom plate Complete coupling assembly FIGURE 17 Horn stay 4 off, all identical FIGURE 16 FIGURE 18 Corner joining Spring retention plate angle pieces 4 off, all identical 18 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

BUILD PROJECT All drawings half full-size unless stated. All dimensions in mm FIGURE 19 Spring and top-plate assembly (Not to scale) FIGURE 20 Frame stretcher FIGURE 21 Axle, 2 off FIGURE 22 19ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022 Commercial take-up bearing (UCT204 ST20 20MM) www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

BUILD PROJECT Continued from p age 16 17 18 may need cleaning out with a 4mm drill and the inner faces may also need tidying up with a file, depending upon the quality of the laser cut, but other than that, these require little work. Figure 17 shows the requisite shape and associated dimensions. Spring-retention plates PHOTO 17: 20), a standard off-the-shelf part Frame stretcher Tapping the M5 available from a wide range of The spring-retention plates (Figure spring-locator suppliers on Ebay and elsewhere, this The frame stretcher (Figure 20) is a 18) are again laser-cut from 6mm mild bolt hole, using dictates an outside diameter of 16mm. laser-cut part, made from 6mm mild steel. Ultimately, they will slot into the a little cutting The required length is 50mm. If a steel. It also doubles as a pivot location horns (or, rather, the reverse – the compound. ‘heavy load’ type is chosen, then the for part of the braking mechanism, as horns will slot into these plates), with spring will compress sufficiently to will be described later in this series. the springs and gravity on the (pretty PHOTO 18: ride over any unevenness on a track or The 8mm diameter centre hole takes a heavy!) riding truck holding them in Rounding the points whilst still being far from bolt for this purpose. place. The M5-threaded hole is to take internal corners becoming ‘solid’ (in other words fully a short Allen-headed bolt, which acts of the laser-cut compressed), with a typical adult (say The only work needed on this as a locating ‘pin’ for the spring part to match 70-90kg) sitting on the seat AND a plate is to round the corners to fit the (Figure 19 and Photo 17). slightly-rounded tank full of water. internal radii of the tabs on the frames internal corners to which this part attaches (as just These plates illustrate one minor of the horns. It’s important not to forget about discussed for the spring-retention issue with laser-cut parts: the radius the weight of the water in the tank plates) and to check/drill the centre- produced by the laser. When the laser PHOTO 19: when calculating the spring’s hole, which may not quite be a cuts the horns in the frames, the Spring top-plate parameters! There is a famous case of clearance for an 8mm bolt, when cut internal corners are not perfectly in situ, complete a public swimming pool which was by the laser-cutter. sharp, having a slight rounding in with spring- designed to sit, on columns, above its much the same way as if they had been locator bolt. car park, thereby making efficient use Axles and Bearings produced by a small milling-cutter. As of the available land. Unfortunately, a result the spring retention-plates will the designers forgot to take into The axles are made from 30mm not sit fully ‘home’ unless remedial account the weight of the water once diameter mild-steel rod and the works are undertaken. the pool was full. The pool was built dimensions are provided in Figure 21. (but fortunately not filled) before the The simplest way of solving the mistake was realised and it had to be We used commercial take-up problem is to round the parts of the demolished. In the event that we had bearings as the main bearings and spring-retention plates which will miscalculated our spring properties, at axleboxes combined. This is a come into contact with these internal least the mistake would have been common practice in commercial radii – such rounding is illustrated in easy and cheap to rectify. designs of this type and so we figured Photo 18. This rounding will not be it should work well, although we had visible once the plate is installed, so it Note that the colour finish of the no experience of such bearings until doesn’t have to be perfect – filing spring varies between spring this project. Our previous (5-inch using the thin edge of a normal manufacturers – green does not gauge) riding truck project had used engineers’ file is more than adequate. always correspond to ‘heavy load’. standard roller-bearings and axleboxes made the ‘hard’ way, from a Once this has been done, the plate solid lump of cast-iron. It was good should sit firmly against the top of the horns (Photo 19). With the Allen bolt installed, the spring should be a simple push-fit onto the bolt-head (Photo 20). Spring specifications PHOTO 20: The spring needs to have an inside The spring is a diameter of 8mm to fit over the head push-fit over of the Allen bolt/locating pin. With the head of the the type of spring chosen (see Photo Allen bolt. 19 20 20 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

BUILD PROJECT 21 bore to that of the bearing abutted the PHOTO 21: significant amount of additional bearing (making the 25.4mm section machining (indeed, it requires less practice when we did it, but ‘wasted’ longer and dispensing with the Machining an machining than the axles we actually an awful lot of time! The same was intermediate 22.7mm section) – this axle using a live- made, as we turned the whole of the true of the axleboxes we made for our would have the advantage that there is centre – the axle end section down to the bore of the GWR Manor locomotive’s tender (still no danger of the axles ‘wandering’ is thick/strong take-up bearings) and so is definitely a under construction), but as these were within the frames, popping out of one enough not to better solution. This realisation came made from castings, we didn’t have bearing whilst simultaneously require a steady too late for us to include in our axles, much choice. receding from the other (with only the for this process. but is included in the drawing (Figure two grub screws in their respective 21). Hindsight is a wonderful thing... In order to include the take-up bearings to prevent this). PHOTO 22: bearings in our CAD design, we The axle drawing shows an needed to draw them accurately – see We thought long and hard about Our young unusually precise dimension for the Figure 22. The spring discussed above this option, but in the end chose not to apprentice section upon which the wheels will sit: locates nicely in the hole at the top of do it, as we were inexperienced in checking the fit 25.44mm. This is not a mistake or an the bearing (right-hand facing side in either the press-fitting or shrink- in the take-up artifact of the CAD system; the the 3D view in Figure 22). Between the fitting of wheels. We were afraid that bearing – this additional 0.04mm is required to Allen bolt which locates the top of the we would get a wheel partially along needs to be a ensure that the wheels are a press (or spring, forming a part of the spring- what would, in that design, be a much neat, but not shrink) fit onto the axles, without retention plate discussed above, and longer portion of the axle with a mechanically- additional retention means being this hole, the spring is well- diameter equal to a ‘press-fit’ for the assisted, push-fit. employed (no Loctite, grub-screws, constrained without the need for any bore of the wheel, with it then getting keys/keyways or such). It is therefore further mechanical fixings. stuck at that point (not making it all important to get this right. the way to abut the 30mm diameter of The axle needs to be a neat fit into the original shaft). We decided to err In terms of tolerances on this the take-up bearing (Photo 22) but on the side of caution until we had measurement, anything within a should not require mechanical more experience in this area. range of 0.02 to 0.065mm should assistance (which has the danger of suffice (for mild-steel wheels on a damaging the bearing). The bearing It later dawned on us that the mild-steel axle). We opted for has two grub-screws to retain the shoulder needn’t be at the internal something close to the middle of this shaft, to ensure that it is the bearing diameter of the wheel bore, but could range as we wanted to experiment itself which rotates in use, and not the use an intermediate diameter (22.7mm with shrink-fitting and didn’t want to shaft which rotates in the bearing. is suggested in Figure 21, but this is make our life too hard when it came not critical). This does not incur a to expanding a large, solid, lump of Note that we could have designed steel, in the form of the wheel. Our the axles such that the change in findings in this area will be discussed diameter from the wheel’s internal below. Since these are not driven wheels, it is not too critical, but we 22 wanted to do a good job and use the process as a learning exercise. EIM PHOTO 23: n Next month Peter and Matthew focus on the wheels and brakes of the tender. A view of one axle, its wheels, Part 1 of this series appeared in last spring-retention month’s November 2022 edition of EIM. plate, spring and A digital back issue can be downloaded horns/horn stay or a printed copy ordered from www. in situ (getting world-of-railways.co.uk/store/back- a bit ahead of issues/engineering-in-miniature or by things here…) calling 01778 392484. 23 www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 21ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

LOCO BUILDING Conway – a first steam locomotive build Rich begins a short series designed to help other novice locomotive builders by relating the challenges faced and lessons learnt constructing his first engine. BY RICH WIGHTMAN Part one of a short series Readers of any of my previous “As soon as engine, designed by Martin Evans. It periods of workshop inactivity, scribblings will have noticed we saw the is absolutely brilliant, I love every coupled with family duties, holidays that I often refer to my locomotives minute of it, so much so that I have and the like. I also succumbed twice locomotive build ‘Conway’ pictured steaming made a start on steam loco number to the dreaded virus that laid me out on this page. I can now happily say two, which is a 5-inch gauge 0-4-0 for a while. that after five years she runs around around ‘Chub’ from Kennions (Photo 2). our club track and has given me many the track I decided to write this article to hours of enjoyment (a video of we were As I mentioned, it wasn’t five years hopefully encourage others to have a Conway in action can be seen at hooked...” of hard labour to build my first loco. I go, to help with decisions that need to https://bit.ly/3Fv25zy). was still working full-time at the start be made when undertaking projects ABOVE: of the project and I often had lengthy such as this and to give advice based She hasn’t in fact taken five years ‘Conway’, Rich’s to build, there have been many first locomotive 1 periods of inactivity. I must admit I build and the am easily distracted and tend to go off source of in all kinds of directions as takes my many hours of fancy. This is a hobby for me so there enjoyment on his are no deadlines to meet. local club track. So what made me want to build a PHOTO 1: steam locomotive? Well I have been Previous work into model engineering with my good – Rich’s beam mate Julian for many years and we engine, cleverly both have a good few stationary constructed engines and a few boilers under our almost entirely belts. One of my creations, the beam from scrap engine (Photo 1) was recently automotive described in the pages of EIM, in the components. August 2022 issue. What we fancied though was something we could ride Photos by on, or behind, so the idea of a traction the author engine came to the fore. A road vehicle seemed to be a good choice as it doesn’t need tracks to run on. After some research I came across the PYRTE which stands for ‘Pull You Round Traction Engine’ – a book is available on Amazon. This looked like the sort of thing we were after and within our build capabilities so a copy of the plans was obtained. Road to rail The rules concerning running a steam-powered vehicle in public are quite complex and the subject of boiler testing came up so one Sunday Julian and I set off to our local railway club where we met a very likeable bunch of enthusiasts. As soon as we saw the locomotives steaming around the track we were hooked and both of us said; “I gotta get me one of them”. We joined the club there and then and spent many Sundays bombarding the members with questions. Five years on I now have my first loco running around the track – Conway, a 3½-inch gauge 0-4-0 tank 22 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

LOCO BUILDING on my limited experience. What 2 follows is by no means a set-in-stone guide, it’s simply the way, rightly or “The Leicester SME (www.lsmeabbeypark. castings are typically very helpful so s wrongly, I went about it. facilities of it’s worth asking a few questions and your local com) – the facilities (Figure 1) include again the forums and your club are This will not be a how-to-build-a- there for advice. loco series – my particular loco build club will a ground-level track for 5-inch and was serialised in the Model Engineer to some Question 3, think about the size of magazine in 1980 by the designer extent 7¼-inch gauges which is 2600 feet in the loco you would like to have. If you Martin Evans. I will instead offer dictate just fancy a steam loco and don’t want more of a “here’s the bits you didn’t what gauges length and a 660ft long raised track to ride behind it Gauge 1 might be a know but need to know about”. are open good option and you may be able to to you...” for 2½, 3½ and 5-inch gauges. We build a small track around your own So where to start? The first thing I garden to run it on. would advise is to join your local PHOTO 2: also have a garden railway with two model engineering club, after all you ‘Chub’, Rich’s Weighty matters will need a track to run your loco on second loco gauge 1 circuits and two O-gauge A 2½-inch gauge loco, if your club has (unless, that is, you are building a sees a move up model purely for display) and the club to 5-inch gauge circuits, so plenty to choose from. that gauge, will happily pull you round members will be very helpful and a and was an the track but will not realistically cope gold-mine of information. eBay purchase Another club I have visited has with more than one adult. A good as a part- Our club has a library of built project. only ground-level 5 and 7¼-inch 3½-inch gauge engine will pull four magazines going back years that are FIGURE 1: available to the members and which Rich’s local club gauge tracks and another club a raised adults. As an example two of the provide another source of invaluable in Leicester information. There are also some offers a variety track of 3½ and 5-inch. Clearly it popular small 3½-inch gauge locos, plans available. of tracks to run a newly-built would have been pointless for example ‘Tich’ and ‘Juliet’ are each around 17 Secondly, join a forum or two locomotive on. inches in length and weight-wise where you will have access to a wealth building a 2½-inch gauge loco if I was manageable by one person. of information and years of experience and expertise from around the world. a member at either of those two clubs. My loco, Conway is one of the The forum I am on, Model Engine Maker, (www.modelenginemaker. So the facilities of your local club larger 3½-inch gauge tank engines. It com) is where you will find a detailed build of Conway more or less from the will to some extent dictate what is 26 inches long and weighs first saw cut. This forum has members approximately 70lbs (32kg for the from the UK, USA, Canada, New gauges are open to you. Our club also metric-minded) and as a result is a Zealand, Australia and Europe to two-man/woman lift. name just a few places and it has has a workshop with a lathe, milling proven invaluable over the years. A The aforementioned locos are all couple of other forums I also visit are machine, guillotine, sheet metal 0-4-0 shunter/quarry type engines www.homemodelenginemachinist. which do not have tenders. A com and the Model Engineering benders, grindstones and such like mainline-style loco with its tender Clearing House (https://modeleng. will of course be considerably longer proboards.com). available for use by the members. The and heavier. Vital questions workshop facilities at a club can also So to question 4, how much will it cost to build? That is a good question. So you have been bitten by the loco be an important consideration if you Have a look at some of the suppliers of bug – now you have to choose which locos and check out how much a set of loco to build. A few questions need to lack any facilities at home, which leads castings will cost! Add onto that the be answered, such as; frames and a boiler plus all the 1) What facilities are available at your us to question 2, the capacities of your local club? 2) What are the capacities of your own tooling and machines. tooling and machines? 3) What size of loco would you like? It’s no good starting to build a 4) How much will it cost to build? 5) How will you transport it? 7¼-inch gauge loco only to find that 6) How long will it take to build? the wheels are too big for your mini Please be assured I am not trying to put you off building a loco, on the lathe – unless of course you are sure contrary I am trying to encourage you. There were many things that I you can turn them on a club machine didn’t take into consideration, or didn’t know about at the time I started with suitable capability. to build mine that had I known beforehand would have made my life a Most 3½-inch gauge locos can be lot easier and shortened the build time as a result. It is my experience that I built on a Myford-size lathe with a wish to pass on which may be a help to any future builder. 3½-inch swing. The milling To start with question 1, what operations can also be carried out on facilities does your club have? I am lucky with the club I am a member of, the lathe but a dedicated milling machine is a better option. Some 5-inch gauge locos can also be built on a 3½-inch lathe but check first. The trade suppliers of parts and FIGURE 1 LSME – Abbey Park Miniature Railway www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 23ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

LOCO BUILDING 3 “There will much of the build you can do yourself. are no deadlines to be met. be part-built Question 5, how will you Why did I pick Conway? (Photo ancillaries and such like and it quickly projects for mounts up. transport it? This is an important but 6). Well quite by chance I came across sale that oft neglected consideration. A small a website that had the original However your project needn’t be can be an loco like Tich or Juliet mentioned magazine article written by the anywhere near as expensive, if you are absolute above can be lifted into the back of a designer to download. This was before prepared to do a lot of the work bargain – they car by one person and could be stored I realised our club had all the relevant yourself. A lot of the parts needn’t be can also be in the corner of the garage. At other magazines anyway. We were going on bought-in castings but can be a complete extreme a 7¼-inch loco will require a holiday shortly afterwards so I fabricated instead. Wheels can be waste of trailer or van and half the garage floor installed the download on my tablet turned from steel blanks, cylinders money...” to store it. and took it with me – two weeks to can be machined from solid lumps read and inwardly digest. Happy with and the boiler, arguably the most For my loco I have built a scissor what I had read the choice was made. expensive bit, can be fabricated at lift for transporting it from the home. At this point you need to go workshop to the car (Photo 3). I also Most but not all loco builds have back to question 2 and work out how have a purpose-built length of track been serialised at some time or had a and a slot-in bridge piece that fits into book published on them so it is well the back of the car (Photo 4). It will worth getting hold of a copy. My club accommodate two locos comfortably, has a library of back issues going back my Conway and my mate’s Simplex to, well the age of steam I think, so (Photo 5). With the scissor lift and check at your club to see if they have a track I can manage the loco on my similar resource. Some clubs also hold own, while said loco and scissor lift sets of plans donated by the members. take up a small corner of my garage. Once you have made your choice Question 6, how long will it take you should read the book/articles on to build? Another good question. It all the loco thoroughly until you are depends on how many hours per week happy in your own mind. It’s a good you can allocate to your project. At idea too to go online and search for the time of writing this article I had anything related to your choice of loco been on mine for around five years to see what if any problems other but I was in full-time employment for builders have come across. There will the first two years followed by a year also be tips and tricks and of part-time work before retirement. modifications to help in the build. A The Covid virus, which I succumbed very useful page on the model to twice, also shortened my workshop engineering clearing house forum time. As already mentioned there were (https://bit.ly/3U6wIiz ) is dedicated to periods of inactivity for weeks on end, listing known errors on plans – there waiting for materials, holidays, are rather more than you might think! domestic duties, grandchildren, child minding duties to name but a few. If Buyer beware you could have 40 hours per week solid I would guess you could do it in A tip I can pass on concerns our dear five or six months. But we need to friend eBay, the online auction/sale remember that this is a hobby so there site. There will always be part-built projects for sale that can be an 45 absolute bargain and save months of work and help one’s funds stretch a bit further. They can also be a complete waste of money and are nearly always sold as seen, no returns permitted. Two examples I can give you are a Tich I bought on a whim, which consisted of frames and cylinders and a few bits. I think I only paid about £60.00 for it. The problem was it just didn’t look right. At our club I found the relevant magazine article and made some notes of the frame sizes. Checking the plans against the frames they were an inch short and the wheelbase was shorter as well. Perhaps the builder was doing his own design or maybe he just made a mistake, I’ll never know. However this meant the loco could not be built as per the plans so was nothing more than scrap metal. One day I may get around to having a go at it. Another part-built loco I bought was my Chub, also an eBay find. It came with frames already built and a box full of castings including the cylinders, cylinder covers, valve chests and covers, wheels, axle boxes, axle 24 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

LOCO BUILDING pump and such like, mostly 6 machines and such. Skips are often a the aforementioned lift and track. unmachined. The frames had been useful source of bits of angle iron. Copper, brass and bronze are made to a good standard and had the “You will Have a look around your area for horns machined and fitted, The cast need to engineering factories which always probably the most expensive materials bronze stretcher was also fitted. become a have scrap bins. Approach the but a word of caution. That bit of scrounger, a manager and tell him what you are copper tube you found may not be On closer inspection though some forager, and doing. They will sometimes let you acceptable to make your boiler from. of the holes in the frames were in the a keen skip have a bucket full of bar ends for a Boiler tubes have to be a specific grade wrong position. This was easily dipper – any contribution to the tea fund. of metal, C106. You might have to remedied by stripping the frames, bits you prove conformity in order to get a clamping together and re drilling. can find Car boot sales often yield useful boiler certificate. However when it came to the wheels will save a bits and pieces while a really good which have been partly machined a fortune...” source of materials are steam rallies Also, consider using different problem arose. They should have been – here you can find many traders materials for your components to the PHOTO 3: selling all types of metals for a fraction ones specified in the plans, so long as bored out to ⅝-inch. The axles (not This scissor lift of the retail price. Try to get to at least the replacement material is equally supplied with the loco) are ¾-inch is a great aid to one of the model engineering suitable for use. which must be turned down to ⅝-inch loco transfer. exhibitions where you will find PHOTO 4: materials and a host of like-minded It is easier to source materials (0.625) each end to leave a shoulder Purpose-built people more than willing to help. nowadays thanks to the internet. I which the wheels push up to. track made to have used as much stainless steel as fit in the car. Friends and family often have possible – the 303 grade of free- Unfortunately the wheels have PHOTO 5: useful bits lurking at the back of their cutting stainless steel is reasonably been bored out oversize to 0.7-inch, There is just garage or shed that are free for priced and easily available. Using very accurately I must add. The axle enough space to collection. Above all collect as much stainless steel helps to keep our old boxes have been bored very nicely to accommodate a as you can – it’s not only the loco that enemy rust at bay. EIM pair of locos. needs the materials. Jigs and adapters ¾-inch (0.75) the correct size. I can PHOTO 6: will need to be made for the lathe and n Next month Rich delves into the Conway was mill for example and not forgetting challenges of working from plans, and only assume the previous owner made selected for a the age-old imperial v metric argument. a mistake, perhaps misread the plans first build after 7 but in any case the wheels instead of being discovered being a nice sliding fit on the axle on a trawl of were way too loose. the internet. PHOTO 7: I got around the problem by Risks of an eBay machining the axles to suit the already purchase – machined wheels. There was just Chub’s wheels enough shoulder for the wheels to butt have needed a up against. After the wheels had been lot of work. quartered and secured with Loctite I drilled and tapped across each wheel/ axle and fitted grub screws for extra security (Photo 7). One can spend many hours trying to work around a mistake and eventually give up and start again. But in the case of this eBay find I am well in pocket with the parts I have. Locos offered for sale that have all the parts machined and assembled into their frames are a bit of a gamble. If they have been done correctly you could be onto a winner, if done incorrectly... You will often see boilers for sale but you should ask the boiler inspector at your club before bidding for one. He might not be willing to test a boiler of unknown origin. In my limited experience the boiler inspector will usually want to inspect the boiler at various stages of its construction and to look inside it before the backhead is fitted. Buyer beware I think is the advice here. Material gains I would like to talk about materials now. These can form a huge chunk of the cost of building a loco. Metals are by their nature heavy so can be expensive to buy online because of the cost of postage. You will need to become a scrounger, a forager, and a keen skip dipper. Any bits you can find will save a fortune. Old printers have very useful and accurately ground shafts. Sheet steel can be cut from old washing www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 25ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

WORKSHOP A Sledge Hammer to Crack a Nut? David discovers machine-tool capabilities in his workshop he never knew he had while solving a marine modelling problem for his son... BY DAVID CONEY FIGURE 1 Ineeded to make a universal joint/ “I’m not can usually be accomplished. At my parallel to the motor shaft, and a coupling for one of my son’s into buying age I’m not into buying more model ‘boss’ on the propshaft. model boats. The coupling in more model engineering equipment, I prefer to question connects the drive from the engineering use what I have if at all possible. This boss has two pins in it, at electric motor to the propshaft. This equipment, I right angles to the shaft. To my article shows that when it comes to prefer to use The coupling is shown in the critical eye, it looks best if the pins using the equipment you have, rather what I have...” ‘back of an envelope’ diagram are at right angles to the grub screws than buying more, then ‘where reproduced above. It consists of two holding the boss to the shaft. there’s a will there’s a way’ – the job main parts, a ‘flywheel’ on the motor shaft that has two pins in one face, Common coupling 1 This type of coupling is quite common in model boats, its 26 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE advantage over some kind of universal joint is that there is no frictional loss. Also the two shafts do not have to be exactly in line with each other. A cheaper form of coupling employed in some model boats is simply a piece of plastic tubing to join the two shafts. The critical point in the construction of the boss is to accurately align the grub screw and pin holes. This would be easy to do on the milling machine if one had a small rotary table. However I only possess a fairly large (5-inch) rotary chuck bought for about £15 at one of my model engineering club’s disposal sales, and no angle plate large enough to be able to mount it on its side on the milling table. However, much to my amazement I found I could rotate the head of my vertical milling machine, a Sieg Super X3, through 90 degrees (there are www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

indents at zero and 90 degrees), to 2 3 WORKSHOP effectively become a horizontal 4 27ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022 milling/drilling machine and to carry FIGURE 1: out the requisite drilling operations. David’s essential ‘back of an The operations required are four envelope’ sketch, holes spaced at 90-degree intervals, made before two for the pins and two for the grub starting work on screws. Photo 1 shows the setup that his solution. is required. PHOTO 1: Setup for drilling Incidentally the best way to set the four holes up the drill to accurately drill into that are required. the centre of the round bar, is to PHOTO 2: employ a technique that most model Using the well- engineers probably use to set up the known steel rule correct tool height in relation to the technique to lathe chuck. Simply position a steel ensure accurate rule in between the drill tip and the drilling in the bar. round bar, and endeavour to get the PHOTO 3: steel rule to be at right angles to the Finished coupling drill, as in Photo 2. mounted in the model ship. The finished coupling, mounted PHOTO 4: in place in my son’s model boat is Extra detail, shown in Photo 3. recently added by David’s So although I could have drilled son Ben, has the requisite holes in the boss, by eye, produced a good with a bit of lateral thinking as to how representation to utilise the equipment I had, it was of a corvette. possible to complete the job in a Photos by proper engineering way. I should have the author, read the instruction book that came photo 4 by with the mill a long time ago – it was Ben Crowley a revelation to find I could rotate the milling head through 90 degrees. Family heirloom A few words on the model boat itself, well in fact it’s now definitely a ship. It all started with my son Ben coming home from boarding school for the summer holidays back in the 1980s and saying “I want to build a model boat”. So we started with only a pack of various sizes of balsa wood and no plan. A very simple electrically powered model was constructed, roughly to look like a World War 2 destroyer. I kept the model for many years, and only fairly recently gave it back to my son. He has since (during lockdowns) turned it into a very good representation of a Second World War ‘Flower’ class corvette, of the type that would have protected Atlantic convoys from submarine attack. Also added have been radio-control and a device that emits smoke up the funnel. The model is shown in Photo 4. EIM n The Editor replies: Thanks David for the interesting little piece. We see very little marine modelling in the pages of EIM and it would be nice to attract a little more (especially as the editor’s 27-year old son has suddenly in very recent weeks gained a passion for boat modelling, a subject your editor knows very little about!). So if you think you could contribute something, please get in touch. www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

HARRY’S GAME Simplex success? Happy Harry this month as our Fairbourne Miniature Railway engineer sees an important loco project to a successful conclusion He’s even had time for some 7¹₄-inch engineering! BYHARRY BILLMORE 1 As the title might suggest, this large weld prep and an almost 100 per 2 month’s report documenting cent penetration weld. the latest engineering goings- PHOTO 1: First on at the Fairbourne Miniature This allowed me to machine the wheelset in the Railway has a much brighter tone than outer profile of the wheels, however lathe for final previously, this is entirely down to the when I came to do the back profiles it profile turning. completion of the re-gauging and was then too long. So I cut it down to trials of our new Simplex locomotive. the longest I could sensibly get away PHOTO 2: with (as I suspect I will need this tool Clearance over My last article describing the again for profiling the wheels of our the bed, these regauging of the locomotive form its other resident diesel ‘Gwril’) and the largest finished the wheels off before refitting wheels Harry original 2ft to our 12¼-inch gauge them under the Simplex. can turn and it was a struggle. finished off with the wheelsets With the chains adjusted I could together but requiring final profiling then attempt to test the loco around All photos by – this has been completed now. the yard, but unfortunately it refused the author to start. I chased this down to a fuel I have described the process I use, supply problem so stripped the fuel employing a hydraulic copier, before in filter to have a look. some detail (EIM May 2021) so won’t repeat it now, however there were a 4 couple of interesting points that cropped up. The first was the clearance over the bed – I had measured very carefully and was reasonably confident but it was still a relief when the first wheelset was sat turning freely in the lathe with a shade over ⅓ -inch clearance over the bed. At the limit A major challenge to overcome was the size of the wheels, which meant I couldn’t mount the tool in its usual place in a tool holder on the side of the copier head as it would not clear the outside edge of the flange. Instead I had to mount the tool in the front tool position and have it hung out a long way so the carriage did not foul the wheel at the flange. I had a right-handed tool kicking around but it was far too short, so I re-purposed a mangled tool with no tip or anvil into an extension with a 3 28 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

HARRY’S GAME PHOTO 3: 5 6 Welded-up handle and I could finally test the extended turning Simplex around the yard! tool to machine the full width of The tests showed the loco to the wheel. perform flawlessly with the correct profile for us, dealing with the PHOTO 4: tight-to-gauge and the slightly wide sections of our trackwork equally well. Profile emerging on wheel, with Rain but still play much chatter – Harry drove Just as I was setting back to get some lathe hard to get carriages out of the carriage shed, the job done as fast heavens opened and I got somewhat as possible and drenched. The rain then got worse as I only aimed for a left on the first line test with three reasonable finish carriages, until I was soaked to the on the last pass. skin within half a mile! Thankfully the sun then came out but I had PHOTO 5: The filter was full of disgusting already decided to put a cab on the our steel pile for material to make a Machining back gunk, silt and various other foulness loco as soon as possible before it goes cab from – some angle iron and a profile, note the – a white slime was particularly into traffic with the track gang over partially cut-up sheet of 3mm steel shortened tool difficult to get out. The filter elements the winter. sheet provided the materials I needed extension. are designed to be cleaned and re-used and with a bit of creative cutting I but these are probably a little too far With several stops to check on pieced together the cab you can see in PHOTO 6: gone so I will order some replacements water temperature and oil pressure a the pictures. The fuel filter – I am using the current ones for now. full four-mile return trip was made housing, crusty With the fuel filter cleaned the engine and I could finally say the loco was There are a couple of particular and gloopy. started on two turns of the starting completely regauged and fine to travel points to note, one being the bulge in the line! the back of the cab to prevent PHOTO 7: Fuel 7 knuckles being skinned when using filter cage with I then started digging around in the hand brake. This was bent up more of the filth using the vice as a kind of break as we it had caught. 9 do not have any bending rolls in the Fairbourne workshop. PHOTO 8: Returning after The other feature is that the sheet a successful first material is welded edge to edge with trip to the Point the angle framework. This is to – a stop after the prevent rust jacking from occurring as steep climb out this will inevitably happen in the salt of the station air of the coast! to check the coolant tank That is pretty much all the news I and various have at this point from the railway, it other bits. has been thankfully quiet on the engineering failures front, despite PHOTO 9: being pleasingly busy with passengers. s A picture that This quiet period has meant that I shows the new have been able to finish work roughly gauge off nicely. 8 www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 29ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

HARRY’S GAME PHOTO 10: The new cab when supposed to each day and have a starting to take shape. bit of time to my own projects, so my 10 PHOTO 11: Nearly 7¼-inch Holmside 0-6-0T has had a 11 finished – note the bulge to prevent bruised knuckles bit of attention. I made a rolling frame when using the brake. for it out of some offcuts from the Simplex cab work combined with a set PHOTO 12: The cab gets of castors bought on the internet. its first coat of primer. Oiling the way PHOTO 13: Harry’s Holmside on its new trolley I then proceeded to free the long made out of bits of scrap unused loco off by soaking the and offcuts. It has now cylinders and valve chests with light been freed off using a oil for a week or so, then gently gentle tap with a brass rod tapping the crossheads with a brass on each crosshead and a rod and a hammer to free off the bit of light oil down the bores. A test in steam will show blastpipe. whether the engine will need stripping down and new rings putting in, but PHOTO 14: The hopefully not! smokebox arrangement with a lempor exhaust. I have also been planning where to Harry needs to fit the fit an ejector that a friend of mine is exhaust from an ejector currently making for me, this will feed into this space. into the combining chamber of the Lempor exhaust that my dad and I fitted a number of years ago – hopefully there will be more on this to report over the winter. EIM 12 13 14 30 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

LOCOMOTIVE BUILD A GNR Stirling Single in 5-inch Gauge This month Australian engineer Bruce concludes his locomotive build project by tackling the challenge of paintwork and the elaborate lining of the Stirling Single. BY BRUCE BOLDNER Part Six of a six-part series When I built my previous, 59 first locomotive, my 60 Midland Spinner, I took the frames and fittings completely apart PHOTO 59: Frames, for painting. I didn’t want to lose the cylinders and valve chests valve timing on the Stirling, therefore kept together for painting. I left the frames, cylinders and valve chests bolted together and masked PHOTO 60: Driving everything off (Photo 59). wheel valance masked off for painting. In Photo 60 you can see one of the driving wheel valances masked off for painting. All was sprayed black and then the paper and tape over the brass beading was removed (Photo 61). I didn’t realise at this stage that the tops of the wheel valances should be painted green, not black! I repainted them later! Photo 62 shows my first attempt at lining using 1mm wide masking tape sold by plastic kit manufacturer Tamiya. I discarded the double tape idea, eventually deciding to use a single strip of tape spaced out from the edge of the cut-out. Then I drew a white line within this with a white Posca pen. Drawing the line PHOTO 61: First step is 61 to apply black spray paint. The black and white lines were also ▲ drawn with Posca pens, using an PHOTO 62: First attempt ordinary ruler as a guide (Photo 63). at lining, using plastic kit Posca pens draw with water acrylic masking tape. paint, which dries quickly .It needs to be protected against wear by a clear PHOTO 63: Posca coat, however. It also dries to a very pens proved an effective matt finish, which is another reason solution for lining to apply gloss clear over it. The finest tip size available in these lining pens Photos by the author is 0.7mm. 62 63 www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 31ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

LOCOMOTIVE BUILD 65 64 66 Sticky situation the decals and the Posca lining. I was shocked to find that all three brands After applying an etch primer, the PHOTO 64: Obviously, the most difficult aspect of caused the auto enamel base coat to tender sides were sprayed with dark Dark green this painting was the accurate wrinkle when I applied the fourth wet green automotive enamel from a spray enamel first placement of each successive template. coat of clear (the first three being light can (Photo 64). A vinyl template, made stage in painting For the side panels, the templates dust coats sprayed approximately five from drawings by Mike Boddy, was the tender. could be applied in their entirety. minutes apart.) This was not applied and then light green paint was However, lacking in foresight, I had withstanding that I had baked the sprayed all over (Photo 65). The first PHOTO 65: unthinkingly riveted the lamp irons auto enamel painted test pieces for an template was then removed to reveal a Vinyl template to the rear of the tender before hour at approximately 200 degrees F. central light green panel (Photo 66). applied before painting. The rear templates had light green therefore to be cut into various Fine art solution A second template was applied, coat added. sections to fit around them. This which covered both the dark and light resulted in discontinuity in some I shuddered at the thought of all my green , but which left a strip at the PHOTO 66: lines, which I had to tidy up later with painting and lining shrivelling to intersection of the two colours, which Removing the a Posca pen. nought, especially the tender was sprayed black (Photo 67). template reveals painting. I therefore chose to spray all the panel. Fortunately Mike had asked the the green, lined areas (not the frames The second template was removed template printer to use a less with the red painted lining) with and a third and final template applied. tenacious adhesive after experience Kamar Varnish. This comes in an This covered all the painted areas with his earlier templates made for aerosol can from the USA and is entirely, but had fine cut-outs in it my Midland Spinner. This made it a available at fine art stores here in which, when peeled away, left exposed little easier to repeatedly lift and Australia, as its purpose is to protect those areas to be painted as white lines reposition the templates as was fine art paintings, be they in water, either side of the black (Photo 68). inevitably required. acrylic or oils. It is acid free and guaranteed not to yellow. I found that the Posca red faded to a weak pinkish colour when applied I found I could apply coat after over the dark brown of the frames. coat of the Kamar with no wrinkling Therefore all red lining was done with problems, resulting in a high gloss Dulux oil enamel gloss Signal Red and smooth although faintly painted between 1mm-width Tamiya patterned finish. I baked the cab after masking tape (Photos 69-70). The spraying and neither paint, Posca vermilion on the inner frames was lining or decals were adversely also hand-brushed Dulux Signal Red. affected. It appears therefore that the Kamar Varnish can resist water, oil After applying etch primer , auto and heat for at least a limited time. enamel paint, Posca lines and decals on some test squares of brass sheet, I Kerosene will eat straight into it, experimented with various however, so I have resolved to automotive clear coats to protect both 67 68 32 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

remember never to spray the wheels 69 LOCOMOTIVE BUILD and undercarriage with kerosene, 70 33ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022 followed by a blast of compressed air, as I do with the Spinner after a run. A 71 lot of us in Australia, myself included, wipe our locomotives down after a run with Inox, an excellent product which does not attack painted surfaces. Unfortunately it is not available in the UK to my knowledge. When I originally wrote these words, I had not driven the Stirling extensively, so I could not comment authoritatively on the longevity of the Kamar Varnish durability. Logic would indicate that it is not intended to have the protective durability of an automotive clear coat, therefore I do not recommend it to others. If you can spray an automotive clear coat over your model without wrinkling, that would be preferable. After driving the Stirling for a while, however, I removed all the Kamar varnish from the boiler (all too easily done with a rag soaked in kerosene) because the varnish on the cladding became sticky with the boiler heat, which meant that the deposits of ash and such like after a run could not be wiped off without becoming embedded in the varnish. While I stated earlier that the varnished cab had been baked without apparent ill-effect, there was obviously no floating ash in the oven and the varnish would have solidified again after cooling before I lifted it out. The varnish has remained okay on the cab, tender, sandboxes, wheel valances and such like. Highly sprung PHOTO 67: Some final notes: It has always Second template disappointed me that few if any applied to builders ever disclose suspension continue build- spring details in their construction up of colour. articles. The attitude often seems to imply, “work it out for yourself.” So here follows the springs that I have found most suitable to haul myself and my son Jeremy around our reasonably hilly club track behind my Stirling. All these springs were sourced from Kennions in the UK. Bogie slide block: No. 10. 5/16-inch OD x s PHOTO 68: 22swg x 7/8-inch long. 2 off. White fine lines Bogie wheel suspension: No.5. ¼-inch provided final OD/1/8-inch ID x 1-inch long 20 swg. 4 off. touch producing Driving axle: No.6. ¼-inch OD x 1¼-inch effective finish. long 20swg. 4 off. PHOTO 69/70: Dulux signal WITHIN red painted on after Posca pen No.14. 3/8-inch OD x 1¼-inch long 18swg. version faded. 4 off. PHOTO 71: Cab layout on Trailing axle: No. 6. ¼-inch OD/1/8-inch the finished ID x 1¼-inch long 20swg. 2 off. locomotive. I didn’t record what springs I used for the tender. However I think they were No.5s. Note that you will have to apply some pre-load to the driving axle www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

LOCOMOTIVE BUILD 72 “I at least springs , by turning the locknuts on do not the spring locating spindles higher. expect Keep turning them higher until you a single have sufficient traction, keeping in driver to mind that I at least do not expect a single driver to haul more than myself haul more and one passenger around our track. than myself To close, some final pictures: and one Photo 71 shows the finished cab. The passenger centre valve delivers steam to the around our blower via the left handrail. The levers to the far left are dummies, track...” representing the sandbox and drain cock levers on the full-size loco. PHOTO 72-74: Almost there – the Stirling Single spends its final build day in Bruce’s workshop. PHOTO 75: Packed into the car and ready for a trip to the track. The auxiliary water tank in the riding Photos 72-74 show the final day in truck is a fail-safe with an electric pump should the injectors decide not to work. the workshop and in Photo 75 the PHOTO 76: The Stirling Single at rest on the elevated track of the Steam Locomotive Society of Victoria. loco is loaded into the car and off to PHOTO 77: Ready to go for a run, but with Bruce a little worried about getting it dirty! the track. Note the auxiliary water PHOTO 78: Where it all began – Bruce’s daughter with the prototype at the National Railway Museum. tank in the riding truck. It’s not that the tender doesn’t hold sufficient 73 74 water but because the auxiliary tank has an electric pump that can put water directly into the boiler if the injectors decide not to work. In Photo 76 the loco is resting at the Steam Locomotive Society of Victoria’s elevated track, and in Photo 77 I should be having a run. But I don’t want to get it dirty! And finally in Photo 78 the image that inspired it all, my daughter at the National Railway Museum in 2016. EIM n Readers who woulkd like to see Bruce’s Single in action can do so at the following link; https://bit.ly/3zuDO8S 75 76 34 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

LOCOMOTIVE BUILD 77 78 Changes for the better 79 n Since finishing my build series I smokebox tubeplate, where the water 80 have had an opportunity to run the was diffused via a fan pattern. As the Single a few times and have been cold water was delivered well forward able to make a couple of of the firebox, the latter didn’t suffer enhancements. In photo 46, such a dramatic cooling effect and reproduced in the October issue, loss of steam. the reversing stand is shown positioned as per the Reeves plans, I had intended to install the same that is to say mounted forward system on the Stirling, but from the rear of the mainframe. injudicious placement of the radial In this position, the reversing lever stays that support the firebox crown hits the spectacle plate before it blocked their path. achieves full forward position. I therefore repositioned the stand All was not lost, however. The right at the rear vertical edge of the axle pump on the Stirling delivers right-hand mainframe. water via a clack on the side of the boiler well forward, behind the In any case this is where the left-side front sandbox. I decided that stand is positioned on the full-size wherever possible water on the run locomotive. Full movement of the would be delivered by the axle pump. lever is consequently achieved. Why the Reeves plans placed the One further modification was stand in this forward position is a required, which involved replacing mystery to me. In Photo 79, the cab floor-mounted bypass valve showing the cab layout, the stand with one positioned at the top rear of is mounted in the revised position. the tender, where it could be easily accessed whilst driving. Photo 80 Cold light of day illustrates this. Since track-testing the Stirling, I n Parts 1-5 of this series appeared in the have modified the water-delivery July to November 2022 editions of EIM system from tender to locomotive. – digital back issues can be downloaded I found that as a consequence of or printed copies ordered from www. the clacks from both injectors and world-of-railways.co.uk/store/back- electric pump injecting cold water issues/engineering-in-miniature or by straight through the backhead calling 01778 392484. onto the rear of the firebox, the latter quickly dropped in PHOTO 79: Another view of the Single’s temperature, followed by a loss of cab, showing the re-sited reversing stand steam pressure. at the right. In my previous locomotive, the PHOTO 80: Benefit of running sessions Midland Spinner, pipes from these resulted in the bypass valve being clacks extended inside the boiler relocated from the cab floor to the rear forward to the rear of the top of the tender. www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 35ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

LOCOMOTIVES Well worth the wait Stuart describes how he successfully steamed a first loco build project that has been underway for well over 50 years – and even the loco’s debut proved challenging... BY STUART ROTHWELL ■ The background, by editor Andrew to which we would reply, no kidding... The Princess project finally recommenced in Charman. Back in the October and November He got as far as building the frames before 2006, four decades after the first suggestion 2021 editions of EIM we told the somewhat from Rothwell senior. The loco was effectively remarkable tale of Stuart’s 3¹ ₂-inch gauge perhaps not surprisingly other things intervened completed by 2015 but then various things Princess Royal – a project that started in the – a full-time job, marriage... and the frames including another house move put things on 1960s. Having helped his father, a noted model languished in a loft for more than 30 years. hold again for three years, which of course engineer in his workshop for some years was just in time for the Covid pandemic to Stuart broached the subject of making his own On his father’s death in 1988 Stuart inherited intervene and cause yet further delays.... engine and was given the blueprints to the workshop equipment capable of serious Princess! “Looking back now I can see that this engineering and built a model steam tug. In That the loco has now successfully steamed project was far too ambitious for an outright 1998 he retrieved the frames and thought about around a track clearly shows that if one is beginner,” Stuart wrote in his build description, restarting the build, but concerned over the sufficiently dedicated, even the most complex complexity he paused again and practised his project can reach a successful conclusion! techniques by building a Martin Evans ‘Rob Roy’. Recently I finally plucked up ABOVE: heard nice and even and it started up I had achieved the first objective, it enough courage to run the An impressive very smoothly. had run. Princess Royal, the build of model – the which was featured in EIM in 2021. completed After two circuits, however, I I am not an experienced Both of its boiler certificates had Princess Royal. found some of the controls becoming locomotive driver and so I decided to expired so before we could think of awkward to operate under driving take the loco back home, inspect it running tests had to be done and RIGHT: conditions, the most difficult being and steam it up on my test bed to get first came the hydraulic. Off we go – the bypass valve. some experience of it under steam. watched closely, It passed but not without some Stuart makes I was also not happy with the This turned out to be the right degree of difficulty – the boiler was the first run he’s water levels being shown on the decision because in steam on my test fine but after ten years in a centrally patiently waited gauges so I stopped the run – after all bed I found that it would not turn heated environment and undergoing more than 50 two house moves some of the fittings years for. and the gauge glasses leaked. FACING PAGE, The worst of these was the TOP: The short snifting valve I had fitted inside the run proved just smokebox, but with a bit of work and enough to prove a couple of test runs at home it was the loco worked time to head for the track and the before problems loco’s steam test. arose, thankfully once back in Good start the workshop. The model has a huge firebox but Photos by/via with the help of our club’s boiler the author tester it raised steam well and passed its test. Southport has two raised level tracks – one of them, the original is much shorter than the other so that was the one to try it out on. It ran well, each beat can be 36 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

LOCOMOTIVES through top dead centre on the left Pinning it down “To find happened at speed some considerable side. It is a very complex loco that the damage to the valve operating does not render itself to easy The problem turned out to be the mechanism could have occurred. maintenance and in order to find the small pin that attaches the problem problem I had to remove the cab, combination lever to the valve I had to I have since made a new pin with boiler and running boards – crosshead – it had dislodged and was remove a tighter fit into the combination effectively going right back to the being trapped by the crosshead the cab, lever and the loco has been re- basic chassis. guides. I am very glad that I stopped boiler and assembled with the exception of the the run when I did, if the fault had running injector. We could not get the fitted boards – injector to work I have ordered a new effectively one which will need piping in. going right back to I’m not sure when the next run of the basic my Princess will take place, I will chassis...” probably leave it until next spring and continue to work on my current project, a Gauge One Stanier 8F. EIM n Stuart described the long drawn- out build of his Princess Royal in the October and November 2021 editions of EIM. Digital editions of these issues can be downloaded or printed copies ordered from www.world-of-railways. co.uk/store/back-issues/engineering-in- miniature or by calling 01778 392484. GENERAL NEWS LNER O4 ends Haigh’s 29-year steam drought Over the weekend of 29th/30th ABOVE: No. 6284 rounds the last curve on the approach to Walled Garden station. October the 15-inch gauge Haigh Hall Miniature Railway in Wigan BELOW: The loco climbs through the autumnal woods shortly after the level crossing by Haigh operated a steam locomotive for the first Hall locomotive shed. Photos: Donald Brooks, taken on 30th October time in 29 years (reports Donald Brooks). In the early days of the mile-long circuit 1954-built Guest 2-4-2 ‘Katie’, best known for its association with the Fairbourne Railway, was the resident steam locomotive at Haigh until it left for Cleethorpes before finally ending up on the Kirklees Light Railway, where it runs today with its sister loco ‘Sian’. The new steam locomotive at Haigh has moved from Cleethorpes and is LNER O4 2-8-0 No.6284, completed in 2009. Over the weekend it was scheduled to work half- hourly shuttles between Haigh Hall and Walled Garden stations, with the steam loco working on the steep gradients outbound and the train returning behind the line’s recent home-built internal-combustion locomotive as there are no run-round loops. Despite some torrential downpours, the trains proved very popular though the steam locomotive failed during the Sunday afternoon running. It is planned to be running again in Wigan, but only on advertised dates which can be found on the railway’s Facebook page. The Haigh Hall line first opened in July 1986 as a one-mile circuit through the woodland park and has had a somewhat chequered career since. It reopened under a new operator in 2013 with the shuttle trains over three quarters of a mile. The full circuit is being restored and more volunteer assistance is welcome – details are also on the Facebook page (www. facebook.com/HaighHallMiniatureRailway) www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 37ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

CLUB & TRACK NEWS Seasons end and work starts Tracks closed for winter but plenty of projects going on amongst the club members... COMPILED BY ANDREW CHARMAN Kicking off another very full ABOVE: We scales as I keep on wittering on about... advantages that can come of being round-up of the activities mentioned last The newsletter of the Worthing & part of a club that promotes itself and around our clubs and month the superb fosters a good reputation. It seems miniature lines in recent weeks, it’s Adams Radial tank District SME always combines lots of earlier in the season the Worthing clear from perusing the latest highly built by York ME interest with plenty of funnies, several club was visited by a gentleman who varied selection of newsletters member Martyn of which we can’t repeat on these offered some tools he’d collected over received at EIM Towers that many Blackburn, but the pages sadly... We do like the opening his career as a toolmaker, to sell for clubs enjoyed highly successful ends picture arrived words from editor Dereck Langridge club funds. Over the next few weeks to their first ‘normal’ public-running too late to use – who writes “as the year draws to a he delivered the tools which were seasons for a while. This is good to which seems a close, the first of normal activities described as “amazing” in both read, putting them on a good footing very good reason following the Covid pandemic, the quantity and quality. Some have been as they go into the winter months of to print it in this club has again become a busy, happy retained for the club’s own workshop undertaking essential maintenance month’s issue... and thriving place to socialise, work but those sold have already raised and developing their sites. Photo: Roger and enjoy our hobby.” Amen to that, more than £1300 for club funds – Backhouse/York ME we feel the importance of the social certainly a generous donation... We start this month with the aspect of being in a model engineering ever-busy Rugby ME, and as indicated RIGHT: Of club is not often appreciated enough... Perusing club magazines it’s always above the latest packed newsletter, course the big Continued on page 40 extending to 20 pages, starts by telling event of the past The newsletter also highlights the members that in one month the club month was the has staged an enjoyable members’ return of the ▲ running day plus its final normal day Midlands Model of public running and a highly Engineering successful additional event held over Exhibition. John the school half term. Arrowsmith will cover the This event on Wednesday 26th club and display October was run as a single session stands next between 1 and 3pm and with 200 month but editor tickets on offer to visitors, 194 of them Andrew Charman were pre-sold. Perhaps more particularly liked importantly, members reported that this display by the many of the visitors appeared to be City of Oxford new to the club, which is definitely a SME, which neatly good thing. demonstrated the size difference There is always development going between 3¹ ₂, 5 and on at Rugby’s site and the latest major 7¹₄-inch gauges! addition is the rapidly emerging new ‘facilities building’ – the blockwork of the main structure now having reached above window level. Busy Rugby members too and much to this ‘Shortaxle’ freak’s delight there seems to be a narrow gauge theme – while regular EIM contributor and Model Engineers Laser owner Edward Parrott has been playing with full-size 2ft 3in gauge locos in the Talyllyn Railway workshop, other locos featuring in the latest newsletter include an Alco ‘Mountaineer’ 2-6-2T, a superb 7¼-inch gauge version of the Statfold Barn Railway’s Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 ‘Fiji’ and the Ffestiniog Railway’s diesel ‘Criccieth Castle.’ In more miniature This correspondent is also pleased to see that new Rugby member Dan has chosen a 16mm scale subject for his first locomotive build, a gas-fired 0-6-2T and is currently making good progress with the frames and horns built – yes, proper horns, real model engineering goes on in the smallest 38 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

CLUB & TRACK NEWS FOCUS Stylish climax to Dublin’s 40th anniversary season In touch recently with EIM has 3,600 sleepers were replaced by new been Ian Lake of the Dublin SMEE, to update us on latest and more substantial items made from goings-on in Ireland. Ian tells us that the Society traditionally has an open recycled plastic; “We expect a long life day in September which usually marks the end of public running for the from these, while extensive historical season but also gives visitors a chance to view the clubhouse and workshops, damage to this line was also rectified ABOVE LEFT: Michael Clark also visited; “The areas not normally open to public support of our public representatives access for safety reasons. during this project, notwithstanding Dublin members was much appreciated, and we hope they enjoyed the day.” “Members of the Society use the the delays caused by Covid-19.” were surprised by opportunity to display current Ian adds that model engineers in projects and items that they have Recognising demand the demand for Ireland have just three societies to completed in the past,” Ian adds. “It is train rides at the choose from, two in Northern Ireland also the only day of the year when and the Dublin group in the Republic. adult members of the public are Ian admits that the Society was open day. Every year one of the clubs hosts a carried on our trains.” get-together and this year, it was the somewhat taken aback by the level of ABOVE: Dublin turn of the Drumawhey Junction This year’s open day was a great visitor demand for train rides, members put Railway and Model Engineering success with well over 1,000 members particularly on the ground line. “The on an excellent Society, located east of Belfast. of the public visiting and most of them Society will review operations to display of work travelling on one or both the rail lines. explore how we can satisfy this for visitors. A group of DSMEE members “The ground-level line was demand next year,” he said. journeyed to Drumawhey on 8th particularly popular with more than October and took two locos with 500 passengers travelling – this was The success climaxed a special BELOW LEFT: them. “The weather was good, and an the first occasion that the full ground enjoyable day was had by all. DSMEE line had carried passengers for several year for the Dublin club, marking the The club’s B1 is committed to supporting this years, due to the necessity to replace 40th anniversary of the start of public locomotive, in the cross-border spirit of mutual support.” all the original wooden rail sleepers train rides in the Irish capital’s Marlay process of being which had started to rot.” Park. “Before that, the Society had just brought back into DSMEE members are now busy on a short 70-metre line in Herbert Park. operation and a winter of maintenance and other The remedial work saw a total of Since the start of operations in Marlay seen before being projects before train operations Park, almost 250,000 young resume in early May. The Society is inundated by also keen to attract new members – passengers have been carried on the visitors! more details can be found on the two railways.” website at www.dsmee.ie To mark the occasion a special BELOW: The birthday cake was commissioned and Dublin club has cut by 2021 Dublin Council excellent facilities. chairperson Cllr Lettie McCarty. Photos: Ian Lake, Current council deputy chair Cllr Dublin SMMEE www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 39ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

CLUB & TRACK NEWS THIS PAGE: On 22nd October EIM roving photographer Phil Barnes was invited to attend the final Continued from page 38 ‘Friends Day’ of 2022 at the Ingfield Light Railway, near Billingshurst in Sussex. While some passenger trains good to see the various projects ran on the private 101/4-inch gauge line during the day, the focus was on freight workings, with some highly underway. At Worthing for example impressive and realistic rakes being assembled for visitors to enjoy. member Clive Pattern is making “slow but steady” progress building a boiler What is today an impressive line was established in 1973 by Keith Stratton as the Manor Railway in the for a Peppercorn A1 Pacific. But a grounds of Ingfield Manor School, which is run by Scope for children with cerebral palsy. After Keith request to all club journal newsletters passed away in 1993 his widow Lynn and son Mark continued to run and develop the line to raise funds for – when you report such things, please the school, aided by a small band of helpers, before handing it over to the custodianship of Chris Knibbs slip the gauge or scale into the copy, in 2008, after which the line assumed its present title. It has continued to be developed with the latest even if you’ve mentioned it before. extension opened recently. This saves a lot of going back through previous episodes! Phil’s pictures show (above) Schools class 4-4-0 ‘Tonbridge’ approaching Ingfield Central station with a goods train on the branch line (Garden Line) . The loco, a genuine three-cylinder machine has just come The regular appearances of the through the tunnel in the hedge behind the rear of the train. Below, the superbly built 71/4-inch gauge father-and-son Keningtons in our 0-4-0T+T ‘Ray’, owned by one of the Ingfield members, is seen sitting on a transporter wagon outside the pages are well known, and it seems storage containers near the crew room. The ‘new’ extension can be seen running behind the loco. their innovative nature extends to fellow members of the Hereford SME. At the bottom the visiting V2 4-6-2 No. 4750 ‘Starlight’, owned by Jon Littlechild, has just been coaled The latest edition of the club magazine up at the main junction station/depot prior to working the Windcutter wagons down the ‘new’ extension Whistlestop reports the continuing towards Oakhill and beyond. This loco was begun in the 1960s by Lewis Scrimshaw in the unusual 105/8-inch trials by member John Townsend on a gauge and regauged in 1976. It has had much done to it since Jon acquired it in 2010, including lengthening pinhole-type grate for model the frames, significant boiler work and fabricating a tender which the loco was not supplied with. locomotives, occasioned by continuing concerns over the quality The loco most often operates on Jon’s portable track – while saying it was Mr Scrimshaw’s idea of a LNER and type of future fuel supplies (on V2 class, John more realistically describes the loco as “a freelance model with rather a lot of LNER styling which note, next month’s issue will and features, ignoring the Great Western chimney top!” report on the latest trials of ‘green coal’ by the Rugby ME). The Ingfield Light Railway is a private line and not open to the public, but offers Associate membership to those interested in visiting on running days, while more volunteers to work on the line are always welcome. How many holes? For details contact Allan Biles at [email protected] John has built an attractive pinhole 40 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE grate (complete with some 121 holes each of 4mm diameter) with ashpan, complete with damper and drop flaps, all in stainless steel, and we look forward to reading his conclusions once he tries it in action. Wherever one turns in club magazines there is more excellent model engineering in action. The latest newsletter from the Bristol SME includes a description of a double- acting steam water-feed pump designed and built by member Steve Smith and fitted to the tank of his 5-inch gauge Simplex loco. In the ed’s opinion it looks rather like the brake pumps one sees on the tank or smokebox of many particularly narrow gauge locos (Mrs C oddly rather likes the noise that such pumps make while sitting in the station...). Steve’s design has proven highly successful and he’s put the full description on his Instagram feed (https://bit.ly/3zxRbVG) while he’s selling the design drawings too on eBay (https://bit.ly/3TWt5ft). People tend to forget that not all model engineering is about steam railway locomotives – even in the rail part of our hobby many prefer a good internal combustion or battery loco for its ease of use and instant availability – in the coming months we will be bringing you a couple of excellent ‘diesel’ loco projects. Typical of such is ‘Franky’, featured in the latest edition of Trackershack, the newsletter of the Teeside Small Gauge Railway and originally a 7¼-inch gauge 08 shunter owned by member Dan Gibbard for www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

all his life – apparently as a child he THIS PAGE: CLUB & TRACK NEWS pushed it up and down a track in his 41ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022 garden pretending he was driving it! This set of photos from Turning his attention to this the Centurion engine after successfully completing a SME’s first steam loco build, Dan decided to September Fair replace the engine, but the new engine public running was too big for the replacement shell, day since the for which he had obtained steel Covid pandemic laser-cut sections for. Then the project show just what was put on hold due to a house move, an impressive and in the intervening period Dan saw organisation the a picture of the 2ft gauge Baguley- club, located Drewry loco resident on the Vale of in Pretoria, Rheidol Railway. South Africa, is. There were Suffice to say the model has since some serious been completed as a representation of locomotives in the Drewry and powered by a 6.5hp action at what petrol engine, has proven a capable was a highly performer on public running days at successful event the Teeside track. Apparently it will – a Garratt, Shay, soon be going on visits to other lines, large diesel and so look out for it... electric haulers... We want to know Continuing this issue’s unofficial more Centurion theme of interesting projects, the members! Photos: latest Leeds Lines from the Leeds Hans Paling, via SMEE describes the experiences of Jon Shaw member Alan Macdonald who many years ago was shown a box of scrap s brass and bronze and told to take anything that might be useful. He went for a lump of bronze, measuring 2.4 x 1 x 1-inch with two ½-inch holes drilled side-by-side across the inch dimension. Alan thought it might make the basis for the cylinder block of a twin-cylinder stationary engine, if he could find some suitable plans. Of course he never did, but each time he opened the drawer he’d stashed the bronze lump in it stared pleadingly at him. So eventually he bravely had a go at designing his own engine and after a long period of gestation duly produced what he described as “two snarling beasts!” Alan reckons that the moral of this story is that one should stick to following plans – maybe, but from the picture in the Leeds newsletter it looks an interesting engine to us, and an interesting tale of the type we love to run in these pages, hint, hint! Success at last Now we will forever remember the pandemic as a time of great challenge, destruction and hardship but there was a silver lining – the time afforded to model engineers by the resultant lockdowns saw several excellent projects built. A good example features on the cover of the latest edition of the Welling & District ME newsletter, a superb model steam boat built by member Alan Picot and as the title of the description in the newsletter attests, “completed thanks to lockdown.” It seems the project started when Alan purchased a Puffin horizontal steam plant from the Stuart Models www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

CLUB & TRACK NEWS THIS PAGE: Clubs have been holding stand at the London Model 42 DECEMBER 2022 | ENGINEERING in MINIATURE their final public running days of the Engineering Show, way back in 2013... year in recent weeks (not withstanding He intended to mount it in a glassfibre festive Santa Special trains of course) hull he’d bought at a closing-down sale and on 16th October it was the turn of some years previously, but after a year the Chichester & District SME. on the project and various frustrations he grew fed up with it. But lockdown Road and rail rides were both on offer provided him with a perfect to visitors, the Society possessing an opportunity to revisit it and as a result elevated 560ft long 31/2/5-inch track and he now has a practical steam launch. a 735ft long ground-level track for 71/4 and unusually 101/4-inch gauge. Which, by the way gives me an opportunity to repeat something I’ve Among models on display was a neat already stated elsewhere in this issue. looking almost complete Stroudley We’d love to see some marine Terrier, much to the delight of the modelling features in our pages! young fellow seen riding behind both Especially as the editor’s younger son the traction engine and LNER B1, the (aged a mere 27) has suddenly taken EIM editor’s grandson Charley, who is a an interest in such things. While I love big fan of the ‘Stepney’ engine. being ‘on the water’ (a few years ago my motoring journalism career Editor’s prerogative – if you can’t weirdly provided me with the get clubs to send in pictures of their opportunity to compete in a race in activities, get your family to take some... Cardiff Bay onboard a competitor in Photos by Sophie Charman the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race, and it was one of the most exhilarating things I’ve ever done...) your editor knows virtually nothing about marine modelling... Finally for this time a quick trip overseas, to the ever-busy Northern Districts ME in Perth, Australia. The latest edition of the club’s newsletter Steam Lines features heavily the Dwellingup Steam Festival, described as a prime Spring event (don’t you just love it reading about the arrival of spring ‘down under’ as the wind and rain rattle the office windows...) which the NDMES attended for a sixth time. Road runners The festival is held at the Hotham Valley Railway, which is a steam- hauled tourist line in the Peel region of Western Australia and runs over a 32-kilometre route to the Australian standard gauge (3ft 6in). The Perth club certainly attended in style, with an impressive roster of large-scale model road engines and a smaller- scale garden railway set up on a sequence of five tables. According to member Steve Reeves the road engines included a couple of Fowlers, one a showman’s engine and “giving our display the ‘wow’ factor as they normally do.” It looks as if a great deal of fun was had by all. And... we are out of space again. Keep those newsletters coming in, and particularly photos of events at your club – some are now remembering to send us such images and they are much appreciated. And don’t forget that if you are writing up your latest build project, restoration or model engineering conundrum for your club newsletter, they wider audience of EIM readers might be equally interested in reading about it... For more details get in touch with me, my contact numbers are on page 3. EIM www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk

DIARY DDEEC CEMBER JJAANUNAURYARY 1 Cardiff ME meeting, Old pictures of 11 Guildford ME Small Model Steam 1 Grimsby & Cleethorpes ME New 12 Worthing SME meeting, Tidal Mills of Cardiff by David Green, Heath Pk, Engine Group open meeting, Stoke Year’s Day free public running, the Southeast by Alec Vincent, Field Cardiff CF14 4AW Pk, Guildford GU1 1TU, 2-5pm Waltham Windmill, DN37 0JZ, Pce, Worthing, Sussex, BN13 1NP, 11am-3pm 7.30pm 2 SMEE Digital Group online meeting, 11 Southampton SME Santa Specials, contact [email protected], 2.30pm Riverside Pk Railway, Bitterne, SO18 1 Southampton SME New Year’s Day 13 Hereford SME meeting, Reactors 1PQ, 11am-3pm running Riverside Pk Railway, inside ICI by Robert Davies, Broomy 3 Burnley & Pendle MRS Santa Bitterne, SO18 1PQ, 11am-3pm Hill, Hereford HR4 0LJ, 7 for 7.30pm Sepcials, Thompson Pk Railway, 11 Worthing SME Santa Run, Field Pce, Colne Rd, Burnley BB11 2AA, Worthing, Sussex, BN13 1NP 1 Stockholes Farm Miniature Railway 18 Bristol ME meeting, Small noon-2pm 11am-3pm New Year’s Day Steam-up, Belton, non-locomotive engines evening, Doncaster DN9 1PH, 1-4pm Begbrook Social Club, BS16 1HY, 7pm 3 Tiverton & Dist ME steam-up, 14 High Wycombe ME club meeting, Bits for 7.30pm– contact secretary@ Rackenford track, EX16 8EF & Pieces Evening, Rossetti Hall, 4 Bradford ME meeting, Bits & Pieces bristolmodelengineers.co.uk Holmer Green HP15 6SU, 7.30pm evening, Saltaire Methodist Church, 4 Guildford ME Open Day, Stoke Pk, 7.30pm 18 Leeds ME meeting, talk on Guildford GU1 1TU, 2-5pm 17 Pietermaritzburg ME Annual Night Eggborough site demolition, Mid Run, Pelham, Pietermaritzburg 3201, 4 Bristol ME meeting, ‘Railway level Yorkshire Golf Club, Darrington, 7pm 4 Southampton SME Santa Specials, South Africa crossings’, Begbrook Social Club, Riverside Pk Railway, Bitterne, SO18 BS16 1HY, 7pm for 7.30pm– for 26 Worthing SME meeting, subject tba, 1PQ, 11am-3pm 18 City of Oxford SME public running, details contact secretary@ Field Pce, Worthing, Sussex, BN13 Cutteslowe Pk, Oxford OX2 8LH, 1-4pm bristolmodelengineers.co.uk 1NP 7.30pm 4 York City ME members running, Dringhouses, The Pastures, York 18 Tiverton & Dist ME Sunday steam-up, 4 Leeds ME meeting, Bits & Pieces 27 Hereford SME meeting, Progress on YO24 2JE Rackenford track, EX16 8EF Night, Mid Yorkshire Golf Club, the Vale of Berekely Railway by Ian Darrington, 7pm Raven, Broomy Hill, Hereford HR4 7 Bournemouth SME AGM, Littledown 21 Grimsby & Cleethorpes ME members 0LJ, 7 for 7.30pm Railway, Bournemouth BX7 7DX meeting,Hartley Lodge, Waltham 7 Worthing SME New Year Steam-up, Windmill, DN37 0JZ, 7.30pm Field Pce, Worthing, Sussex, BN13 7 Bradford ME Films & Social meeting, 1NP 2-5pm Saltaire Methodist Church, 7.30pm 21 Bristol ME meeting, via Zoom, Look back at the last year – for details PLEASE NOTE all outside events and public running 7 Leeds ME meeting, Quiz Night, Mid contact secretary@ subject to weather – please check with Society Yorkshire Golf Club, Darrington, 7pm bristolmodelengineers.co.uk concenred before travelling to an event. 8 Worthing SME meeting, subject tba, 23 Hereford SME meeting, Down the Field Pce, Worthing, Sussex, BN13 Pan, Bazalgette by Bill Hall, Broomy Coming next month in... 1NP, 7.30pm Hill, Hereford HR4 0LJ, 7 for 7.30pm 9 Hereford SME meeting, Parachute 26 High Wycombe ME Boxing Day adventure over the Channel by Wally Steam-up, Watchet Lane, Holmer Walters, Broomy Hill, Hereford HR4 Green HP15 6UF 0LJ, 7 for 7.30pm 26 Bradford ME Mince Pie Special public 10 10 Havering MRC public Santa running, Northcliff track, Shipley, Special trains, Lodge Farm Park, 11am-3-15pm Romford. RM2 5AD 26 Grimsby & Cleethorpes ME Boxing 10 1SMEE Christmas Social, Marshall Day public running, Waltham House, London SE24 0HW, 2.30pm Windmill, DN37 0JZ, 12-4pm 10 York City ME meeting, evening talk, 27 Bradford ME Mince Pie Steam-up, Dringhouses, The Pastures, York Northcliff track, Shipley, 12.30pm- YO24 2JE, 7pm ”until frostbite sets in”... 11 Bradford ME Santa Special public 27 Havering MRC public running, Lodge ● Future fuel – Rugby trials of ‘green’ coal running, Northcliff track, Shipley, Farm Park, Romford. RM2 5AD, ● Future steam? A radical boiler concept 11am-3-15pm 11am-3pm ● Making an electric horn for locos ● Unveiling the restored G1 Compound 11 City of Oxford SME public running, ● ...and much more! Cutteslowe Pk, Oxford OX2 8LH, 1-4pm January issue on sale 15th December Details for inclusion in this diary must be received at the editorial office (see page 3) at least EIGHT weeks prior to publication. Please ensure that full information is given, Contents correct at time of going to press but subject to change including the full address of every event being held. Whilst every possible care is taken in compiling this diary, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions in these listings. www.model-engineering-forum.co.uk 43ENGINEERING in MINIATURE | DECEMBER 2022

REBUILDING TENDER BODYWORK IN G1 GL5 RALLY REPORT CYLINDERS FOR A 5-INCH SINGLE GETTING THE MEASURE OF A BRITANNIA INSIDEBENDING SUPER-SHARP RADII IN METAL NARROW TO MINIATURE HEREFORD SMMEIPDRLSOAHFNOILDWESGMUWOIDODEREKL–SE1HN3OGTPHI:NP-E1RE6ERSTSHINEOGS,CEBTXROHOBIAEBCRIHTEIOSNAND LASERS THE MAGAZINE FOR MODEL ENGINEERS HEREFORD SME PROFILE WORKSHOP: PRESSES, BROACHES AND LASERS THE MAGAZINE FOR MODEL ENGINEERS THE MAGAZINE FOR MODEL ENGINEERS THE MAGAZINE FOR MODEL ENGINEERS THE MAGAZINE FOR MODEL ENGINEERS JUNE 2022 ❙ £4.50 JULY 2022 ❙ £4.50 AUGUST 2022 ❙ £4.50 SEPTEMBER 2022 ❙ £4.50 OCTOBER 2022 ❙ £5.49 On the Slate Automotive recycling Heat of the moment Single-minded Rally good fun Designing and making Beam engine built from Boiler making for a 5-inch ‘Single’ 7¼-inch rolling stock From Midland Spinner to scrap car parts Welcome return of Great Northern Stirling Jigoffocryelifnfidceier nptadsrsiallginegs in 5-inch Gauge summer events Boiler making for a North London Tank BTAEOTNNO(YDAOLLRMMATEDOOTISAUTLS) LATEST WILL IT RUNNFENRWIONSMGATDNHADETES WORK? DIESEL CLUBS I/C ENGINE CONVERTED TO NEW SERIES – KITBUILDING A FODEN WAGON IN 6-INCH SCALE PETROL 03/05/2022 12:36 3-INCH TRACTION ENGINE BUILD: GROUND-LEVEL MAINLINE FUN NEW METHODS OF MAKING ON ITS WHEELS – 6-INCH FODEN HOW TO FABRICATE A CYLINDER AT GILLING RALLY – FULL REPORT EFFECTIVE LOCO WHISTLESEIM2210p01Cover.indd 1 KIT BUILD PASSES A MILESTONE SUBSCRIBE If you’re enjoying reading Engineering in Miniature, and you would like to explore the hobby in depth, in your own time, why not subscribe and we’ll deliver a lot more directly to your door, every month. There are 2 easy ways to receive Engineering in Miniature. Which format is best for you? INSIDEHEREFORD SMMEIPDRLSOAHFNOILDWESGMUWOIDODEREKL–SE1HN3OGTPHI:NP-E1RE6ERSTSHINEOGS,CEBTXROHOBIAEBCRIHTEIOSNAND LASERS THE MAGAZINE FOR MODEL ENGINEERS PRINT DIGITAL INSIDEHEREFORD SMMEIPDRLSOAHFNOILDWESGMUWOIDODEREKL–SE1HN3OGTPHI:NP-E1RE6ERSTSHINEOGS,CEBTXROHOBIAEBCRIHTEIOSNAND LASERS Have each issue Instant access to the THE MAGAZINE FOR MODEL ENGINEERS posted through your door in high quality Heat of the moment print. Boiler making for a 5-inch ‘Single’ OCTOBER 2022 ❙ £5.49 OCTOBER 2022 ❙ £5.49 Heat of the moment magazine as soon as WILL IT Boiler making for a 5-inch ‘Single’ it’s published. WORK? DIESEL WILL IT I/C ENGINE WORK? DIESEL CONVERTED TO I/C ENGINE PETROL CONVERTED TO ON ITS WHEELS – 6-INCH FODEN PETROL KIT BUILD PASSES A MILESTONE EIM2210p01Cover.indd 1 30/08/2022 16:22 ON ITS WHEELS – 6-INCH FODEN Read the magazine KIT BUILD PASSES A MILESTONE Get away from on your tablet, desktop or smartphone. EIM2210p01Cover.indd 1 a screen and enjoy the tactile nature App is free to download, in-app purchase of individual issues, or take out of flicking through the pages of the a subscription. magazine. Receive your issue one week before it Page view replicates of the print is on sale in the shops. version and a mobile-friendly digital version makes for easy reading. 3 ISSUES FOR £5 SUBSCRIBE After your three issues your subscription changes to a quarterly Direct Debit of £10.99. from just £4.17 an issue! VISIT: www.bit.ly/eimsmags20 DOWNLOAD: CALL US ON: 01778 392465 www.bit.ly/eimsdigital (Quote: EIM/MAG20)

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