GWR 57xx

Pete Rich, doyen of Great Western locomotives - full size and 5in gauge - is quite clear about which was the best locomotive on GW rails. Not the Kings, Castles, Great Bear, Dean Singles, or anything so obvious. No, its the 57xx class pannier tank locomotive. Capable of any task up to and including occasional express hauling, these were the workhorses of the Great Western. Just how useful these go anywhere, do anything locomotives were can be judged by the fact that no less than 863 were built.

The 57xx class is also the subject of one of LBSC’s greatest models, Pansy. His last completed design it is for many a builder his best published design. It is really accurate, and castings are available from several main suppliers, a sure sign that the model is as popular as the prototype.

Overall it is as accurate as any model has been, with only the arrangement of the valves  on top of the cylinders instead of in-between just about the only thing not true to the prototype - with very good reason. It would be quite an easy thing to change the design to incorporate valves between smaller cylinders, but the trade off would be higher than usual boiler pressures and reduced performance.

If the old tanks were the best thing on the GW, the model might well be the best available for budding builders. Although a detailed model it is often built by novices. Curly’s detailed building instructions are available if you pick up volumes 118 to 120 of Model Engineer, which also contain plenty of other nuggets.

If you are not especially keen on the GW it can be built in London Transport, Southern Railway, National Coal Board and, naturally, British Railways liveries - and probably others for bought up second hand engines. The LT maroon livery  suits the design at least as well as GW middle chrome green. Being a Curly design, it does, of course, perform very well on the track, although once finished quite a few end up as static exhibits. It is one of those designs which works extremely well as a model, which in my book is not always true of other GW designs. All Curly other designs are primarily to work. Pansy can be too nice to get dirty. Unless you paint it BR black.

Given the amount of detail, it is not a quick build like many other LBSC designs, but is highly recommended to all.

Sweet Pea

People often ask “what is the ideal beginner’s loco?” Well, there are as many answers to that as there are available designs. Simplex, Tich, Rail Motor, Juliet, Polly, and plenty of other existing designs.

It all depends how much work you want to do, and what you want to do with it when it is finished.

The Sweet Pea design ticks all the boxes. It has so much going for it. It has a marine type boiler, which is the easiest to build, and straightforward Hackworth valve gear. There are only four (small diameter) wheels and if you want you can buy assembled pistons and valves. Laser cut frames and standard off-the-shelf fittings are available to make life even easier for the beginner.

It is an excellent performer and one has done brilliantly at IMLEC, the model locomotive efficiency competition.

As it’s a freelance design, you can add your own finishing touches, and no-one will object!

Castings and everything else needed are available for Jack Buckler’s classic from Blackgates Engineering: http://www.blackgates.co.uk/

Building instructions were published in Engineering in Miniature between October 81 and July 83, and are published in a book entitled Build Your Own Steam Locomotive “Sweet Pea” from: http://www.teepublishing.co.uk/search.php

Or possibly more expensively and dishevelled second-hand on Ebay.

Atom Minor

The Atom Minor petrol engines designed by Edgar T Westbury went through a series of sizes: 30cc, 15cc, 6.3cc before settling at 6cc, the size which has proven enduringly popular for more than 50 years. The Atom Minor Mk III was designed primarily to  power model aircraft, but has been used in a variety of applications, and as an engine in its own right by today’s I/C enthusiasts.

It is a powerful  two-stroke that will swing a 12 x 6in. propellor at 6500rpm. Tuned versions have achieved powerful performances up to 14000rpm.

Building the Atom Minor is described in a book, which has been reprinted many times over the years, and is available from Hemingway Kits priced £5.95, updated and corrected drawings, plus castings and materials are also available. With that sort of  help on tap it is popular among model engineers as a first engine. Hemingway also offers an alternative to Westbury’s cam operated contact breaker points in the form of a modern Hall effect system.

Model pictured is by Ron Chernich.

For more see: http://www.hemingwaykits.com/acatalog/The_Atom_Minor_Mk_3___designed_by_E_T_Westbury.html

Polly

What is the best starting point for a new model engineer? The Society of Model and Experimental Engineers runs regular courses for beginners, making a Polly steam engine.

Polly was designed by Tubal Cain (Tom Walshaw) and it a first-class introduction to various aspects of model engineering, especially those interested in steam. Polly is a complete steam plant with a small boiler and a simple oscillating engine. Building a Polly  involves a whole range of metalworking processes, and the finished result looks good if care has been taken when building it.

The boiler is small enough not to bother the boiler testers. It gives good practice in the various aspects of sheet metalwork in nice to work with copper, while the engine stand gives more practice in working with steel sheet.

The engine can introduce the newcomer to lathework, and accurate drilling. All-in-all it’s the ideal first project for steam fans to prepare them to move on to other boiler/engine arrangement in locomotives, traction engines, and so on.

Drawings and full details of how to build Polly can be found in Tubal Cain’s book Simple Model Steam Engines, see

http://astore.amazon.co.uk/modelengineer-21?node=1&page=3

Any beginner within striking distance of South  London can sign up for a SMEE course at http://www.sm-ee.co.uk/

Simplex

Simplex is one of the most successful designs of Martin Evans, editor of Model Engineer magazine for many years back in the Halcyon days when editors actually did some model engineering as part of their job. In his early days there, the magazine even had its own workshop. Simplex is one of those designs that ticks lots of boxes for lots of people.

It is a freelance design in 5in. gauge and as such does not have the restrictions that models of many prototypes impose, and you change it in any way you wish without upsetting the rivet counters. It was designed very much with the beginner in mind, but unlike other models aimed at a similar level, such as Tich, it is an excellent performer on the track. It was designed without frills and furbelows to keep it simple and give durable performance. Indeed it has proved to be a most popular club locomotive.

The example illustrated proves the point.

This is the club locomotive of the Tonbridge Model Engineering Society, and duties also include driver training and for use by members who did not own their own locomotive. Its origins are unknown, but it was acquired by the society more than 30 years ago. Over the years it had many running repairs, and some more serious work, before being declared ‘worn out’.

After a time in storage, funds were secured from Kent County Council to help rebuild it. Full refurbishment followed including a new boiler and replacement of most of the running gear. The rebuild, mostly by club members John Martin and John Keats, started in 2008 and it ran briefly at the end of 2009. Following some minor adjustments it will be back in service this year.

That illustrates just how durable the design is and how practical. It is probably the most recommended locomotive by people who actually build them.

Drawings and castings are readily available from major UK suppliers. Drawings currently available differ from the originally published ones by incorporating corrections and omissions. Building the model was described in detail in Model Engineer volumes 133 and 134, and the articles were put together in a book, now out of print but occasionally seen second hand.