Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2024 i Engineering in Miniature

Over the last few years I have written a few articles for these pages so I thought you might like to see where it all happens, my workshop, and gain an insight into how I built it. Way back in about 2002 when I was keen to get into this hobby I had the opportunity to buy a Myford ML7 lathe, but didn't really have anywhere to work. We had an 8ft x 6ft shed down the garden but that was full of the usual gardening stuff so was unsuitable. At the further end of the garden there was space for another shed/ workshop so I set to and built one. It would not be very big, 7ft 6in x 5ft, but would be a dedicated workshop. Photo 1 shows…

The 2023 Rob Roy Rally, the 11th edition of the gathering, was again held on the track of the Bromsgrove Society of Model Engineers at the Avonmouth Museum of Historic Buildings, this being the third staging of the event for the popular 3½-inch gauge tank locomotive since it was revived following two cancellations due to the Covid pandemic. After considerable promotion via the model engineering magazines and the internet and with the track suitably degreased and ready for action, Saturday 16th September was upon us. The weather was misty to start with but despite the low cloud it stayed dry for most of the day. This year as well as Rob Roy locomotives we had invited other 3½-inch gauge models (Photo 1) and together with 14mm and Gauge One railways,…

As a long-time reader of Engineering in Miniature something has been nagging at me for a good while now - when does miniature become model? The other magazine in this market is called Model Engineer and from what I can see doesn't tend to feature quite as large scales as you do - I must add this is not a criticism, for example I find Harry Billmore's features on his engineering efforts at the 12¼-inch gauge Fairbourne Railway some of the most interesting pieces in the magazine. But I'm just wondering where the demarcation point is? Mike Mitchell The editor replies: It's a good question! You can't argue, for example, that miniatures pull real people and models don't, as we talk about models even when they are 7¼-inch gauge. To…

There were two versions of the front bogie fitted by the Southern Railway to the Schools class locomotives. Both the published drawings show bogies with side frames that are slightly deeper in the middle – on the LBSC design it is 1/4 -inch, not dimensioned on the Jackson version but of similar appearance. On my loco the side frames are straight (Photo 88), I believe this was the design used on later locos. The first batch of ten locos did have differences in design; cab windows and cutouts were lower for example. It is possible that the bogie design was also changed after the first batch, certainly all of the locos in preservation, which are later numbers, seem to have the straight bogie frames. Items such as bogies could well…

Having completed our somewhat unconventional modifications to a therapy couch, described in the most recent two editions of EIM, my son Matthew and myself thought we were sorted when it came to the general area of ‘loco-stands’. We had created a means for both easily moving a heavy loco (of either 5-inch or 7¼-inch gauge) and raising or lowering it to a suitable height to enable maintenance to be conducted with ease, for even the most arthritic of model engineers. Job done – or so we thought… Wheely difficult problem What we hadn't bargained for was a need to drop the wheelset on our rather heavy and new (to us) engine, ‘Tom Rolt’ (Photo 1). I won't go into too much detail here, as this will be covered in a…

I have started to make and assemble the platework on my Adams T6 locomotive – a process which is going to require a degree of assembly and then disassembly as I make parts to fit. The platework will be finally assembled using 1/16-inch brass rivets and soft solder for the joints. Some initial trial assembly was carried out using 10BA screws and nuts – not an easy task for large hands with small screws. It also meant that I had to drill the holes at 1.8mm to provide a clearance hole for the 10BA thread – not ideal. “Not an easy task for large hands with small screws…” It was also proving to be a costly exercise by using 10BA, particularly as being so small they are easily lost –…

A 15-inch gauge miniature line in Ireland that most EIM readers have probably never heard of has quietly celebrated its 10th year of operation (reports Hugh Dougherty). The Difflin Lake Railway opened at the Oakfield Park estate in County Donegal in northwest Ireland in 2103. Since then, during the summer, at Christmas and at Easter, its steam and diesel-hauled trains have carried an estimated 300,000 passengers over its 2½ miles of track, offering visitors unique views of the estate from the comfort of a railway carriage. Railway director David Fisher told EIM that all involved with the line are very proud to have completed their first decade in service. “This year, we'll carry around 60,000 passengers whereas, five years ago, it was 20,000, so our popularity is growing,” he said. “We're…

The number of entries this year into the Competition classes of the Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition was a little down on 2022, but that was only to be expected following last year's considerable numbers resulting from the show being the first since 2019. However, the quality of the models on show more than made up for the smaller number of entries. I also know the judges had some difficult choices to make so that all classes with entries made for an excellent competition. No entries were received for Competition Class 1: Locomotives up to and including Gauge 1. Class 2: Locomotives 2½ and 3½-inch gauges A good competition here with two entries from the same builder, Peter Wardropper, who provided a 2-2-2 locomotive ‘Jenny Lind’ to the LBSC design with…

Last month we concluded construction of the wiring of our 5-inch gauge budget loco project so we now need to test it all, a bit at a time. First ensure all switches are off, that the speed control is off and the key is out. Lift the loco up and sit it on some blocks so the wheels are off your bench. Sit a battery box on the loco and plug it in - nothing should happen. If there are any noises, movements, bangs or smoke unplug the battery immediately. If anything has happened you must go back and check all the wiring and connections for any errors. Only when you are satisfied reconnect the battery. Switch on the 12-volt isolator switch. Again nothing should happen. Use a multimeter to…

Organisers of the 2024 Midlands Garden Rail Show, which will be held at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre near Leamington Spa on 2nd and 3rd March, have published the list of layouts, clubs and traders that will be attending the event. This show, organised by Meridienne Events which also runs the Midlands Model Engineering Exihibtion, is aimed at the smaller end of the model engineering spectrum, the ‘garden scales’ including Gauges 0, 1 and 2½-inch and 16mm to the foot scale. The dozen layouts confirmed for the show will range up to Gauge 3, the ‘scenic’ version of 2½-inch gauge, and also include the 16mm Association's modular layout operating live-steam locomotives, and the ‘Midsummer Norton’ Gauge One layout. The Bromsgrove Society of Model Engineers, Coventry Model Engineering Society, Gauge 3 Society…

We start the end-of-year round-up of matters miniature (yes I know this is the January edition but we are looking at November and December's action!) with a couple of the busy railways frequented by our regular correspondent Phil Barnes. Phil begins with a report from one of his favourite local lines, the private 10¼-inch gauge Ingfield Light Railway near Billigshurst in Sussex. On 28th October the line's operating group held their last invite-only ‘friends’ day of 2023 and Phil tells us that whilst the weather forecast was pretty bad, it turned out to be better than expected with quite a few friends turning up. The day had a London Midland & Scottish flavour in its loco roster, (probably inadvertently, Phil adds), the ‘imposter’ being the LNER 2-6-2 ‘Starlight’ which was…