Engines > From Kits/Castings

High Pressure Steam Table Engine

(1/65) > >>

Jo:
Why am I building this model engine? Terry last year enquired about a reasonably priced model he could build and I suggested the "Clarkson Steeple" Engine. When he brought his set of casting he sent me a PM suggesting that thought it would be a good idea if I made mine in tandem with his so that I could provide clues as to how not to do the bits on his engine. Terry has made an excellent start to his engine over here: https://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,10540.0.html

So lets start with a bit of history of this model design:  in 1932 Mr R Wood exhibited his model of the "High Pressure Steam Table Engine" built in 1840 by Murdock Aitken & Co, Glasgow at the Model Engineer Show for which he was Awarded the "Borneo" Cup  . He made his model to a scale of 13/16" to a foot. I am not sure why he chose this scale  :noidea: but he may have limited it to what he could turn on his lathe so he chose to scale the model accordingly.


One of the well known suppliers of sets of Locomotive Castings "Clarksons" was so impressed with his model that they purchased the rights and after a number of years set about marketing the casting set and this is where the confusion sets in: Clarkson in their catalogues called this a "Steeple Engine". Steeple engines normally have their heavy cylinders on the floor and their crankshafts above them which this doesn't :thinking:

The castings for this engine is currently available from Blackgates in the UK for a very reasonable £220 but you will also need a few few pairs of bevel gears as well. As Blackgates are now the supplier of Clarkson model engine castings they have continued the Clarkson name of "Steeple Engine" but seem to think it is now to a scale of 1" to 1'  :headscratch:

I may regret this but I plan to make a 1:1 scale of Mr Wood's model engine  :) from the Clarkson castings, so I am calling it what Mr Wood called it a High Pressure Steam Table engine  ;D

Jo

Jo:
Clarkson have provided two different sets of drawings for this engine over the years. The later set is known to have bits missing and duplicates of bits  :toilet_claw: Blackgates do sell a set of drawings but I am not sure which set they supply. For myself I have parted out the later drawings then realised that a part was missing and then had to add it to my binder  :Doh:

I found in a book a set of original engravings from which I think Mr Woods built his engine:








These show that the Clarkson drawings have a few more simplifications which may (or may not  ::) ) be included in my build.

Here is the starting point:




Now what is really, really simple that even I can't get wrong  :thinking: And  :facepalm: I think I am short of a casting.

Jo

Kim:
So, are you missing the casting of the base?  I couldn't identify that one in your pictures.

This looks like it will be fun! I'm enjoying watching Terry's build too! Lookin forward to it Jo :)  :popcorn:

Kim

Jasonb:
You are most likely right about the original builder basing his scale on what he could swing as the flywheel will only just fit within a Myford size gap.

Looks like the eccentric strap may have gone mossing or someone has cut the two bolting lugs off and left you a GM ring?

Roger B:
There are a lot of new and interesting casting sets for engines appearing in the last few days  :) not my thing (I'm the strange kid playing on his own in the corner with fuel injection etc.) however I enjoy following the builds. Keep them coming  :ThumbsUp:  :ThumbsUp:  :wine1:

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page