Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Hello,

This has always bothered me.  It's silly but I'm dying to know.

Does anyone know why there is only one hole in the rear wheels of Mamod steam rollers?  Is this prototype?  Two holes, or three, or four etc. can be arranged to keep the wheel balanced, but just one hole renders an imbalance. I know the wheels won't be turning at high speed so an imbalance wouldn't matter, but like it said, it bugs me.

Would the hole be for access to something behind the wheel?  Does the hole compensate for a hidden imbalance, like the wheel weights on a steam locomotive which compensate for the weight of the drive rods, except of course the imbalance is hidden behind the wheel?

I know, it's a trivial thing, but its been gnawing at me for years.  Like why freight on a truck is "shipment" but freight on a ship is "cargo".

Paul

Maybe for a visual effect to see the wheel turning?

Don't know why they do, but I believe the earlier ones had no hole at all, including none in the front roller sidewalls!