Hi,
Not an exhibition but might be found interesting. In 1982 the Whitchurch & District Model Engineering Society (now know as
Cardiff Model Engineering Society) were told by their landlords British Railways that they would have to move from the land they had occupied for 18 years as the site was needed for redevelopment. So, to earn money to help fund a move they started attending Fetes
https://youtu.be/__wOrVt7rFgTake care Tony.
Surprising number of smiling faces recorded considering the general inclemency being experienced.
Nice steam engine being given a workout, that's for sure!
Looks like a dedicated group of blokes Tony.
Thanks for sharing the video.
Those kids would be into their 50's now and would remember that day.
Hi Jim,
Yes, and alas at least two of the drivers have past away. The model was a Simplex built by members of the society I don't know what happen to it, it isn't around now. It was named Charles Downs after one of the constructors that die of cancer before it was finished. Our son has a Simplex built by his grandfather when well in his seventies, it has been in my Den for the last twenty or more years waiting for said son to collect it! My father never saw it run as he was in poor health when he finished it. The model has only run once which was before it was painted. This happened either on a Boxing Day or New Years day when the W&DMES has members play days. A video was taken for my father to see, the model performed very well for a first time out. If I remember correctly I nearly ran into the train in front while it was in the station not because I didn't see it but because I opened instead of closing the regulator. Not completely my fault as the construction of the regulator require a left hand thread and not having a suitable tap my father used a right hand one. I had closed the regulator by hitting it with the shovel to save leaning forward and only just managed to stop before impact!
Halcion days!
Take care Tony.
Hi,
Covid has a lot to answer for leased of all me getting bored in the workshop and looking at and digitising old videos.
https://youtu.be/pLCMHKzt_TERelated to previous comment.
I hope it is found interesting.
Take care Tony.
For a first run out on the tracks, that is incredibly impressive and certainly tells the tale of a quality build!
Not wanting for power that one, as it seems to pull mightily showing little effort in so doing!!!
Hi Tony,
thank you for showing the videos. Very impressive.👍👍
Tony, enjoying these glimpses of times gone by.
Hi Daniel,
For a first run out on the tracks, that is incredibly impressive and certainly tells the tale of a quality build!
Yes, my dad was a good craft, during WW2 he severed in the Fleet Air Arm as an engineering officer specialising in engines and air frames and for a short time he was attached to the US Air Force
Not wanting for power that one, as it seems to pull mightily showing little effort in so doing!!!
Yes it has far more power than its adhesion like a lot of small steam locomotives. You might not know that Simplex was designed by Martin Evans a prolific model designer and editor of the Model Engineering magazine for many years.
Simplex as its name suggest was fairly simple free-lance design which was very well balanced so had good traction many being built and was later followed by a Super Simplex. It had a few design features that contributed to its fine performance: it used the quite high boiler pressure of 120 PSI, it had a double act axle pump for water supply to the boiler which didn't hammer like the single acting versions did though a lot more work to make this also contributed to its smooth running. Probably the biggest contribution to its success was the use of a radiant super heater. As you might know most 5" gauge model locomotives have four super heat flues with fairly close fitting super heat tubes in them, these usually get clogged with ash to the extent that they aren't really doing much. The single radiant super heat flue is very much larger and has a single stainless steel super heat tube that goes right into the fire box. There are many advantages: the flue is rarely blocked and easier to clean, even if the flue gets blocked the super heat tube is above the fire so works nearly as well, having only a single flue albeit a large one many more smaller fire tubes can be used giving more heating area, and there is far less plumbing in the smoke box and if the super heater burns out it is a lot easier to remove.
Attached photographs as Simplex is now still waiting collection by our son.
Take care Tony.
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