fcrammond
|
Meccano Day at APSNext Sunday is our annual Meccano event. Most of it is subcontracted to the local Meccano society who put on an excellent event in the Big Shed. But the real stuff goes on upstairs on the Beam Floor where we hold the Annual Great Corporation Road Locomotive Trials. Things have to be Steam Powered, made of Meccano and capable of running on three and a half inch gauge Hornby track. Rockets are strictly speaking not allowed but what the hell they are fun.
We also run anything Meccano and steam driven from cranes to Foden Wagons.
I've been sorting out my stuff and built a few more things this year
A Mersey powered windmill.
And a couple of "Locomotives"
I need to make a new boiler shroud for the right hand engine but the last tinnie I picked up for the job turned out to be full so I left it for the next wino to find (it is christmas)
Fred
|
MFSteam
|
That Meccano Windmill is huge.
Is that a couple of pre war mamods lurking in the third image?
|
Spokesmann
|
Interesting stuff Fred, Windy Miller would be proud of those vanes.
|
fcrammond
|
Is that a couple of pre war mamods lurking in the third image?
Yes, note the missing boiler end cap on the SE4. I'm hoping to get the piledriver working again for Meccano Day and am contemplating borrowing the end cap from the SE3 if my silver soldering skills fail me. The original split along a stress/corrosion line and when I took it of I dropped it on the floor and a chunk cracked off so it's a bit complex to repair.
|
Spokesmann
|
Is it possible to see the innermost loco from the other side Fred? (Lot of Meccano chain there . . . )
|
made-in-england
|
I really need to buy a Meccano Set as I only have the Stuff of plastic from when i was a kid 
sad but true!!
Nice stuff there fred!
|
8_10 Brass Cleaner
|
Well, I've just bought a 90's set 4 for less than £15 via flea bay. You need to keep your eyes peeled..
|
Spokesmann
|
Good buy, I do like old Meccano as well as the new French stuff.
|
fcrammond
|
The chain drive loco is down at APS now with the rest of the locos. I'll try and take some photos of it in ?action on Sunday. Change that to "steam" as I'm pretty certain it will steam but not so certain it will move. Its mate is even less sure of going. Note the flangeless drivers at the rear. It's basically a Crampton and relies on a bit of crafty springing at the "front" to put any pressure at all on the drivers. All very experimental.
|
Spokesmann
|
I look forward to seeing these Fred. 
|
fcrammond
|
The "Crampton " was a total failure. Back to the drawing board. The other , chain driven machine, failed on the day but by judicious tweaking, performed well on Monday. Fortunately we had David & Karen Percival's two engines and my other five locos plus various stationary Meccano models to keep the crowds amused. (those that fought their way up to the Beam Floor, that is).
It was a very dull day, my windmill was absorbing as much power as the average commercial job was generating, so my pictures are not good but I'll put a few up anyway.
See the little puffabillies all in a row
Cranes and Navvies
1929 Navvy
The piledriver is back!
Not mine but one can dream
David's high speed motor
|
8_10 Brass Cleaner
|
Fred, the pile driver looks fun, any more pictures of it?
|
fcrammond
|
I've got a shot of it working somewhere. Most of the Meccano day pictures were taken before the crowds arrived and afterwards it was a bit dark. The great beauty of the piledriver , and why I built it, is that it is totally automatic. Look Ma, no hands! The crane and the shovels are full time jobs. You have no time to stand and stare or things go pearshaped very rapidly. The locos are not bad but take your eye off them and whoops we're off the track. Piledriver just sits and drives piles. Runs of a pre war Hobbies SE4 as well (thanks to Ian) so attracts the serious collector (who is usually shocked that such a precious piece should actually be steamed). So I have missed it while it was hors de combat. Nice to have a play too as STIA is a bit stressful.
See you there?
Fred
|
fcrammond
|
This is the mark1 note the bowlegged verticals and the original precrack end cap on the boiler.
|
Spokesmann
|
Wonderful stuff Fred, I rather like the SW1 on rails!
|
John Chapman
|
Wonderful stuff Fred, thanks for sharing the photos
|
8_10 Brass Cleaner
|
| fcrammond wrote: | I
See you there?
Fred |
Sadly not Fred, wife is due to drop a sprog on the 10th so I expect I'll be chained at home.
Last time I was a APS was to pick up the chimney base from Jingling Geordie, we borrowed it to copy.
Many thanks for the pics, I like the look of the pile driver, where could I find instructions as to how it works? I dont think I could manage if from the pics alone.
|
Spokesmann
|
Im of the mind that an SE4 should be doing something and steamed . . . 
|
fcrammond
|
The only building instructions are lodged in what passes for my brain. I could take you some photos if you are interested in building a replica. The crucial clue is getting the length of string right 
|
8_10 Brass Cleaner
|
Fred, that would be very helpfull. Please can you?
|
steamyjim
|
| 8_10 Brass Cleaner wrote: | | Fred, that would be very helpfull. Please can you? |
I'll second that if you would please!
|
