New Member Kent

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New Member Kent

This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 17 January 2021 at 22:41 by Andrew Honychurch.

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17 January 2021 at 17:32 #520504
Andrew Honychurch
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@andrewhonychurch36997
Good evening members, thank you for letting me join your community. I have signed up to learn more about some live model engines my siblings and I have been left by my father. There is a locomotive and tender, a traction engine and a stationary engine. Its the usual story, I didn't ask enough questions whilst Dad was around and now my knowledge is patchy. They have been in my Dads ownership since at least 1966 and never steamed. Any help would be much appreciated. Firstly I am trying to understand the gauging of sizes. With a locomotive is the Inch gauge the track width? And if so how does the sizing work with the Traction Engine please?
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17 January 2021 at 17:32 #41002
Andrew Honychurch
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@andrewhonychurch36997
17 January 2021 at 19:14 #520532
Paul Kemp
Participant
@paulkemp46892
Andrew,

Gauge for loco's (larger scale anyway) is generally the distance between the rails, common sizes are 2 1/2", 3 1/2", 5" and 7 1/4"

Traction engines generally are scaled by 1" to foot so 1" scale is 1/12 full size, 1 1/2" is 1/8 full size, 2" is 1/6 full size, 3" is 1/4 full size, 4" is 1/3 full size, 6" is half!

Unfortunately the size of the model is not always a good guide to scale as with railway loco's narrow gauge prototypes are common and a 2" scale ploughing engine will be close to the same overall dimensions as a 4" scale small steam tractor!

If you want to steam any of them you will need a boiler test to get insurance to run them in public. Even if you want to use them in private it's a good idea to at least do your own pressure test before lighting up! Check any paperwork your dad may have had, it may be they have been previously tested which will make re test easier!

Paul.
17 January 2021 at 19:33 #520538
Andrew Honychurch
Participant
@andrewhonychurch36997
hi Paul and thank you for the very detailed reply. I had thought that would be how the scaling worked, must have been some subliminal message from Dad! I can easily measure the rail width, I suspect she is a 3.1/2 inch. I recall Dad saying they were quite difficult to run and balance because its not very wide. We have some carriages as well

The Traction will be much harder to size , unless you are an expert, as I could not guess the size of the original . Perhaps I can post a photo. I will try to load up my photos to a remote server and stick them on this thread.

As for steaming, yes I would like to learn how to at least do my own pressure test. I noticed the Traction has some , what looks like asbestos lagging underneath which is a bit of a concern. Need to know what to do about that!

many thanks Andrew
17 January 2021 at 20:13 #520546
Grindstone Cowboy
Participant
@grindstonecowboy
Welcome Andrew

Here's a link on how to post photos on here – it's not the most intuitive of processes, but you get used to it.

Rob
17 January 2021 at 20:34 #520555
Roger Best
Participant
@rogerbest89007
Fascinating.

Put a ruler in the photo or a tape measure, that will help.

If he had it in 1966 then it may be asbestos. best leave alone until you are ready.

Cheers

Rog
17 January 2021 at 21:37 #520567
Former Member
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@formermember12892
[This posting has been removed]
17 January 2021 at 22:13 #520577
Andrew Honychurch
Participant
@andrewhonychurch36997
I hope this will work. I have loaded some photos to my remote server via my phone as the laptop is on strike.

Maybe this will work !

https://app.photobucket.com/u/vanquishspirit/a/e1c00631-5d66-4db0-a7a1-d536f714b080/p/5eccd1e2-5b04-46f6-a3fb-4dc3e7c9e87f

Edited By Andrew Honychurch on 17/01/2021 22:14:52

Edited By Andrew Honychurch on 17/01/2021 22:38:43
17 January 2021 at 22:35 #520584
noel shelley
Participant
@noelshelley55608
Your initial questions have been answered, so I will say welcome aboard ship mate ! If you have a question then someone here will be able to answer it and remember There is no such thing as a silly question only silly answers. So do not be afraid to ask !!! Best wishes Noel.

Edited By noel shelley on 17/01/2021 22:35:53
17 January 2021 at 22:41 #520587
Andrew Honychurch
Participant
@andrewhonychurch36997
Thank you all for the help and advice. I hope the photos are now there to be seen. I can add more in the next few days.
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