I have a 1978 edition of MoMSLC. It covers quite a lot of general principles and design considerations for various gauges. I wouldn’t however see it as particularly useful for someone setting out to build an established design, especially a fairly well known one. I’ve not read “The Model Steam Loco”.

Another worthy of consideration is LBSCs Simple Model Locomotive Building. The first you mention was first published in 1960, I have the revised 1962 edition. It covers most aspects though not in great depth, as you might expect in such a large subject. Evans covers Valve gears and boilers in 2 separate Volumes. Noel.

On 22 April 2024 at 11:57 Hopper Said:

Whatever you do, do shop around. I would hate to pay the $540 Amazon are asking for the later edition, only to find out Camden Press sell it for $36. I can’t work out how Amazon gets these crazy prices.

Even Abe Books, owned by Amazon, lists used older editions for $10 while others are $250. Just crazy.

At $10 I would buy both editions!

Amazon isn’t controlling the price, the vendor is.  And they’re using software to set the price based on availability of the book.  It’s pretty stupid, because a lot of books should just be $5 or so.  It’s also stupid, because it’s just plain wrong.  Economies are demand-based.  They’re incorrectly operating under a supply-side model.  But if nobody wants your product, it’s worth nothing.  I’ve seen some books priced in the thousands of dollars.  No joke.  Which also makes it sad, because nobody is going to buy them and they’ll get unused and unappreciated.

Mike

I would find one of Kozo Hiraoka’s books; any one of them. (or, Live Steam magazines with his articles)

I found one of Kozos’ books at a local hobby store (the Shay #1) for $15.00 + GST – that’s that, about 8 to 10 pounds. One of our club members now has it in his possession.

ANY of his books give many more details than any of the Martin Evans’ books. Now, some of Kozo’s books are in metric, others in inches with “North American” fasteners.

Just my opinion, but have built The Hiraoka Shay #1 edition, and his words and music were spot on. I’m finishing an older project (Martin Evans “Ivatt”) locomotive, and it’s comparatively a shambles compared to Kozo’s work.

Again, just my opinion; a good friend built Martin Evans’ Conway from plans and had a fairly easy time of it.

On 22 April 2024 at 21:08 Nigel Graham 2 Said:

 

I have a copy of Martin Evans’ book and agree it is a not a manual on how to build any specific locomotive, nor how to machine metal, but that is not its purpose.

That can only be done with a book specific to that engine, such as LBSC’s one on the ‘Tich’. As far as I know Evans did not write any such even for his own designs.

Martin Evans did actually write a book for at least one specific design, ie “Simplex”. It’s not a bad book with a reasonable amount of construction notes. It gives sufficient design information to build the loco without access to the full size drawings. Quite a good first project resulting in model that performs well on the track.

The most detailed ME construction book I have come across is Bill Hughes’ “Allchin”, not a loco of course.

I have both copies and although worth reading they have never been much use for a novice builder.  Probably better to join a club or search YouTube.

Ah – I responded then your post appeared on my computer just as I did so!

You’ve answered the basic question I had asked, and this shows you and I are faced with a somewhat similar difficulty, so I have re-written my message.

Common details like the lubricator, motion-work etc. have of course to be designed specifically for the locomotive but a book like that by Martin Evans will help you do that by showing their basics. Really, it’s a matter of collecting all the information you can!

I have similar problems because as my main project is a steam-wagon built from no drawings at all apart from a patent specification, just old publicity photographs, basic descriptions and sparse dimensions given in the manufacturer’s catalogue and trade-magazine reviews published more than 100 years ago.

So to try to design the model I have to use a combination of old “full-size” engineering, and modern model-engineering, text-books – including Martin Evans’ book on model locomotive building.