Clarkson Stirling Single 3.5″

[StirlingSingleParticipant @stirlingsingle]

[StirlingSingleParticipant @stirlingsingle]

Does anybody know if anone is making castings for this loco?

 

Many thanks in advance

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

I’m pretty sure thatI saw some 3 1/2″ gauge Stirling Single main wheels in a box to the left of the counter last time I went to Reeves

 

I can only see a 5″ version in ther cat.

 

Neil

[StirlingSingleParticipant @stirlingsingle]

I now have most of the wheels. It seems that Dave Goodwin made castings for the 3.5″ Stirling Single. Are these for the Clarkson design or the Locomotive Design Co Drawings? Also does anybody now the tender wheel spec…i.e WS….. from the Dave Goodwin list.

 

Any ideas gratefully received!!!!

[John MathewsParticipant @johnmathews59493]

I am building a 3.5″ stirling to Clarkson senior design and have a set of blueprints that I can get copied. I also have some drawings for the 5″ version by Clarkson junior If anyone needs them. John M.

[dcostaParticipant @dcosta]

Hello John Mathews.

 

Im’ in the process of choosing a stirling engine to make as my first. And I would like to start with an engine not too small.

I may be interested in Your kind offer. But before declaring my interest I would like to know basic information on the engine itself. Will You be so kind as to let me know where I can find basic information (WWW) on that particular design?

Thanks in advance

Dias Costa

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Dias,

 

The Stirling Singles being discussed here are 1-1-1 steam locomotives with very large driving wheels (so they are known as ‘single wheelers’ despite having six wheels).

 

Neil

[dcostaParticipant @dcosta]

Hello Neil.

 

Thank You for enlighting me on this issue.

 

Best regards

Dias Costa

[bobgParticipant @bobg]

Hi John Mathews,

I too would be interested in your kind offer of blueprint copies. Have sent you a personal message.

Regards,

Bob

[John MathewsParticipant @johnmathews59493]

Hi Bob.

I have not got any contact details yet, but I can get copies printed and sent to you when we have spoken.

Are you building one of these wee engines, or are you just thinking about it?.

I would like to know if “Model Engineer” ever did articles on this Clarkson engine, because I would appreciate all the help I can get. I have got the motion of mine completed and am ready to run on air when the fun will begin.

Are articles available?. John.

[John MathewsParticipant @johnmathews59493]

Hi Bob.

I have not got any contact details yet, but I can get copies printed and sent to you when we have spoken.

Are you building one of these wee engines, or are you just thinking about it?.

I would like to know if “Model Engineer” ever did articles on this Clarkson engine, because I would appreciate all the help I can get. I have got the motion of mine completed and am ready to run on air when the fun will begin.

Are articles available?. John.

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Hi all,

You may be interested in a little book that I had many years ago, about full size loco wheels – it gave the numbber of spokes in wheels of many Brit. loco designs. Just Google Mike Sharmans Wheel Specifications.

John

[bobgParticipant @bobg]

Hi John,

Not started on a Stirling Single yet. Hope to retire in April and intend to start a build then – unsure as to whether to go for 31/2 or 5in version. Cannot help re articles other than to suggest ME index listings to be found at: – http://www.groundlevel.demon.co.uk/me_index.html this may help.

 

Will send a personal message to you with contact details.

Bob

[PETER AYERSParticipant @peterayers98304]

Hi Bob

Martin Evans did a series in the ME some time ago on the Stirling 2-2-2 single, and I know Blackgates does the ex Dave Goodwin castings for it. They also made me a very nice set of flanged boiler plates for it. I am building one myself and can give you the start and finish dates of the MEs you will require. good luck and let me know how you get on

Peter A

[John MathewsParticipant @johnmathews59493]

Hi Peter,

Glad to hear of your intrest and I would appreciate the dates for articles that have been printed. I am a relative newcomer to the hobby and have finished a couple of part made 5″ projects so far. I am getting a lot of encouragement from club members with the 3.5″ Stirling but am finding the smaller scale more challenging. I am thinking of a 5″ from scratch as a future diversion.

John.

[bobgParticipant @bobg]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for the information, have checked through the index and see that the Martin Evans series (for 5″ and 7 1/2″) began in Volume 156 issue 3758 in 15 parts to Vol 157 – sorry do not know the dates John.

I think a trip to the reference library is called for to try and get copies.

Thank you again for your assistance.

Bob

[PETER AYERSParticipant @peterayers98304]

Hi John

The dates of the Martin Evans Stirling articles are 2cnd August 1985 until and including the 7th November 1986.

Good luck and I hope you decide to build it. If you do keep in touch,as I am in France and do not have any model engineers to talk to about problems.

Peter

[John MathewsParticipant @johnmathews59493]

Hi yall.

Oh joy, oh bliss, the wee bugger ran like a sweetie today and I am very happy.

The boys in the club gave me just the right amount of encouragement to keep going without asking for somebody to take over. Now for the boiler which is mostly finished but a wee bit rough looking. The Clarkson regulator drawings are a bit strange and a friend has suggested using a cone type arrangement and that may be the answer without an article to give guidance.

I spend a fair bit of time in the Aude Peter, and am thinking of a steamboat project with another couple of auld edjits. where are you based?.

Thanks everyone for the help, John.

[John MathewsParticipant @johnmathews59493]

P.S.The drawings I am using are blueprints and dated 1945, the year i was born.

John.

[61962Participant @61962]

The Clarkson Stirling single is the 4-2-2 with 8ft drivers. Clarkson’s drawings were actually those of HP Jackson of York which he began to marked with castings after Jackson stopped trading or died. I’m not sure of the circumstances. As far as I am aware none of the Jackson or Clarkson models were written up in any magazine.

The Martin Evans design is for the 7ft 6inch 2-2-2, which was really the workhorse of the GNR express passenger services but which was overshadowed by it’s larger wheeled and prettier companion. Although Evans described the engine many years ago there can’t have been that many built as they are rarely seen.

 

For the builder of either, whether by Clarkson, Evans or any of the other people who have drawn up a GNR ‘Single’, a copy of ‘The Stirling Singles’ by Leech and Body is a must, containing a wealth of information on individual engines (there were few identical as built) and lots of photos and drawings even down to the paint diagram.

 

I’ve built a single with Clarksons drawings and castings as a basis and am very pleased with it. I hope John and Stiling Single enjoy theirs as much as I did.

 

Best of luck

 

Eddie

 

[PETER AYERSParticipant @peterayers98304]

Hi John

I am based in Tincebray Normandy, a long way from the Auge

Peter

[John MathewsParticipant @johnmathews59493]

Hi Peter.

Normandy is over1000k north of us but we use the ferry to Roscoff on an annual basis.

I dont know of any societies in France, but we do have a preserved tourist line beside us in the Aude. There was a visiting mallet for the tousist season this summer ,and the thought occoured to me that two Titches or Y4s. would make an interesting project.

John.

[John MathewsParticipant @johnmathews59493]

Hi to all.

It looks like I am going to have to make a new boiler for the clarkson 3.5″ single.

A problem is the width of the designed boiler of 3.25″, which is the same distance between the driving wheels. I am going to make a barrel 3″ wide and am thinking of doing away with the two superheaters as designed.

Will it steam well enough?.

Any suggestions?.

John Mathews.

[James FarrParticipant @jamesfarr36359]

I have been offered a part built 5" gauge Stirling Single to the Clarkson design, but with no drawings.

Has anybody got a set for purchase or copying ?

[John MathewsParticipant @johnmathews59493]

Hi James, I have a couple of 5" drawings , and the full set of very old Clarkson blueprints.

I could get these copied and forward them to you if you think it useful.

What stage is the engine you have been offered ?.

Regards, John Mathews.

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