Engineering / Modelling Books for Winter Evenings?

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

As Dave Smith recommends: The BR Handbook for Railway Steam Locomotive Enginemen.

This could be particularly helpful for those fully-detailing miniature locomotives, as shown by for example, Doug Hewson, especially if you want to experiment with working auxiliaries usually fitted to models only as semi-operable, dummy or not at all.

Mine?

The 20th Century Inventions That Changed The World – pub. Readers' Digest 1996, reprinted 1999.

The Innovative Engineer – a special celebrating 125 years of the professional engineers' magazine The Engineer, and collating articles from its span. Dotted with modern trade ads, too. Pub. Morgan-Grampian,1981

Among other things it shows it was not only poor design that brought the 19C Tay Bridge down, but also appallingly bad workmanship. A splendid fold-out facsimile of the Fowler-built 0-6-0 for the London, Chatham & Dover Railway, originally in the first edition in 1856, might inspire anyone looking for an unusual project. Unfortunately the drawing inc. half-sections omits dimensions (scale from the gauge) and the tender.

Another sectional loco drawing shows the sheer draughtsmanship available in the 19C drawing-office – no 3D CAD – just elm boards and loose squares!

Jacob Holtzappfel's Turning & Mechanical Manipulation Vols. 1-3 is a treasure-trove of the very latest, well, 19C, metal-working techniques. Some might be worth re-visiting, if only for making replicas of the elegant tools of the time. It is a pity that the facsimile's TEE Publishing could not also release Vols. 4 & 5, though I think they were produced by the American company Dover Publications another firm some years previously. There are on-line facsimiles too; but I prefer the feel and physical convenience of real books, and printing-off would take much ink and paper..

First catch your metal, to paraphrase the cookery-writer Mrs. Beeton who never wrote it anyway…. helped by:

De Re Metallica, Georgius Agricola's treatise on ore prospecting, mining and processing – Dover produced an English-language version of this. I don't own a copy but have read it elsewhere, and a quick look on-line shows various sources of similar. The original was published in 1556 – delayed by production problems so sadly for the German author, posthumously.

For the mathematically-minded musician, I inherited a Dover Pub. paperback facsimile of an 1877 edition of Hermann Helmholtz' text-book on the physics of music and musical instruments, On The Sensations Of Tone. One chapter details the secrets of what in modern terms is an electro-acoustic transducer formed of a wave-guide, mechanical impedance-matching and velocity-hydrophone array theoretically sensitive within a 9 octave band down to 20µPa SPL (0dB re 20µPa) in air – the human ear. Helmholtz' etchings and descriptions of some of his experimental apparatus might inspire those interested in making facsimiles of early scientific instruments – naturally needing a treadle-driven Holtzappfel lathe?

Edited By Nigel Graham 2 on 10/02/2021 19:01:23

[Dr_GMJNParticipant @dr_gmjn]

These sound great. Thanks very much for the suggestions.

So there have been some borderline engineering titles, but why not? Seems like related subjects such as aviation and science in general are – unsurprisingly – popular topics with folks here.

One I’m reading now is “Most Secret War” (R.V. Jones), which is about the battle to break the German bombing radar beams in WW2. I live in Sheffield, and there was a pub on the corner next to where I used to work (Forgemasters) which according to local legend, was the point on German Luftwaffe maps obtained after the war where the beams crossed for the Sheffield blitz. Ironically in the end, it was The City Council that levelled it.

Another must read is “The Right Stuff” (Tom Wolfe) about breaking the sound barrier and the Mercury space program. As an aside, if you have Netflix, you have to watch “The Real Right Stuff”, which is a documentary based on the book, but uses archive footage throughout, along the lines of the incredible “Apollo 11” film from a couple of years back – I found both absolutely brilliant. Not to be confused with another Netflix ”The Right Stuff” which is a serialised dramatisation of the book, and a total flop as far as I’m concerned. It’s nothing compared with the great original film from 1983. The only thing about the new series I found mildly interesting was the inclusion of what I’m certain is an H-24 Napier Sabre in some of the office scenes. No idea where they got that from (maybe on loan from Mr. Weeks?).

But maybe save films or documentaries for another thread…there are loads of them on YouTube these days, from when TV wasn’t fully dumbed-down.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Instruments of Darkness by Frederick Price, the story of German radar in WW2. In many ways technically better than ours but much worse organised.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I used to have a copy of Most Secret War many years ago. I seem to remember it should be called 'How I Won the War'

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

Someone earlier mentioned books by LTC Rolte. I am currently reading his biography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. What an amazing pair of engineers he and his father (Marc) were. Can thoroughly recommend it.

A Treatise on Milling and Milling Machines by Cincinatti Milling Machine Company.

Complete Engineer Vols 1-4

Colin

[Anonymous]

Posted by duncan webster on 10/02/2021 21:55:24:

I used to have a copy of Most Secret War many years ago. I seem to remember it should be called 'How I Won the War'

…. evokes memories of that other classic: "Adolf Hitler – My Part In His Downfall" by Spike Milligan.

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

I do have a fair number of books relevant to my hobbies but looking through them following reading through this thread I'm surprised to find many are ship orientated despite the interest more on aircraft and engines from a modelling point of view

The George Watkins ones I have on stationary engines are treasured of course but, courtesy of ebay I have acquired just this last week a facsimile edition of the 1904 Reed's 'Yacht, Trawler and Launch' engines. In excellent condition it is a fine addition to the 'engine' shelf and came complete with 6 separate and pristine fold out sheets of various engines, boilers and installations.

Tug

[Dr_GMJNParticipant @dr_gmjn]

Posted by Ramon Wilson on 10/02/2021 23:22:01:

I do have a fair number of books relevant to my hobbies but looking through them following reading through this thread I'm surprised to find many are ship orientated despite the interest more on aircraft and engines from a modelling point of view

The George Watkins ones I have on stationary engines are treasured of course but, courtesy of ebay I have acquired just this last week a facsimile edition of the 1904 Reed's 'Yacht, Trawler and Launch' engines. In excellent condition it is a fine addition to the 'engine' shelf and came complete with 6 separate and pristine fold out sheets of various engines, boilers and installations.

Tug

A good book on ship models is “The Life and Ship Models of Norman Ough“. He built a series of large scale ships, Mainly WW2 era – from scratch. He obtained full sized plans and then scaled them down – his models are highly detailed and are now in museums and private collections. Interesting man who lived alone in his workshop/flat, and was occasionally hospitalised due to malnutrition caused by forgetting to eat when engrossed in his model building.

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

Hello Doc G, I was aware of Norman Ough's prowess as a model ship builder but was not aware of a book. Thanks for that info as I now have one ordered

I'm sure I have seen some of his models at various ME exhibitions in the pre Wembly era but I recall very clearly seeing a model in the Imperial War Museum in the early sixties of a naval vessel in a dock setting which was truly amazing in detail and one that would later turn out to be one of his masterpieces – I hope it figures in the book. I saw that on the same day I bought the pulse jet mentioned on the aeromodelling thread – two of us on a modellers day out HJN's at 308 Holloway Road, Beaumont Aviation and the museum then back to reality in barracks! Ha! I wonder if 'Ginge' Colin Myers is still around

I don't have the Wingrove books but I have seen them – another phenominal and outstanding model maker but perhaps not quite so eccentric as you say Norman was.

Ramon (Tug)

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

The Model Aero Engine Encyclopǣdia, 1969 edition, R.G. Moulton.

Still a great read, full of useful advice ranging from selecting, running, tuning and building a model aircraft engine this is still a classic. (With lathe advice, leaning toward a Myford Super 7)

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

Ah! of course Danny, and to add to that the 'Control Line Manual' by Ron Moulton

[Dr_GMJNParticipant @dr_gmjn]

Posted by Ramon Wilson on 11/02/2021 12:00:12:

Hello Doc G, I was aware of Norman Ough's prowess as a model ship builder but was not aware of a book. Thanks for that info as I now have one ordered

I'm sure I have seen some of his models at various ME exhibitions in the pre Wembly era but I recall very clearly seeing a model in the Imperial War Museum in the early sixties of a naval vessel in a dock setting which was truly amazing in detail and one that would later turn out to be one of his masterpieces – I hope it figures in the book. I saw that on the same day I bought the pulse jet mentioned on the aeromodelling thread – two of us on a modellers day out HJN's at 308 Holloway Road, Beaumont Aviation and the museum then back to reality in barracks! Ha! I wonder if 'Ginge' Colin Myers is still around

I don't have the Wingrove books but I have seen them – another phenominal and outstanding model maker but perhaps not quite so eccentric as you say Norman was.

Ramon (Tug)

If you like ship models, then the International Maritime Museum in Hamburg is an absolute must. The ship models and ship engine models are breathtaking in number and quality. It's housed in an old warehouse in the new Hafencity part of Hamburg, and is spread over about 7 or 8 floors. The top floor is dedicated to the founder's collection of thousands of tiny scale ships, all displayed in huge glass cases. It is the best museum I've ever been to.

Nearby is the Miniature Wonderland model railway – the largest in the world, and the small but beautifully formed "Prototyp" car museum. Plenty of ships to see in the harbour, and an old sailing ship, 1960's cargo ship and a Russian Submarine, all of which are museums.

Well worth a trip.

[derek hall 1Participant @derekhall1]

Oh no…I was in Hamburg 2019…for a long weekend….if only I knew about this museum when I was there…..sigh…..oh well lets hope we all get the opportunity to get out soon.

I want to go to the Forncett museum as its sort of near me and I have never heard of it until I read about it on this forum.

Anyway my contribution to the engineering books to read are: The Rotary Aero Engine by Andrew Nahum

Regards to all

Derek

[Dr_GMJNParticipant @dr_gmjn]

Another book for ship enthusiasts is “Anatomy of the Ship – The Battleship Bismarck“ (Draminski).

660 scale drawings, 400 colour 3D views.

It’s all based on a CAD model…but hear me out – I was sceptical too – it’s no ordinary 3D model. It’s photo-realistically rendered, fastidiously researched and detailed with every rivet and weld line. The author researched the ship over many years, and every possible source of material was investigated. The cross sections and detail views of the various systems are absolutely superb. It really is a stunning piece of work.

I bought it as a reference for a highly detailed 1:250 paper model I’m building at the moment, and it’s been incredibly useful.

[Bill PudneyParticipant @billpudney37759]

Talking about models of ships……..A long time ago in a far off land I was working for a Government dept. where Royal Navy ships were designed. Part of the design process was the manufacture of a large scale model, the one in the section where I was working was 1/50. No doubt earlier models were 1/48. I was told that models were made because most politicians couldn't, or wouldn't read drawings. Part of my induction process was a visit to the model shop, where there were about 5 or 6 men beavering away. When I said which section I was on there was a more or less spontaneous gasp from the model makers, followed by…."..so it's your fault". As a result of "my" section being the first metric ship designed by the Admiralty, the model makers had had to remake all the "Standard parts" and/or AP (Admiralty Pattern) parts, ships boats, guardrail stanchions, davits, anchors etc etc, which since Noah was a lad had been in imperial scale. One of the hidden costs of metrification no doubt!!

cheers

Bill

[Anonymous]

Posted by Bill Pudney on 11/02/2021 22:31:01:

When I said which section I was on there was a more or less spontaneous gasp from the model makers, followed by…."..so it's your fault". As a result of "my" section being the first metric ship designed by the Admiralty, the model makers had had to remake all the "Standard parts" and/or AP (Admiralty Pattern) parts, ships boats, guardrail stanchions, davits, anchors etc etc, which since Noah was a lad had been in imperial scale. One of the hidden costs of metrification no doubt!!

I don't doubt what you say, Bill but another way they could have viewed it would be "Job Security".

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

I'm afraid my travelling days are over Doc, but time was I would have liked to have seen such a display of ship models.

Some years ago I visited our Maritime Museum only to be very disappointed in the lack of ship model exhibits on display in a national museum. I had gone there specifically to view one model – the Moshulu – a four masted barque built by two brothers and alledgedly built rivet for rivet as per the full size. Whether that is correct or not I don't know but it certainly featured on the cover of the museum brochure with some pride and had centre spread status too. I kept waiting for it to appear as I moved through the museum but it was nowhere to be seen. I asked a curator – "It's been put away" came a very disgruntled reply – "it used to be just there" pointing to a vacant space – "New managements decision" and, with a roll of his eyes 'Visitors aren't interested in models any more, they want interactive exhibits' he quoted. That really put the cap on a very disappointing day.

A later visit to the Glasgow Museum of Transport proved just the opposite however with some superb models to view and an extremely friendly staff.

I have a few of the Anatomy books but not the Bismarck and three of the Waine Reasearch Publications – British Steam Tramps, British Steam Tugs and Coastal Vessels. Lovely produced books in their day full of full size ships drawings and details – much treasured.

When it comes to ship models I'm very much an armchair modeller but always love to see the fine detail that the builders go to such lengths to recreate.

Derek – you must be Norfolk based. Forncett ME Day has been a yearly event for many years – hopefully to return at some point in time. Theres always good notice of it on here.

Ramon (Tug)

PS Nice tale Bill  

 

Edited By Ramon Wilson on 11/02/2021 22:58:58

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

I can vouch for the Glasgow Museum of Transport, though who had decreed steam locomotives must be displayed with their regulator handles removed, and why, is anyone's guess. Including for the motive, probably of the decision-taker, too!

I gave the National Railway Museum and the visitor-centre at Jodrell Bank lower marks though.

[Dr_GMJNParticipant @dr_gmjn]

I like to see things in glass cases in a museum! The interactive stuff is a load of guff IMO.

The National Space Centre is nothing but a bad joke. Apparently my favourite museum – Duxford – is now run by people who seem intent on ‘modernising’ the ‘experience’. I went in 2018 and spent an hour chatting with a small group of local radio and radar enthusiasts, who were located, along with their collection, in a hut within the museum grounds. The hut contained all kinds of military electronic equipment, and they really knew their stuff. I heard last year that the management had chucked them out for some reason. It’s people like that who you learn from, not a series of “this exhibit is temporarily unavailable” experiences. I heard that The Land Warfare Hall is also being closed, and the annual Flying Legends airshow has been cancelled, apparently because Duxford want their own airshow in that slot in July. How on Earth they can match the incredible array of flying aircraft provided by The Fignter Collection (who run the show) is beyond me. All their aircraft are maintained in a Hangar within the museum, and you can wander around and see their amazing WW2 era aircraft being stripped, maintained and restored every day of the week. If they now decide to leave, the place will have lost all its magic.

At least smaller museums run by enthusiasts can still be found. A few that spring to mind I visited in West Wales recently are RAF Carew Control Tower (also restoring an Avro Anson), Chapel Bay Fort near Angle, and Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre, who are gradually recovering parts of a Sunderland flying boat from the adjacent river. Last year I loaned them a set of Sunderland/Lancaster/Hudson bomb arming switches. No big deal in the scheme of things, but I wanted to support them in some small way. They seemed happy to have them.

[Clive BParticipant @cliveb55652]

Here's one of my favourites:-

Cold War, Hot Science: Applied Research in Britain's Defence Laboratories, 1945-1990 by Robert Bud, Philip Gummett.

A fascinating history of British applied defence research carried out in the UK Govt. research establishments (e.g. RAE Farnborough, RSRE Malvern etc) during the Cold War period.

Clive

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

I visited the Flying Legends show from its start Doc, at first just the one day then the two. I stopped after 13 or 14 years as it began to become such a slog in the traffic just to get in no matter how early we set out . I used to go each year to the MAFVA exhibition day as well. Each time there seemed to be a gradual disinterest (by Duxford) in such an added attraction. I last visited about 2 years ago when they had the airborne drop for D Day anniversary. Absolutely dreadful time getting in and out – vowed never to go again!

Our local maritime museum at Lowestoft was a true small museum packed to the gunnels and run by dedicated members. Some time back it won a grant and was extended and upgraded. I confess my immediate thought was that it would become the same as many – less exhibits but more interactive. I was completely surprised to find the opposite – a huge positive change but it had lost none of it's character. A small museum but one well worth visiting.

A couple of books to bring us back on topic –

Modelling Maritime History by Malcolm Darch – another truly superb craftsman

and From Tree to Sea by Ted Frost – an account, literally, of building a wooden (full size) drifter with loads of lovely pen and ink drawings by the author of the birth and growth of a ship.

Ramon (Tug)

 

Edited By Ramon Wilson on 12/02/2021 10:21:44

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Oh – I'll look out for that one, Clive, with considerable local and personal interest to me.

'

I've a number of autobiographies of former professional drivers of road and rail steam – fascinating, and certainly showing the commercial operation was not quite the idyllic profession some seem to think; though no worse than much else at the time.

'

Away from engineering I have a sizeable assortment of factual works on my other interests; and I read very little fiction.

However, I found Robert Harris' The Second Sleep (Hutchison, part of Penguin, 2019) very absorbing and thought-provoking. I encountered it being read on the radio but missed some episodes, so bought a copy via the Radio Times mail-order shop.

The Second Sleep, set in England 800 years in the future, chronicles a young priest's attempts to investigate the death of the local priest in a fictional village near Exeter (where a few scenes do occur). It breaks the future-dystopia custom of continuing technical progress. Instead, a 21C "Apocalypse" of unknown nature and cause, has evidently been followed by society having slowly recovered, but to only about late-17C level for reasons soon clear. The nearest explanation for the collapse is offered when we become privy to a pre-Apocalypse (our time) document discussing various possible causes for a future collapse. Dangerous knowledge, as is collecting articles surviving from our time; but a strength of Harris' authorship is how (as well as why) he allows us to see those forecasts and random found items.

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

What young family can afford to go to Duxford museum or The Portsmouth Dockyard these days if they were open ? Duxford child ticket £11-25 Porstmouth Dockyard cheapest child ticket £19. The dockyard tickets are open for a year but thats only good if you live locally and dont have to travel far. I do not think the wife & I have ever revisited a place in the same year. It wouuld be interesting to see the figures for revisits within a year. I think they would be very low.

The price for admission is IMHO way to high. Then the food outlets rip you off even more.

regards

[Dr_GMJNParticipant @dr_gmjn]

Posted by Ramon Wilson on 12/02/2021 10:19:58:

I visited the Flying Legends show from its start Doc, at first just the one day then the two. I stopped after 13 or 14 years as it began to become such a slog in the traffic just to get in no matter how early we set out . I used to go each year to the MAFVA exhibition day as well. Each time there seemed to be a gradual disinterest (by Duxford) in such an added attraction. I last visited about 2 years ago when they had the airborne drop for D Day anniversary. Absolutely dreadful time getting in and out – vowed never to go again!

Our local maritime museum at Lowestoft was a true small museum packed to the gunnels and run by dedicated members. Some time back it won a grant and was extended and upgraded. I confess my immediate thought was that it would become the same as many – less exhibits but more interactive. I was completely surprised to find the opposite – a huge positive change but it had lost none of it's character. A small museum but one well worth visiting.

A couple of books to bring us back on topic –

Modelling Maritime History by Malcolm Darch – another truly superb craftsman

and From Tree to Sea by Ted Frost – an account, literally, of building a wooden (full size) drifter with loads of lovely pen and ink drawings by the author of the birth and growth of a ship.

Ramon (Tug)

Edited By Ramon Wilson on 12/02/2021 10:21:44

It's odd about the traffic at Duxford on airshow days. We go down from Sheffield on the day, arriving at about 11:00 am and have never queued for more than 10 minutes. That's coming straight off the M11. We've been going every year for about 14 years.

There was however just one year (about 2009) when IIRC the Red Arrows had an early display slot, and we (my pal, my 3 year old son and I) were stuck half on and half off the slip road. Nothing moved for about 90 minutes, and news filtered though that the car parks had been shut. We got back on the M11 and came home (about a 3 hour drive).

The irony was that when we got home, the missus said the Red Arrows had flown straight over our house earlier in the day, so she'd got to see more aircraft than we did, just by staying at home.

[Dr_GMJNParticipant @dr_gmjn]

Just to get the thread back on track a bit:

I'm planning on building a 1" "Minnie" Traction engine at some point in the middle distance. I have all the articles from ME, but wondered if there was a 'proper' physical book I could get on building a traction engine in general? Doesn't have to be specific, just something to read instead of shuffling individual sheets of A4 around. I know the ME articles were made into a book, but I think its very expensive.

Thanks.

[Author]

Posts