STEAMAPPRENTICECLUB
NEWSLETTERNo.7September1980
De~r Apprentice,
Well, how do ;you like our new-look newsletter? The club is doing ao well that we have decided it deserves a properly printed newsletter! so here it is. Not only does it look better, but we are now able to pr .nt diagra11s and the occasional phot.e·gl!aph- though only in black and white. So send us any pictures you think might be of interest to other Apprentices, and we will see what we can do. Please send a stamped, addressed envelope as well, if you want them back!
The club goes from strength to strength. Our first event, reported fully in the last newsletter, was foll0wed by another at the Rempstone rally -for details look :further on. -r:,.rehad difficulty getting the last newsletter out in time to give you adequate warning of the Stamford event, but the weather was not too good, so those of you whc didn't come, didn't miss too much. Stamford was the first rally at which-an official Steam Apprentice Club stand wa& present, ably staffed by your membership secretary and her son -an Apprentice himself. And the Club f'lag was hoisted over the stand for the first time. Anyone wha, reads 'World's Fair' will have seen the picture on the 12th. July. We've had good publicity in the 'Model Engineer• and some lccal newspapers, as well.
Nobody has written any letters this time. I suppose you are all much too busy going to rallies. If you go to a particularly good one, we should like to hear about it. The Good Rally Guide will continue whenever someone sends in a contribution. And there is nothing to stop you writing other things tor the newsletter. We recently read a very good article by one of our members -but it was in the Steam Plough Club magazine: How about something for us?
Finally an advance warning. The club subscription will go up to £1.50 in 19~1, to CQver increasing postage and adllinistration costs. That means that if your next aubscriptien_ is we after December 31st, 1980, it will be at the increased amount. Everything seems to be going up these days, but we can promise that the club will continue to be good value -there should be even more events specially for Apprentices next year.
With best wishes,
Margaret Joachim, Editor.
If not, this may be the last newsletter you get! Subscription renewals, of £1 (cheque or postal order, please), should be sent to the Membership Secretary, Mrs. Sylvia Berth-Jones, at Pounce Hall Cottage sewards End Saffron Walden, Essex. ' '
APPRENTICES AT REMPSTONE
Any Apprentice whe turned up early on the Sunday morning of the Rempstone rally had a treat in store. After reporting to the club stand, superbly placed in the middle of the engine line, the Apprentice was lent to an engine for the day. Members could be seen vigorously oiling, cleaning and stoking, and getting a lot of useful information from the owners and drivers at the same time. Most of them took part in the Grand Parade later in the day, some steering the engines and a lucky few even driving them. The Membership Secretary and the Rally Organiser made a1l the arrangements for this, and reports:
"Three of our older lads had a chance to operate the Fowler Z7 pleughing engine, recently returned from Mozambique. Richard Froggatt was steering when I had a go at the controls and said that he considered he'd got his pound's worth even if he di! nothing else with the club this year. And envious fathers are becoming commonplace at our events.
The engine drivers are-proving ver-y willing to help our ~embers, and we are most grateful to them. I feel sure that, if you are wearing your badge, they will answer any sensible questions even if one of us is not there to introduce you.,,
Thank you, Sylvia, and thanks for fixing everyone up so well, and running that stand as well.
OUR NEXT EVENT - ROXI10NPARK HALLY
We mentioned in the last newsletter that there was a possibility e~ a members• session at Rgxton. All the arrangements have now been made, and any Apprenticeswho arrive at Roxton Park at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday, September 14th, should find plenty of things to interest them. Just report to the S.A.C. stand on the rally field, and remember to bring your membership card with you. Wear some old clothes -if you are goin~ to help with an engine your beet Sunday outfit y,ill not be the same again! Please let SYlvia (address on page 1) know if you are coming.
(For anyone who has lost their rally list, Roxton Park is near Bedford.)
BOOK REVIEW by DAVID
CRAWLEY
STEAMTRACTION
The job of recommending a book which will introduce the yowig enthusiast to the world of steam is very hard because of the technical nature of our subject. In ~his book, Brian Johnson has overcome this problem and provided us with an informative, easy to read text covering most aspects in a non-technical manner. The book starts off by explaining the workings of the traction engine, and follews this up with a brief chapter on driving. The next section takes us through the various types of engines, -:.vagonsi rollers, showman's, etc., and how the.y evolved. • A b~er history fo lows, commenting on the various innovations and landmar 1n the development of the traction engine.
The main p-art of the book is :, ,...1 1 ,._ • f 1 r::8 again covering most makes and _ -0 ~ ecuion ° J c~lour plates, helps to explain more fully th~~e~, witt~ an accornoany1ng text which book. • in orma ion in the first half of the
BOOK REVIEW, continued ...
One of the most important things for all steam enthusiasts is a library, and I think that this book makes an excellent stai-ting point. After you have grasped all the basic principles you will be able to build your library up to include many of the more technical books currently available.
The book reviewed is: Steam Traction Engi~es, Wagons and Rollers in Colour, by Brian Johnson, published by the Blandford Presa.
0
David Cra~ley hopes to make the book column a regular feature, so if anyone wants any information on b0oks he ·.vil l be happy to help. Please send a stamped, addressed envelope with your query, to: David Crawley, 69 Denmark Street, Bedford.
PHarOGRAPHIC COMPETITION LAsr WARNING!
See ne~sletter number 6 for full details. Remember that the closing date is September 31st, so you won't get another reminder. Just to jog your memory -three prizes, for the best engine photograph, the best rally scene, and for a picture involving Apprentices. Send your entries, with a stamped addressed envelope if you want them returned, to the Editor, 8 Newburgh Road, Acton, w3 6DQ.
THE BANDAI 1 116 GARRETTSHOWMAN'SENGINE 'PENDLE PRIN~ESS'
By 'POLLY srYRENE'
It is now nearly two years since I first saw this beautiful kit and was challenged to build it to a standard that would not disgrace close-up photography, (one of th toughest tests of a miniature's quality). reykit arrived in my 1978 Christmas stocking, and, having devoted on average one evening a week and one day a month to it, it is now very nearly finished.
This is no model for the faint-hearted! As usual you have to paint as you go along, because most parts become inaccessible to a paintbrush once they are attached. One of the first painting jobs is to line out the wheels. This is made 'easy' with a raised line, but unless the thickness of the green paint is exactly right it will either run off the ridge and smear over the spoke, or you will be unable to draw a smooth line. I suggest you put a few drops of paint in a shallow container (like the lid of the mini-pot), and have a pot of thinners handy. Use an o, not oo, brush, and wipe it nearly clean with a tissue between each line - and later each rivet. A thin coat of varnish will protect the lining and give c Jeeper, more metallic finish to the plastic than paint alone.
!here is a.lot of.detail on this model, and it all has to be brou~ht out ~ith t~e right paint. Remember that nuts and bolts do not usually- ;~1~e~~~~1rtpaintT~n the working surfaces; neither do parts like cable 1 s eps. e metallic paints you will need are: gold (for brass app y over a matt green undercoat), glo::rn silver, Silver ;ox (matt), ,
BANDAI~GINE
Gunmetal, and a mixture of Gunmetal with matt black and a dash of dark blue. Go very easy on the matt black alone -it is OK on the smoke box and chimney and round the ashpan but it tends to obscure detail and can easily just look grubby. Remember to deflash the mouldings with a sharp knife and emery, remove all traces of adhesive and hairlines, and degTease with very weak detergent solution or diluted vinegar before painting. Let the paint dry out of the dust.
The transfers in the kit are good, but I prefer to trim them clear of their backing which otherwise showsl even under varnish, and is difficult to manoeuvre over rivets and comp ex contours without leaving wrinkles. It is easiest to transfer with water -and permanence is fine under varnish,.
There is plenty of cppnrtunity for super-detailing as you feel inclined! but you will need clear photographs to guide you. Some o'f' the more obv ous points: the governor is a horrible moulding -cut it off a.nd try again. I used brass strip, a drawing pin and plasticene to fabricate a much more convincing mechanism. The driving belt from crankshaft to intermediate shaft for the governor is missing. The reinforcement for the waterhoee needs representing; I spent a happy (l) evening winding cotton round the hose and anchoring it with paint. The notches on the reversing lever gu1de.,need cutting. The light bulbs have brass caps and white ceramic holders. There are no teeth on the bevel ~ears '!'or the governor. The cylinder drain pipes are unconvincing mouldings on the boiler - ~ut them off and substitute carefully shaped brass or copper wire. If you are feeling really brave, (I chickened outl), you can file out holes in the seat, or, even more ambitiously, make all the transmission 'live•. To do this you nill have to fashion a laysheft and sprung bearings for it; the gears and differential clutch will ~ork if you do. It would be pert'eetly ;,nssible, for static di~r,lay purposes, to hide a 'big inch' or simila~ ultra low speed motor in the dynamo casing to tu:r-n the action over very slowly.
My Garrett ~ill be mounted on a strip of 'road', (sandpgper), u~1Pr a perspex C:ase to keep the dust o'ff'. It h&s given me a lot of pleasure inthe huilding, ~ith more to come, and I'm sure anyone used to plastic kits with plenty of patience will :find this one very rewarding.
GIRLS CAN DRIVE ENGINES TOO!
Sylvia Berth~Jones' account of how she came to be involved with the 8.A.C.
·•.11.en one daughter was born to the owner of the three-gE-neration Woodland steam threshing business there was some disappointment;. however, it ·uas the arrival of the combine ha!'veste:-, r.c,t the daughter, tr.at eventually led to the end of the firm!
Steam engines were a normal part of my early years, and my holiday jobs wer:-e either with the steam tackle on local farms or in the famil.Y workshop helping to cast or turn new bits for the machines and en~ines. Only the major repairs ·1.1eredone elsewhere, usua:i.ly by the Gower f'irm in Bedford. This connection had existed for three ~enerations on both sides, and I am ~lad to say that it continues to rny engine, too.
~Yhenthe C"t t • ,j earn rreser~,a 10n moveCJent be£"an my father was involved Hith run:-i.ing and mainte.ining engines, altho~;;-h th~ lavt of ~is own had
gone. Of course, as girls ·Nere not interested in engines ( ! ) I had great difficulty persusding anyone that I really did want to learn to drive, and not just play. This problem I solved by buying my own engine -a remedy not available to most people today.
I suppose a widow who taught needlework, with an 18-month-old son, was an unlikely engine-owner, but the son is now eighteen years old, (and S.A.C. member number 1), and I still have the engine, Robey showman's tractor No. 41492. The engine has been rallied each year, to fifteen events in one year, travelling under its own steam and toNing a showman's caravan, until recently when a new boiler, firebox and tender had tc be made and paid f~r. The work was done by the Gower workmen, and I hope that Alun and I will get her back into steam and onto the road before too long.
In 1975 I was asked to stand for election to the NT~C National Committee, (their first lady), and in 1978 helped to plan the first stages of the S.A.C. to help younger people in the stemn movement. When the C~ub was officially formed I took responsibility for membership and general office duties. We have been v1sit,ing a few rallies this year, and I hope to make the aquaintance of more of you as we can spread our events to more parts of the country.
Othe~ steam activities have included work on the Festiniog Railway, in the workshops and buffet cars, relief train driving for Pleasure Rail on thei~ narrow-gauge lines, ploughing, mole draining and dredging with ploughing engines in Northamptonshire, and playing with the 2'' scale BB ploughers that my fnth.)r· built. I also act as minutes secretary for the NTEC at their meetings. In between al~ this I also have t0-.-go to school, eo if tbe replies to your letters are not al~ays too prompt, please forgive me!
GROV.TINGu1' WITH Sl'EAM ( 71
8',l E.E.Kimbell
There was logic in most things enginemen did, even if not understood by the laity. Some boys, reading this, may have picked up a thing or two so far, and reasons for this and that. Only example and practice is lacking. Little is gained from example at rallies, as so few there have been taught to drive, and one can imagine difficulty on the road with a load behind, or at setting to the drum. (Knowing how to set to a drum is worth learning, to get almost pinpoint control on any type of engine, al though •:,;aggon and haulage drivers will doubt that it is necessary.) The inexperienced driver has one hand always on the steering wheel, like driving a car! You cannot properly juggle her onto the right ,centre, or ease back to a dra~bar one-handed. Al~ays stand up straight, with one hand on the regulator and the other on the reversing lever. Even if she moved as much as five yards, steering 71ould hardly matter. 'rhat's the right way, even vii th a compound where there is a knob to press as an alternative to reversing, to get on centre. The first move from this position is reverse-lever-hand on regulator and regulator-hand on steering wheel, with a slight swing of body. Try it on an out-of"-steam engine, first one way and then back the other, until you've got it off pat. ~ben you are properly going, try the next, which is taking your hnnd off the regulator. Packing may have to be tightened so it stays
stilli and revalutions should be such that she neither runs away with herse f nor stops at the first rough eround. You soon learn the sort of slow-going she likes!
Ploughing engine drivers had to k~ow this for a start, as theirs is a fairisli stretch between wheel and regulator. A hand is then free for the wheel rim when you reach that rough ground. Next, slot'f her down, stand sideways, towards the wheel, with your other hand on its handle. You can now see both ways; ideal for backing. You back, by hand off the wheel to reverse -no need to touch the regulator at low revolutions -and a swing back round to as-you-were. The sideways is to see where you are going, and you should glance in front occasionally to see where the front wheel· is aiming you, so you can correct it if necessary. For long-distance backing try turning right round, like steam roller drivers did, with the spare hand then on the Teversing lever for a quick stop or to go forward again. Just a little practice and you'll be master! That is, if bad habits have not been aquired beforehand and nave to be unlearned, like backing with hands on regulator and steering wheel, with continual looks over the shoulder. Oh, these car drivers! A flying instructor used to say, 'Give me boys every time, as '1b!n older they take too long to learn that the left and right pedals are· for s·11inging the rudder, not for clutch and brake!'
Ah, the engine brake! When on the rope-drum its chief use is for hanging the clinker shovel and poker through its spokes; the lever does all the holding-back down hills. Some ploughing engines had no brake. . -! , When on the countershaft of an agricultural Burrell, or ~he secondshaft of some Fowlers, it is more effective. Road engines generally have a large shoe on the insides of each back wheel. These are proper brakes, and the only useful parking brake, holding a showman steady and free from rocking when generating. It is unnecessary to screw the brake on at a rally. A block under a wheel is the better way here, or when stopped on a road, ··not to be forgotten when starting, of course. A flywheel brake is e~fective, but was generally fro\med on as rim-heating, and thus dangerous.
And practice? You'll have to get a friendly owner to let you have a go on his premises, as you cannot drive at a rally until you are seventeen, or on roads until twenty-one.
In the old days the steersman only stepped up when. on the ~oad or crossing a long field, so that the driver waa free for firing or holdingback down a slope. He was more in the way than helpful while manoeuvering. And only the careless driver got covered with oil and soot, with burn holes in his hat. So don't over-oil get those wicks tight-fitting, and keep tlibes and the smokebox ~eli swept, as this is where the sparks come from. And don't for~et to wipe your hands now and again, especially after cracking coal or firing up.
That was the last inst.alment of 'Growing Up with Steam', and I hope you found it as fascinating as I have done. We have been very fortunate to have Esmond Kimbell writing for us -and those who were at Minster Lovell in Ap~il will have seen him showing us how to set to a drum, as well. Do you know anyone who worked ·.vith steam engines when they were youn.ger? Why not get them to write down some cf their memories for us, or, better still, talk to them and then write it all jown yourself. If we don't start collectirrg steam reminiscences s1on, they will be gone for ever. (It might even make a good project for a local history or rural studies class - how about it?) ----------------