120421

Announcement from the organisers of the National Model Engineering and Modelling Exhibition (Doncaster)...

"After much consideration we have decided that the next show will take place in May 2022. We look forward to seeing you all then!"
 

120421

Jackie Kneeshaw sends pictures of the first real running this year.

Album Here

070421
Some may remember this - a GWR 42XX 2-8-0 tank in the guise of 4253. The builder used dimensions taken from the full-size loco when rotting out at Blaenavon Railway.
The loco is being rebuilt in the workshops at Rolvenden on the K&ESR and I am a shareholder. Two of the missing parts are connecting rods which are being water-cut in Staplehurst and machined in Chartham. Pictures show cutting and ready for machining.

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John's face says it all as things get a little more towards normal on Easter Sunday.

Pictures stolen from Jackie Kneeshaw.

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Whilst replacing raised track bearer sleepers yesterday, Chris Atkins and David Jones had a little helper. He really worked hard and wore himself out.
Photos from Chris Atkins.

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A trip to Peterborough from Northampton takes about 50 minutes by road - let's be kind and say 1 hour. By train via Birmingham it takes about 3hrs 35min. By train via London it takes at least 2hrs 30mins with a sprightly walk from Euston to Kx. By bus it takes 2hrs 40 mins at best. There was once another option by rail. Take a trip on the ghost train to refresh your memories Here Best seen in full-screen.

010421

After fitting the final two labels supplied by Kelvin Naylor, the signals project is now complete, and the opportunity is taken for some trackswitch maintenance. Hat by master brewers Timothy Taylor (other hats are available), haircut by Dave Jones (unconfirmed).

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After a very long lead-time, Tony's Pansy (that's not a place in Wales!), runs on air Here

From this....

....to this
 
One man went to mow and Noah enjoys his first trip this year

Richard's 3in. scale Simplicity Road Roller project Here

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When a dead tree root undermines your ground level track, it takes some real hard work from a man and his shovel to rectify the situation.

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Norm finishes the gauge layout to the Hewson design for his Britannia.
Maybe you have followed his articles in ME.

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"Your Committee" document (Members' area) - updating completed to reflect quasi-AGM

If that's not exciting enough - the Dilbert view of engineering Here

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More action from the three Ws - the Wonderful Whelan Workshop!

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David Whelan is currently making bobbins

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A dull day, but it was brightened a little as spring just peeped through at the NSME Delapré site today.

Pictures from Tony Kendall

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David Whelan ploughs on with Maggie. From the bottom, valve liners, cylinder heads, valve front covers and replacing temporary button bolts with csk on the frames. 

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A little bit of history. The Webmaster was once the carer of a club locomotive - a really useful engine. We spent happy hours together at public running etc. More information on the loco's origin was given in "The Blower" of April 2008 as follows....

"That familiar blue locomotive, so tenderly cared for by Tony Kendall, was originally conceived in the late 1970s as a club locomotive by the then chairman Ken Harris, who had the objective of parts being made by members with assembly at the Northampton College Model Engineering evening classes that he then ran. This part of the project stalled and in due course the two Simplex chassis were finished by Len Gillett; the boilers were made by Fred Winsall.

During the winter of 1995/6 it was decided to sell these running chassis and boilers for completion by others, in order to fund the construction of the ground level track. Fortunately both remained in the club, one being bought by Peter Jarman, the other by Dennis Franklin. Andy Waller completed Dennis’s engine, and at his request, it has been used as a club locomotive specifically to introduce our newer members to the joys of miniature steam locomotive driving.
At the recent AGM it was announced that Dennis had now donated Thomas to the club to continue the good work; the only condition he stipulated was that he be allowed a drive every now and then!"
Dennis died last year - many present and future members will undoubtedly appreciate his generosity when running the engine. The other loco is still owned by a club member.
Picture by Howard Bowling, historic words by Chris Orchard.

190221
David Byrne has joined the NSME committee.
 

170221
The funeral for Graham Jones will be held at Northampton Crematorium on Tuesday 23 February 2021 at 2.00pm.

Family Flowers only please – donations can be made to the ITU Department of Northampton General Hospital using the JustGiving link on the funeral notice below.

Attendance is limited but there will be a "blue shirt" presence.

Live streaming will be available Here

Login/Order ID: 78186
Password: keagyqeg

Instructions Here

Funeral notice and more information Here

David Whelan makes good progress with his cylinders and valve chests

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As reported earlier, Peter Revitt is building the 5in. gauge "Molly-Ann" - a kit from Polly.
Pictures of latest progress....

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David Whelan manages some multi-tasking - working on the bore of the piston valve liners whilst setting up for drilling and tapping the cylinder blocks to accept the valve chests. Slow feed on the lathe gives enough time to work between it and the mill.

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David Whelan machines the steam passages into the cylinders and valve chests - before and after.

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Graham Hardwick shares a picture of his man cave and of progress on his Martin Evans 3½in. gauge Stannier 2-6-4 Jubilee tank locomotive.

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Mr. Crispin makes piston rings Here - a video webmaster found of interest.

Details Here

(Pictures taken pre-Covid)

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David Whelan is in swarfman mode again to machine cylinders.
David is using a dutchman technique to give room for piston valves instead of slide valves the castings were designed for.
 

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David Whelan is making progress with Maggie's frames, adding the horns and hornblocks.
Now moving on to the cylinders.

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Getting low on your workshop activity pictures - now the weather is warmer you must be out there beavering away. Have to be careful though - could be offensive to animals - or is it speciesism?

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Tony's traffic lights were designed and built pre-Christmas 1978 for son Kevin to add to his cardboard road and cars. They got a bit play-worn and have just been refurbished for grandson Noah - just another click of the ratchet on the great wheel of life. Each has 2 facets for use at a junction. The back one does work - it is facing away. Includes red-with-amber and the sequence reflects 1978 practice, as does the technology.

160121
Really sorry to have to report Graham Jones died in hospital this morning. Graham had been in intensive care with COVID for about 10 days.

020121
Members Lesley and Peter Loveland have been constructing an OO gauge layout. So many of us have done it, paying great attention to the technical side, but faltering with the ambience. I am sure you will agree the detail shown in the photographs is outstanding and a real credit to them.

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Yesterday, Tuesday, advantage was taken of the last work-day before Christmas to complete some jobs. Fingers crossed for next week.
Merry Christmas everyone!

161220

Britannia 70039 "Sir Christopher Wren" modifications - stainless steel gas valve regulator and stainless steel superheater are completed. Norman helps with lighting up for what was a successful steam test and, between the showers, there is time for a run at last.

041220

Phase 3 of the raised track signals project moves on as the signals are put back into use with just a few outstanding items - operation unaffected. Need some mileage now.
Social distancing was observed.

Just as recompense for the fact that Northampton did not get the 2020 UK "Bah Humbug!" award, here is a picture of the loco at that oh-so-important railway centre - Spalding Town.
The loco was on the twice daily service Cleethorpes to King's Cross and was on 40B shed (Immingham).

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Have you got one of these - for sale on the Peterborough website.

While you are there, maybe take a look at the Garratt copper boiler - and someone else is building a traction engine.
 

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David Whelan, Mr. Swarf, gets down to making the wheels for Maggie....

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Have you got one of these in your workshop?
 

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David Whelan has taken delivery of the laser-cut frames for the start of his Maggie build.

Maggie is a Romulus variant - an 0-6-0 in 7¼in. gauge.
David has plans to build it with piston valves, a superheated boiler and Walschaerts valve gear.

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George Davis's funeral is at Deanshanger Church tomorrow (Monday November 16) at 1pm.

Regret members cannot attend and there is not a web camera covering the event - maybe you might want to think of George at the time.

It might be difficult now to imagine we ever did this kind of thing, but it's reprise time - take a look at Latest News September 2016  Here

Note: amazingly, most of the links still work - just the odd one has gone to the great worldwide web in the sky.

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Member Steve Cook has a 5 plank wagon kit for sale.

Now Sold! 

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"Knock Knock"

"Who's there?"

"Earwig"

"Earwig O, Earwig O again"

Down in Norman Johnston's workshop, a stationary steam plant is in the making. The boiler is that of a 3½in. gauge locomotive and the grate a tilting rosebud.

041120

Probably it does not matter for the present, but signals 8 and 9 are out of use while works are carried out on phase 3 of the signals replacement project. This in itself should not affect the track use. Work commenced at the steaming bay yesterday with the fitting of a new wall box which will be connected to the new control box. At the same time, Kelvin was fixing a microswitch to the point which will be used for the point interlock.

311020

The Gauge O Guild's Virtual Show starts today. Jackie Kneeshaw and their events team have been working hard on this and, even if not an O gauge fan, there is something to interest most. This is open to members and non-members alike and should be available on-line for 2 weeks Here

291020
Some photos of the Tony Kendall Britannia regulator replacement project. Fitting a gas valve with both boiler and smokebox in situ - not so straightforward with banana hands.  The gas valve needs more rotation to operate than the original - new regulator handle by Norman Johnston, with greater rod-operating distance from pivot, fits snugly under the cab roof. Modifications to the steam collection tube and extending outwards forms the support for the stainless valve and whistle connection.
Several attempts to get the angles right for the operating mechanism - helped by information from Norm Norton on his Britannia regulator.
Stainless transition piece fitted to valve with circular connection to newly-acquired stainless superheater (s/h).
Two pipes still to be made to connect s/h to cylinders instead of the original s/h tails - should make it easier to block off for boiler + s/h hydraulic testing. Other connections are to snifter at front and blower. Drive soon? Hope so!

Picture from David Jones

271020
Photos from Jackie Kneeshaw of some of the running at NSME on Sunday 251020.
A pleasant day which eventually turned damp.

251020 Britannia Update:

Norm has progressed slowly with the ex-NSME and Geoff Watts Britannia. His dear wife Jenny has made him a small helper called Henry, to see if this speeds things along. The cleading and cab are on and all the steam fittings with pipework are next. His rebuild story has just started publication in Model Engineer Magazine, so he doesn’t think it necessary to repeat the story here. However, progress photos will appear on this News page with Henry’s help.

Webmaster Comment....

Any similarity between Henry's cap and hairstyle to other caps/hairstyles appearing previously in Latest News, or previous owners of the locomotive is purely coincidental and not by design.

241020

An enquiry to the Peterborough society as to whether anyone is selling a lathe or milling machine Here

Andrew Waller's Q1 is taking shape in his workshop, having moved on from the previous reports.

The Q1 was an austerity locomotive, known affectionally as the ugly duckling, but was a very good, reliable worker and relatively easy to maintain (it says here!).

16mm railway in action on Sunday 181020

Geoff and Kelvin are too shy to appear in the pictures, but they are at the spade, doing preparation work for re-siting signal 8 (next to point) in phase 3 of the signals project.

James and the Giant Truck?

James seems just a little unsure about his new independent means of travel

As promised, John fixed us up with one signal switch.

The skip, for the disposal of metal, has arrived.

You can retrieve metal from it of course, providing you take it all home. It is a little like throwing children's toys away - they suddenly find their way back! Perhaps we should have one of our own - it will never need emptying.

What's this under wraps then?
Is it a bird?
Is it a plane?

No, it's John's new loco ......

There's always a warm welcome at NSME!

 It's that time again. Turning over a new leaf ....

David Byrne was caught on camera having a rest.

But, look closer to see what David has been doing. He has adapted and lengthened the erstwhile club 5in. gauge Britannia lift for use with the 7¼in. gauge battery/electric locomotives.
Using the lift, they can now be stowed on the shelves, above any waterline experienced so far.

Well done David - or is it Noah?

Signal testing on Friday 161020.

Regret, for the time being at least, you will have to switch two switches instead of 1 - single switch planned.
Noted, our mains wires could be tidier.
My wireman seriously in need of a haircut, or is the hair fixed to the cap? AJK.

Farewell to Scotland's oldest miniature railway (in a nice setting, shame about the diesel "thing" - does anyone else think of Bernie Clifton when seeing these gems?).

Article Here

Sunday Fun on 200920
Photos from Jackie Kneeshaw.

Album Here

Barbara rides again as David Byrne and David Rosier re-assemble after boiler testing. Photos from David Jones.

The number of Davids (10) in the club is fast approaching the number of Peters (11)

Noah demonstrates how you can get the Class 59 onto the track using the Peter Bayley modified Raised Adjustable Transition (RAT). You could say it is childsplay?
Not sure about the coat - he was not keen on having it on and it looked like rain - a compromise.

Pictures from Tony Kendall.

John Tomlinson and David Jones continue working on improving the doors on the erstwhile committee wagon, now 99% completed on Tuesday 220920. Time for a new name? Nobody asleep on this job.

Photos from David Jones.

Long ago, in a land far away, in 2005, NSME hosted IMLEC. George Winsall posted a video of the event on YouTube Day One  Day Two