Post by jcoghlan on Apr 2, 2020 9:35:26 GMT
Hello my name is John and I am building a Super Simplex.
I used to be an industrial photographer in Manchester at the height of its manufacturing industry and as part of this job I used to visit lots of factories. I would watch fascinated as people were using lathes and milling machines to produce things. I thought when I retire I would like to do that albeit on a smaller scale. By sheer good fortune I found a Colchester Student in a scrap yard in Macclesfield which was duly purchased for £250, stripped, cleaned, checked and found to be in perfect order.
I had just moved house and replaced a small concrete sectional garage with a properly built concrete block three car garage. As the house was being rewired the electrician pointed out that we had three phase connected, the house was built around 1902 so why it would have three phase no one knows but what a bonus. I joined a local model engineering club in the next village to me Handforth Model Engineering Society. we have a track in Meriton Park at the back of the shopping centre, we have a 7 1/4" ground track and 5" and 3 1/2" elevated track. We are lucky enough to have a park pavillion which was almost derelict when the club found it 10 years ago. I have only been a member for three years but it is rewarding and great fun. We are all retired two of our members are ex railway men and at times it is fascinating to listen to them reminisce about certain bits of track or points.
We have a good selection of engines of all gauges steam, petrol and battery operated.
As a consequence of being a member I was given a Simplex that had had an accident with the proviso that A I would repair it and B I would let the owner drive it round our track which I readily agreed to. An interesting project and a good way to start. I researched our past copies of Model Engineering and found it was a Simplex so I downloaded all the Information and took it round to the person who gave the engine to me, he hadn't been looking very well but when I left had had brightened up and was happy. I started to dismantle the engine and found more details (there is a lot available about the Simplex) and planned to go and see him the next Monday but I was told he died on the Sunday. I suspect he knew this was going to happen and wanted to pas the engine to someone who would appreciate it When I brought the engine to our club and our boiler inspectors saw it they condemned it. Boiler riveted and soft soldered, Also the frame was bent, it had been dropped, three of the wheels had cracks and one crankpin bent. Rather than try to straighten the frames I ordered a pair of laser cut frames to start with but when they came they were for a Super Simplex
So a decision was made to rebuild, i ordered a pair of laser cut ones, when the arrived they were for a Super Simplex, quite different. After much head scratching and advice from club members I bit the bullet and bought all the parts to build a full Super Simplex.
I have been watching Keith Appleton and Mr Crispin on you tube and reading as much as I can. I have also acquired a milling machine ( or more properly a Jig Borer ) from the estate of one our members.
I have started with the buffer beams and they look ok so fingers crossed I drilled the side frames, I am waiting for castings for the horn blocks and bearings to arrive from GSK. I have been photographing various stages and if anyone is interested I can post them.
Sorry if this has been a rather long introduction.
Cheers John Coghlan
I used to be an industrial photographer in Manchester at the height of its manufacturing industry and as part of this job I used to visit lots of factories. I would watch fascinated as people were using lathes and milling machines to produce things. I thought when I retire I would like to do that albeit on a smaller scale. By sheer good fortune I found a Colchester Student in a scrap yard in Macclesfield which was duly purchased for £250, stripped, cleaned, checked and found to be in perfect order.
I had just moved house and replaced a small concrete sectional garage with a properly built concrete block three car garage. As the house was being rewired the electrician pointed out that we had three phase connected, the house was built around 1902 so why it would have three phase no one knows but what a bonus. I joined a local model engineering club in the next village to me Handforth Model Engineering Society. we have a track in Meriton Park at the back of the shopping centre, we have a 7 1/4" ground track and 5" and 3 1/2" elevated track. We are lucky enough to have a park pavillion which was almost derelict when the club found it 10 years ago. I have only been a member for three years but it is rewarding and great fun. We are all retired two of our members are ex railway men and at times it is fascinating to listen to them reminisce about certain bits of track or points.
We have a good selection of engines of all gauges steam, petrol and battery operated.
As a consequence of being a member I was given a Simplex that had had an accident with the proviso that A I would repair it and B I would let the owner drive it round our track which I readily agreed to. An interesting project and a good way to start. I researched our past copies of Model Engineering and found it was a Simplex so I downloaded all the Information and took it round to the person who gave the engine to me, he hadn't been looking very well but when I left had had brightened up and was happy. I started to dismantle the engine and found more details (there is a lot available about the Simplex) and planned to go and see him the next Monday but I was told he died on the Sunday. I suspect he knew this was going to happen and wanted to pas the engine to someone who would appreciate it When I brought the engine to our club and our boiler inspectors saw it they condemned it. Boiler riveted and soft soldered, Also the frame was bent, it had been dropped, three of the wheels had cracks and one crankpin bent. Rather than try to straighten the frames I ordered a pair of laser cut frames to start with but when they came they were for a Super Simplex
So a decision was made to rebuild, i ordered a pair of laser cut ones, when the arrived they were for a Super Simplex, quite different. After much head scratching and advice from club members I bit the bullet and bought all the parts to build a full Super Simplex.
I have been watching Keith Appleton and Mr Crispin on you tube and reading as much as I can. I have also acquired a milling machine ( or more properly a Jig Borer ) from the estate of one our members.
I have started with the buffer beams and they look ok so fingers crossed I drilled the side frames, I am waiting for castings for the horn blocks and bearings to arrive from GSK. I have been photographing various stages and if anyone is interested I can post them.
Sorry if this has been a rather long introduction.
Cheers John Coghlan
