new member from Brussels

[jeremie88]

Hello,

After many years of delaying my goal of building a steam locomotive, I finally bought a lathe (Emco compact 8). I need now to learn how to use machining tools, and all secrets of steam model engineering. I just subscribed to the Model Engineering Workshop Magazine (I hope no bad surprise of customs fees by delivery of the magazine to Belgium...).

I'm a member of a steam club here in Belgium but as model engineering is certainly one British matter "par excellence", I thought that it should be necessary to register to forums like yours. 

Just need now to decide what model to build. I'm pretty charmed by the 7 1/4 Ken Swan's Jessie, but the drawings seem nowhere to be found as Reeves stop delivering them...

The 5" Gemma looks gorgeous too (love the early industrial design) but I would scale it up to 7.25 (and this would mean no castings at all). That said the engine looks actually more simple than Jessie.

greetings,
Jérémie

[jon38r80]

Do you have the machine manuals for the Emco 8 ? they are pretty helpfull?

[jeremie88]

I have the Emco manual but it's not particularly helpful for learning machining

[flyingfox]

Greetings Jeremie, I think you will find this website interesting, with plenty of useful information. Did you consider the Hercules design as an 0-4-0, or its 0-6-0 version Hermes, both in Reeves list at the moment. I have built a 0-6-0 Hercules, but as a longer wheel base loco, and this has run at the Brussels track, and several in the Netherlands, as well as lots of UK tracks. Worth a look.
Are you a Brussels club member?
As far as Jessie/Bridget drawings and castings, you will have to rely on the second hand market, they do come up on Ebay sometimes.
Welcome to the Forum.
Regards
Brian B

[uuu]

I think Polly still do the Jessie drawings. And Reeves 2000 have castings.

Wilf

[jeremie88]

Great thanks for replying. I will check with Polly about Jessie drawings ! Hercules looks good too but is rather expensive.
For a first try into model engineering, i'd rather like a "cheap" model. Jessie seemed to me the perfect choice in 7 1/4 (~500£ for wheels and cylinders set)

Btw what castings parts are really necessary ? It seems like many castings parts (except wheels and cylinders) could be machined from metal blocks.

[uuu]

You could machine most things except wheels from blocks. Quite big blocks for the cylinders. And fabricate others - David and Lily have fabricated the motion brackets for their Jessie (as Ken Swan did for the first Bridget) - I had the castings but would fabricate next time. Again, I had the castings for the smokebox front and rear ring and the door - but there's nothing magic about them. You could perhaps carve the chimney from a block.

Wilf

PS Hercules is quite big - and I think is a bit crude. Jessie is more modest.

[JonL]

Welcome Jérémie. What size track does your local Model Engineering Society have? That will probably help you make the choice.

I wrote a quick article on choosing sizes; it may help you (or it may not!).

smalllivesteamengines.fandom.com/wiki/Which_Gauge

[jeremie88]

Thanks for those infos ! My club in Brussels is the PTVF with a very nice 2.2km track in both 5" and 7.25" ! Check their website here ptvf.eu/notre-reseau/ Trains ride every week-end with public between april and october. That's why I would turn to 7 1/4".

I'm pretty new there but I know the club usually organises a UK meeting with the 7 1/4 Inch Gauge Society.

[ngfan]

I'm late with this comment, but I've happened to spot your message.

I started Model Engineering many years ago, with very little knowledge, but my own lathe (a Myford ML10) to play with. I found "The Amateur's Lathe" by L.H. Sparey, and published by M.A.P. very useful. All the basic stuff, set ups, tool shape and speeds for various metals, milling in the lathe etc. It still seems to be available from Amazon etc

Best of luck
John

[Gary L]

Nov 2, 2021 23:05:16 GMT ngfan said:

I'm late with this comment, but I've happened to spot your message.

I started Model Engineering many years ago, with very little knowledge, but my own lathe (a Myford ML10) to play with. I found "The Amateur's Lathe" by L.H. Sparey, and published by M.A.P. very useful. All the basic stuff, set ups, tool shape and speeds for various metals, milling in the lathe etc. It still seems to be available from Amazon etc

Best of luck
John

Me too. Get plans for Jessie, or Bridget; you won’t regret it, they are truly excellent. Bridget is very much like Jessie, but has side tanks and a trailing axle (i.e. 0-4-2 instead of 0-4-0) For a first loco, you need plans that are not full of mistakes, so Ken Swan is your man.

I seem to recall hearing that Reeves and Ken fell out, but you will find his plans somewhere. You could also try GS Model Engineering at Western Steam, I believe he (Geoff Stait) had access to some of Ken’s drawings.

HTH

Gary

[uuu]

Last time I looked, Polly sold those drawings. Reeves still list Bridget castings (which will suit Jessie also).

Wilf