Thread: 1/5th Scale Peny-Darren 1804 Locomotive

I keep looking at your model and I went back and looked at the original pictures you posted in the beginning of this thread and I don't understand how this engine was operated. I don't see a platform for an engineer or where a person could shovel coal. How did that happen or did it?

I feel I need to say thanks again for all the trouble you have been going through posting this thread and showing all your progress. I am certainly enjoying it.

Originally Posted by PLD

I keep looking at your model and I went back and looked at the original pictures you posted in the beginning of this thread and I don't understand how this engine was operated. I don't see a platform for an engineer or where a person could shovel coal. How did that happen or did it?

I feel I need to say thanks again for all the trouble you have been going through posting this thread and showing all your progress. I am certainly enjoying it.

Hi,

There is a tender that I will be making. This is shown the replicas on You Tube (I don't know how to insert the link on this Forum - can anyone let me know please ? ) It would have been difficult and dangerous to stoke the boiler. If you google Blists Hill Ironbridge Trevithick you should get one of the replica videos. If someone lets me know - I will inset all the link on one of my posts.
Rumour also has it that Trevithick also got off and ran alongside to stoke the boiler. The loco ran at 4mph.

I love doing the updates - it allows me to also keep a history.

Major modification today - redesign of crank arm. Starting again on this.

Thanks for your great comments

I really appreciate everyone's feedback

Best Regards

Keith

Is this the one Keith

Thank you, thank you, thank you. That is a great video and explained it all.

Originally Posted by Dalboy

Is this the one Keith

Yes,

Thanks Derek,

There is another one as well on the same replica wit him towing a car of coal.

Thanks Mate

Keith

Hi,

Today, threw out the crank arms I posted yesterday and started them again. They were totally out of proportion to the rest of my build (too BIG)and I really thank the mate who sent me a personal message pointing this fact out. Sometimes you cannot see the wood for the trees. It was a big error by me. Anyway, did a total redesign. I had to remachine my bearing shafts and reduce the diameters. I made up different type bearings and secured them with bolts. Made up both the gear and flywheel crank. Do people think the cranks look OK ? Still need to smooth off an finish them so they are ready to paint.

Regards

Keith

I for one think they look fantastic
Honestly Keith you'd think you were building live steam!
Great work mate.

Trev.

Originally Posted by Keith_1

Hi,

A bit more work done on the crank arm. Ribs added. Work in Progress photo below.

Keith

Keith, the correct term is for the part between the crosshead and crank pin is "connecting rod". The crank arm is attached to the crank shaft and has the crank pin at the other end.
Connecting rods have two bearings, known as big end bearing (crankshaft end) and little end bearing (crosshead end), or if the cylinder is vertical, top end and bottom end.

The engine as described, would have been unsafe to stoke while in motion. A page on Wikipedia suggests that it, or another machine was slightly modified to make access to the fire hole much easier and safer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Trevithick

Keep up the good work.

Well, Keith, if I look at the video and then you pictures, in my opinion the connecting rods on yours are a little too big. The ones in the video on the other hand are surprisingly small looking to me. I would think that engine is pretty heavy and the angles that rod pushes as the wheel turns, the length of it, I would have thought a much more substantial rod would have been necessary. But you asked, and my opinion is yours are still too big.

Hi PLD,

Thanks for your comments - most appreciated. I agree with your comments about the replica, they look small. I have based my entire build on a plastic model kit - 1/24th scale and have then scaled up the components and done engineering drawings which I then build off (my original cranks I didn't measure up) - as I said yesterday - a stupid one off oversight by me - which was pointed out by another member. I remedied his and measured and drew up to the scale kit and thus the result of the arms. The model kit could be incorrect, but that's OK. Being an ex fitter and engineering person I don't mind over engineering so that things won't fail (even though this build won't operate). I am happy with my result -so that is the main thing, but do really appreciate your comments - particularly that you think the arms on the replica look small. I appreciate all comments as I think they will make my future builds much better.

Sincere thanks

Regards

Keith

Looking at the replica in the vid almost all of the working gear looks dainty, almost spidery. I imagine Richard was trying to keep the weight down, as I doubt this engine delivered any significant amounts of power... not enough that it could afford to lose it in the drive train, anyway.

Then again, it was made out of iron, not wood, so the thinner components would have been far more practical to build. Besides, it's always harder to accurately scale UP than it is to scale down.

I love what you've done so far; it may not be a true 5:1 scale but it certainly looks the part!

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Looking at the replica in the vid almost all of the working gear looks dainty, almost spidery. I imagine Richard was trying to keep the weight down, as I doubt this engine delivered any significant amounts of power... not enough that it could afford to lose it in the drive train, anyway.

Then again, it was made out of iron, not wood, so the thinner components would have been far more practical to build. Besides, it's always harder to accurately scale UP than it is to scale down.

I love what you've done so far; it may not be a true 5:1 scale but it certainly looks the part!

Thanks Mate,

Appreciate your comments. Later today I am going to photograph the plastic model kit and post the photos to show what I have been working off. At the moment I am waiting for some paint to dry. Takes longer when you are out looking at it.

Regards

Keith

Originally Posted by Keith_1

Thanks Mate,

Appreciate your comments. Later today I am going to photograph the plastic model kit and post the photos to show what I have been working off. At the moment I am waiting for some paint to dry. Takes longer when you are out looking at it.

Regards

Keith

The same law that says "A watched pot never boils" also applies to drying paint and adhesives.

Regards

Originally Posted by A Duke

The same law that says "A watched pot never boils" also applies to drying paint and adhesives.

Regards

Never so true mate

Regards

Keith