{"id":783,"date":"2021-09-20T20:38:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T19:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nwmg.edmundwatson.com\/?p=783"},"modified":"2025-01-20T21:08:40","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T21:08:40","slug":"virtual-meeting-2021-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nwmg.edmundwatson.com\/index.php\/2021\/09\/20\/virtual-meeting-2021-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual Meeting 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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his model was made from the \u201cMotorized Movers Set 5\u201d by Chris. Harris.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 1970 Set 7 Manual –   Manure Spreader with a Tractor designed by Chris. using some more recently introduced parts.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Ashley Simmonds has contributed this Model Fire Escape based on a Meccano magazine model from April 1961.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was not intended to be built from a particular outfit but a No. 8 would probably have provided most of the parts. It is a modernised version of one of the 1937 manual models.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Side Lever Paddle Steamer Engine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Built by the Webmaster.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An E-Bay seller has got hold of copies of the 1934 Meccano Magazines and has split them up. He is selling the pages covering the most interesting articles separately. I happen to have a battered set of the magazines (missing some pages including most of the Fireside Fun ones).  There was aa monthly series about marine engines which was illustrated by  Meccano models of many of them. Only rather sketchy instructions were provided. One that took my fancy was the Side Lever engine in the March issue. Basically it is a standard Boulton & Watt Beam Engine turned upside down but leaving the cylinder behind. This put the crankshaft in good position to drive the paddle wheels but meant that 2 beams  were needed, one on either side of the cylinder. The heavy beams are low down in the steamer where the weight is needed.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The model is based on the engine designed by Robert Napier in 1821 for the paddle steamer Leven. The engine is displayed outside the Scottish Maritime Museum near Dumbarton. I also have obtained photographs from the museum web-site and Geograph. The engine appears to differ from the MM model and I have made my model to be more like the real one. Not all the necessary information could be obtained from the photographs and I was unable the go to Dumbarton to look at the real one. Perhaps the most noticeable change is the way the valves are operated.  I have put the eccentric outside the crankshaft bearings as clearly shown in one of the photographs. The two small pumps are operated independently  mainly because I thought this would add to the interest of the model when it is running.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other alterations include  the use of Progress parts for the cranks to give it more rigidity. I have retained the use of strips for the cylinder, but they are held together by modern springy strips. It sits on a M\u00e4rklin wheel which happens to be just the right size. A bossless 3\u201d pulley is used for the top because it is difficult to find one with a boss which runs true. The dimensions of the parallel motion have been altered to be more like what I think they ought to be.  The green Mettalus strips are used to allow adjustment. Numerous cranks have been added to allow the linkage to run freely  without wobbling.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The motor is a small Mettalus geared one.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A You –Tube video of the engine in motion can be seen at:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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