melsa · melsa newsletter issue 79 november 2016 george punter’s award winning models and the...

MELSA NEWSLETTER

ISSUE 79 NOVEMBER 2016

George Punter’s Award winning

Models and the Medals. See the

Story on Page 3

Issue 79 MELSA Newsletter Page 1

MODEL ENGINEERS AND LIVE STEAMERS’

ASSOCIATION MARYBOROUGH INC.

PO Box 355, Maryborough Qld 4650

President Owen Bell

Vice-President Dale McLennan

Treasurer Neville Dorne

Secretary/Editor Chris Arnold MELSA NEWSLETTER is printed twice per year by the Model Engineers and Live Steamers Association Maryborough Inc. ISSN0729-1027 ABN 16 571 874 817 Copyright MELSA Maryborough Inc. Queensland This newsletter is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Inquiries should be addressed to the Association.

DEADLINE for the APRIL 2017 ISSUE: to reach the Editor by March 7, 2017

PRESIDENT'S REPORT & THOUGHTS

I am sitting here at the desk about to commence writing this Report, when I pause and cast my mind back to the 3rd December 1976. Yes, the birth of MELSA, Maryborough Inc. I ponder for a while then project my mind and thoughts forward to the 3rd December 2016 and realise that MELSA has been a very active part of the Maryborough community for a period of forty (40) years. Now, during this period, MELSA has experienced many wonderful highs and a few not so wonderful lows. But let me speak on the highs as I can recall them. MELSA, in the early days, ran on a portable track loaned to the club by Peter Olds and set up around the large fig tree beside the now erected tunnel. It was a major exercise to get the track and all the associated equipment to the Park and set up for a run, then packed up and taken home again.


The big Annual Event for MELSA in those days was the Maryborough Spring Festival held on the first weekend in September with running from Saturday morning and well into Saturday night (10:00 to 10:30pm), then back again on the Sunday and well into the afternoon with running. It was after one of these weekend runs when we were all sitting around and looking at the task ahead of us to pack the equipment up and get it home again and we were all absolutely had it. When the then current Maryborough City Mayor, Mr Jock Anderson wandered into the Park and came over to the group, he looked at us and stated, “You blokes look absolutely had it”. There was not one person in that group who disagreed with his statement. It was there at that group gathering that he planted the seeds of thought in our minds when he posed the question to us, “Why doesn't the club consider putting down something permanent in the Park?” So it grew from that suggestion to what we enjoy today as our club track, still with wonderful support from the Council. It was during the Spring Festival run that three (3) four (4) hourly shifts were drawn up 7:00pm to 11:00pm, 11:00pm to 3:00am and 3:00am to 7:00am on Sunday morning to keep an eye on all the equipment still laid out, including locomotives on stands out in the turntable area. One very cheeky high that I remember well, happened a little while after MELSA received custodianship of locomotive No. 299 when several club members, who will remain anonymous, decided to put a fire in her belly where she was parked on a small siding in the top end of the yard not far across from the fire station. Steam, having been raised, it was then decided to open the regulator a little bit. The dear old lady started to move a little bit but then, with a clunk and a clang, she derailed and buckled the rail. Thank goodness that MELSA had a very good rapport with the then QR District Superintendent. The old lady was rerailed and that siding was refurbished with heavier rails, better sleepers and plenty of ballast and a happy club and No. 299 was the result. On Saturday 24th September 2016 a very moving ceremony took place at the old QR Freight Shed when MELSA handed over custodianship of No. 299 to Maryborough City Whistle Stop Inc. who promised that she would never leave Maryborough and that their immediate aim will be preservation and their long term aim will be restoration. Enjoy your hobby and enjoy life! Owen Bell


George Punter - Model Engineer Exhibition – England

MELSA member and Model Engineer Extraordinaire, George Punter recently holidayed in England. Whilst in England, George not only planned to visit the Model Engineer Exhibition, he was also planning to enter a couple of his models in the Competition. Not prepared to trust the airlines to have his models arrive at the same time as himself, he constructed s special aluminium case to carry his beloved models ahead of his own journey. Inside the case was George’s model of a 1913 Saunderson and Mills tractor with it’s cast IC engine, a 3-speed + reverse gearbox, and a scale model driver that some people think looks like it was sculpted after George; and also included was his model Lister diesel engine which he displayed in Maryborough in 2013. Just two of many models of very high standard of construction being exhibited, it was no mean feat that George was able to accept the Gold Medal Award for his Tractor which was entered in the Model Vehicle Section K7 of the exhibition. K7 includes “Functional model cars/vehicles which must be able to move under their own power of any type. Can be either free-running, tethered, radio controlled or slot car, but must represent a reasonable full size replica.” Meantime, the Lister was being looked upon very kindly too, and the result there was a Bronze Medal in the Section A3 for Internal Combustion Engines. Winning the Gold Medal entitles George to enter the Tractor in the Duke Of Edinburgh Challenge next year. Another trip to England George? (George has serialised the construction of the tractor for the English magazine Model Engineer and it is expected to run over a 6 month period.)


MELSA’S CANBERRA SUB-BRANCH. Following on from the October 2015 issue, work had started on machining the side rods for the Australian Standard Garratt’s. The first set were the ones connecting the driving to the intermediate wheels. Everything went well until the last rod for my Garratt. When I tried to turn the front set of wheels they locked up, yet the rear set turned beautifully. After scratching my head for a while I turned to the next set of rods for Mel’s Garratt and experienced no problems at all. So why was my front set binding? They were all machined on the same jig so I should not have a problem. I figured it was either the quartering or the driving pin was out, so which one was it? I pushed the wheel off the axle and removed the key, I then put the wheel partly onto the axle and fitted the rods. With that, the wheels rotated freely so I used a G clamp and squizzed the wheel partly onto the axle and pushed it home using my press. That fixed the problem so the job now was to make an offset key to fit the keyway!!! Next job was to make the ashpan for my Garratt out of stainless and this turned out very well. The ashpan on Mel’s Garratt is a hopper type and that will be a bit of a

challenge to construct. My next problem was the expansion links which were laser cut from gauge plate, they were 1.5mm too thick. The

problem was that I had no way of holding them securely to machine them. Surface grinding was the answer but I do not have such a machine. I could go to the Vietnam Veteran’s workshop nearby but I could only take one thou cuts and that would take forever. I tried the Royal Australian Mint and spoke to the tool room manager and it just so happens we knew his father (it helped). They could do the job but we were

First Rod Fitted


warned that the expansion links will bend during machining. When asked how much, he replied “by about 3 to 4 microns”!!!! They do not work in thous we were told. Due to my forthcoming hospital stay and rehabilitation we were in no hurry. A few months later they were done and very nice too. Next job was to complete Reg Smith’s PB15 boiler and this was successfully hydro tested in December. My operation was cancelled until next year (2016) so it was too late to go to the New Zealand Model Engineering Convention at the beginning of January (bugger). Back to Bob Lisle’s K wagon and it was painted and the bar frame

bogies made for it. In February, it was time to take the PB along to the Canberra Track with Lloyd Sawyer’s NSWGR 35 class locomotives

for a test run ready for the Newcastle Birthday Run in March. Both locomotives ran well (as expected) and now all was ready for the trip to Newcastle. This was not to be as I received notice that I was booked into hospital for my surgery in the beginning of March. So, that was the end for my model engineering for almost 9 months and the only work I was allowed to do was to sort out my nuts and screws. I did do a lot of work sorting out all my Queensland railway drawings on my computer.

K Wagon

<<<<Inside the A van


First trip away was to Queensland in August for the Grandchester Run and Track & Tent. The C17 came along with us but most of the driving was done by other people. Again, time was spent volunteering at the Ipswich Workshops sorting out their archives. After 3 weeks, away, I was glad to get back to Canberra. A couple of weeks later it was time to do a steam test on Reg Smiths boiler and once all the fittings were placed onto the boiler it was filled with water and, using a gas torch, we soon had the safety valves lifting at 100 psi with no leaks. Reg was thrilled and after the boiler had cooled down the water was drained out and the boiler placed back into the loco. Sadly, Reg had developed a terminal brain tumour during the year so he will never see the locomotive finished. After 4 weeks in Canberra with only 4 days of sunshine we were off to Queensland again for four weeks, house sitting my brother’s place in Grandchester. Again, spending three weeks in the Ipswich Workshop sorting out drawings and locating carriage drawings for the carriage the workshops are restoring. We also made visit to Jim Bryan’s place in Woombye to look at his model QR wagons. He really blew us away with his timber 5-inch gauge wagon models, makes you want to change hobbies. A group of us have been exploring the possibilities of mass producing VJM coal wagons. Drawings were obtained and sent to England to be redrawn in 3D and sent back to us. These were then given to a metal manufacturing firm in Toowoomba for laser cutting and pressing into the right shape. After a bit of tweaking (by the firm) the wagon fitted together very well ready for welding. Hopefully strings of VJM’s will be seen behind Queensland 5-inch gauge locomotives by the end of this year. My surgeon said that at the beginning of November I will be allowed once again to enter the workshop and continue with my model engineering work. GREAT Mate.

Gerardus Mol


VALE – Russell Bonser

MELSA members were recently saddened by the news of the passing of Russell Bonser. Russell’s membership in MELSA was not lengthy, only joining in 2010/11. Unfortunately, due to his ill health, Russell was not seen at running days very often, but this did not stop him offering to construct a traffic light system for the Club. This system is rolled out every running day and has certainly become an integral part of the operation of the trains in Queens Park. At home Russell used his talents to construct a fine 5inch gauge A10 steam locomotive. The workmanship that went into the loco was of the highest level. Boiler Inspector Dale reported that the boiler had no trouble passing the requirements of the Code – a testament to his ability in the workshop. Perhaps this was an overflow from his knack and care with electronics – his other passion. A plaque has been added to the Traffic Lights in his memory.

SECRETARY’s NOTES Nov 2016 Subscriptions Subscriptions have again been pegged at $40 for full members and $20 for spouse members for the current financial year. NOTE: If you pay by Direct Deposit/Bank Transfer PLEASE remember to add your name in the reference box at the time of deposit. There have been a few payments made without a name. Newsletters As you can see, the Newsletter is now in colour, but a bit smaller. Following positive comments from members after the last issue in September, the Management Committee decided to go this way for a marginal extra cost. Comments please on format and content. Club Rules/ Constitution Following the handover to Whistlestop of Loco 299, there needs to be adjustments to the Constitution, so the opportunity is being taken to update the complete document in line with the latest Model Rules from the Office of Fair Trading. Following drafting a new set of rules, and comments from the membership, the new rules will go to the Office of Fair Trading for ratification.


What Am I???

Unfortunately, the Editor has been totally un-inundated with solutions to the “What am I?” in the last issue. Guess we won’t try any more of those. A query back to the source of the object – Jack Paine – revealed that the item isn’t from his model engineering pursuits. It actually belonged to his father who worked for “Raymonds” in the shoe trade, and the item was used to stamp Price Tags from heavy cardboard. Now we ALL know!

Season’s Greetings to all The President and members of the Management Committee wish all members and other readers a very happy Christmas with a bucket full of coal under the Christmas Tree, and a healthy and happy 2017 with clear tracks and green signals.

Coming Issues – we hope to have chats with some of our members who are not local to Maryborough, about their projects. Like to volunteer? Also a series on the History of Steam Power and variants of steam engine design.

The following people, besides the Editor, have contributed to this issue of the

MELSA Newsletter: Owen Bell, Dale McLennan, George Punter, Gerardus

Mol, Google and Wikipedia and with help from Don Reid, Peter Olds, Clive

Bliss and Graham Chadbone. Thanks to you, all!


Variants of Steam Power

Mention the words “Steam Engine” and the big majority of people will think of Steam Locomotives. The term really strictly refers to any machine with motive power provided by steam. I have been fortunate to visit a few interesting museums in England - and missed heaps more – and this fuelled an interest in the variants of steam power. Over the years, steam engines have taken many forms and I thought I would mention a few that have features that differentiate them from the standard horizontal reciprocating steam engine with one cylinder and piston, with a connecting rod to a shaft rotating a flywheel. I think this is pretty much the image brought to most people’s minds by those two words. Some of the forms have had good reason for their emergence from the wheels of evolution. It may have been to overcome patents owned by another engineer, or it may have been to overcome space, weight, speed or power issues. So over the next several issues, there will be descriptions and photos of some interesting variants on the “steam engine” (ie NOT locomotives as that would be another big field if someone would like to get busy there!)


2016 December 11 Special Sunday in the Park - Christmas Run

21 Monthly Meeting 2017 January 8th New Year run 18th Monthly Meeting 22 Bracken Ridge

29th MELSA’s Sunday in the Park February 15 Monthly Meeting 26 MELSA’s Sunday in the Park and Bracken Ridge March 15 Monthly Meeting

26 MELSA’s Sunday in the Park and Bracken Ridge April 16 Easter Sunday

19 Monthly Meeting 23 Bracken Ridge and Club Social Day at Queens Park

30 No SITP due to Pubfest May 17 Monthly Meeting 28 MELSA’s Sunday in the Park and Bracken Ridge June 21 Monthly Meeting 25 MELSA’s Sunday in the Park and Bracken Ridge Mary Poppins Fri 23 June – Sun 9 July. MELSA Run date TBA July 19 Monthly Meeting 23 Bracken Ridge 30 MELSA’s Sunday in the Park August 16 Monthly Meeting 19 Display and AGM 27 MELSA’s Sunday in the Park and Bracken Ridge September 20 Monthly Meeting 24 MELSA’s Sunday in the Park and Bracken Ridge November 15 Monthly Meeting 26 MELSA’s Sunday in the Park and Bracken Ridge

NOTE: MELSA monthly meetings are held in the Clubhouse behind the Court

House commencing at 7.30pm. Come and have a chat from 7pm. Management Committee Meetings are also held monthly on various days.

melsa · melsa newsletter issue 79 november 2016 george punter’s award winning models and the...

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