The Model Engineer

SMOKE RINGS

Our Cover Picture

THE FINE photograph, from which our cover has been prepared, was submitted by Mr. A. Macdiarmid, of Nottingham. It depicts the huge crane at Finnieston Quay, Glasgow, working on T.S.S. Glenbank, which is being fitted with new engines and boilers. Great cranes of this kind sometimes attract the attention of model makers who are seeking an interesting prototype, and the late Mr. S. J. Ward was one enthusiast who built a splendid model of a large crane—a Craven—which can be seen at the Northampton College of Technology.

Some idea of the enormous proportions of the Finnieston crane can be gathered from the picture, because there can be seen, at the foot of the crane, some locomotives built by the North British Locomotive Works and waiting to be loaded for export to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

A Memorial to Mr. S. J. Ward

WE LEARN from the Northampton Society of Model Engineers that some of the equipment of the late Councillor S. J. Ward, whose death was recently reported in these columns, has been presented to the society by Mrs. Ward, who is now president. This includes a 5-in. Seneca Falls lathe and a large drilling machine, which were used in the production of Mr. Ward’s superb models, some of which have been described in THE MODEL ENGINEER at various times. Several of his early models have also been given to the society, including his 1 in. scale 4-6-4 Baltic tank locomotive.

At the recent annual general meeting, Mrs. Ward presented the awards made at the recent competition night, as follows: Members’ Cup, J. R. Mann; Strickland Cup, E. Hudson; Collier Cup, E. J. Szlumper; George Shaw Cup, H. J. Hawker; Bassett-Lowke Cup, W. A. Wells. A further award of one guinea was made to the winner of the Bits and Pieces competition, J. R. Mann. Mrs. Ward later announced that she was presenting the society with a silver cup, to be known as the S. J. Ward Memorial Cup.

Index for Volume 106

WE REGRET that, once again, we were not able to provide a bound-in index for the volume (106) which was completed with the June 26th issue, but we will send a copy to any reader who makes a special application for it.

We would be obliged, therefore, if every reader who really requires a copy will advise us immediately, enclosing an envelope large enough to take the M.E. flat, stamped with a three-halfpenny stamp and addressed to himself. His copy of the index will be forwarded to him as soon as it is available.

The West Midlands Federation Rally

THIS ANNUAL event, held recently at Campbell Green, Sheldon, Birmingham, was again a great success, despite the inclemency of the weather, which vainly did its worst to damp enthusiasm. Traffic on the continuous track ran to full capacity, and never less than two locomotives were in action at any time until well into the evening. Several interesting new locomotives had their first trials on a track, including Mr. J. D. Curtis’s 3 1/2-in. gauge free-lance 2-6-4 tank (Birmingham S.M.E.) and Mr. Castle’s 5-in. gauge 0-8-0 tank, with Baker gear (Worcester S.M.E.), both of which performed exceedingly well. A further development this year was a display of control-line flying by two members of the Redditch M.E.S. The Birmingham Group of the International Radio Controlled Models Society also gave a very interesting demonstration, but their land models were handicapped by the wet weather, and their ship models by the lack of a suitable pool. There were 11 entries in the competition for the Federation Challenge Cup for the best model of the year, and the judges, Lt.-Cdr. Craine and Mr. Thompson, found it no easy task to pick out the winners. First place was awarded to Mr. F. A. A. Parisier’s brig Procrius (96 points), second place to Mr. J. K. Strickland’s 5-in. gauge 0-6-0 ex-U.S.A., W.D. locomotive (94 points), and a tie for third place was made by Mr. S. J. Applewhite’s 2 1/4-in. scale Peckett saddle tank locomotive and Mr. A. T. Judd’s free-lance steam coaster, Eletheria (91 points each).

Road Locomotives at Chester

DURING THE week May 5th to 10th, there was a fair at Chester, on a piece of ground bounded by Grosvenor Road, Castle Drive and the River Dee. Mr. W. G. Powell, of Buckley, was advised by a friend that a proper posh puffer and two dirty old puffers were to be seen there; so Mr. Powell went to investigate and, since he is keenly interested in road locomotives, he found a sight that gladdened his heart.

The proper posh puffer proved to be a Burrell, No. 2788, named The Griffin, in really lovely condition. She was in steam but not actually working when Mr. Powell visited her.

Of the dirty old puffers, one was Burrell No. 3865, without a name, but with No. 1 in the place where the name is usually to be found. This was a bigger engine than No. 2788 and was driving and lighting a waltzes ride and a set of Galloping Horses; she was equipped with a crane.

The other d.o.p. was a McLaren named Goliath, driving and lighting a set of bumping-cars.

Both these engines certainly merited the description which Mr. Powell’s friend had applied to them; but it is more than satisfactory to know that they are to be repainted before midsummer; in fact, this has already been started in the case of the McLaren.

Mr. Powell adds that the Galloping Horses were a fine sight, especially as the accompanying music was being supplied by the old-fashioned organ (electrically driven). The absence of the centre-engine was not so much regretted when one remembered that the ride was being driven by the Burrel hidden far behind the stalls.

Exhibition at Chelmsford

FROM JUNE 4th to 7th, the Drill Hall at Chelmsford was the scene of another very comprehensive and attractive exhibition organised by the Chelmsford Society of Model Engineers. Locomotives, ships and boats, traction engines, aircraft, workshop equipment, model railways, clocks and scientific apparatus were all fully represented. The general standard of excellence was high and there was something to interest every model engineering enthusiast.

In view of the recent discussion on electronic organs, readers may be interested to learn that, at this exhibition, one of the outstanding exhibits was an electronic organ built by two local brothers, J. J. and C. C. Clarke. J.J. gave frequent recitals on this instrument and proved that it was a thoroughly satisfactory piece of work. It is equipped with Swell and Great manuals, on each of which there are eight speaking stops, and there is also a 20-note pedal board. The tone of each stop is excellent and is produced entirely electronically. The apparatus is, admittedly, complicated, but it is not very difficult or bulky; the whole instrument is little, if any bigger than an ordinary double-manual harmonium. The sound is equal to that of a pipe-organ; after all, each note can be tuned to almost any degree of purity, according to the skill and requirements of the builder. For example, the tones of the flute and the trumpet can be reproduced by varying the intensity and harmonics of the fundamental notes. We hope to be able to publish a technical description of this very interesting instrument in the not-too-far-distant