Model Engineering

Model Engineering Clubs

Not all clubs in the UK desire to get affiliated with one another but Andy Clark’s site is a brilliant start. Initially conceived to act as a central point if your pride and joy ever got stolen and carry a lost models directory it now carries a huge a link list of societies both European and further afield, it lists suppliers, publications, software, has discussion groups and links to other superb experts. Other sites are list here too:

     Model Engineering Webzine

     Model Engineering Organisation

     Model Engineer Magazine

     North London Society Of Model Engineers

Engineering Preserved

Model Engineering In Meccano

Call me mad but ever since I snuck into the building sites of my boyhood I’ve been fascinated about what can be made portable, or even fall off, the back of a lorry. Even better when it looks so good outlasts it’s diesel counterpart and smells so good ! So it’s with pride I can recommend the following sites:

    Steam Scenes

    Road Locomotive Society

    Industrial Locomotive Society

    Annual Guide To Steam Fairs

    Great Dorset Steam Fair

    Steam Up

    Old Glory

    Traction Time

    Model Road Vehicle Society

Steam Road Vehicles

When Britain was at it’s zenith what was the fastest, the most efficient, the most handsome and exported to nearly every country in the world ? So raise your hats for the revered  Sentinel Drivers Club . And I own one -sadly only a model of one at present but donations welcome? It’s fitting that in the centre of the solar system, see Made In Shrewsbury, there’s a Division 1 football club and two pubs celebrating these finest:

    The Steam Wagon Pub

    The Steam Wagon Inn

    Steam Wagon FC

Sentinel Steam Waggons

Errors And Recommendations

Should there be any omissions, errors or recommendations please email the webmaster identified on the Homepage.

Thank you.

Enginuity Museum

Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust

As some people will know I have great affection for the people that keep the home of the Industrial Revolution on the world map. Even the largest town in the area is named after Thomas Telford. In particular my favourite is the Enginuity Museum which boasts brilliant hands on exhibits which in my opinion are better than those in the London Science Museum -so if you go be prepared to drag your children out kicking and screaming wanting to stay. There are 10 museums in the valley and up the sides. Every year nearby there’s a special event featuring the world’s first and still foremost Engineering modeling system Meccano at:

    Telford & Ironbridge Meccano Society

Component Suppliers

SUPPLIERS OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS -UK Companies

Large Commercial Component Suppliers

    CPC (Farnell)

    Cricklewood Electronics (extremely keen prices IMHO)

    Electronix

    Farnell

    Magenta

    Maplin

    Quasar

    Rapid

    RS Components

    Vero Direct



Small Independent Component Suppliers

Every so often you come across a quality British suppliers and it is my pleasure to recommend the quality, speed and keen pricing of the following firms for robotics, model components and technology:

    ESR Components

    SirKit

    Technobots        - these guys they have grown a lot since I first started using them. They are now in Rugby.

  RailwayScenics - a broad range of the technical stuff needed for any model system not just railways.

Of course there has to be a section here on ridiculous models. So here are the most fun links that I’ve found:


Models       (many claim to be “the biggest in the world”)

    Concorde Real Flying Model          This is probably one of Peter Michel’s in Germany

    B-52 Real Flying Model Bomber     Test flight in Somerset, England 2004


On 4 Wheels

    6000 HP Tractor            Twin helicopter engines of Art Arfons in USA

    9.3L 2100HP Vauxhall   Andy Frost’s Victor:  0-60mph in 1 sec in Wolverhampton !

On 2 Wheels

    24 Chainsaw Bike             Driven by 24 Dolmar chainsaws !

    8.3L V10 MotorBike        Dodgey !

    48 Cylender Motorbike   A Kawasaki aparently

    Monster Bike                   Ray Baumann -Australias Proudest.



Help Around The Home

    V8 Powered Chainsaw  Robert Andrews (USA) takes 1.5s to saw through a tree.

    Kitchen Blender            Smoothie Jeremy Clarkson style ! Do watch the rocking chair.


Clever Stuff

    Perpetual Motion         I don’t believe Tom Altman. Google the debates..



Related You-Tubes

Don’t forget if you’ve got a few days of spare time with each of these links there are some amazing related videos on the right hand side. If you have any suggestions please send the link to the email address on the Homepage.

Awesome Machines On The Net

In 1779 the Ironbridge by Abram Darby III started the Industrial Revolution.

Designed by Thomas Farnolls Prichard -a carpenter joiner !

Please see separate web page: Meccano

Model Engineering In Bayco

See the following websites:

    UK website: Bayco Collectors Club

    Pete Bradley’s giant website Baycoman

    Buying Bayco: Peter Crook’s published set prices BaycoShop

Museum Of Liverpool

Hoover Factory in Perivale, W London

Leaning Tower Of Piza

Treacle Mine in Wem, Shropshire.

Model Engineering In Brickplayer

JW Spears devised a completely different system but very rewarding all the same.

See the following websites:

    Dave Meesam’s website: Brickplayer.co.uk

Fire Station

SUPPLIERS OF MECHANICAL & RAW MATERIALS -UK Companies

    Macc Models                            

    4D Model Making Materials

    Model Fixings


CIRCUIT IDEAS  FOR  ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC PROJECTS

This is just a small selection of the thousands of helpful websites out there. Do check out their links sections like this one.

    555 Timer Circuits

    Aaron Cake

    British Amateur Electronics Club

    Circuit Hut

    Circuit Lake

    Circuit Projects

    Circuits Today

    Control The World With Computers

    Discover Circuits

    Educypedia

    Electronics Project Design

    ElectroSchematics

    Electronics Zone

    Extreme Circuits

    Hobby Projects

    The Electronics Club

    Next Electronic Circuits

    PICAxe

    Sentex

    Solar Orbit

Everything you’ll ever want for the model engineer.

A vast range of materials and tools for every hobby and more.

A tremendous range of all model-making hardware and tools. A surprising collection.

Model Railways

SCALES

This is a vast modeling subject and until 2020 I had no connection with it. One area that not only baffled me but also confused me, even after I’d read the page identified by this first link, was the subject of scale v gauge. This dramatically affects what you buy, who and, if you try to design and build it yourself, how you start out. To me it is top of the pyramid of subjects that one must get right from your start. I have found that many who are new to this, and even those that aren’t, often get this wrong so please see:

     Wikipedia Rail Transport Modeling Scales

Disclaimer

Whilst some care has been taken to check externally linked websites no responsibility is offered nor implied for the suitability, legality or reliability of content therein.

CLUBS ARE NECESSARY

Next down in the criteria will be whether your railway is indoors or outdoors which often affects how it will be powered and how large it can be. Whatever your decision as you increase scale it becomes increasingly necessary to join a club because you cannot know all the experiences of the enormously skilled people who have gone before and club members already know how to keep costs down. I am just about to build a garden railway so have just become Member 8280 of:

     G1 Model Railway Association


I will be adding more here as the year progresses.

Founded 1947

Model Engineering In FAC

A Swedish company have been marketing a Meccano Kinetics prototyping system since 1951. It isn’t compatible with Meccano but has standardised on 4mm and 6mm rods which meccano uses. There is an extensive free library of manuals online which include many hundreds designs incl a torque converter (See Z1-05 p44):  FAC Manuals


The website isn’t brilliant and seems to span two generations of web authoring software. Click the menu button (top right) for further information. For an example of how it can be made to work see here. The operation of the gripper jaws is especially well done:  YouTube: Rubik Cube Solver