What is the finest model engineering you've seen?

Of equal standing and approach in model-engineering to Cherry Hill was Ron Jarvis, who similarly built working miniatures of pioneering or unusual engines. They did know each other, as model-engineering friends.

At one major show the toss-up between him and another competing for the Silver and Gold Medals, was whether the fine, complex castings on his Diagonal Paddle-Steamer Engine would have been painted. I wonder if the judges knew the "castings" were silver-soldered, mild-steel fabrications; finished in a home-made grit-blaster to give the correct sand-moulded surfaces.

His Newcomen Atmospheric Engine was complete to the point of Ron having made and wipe-jointed the lead pipes, and of course all bricks or masonry on those engines needing these were individually moulded and laid to the correct bond for the region, era and purpose. This engine's boiler is about the size of tennis-ball, if that, WP 2psi, its rivetted copper plates vacuum-caulked with epoxy resin, and given a finely-dimpled finish to represent the original's hand-forged wrought-iron plates. It is electrically heated with microprocessor-control: Ron, whose other hobbies included computer programming and bee-keeping, would joke about the 18C machine being computer-controlled!

He also modelled Church's phantasmagorical Steam Coach, a massive three-wheeler optimistically intended as a London-Birmingham omnibus; but too ahead in its engineering ideas for its stagecoach-inspired style and construction. It was far too heavy and too full of auxiliary machinery for its own, over-decorated, under-powered good. Despite its contemporary, glowing publicity painting showing it carrying many passengers in a suitably bucolic setting, I understand it never progressed beyond road tests. The bodywork of Ron's model is sectional along its centre-line, allowing displaying its interior and constructional methods, including timber chassis.

Those are just three examples of, I think, about 8 in all. Sadly, although I was, and still am, a member of the same model-engineering society as Ron; I don't think any of us in the club know where his models went after his death.

Ron also wrote a book about the original machines, illustrated with photographs of his models; privately published so a limited run. Unfortunately I can't find my copy so can't cite it properly, but its title is something like Old Men And Iron.

.

My blood still runs cold at one personal memory.

I helped carry his models back to his home from a local exhibition by our club. His Atmospheric Engine stands a good 20 inches tall, on a base over a foot square, and is heavy, as I found when carrying it. I was very relieved to put it safely on a table in the lounge.

For between the car and the table were several yards of crazy-paving and three steps up to the front door...

I visited the Musée des Artes et Métiers in Paris recently and, although there are full-size artefacts including a replica (I think) of Cugnot's Fardier de Vapeur (steam dray) of 1770, the models on display are some of the finest I have ever had the pleasure to peruse. These include 'demonstrations' of the skill of the charpentier and menuisier in the supporting of cathedral's roofs etc. It was a very worthwhile visit, but if you have the opportunity to go there make sure you take the audio guide as the majority of the information accompanying the exhibits is in French only. I managed to read, or should I say decipher, about 70% of it but in hindsight I really regretted not acquiring the English guide upon entering.

Edited By Chris Crew on 18/08/2023 15:25:49

Young C Park has unbelievable talent.

Edited By Buffer on 18/08/2023 15:46:32

Maybe not the most complex but I’ve always liked this.

**LINK**

Also, the scale 18 Cylinder Radial Aircraft engine displayed at some of the model engineering shows many years ago. Sadly I don’t have any details of the engine or the maker.

Gerald smith must have gone half mad making all his cylinder heads, pistons etc

Good but if it's aero engines that do it for you I think Brian Perkins Hydra would take some beating. In fact he did an article titled something like Finishing the Hdra before it finishes me!

Since Como has been given Honourable Mentions...

Model Engineer & Electrician, as it was then, published articles on Dr. Bradbury Winter's Como in or around 1917 - I happen to have a couple of bound volumes from then.

A description with photographs of the tender, is followed by an article about some of the jigs and fixtures Dr. Winter made for building this LB&SCR locomotive.

This included an ingenious, adjustable, angularly-oscillating drive for his Pittler lathe spindle. It used a length of bicycle chain between a crank slotted for stroke adjustment on the countershaft, and a weighted treadle-like board, driving a sprocket on the spindle; augmented by angle-stops. It was for machining arcs, for example, expansion-links; the main drive I think being by treadle.