Which one to build

Hi, I want to build a traction engine to use in my back garden. I am concerned about building something that ends up being too heavy for me to shift [ I am 71] and so ends up not being used. I've built locomotives before that by the time I finished them I found I couldn't move the thing! However it looks like our club here in Belfast is going to get kicked out of it's site in Cultra so we will have no raised track hence the idea of building a road vehicle. Can anyone suggest a traction engine that isn't too heavy nor too little to drive and will still be capable of pulling an adult?

Hello John, have you thought about a steam lorry such as the Clayton? They are not usually as heavy as a traction engine.

Brian

Brian, yes i thought about that , I would have thought it would be more awkward to drive than a traction engine. I'll have a look at the Clayton as I'm not familiar with it.

Weight wise I think you will be looking at 1.5" as I can't pick up my 2" Fowler and I have quite a few years advantage. But at those sort of sizes you will be bent double and need a fairly smooth surface to run on

Jason, yes that's what I thought about 1.5" scale. Too near the ground! There are so many Allchins about but I wonder how many of them ever get driven.

John, another vote for Clayton as it breaks down into two parts. The articles are posted on this forum in PDF format and a quick search you'll find them.

With the smaller traction engines have you considered a 2" Ruston, or even a 3" Simplicity, Large enough to be comfortable, but also small enough to lift due to the small prototype size they scale down as quite small models (for their scale).

If you went with a larger one, perhaps the purchase of a bike lift would negate the worry of having to lift, the engine could be rolled up onto the bike lift for work, this would mean anything upto 3" scale is possible. It does rather depend on access for such a thing though. Even a 3" scale Clayton could pull you around quite easily in your garden, with the addition of a bike lift would make servicing easier on the scaled up wagon.

What ever you decide there certainly plenty of available options to think about.

Jon

Thanks Jon, I've just read the articles about the t and it looks pretty good. I'll investigate the idea of a bike lift.

Have a look at the 2" scale Durham & North Yorkshire traction engine a nice size, powerful, and easy to manage.

MichaelR

Michael, I like the Durham and North Yorkshire engine but do you know how much it weighs? Can't be less than 50kg I would think. I can lift my 5" Crampton and that weighs just over 30kg but I wouldn't want to lift anything heavier.

John, When I built my Durham & NY traction engine I finished and completed it on the workbench, I and my better half lifted the engine off the bench and onto the floor, what I will say I couldn't lift that engine on my own I can't say how heavy the engine is but it's manageable.

MichaelR

John - how important is picking it up? Do you need to carry it into the house?

Also how big is your garden - they have a dreadful turning circle?

It may be that a too-heavy engine can be made acceptable by using a lifting frame or device.

I have had a bad back most of my adult life and can probably lift more now than at any time in the past twenty years so I am very aware that bending down to lift 20kg+ is not a good idea.

These guys have the right idea - I have visited their factory and seen their kit. Something to pick an engine up onto balloon wheels would take a small effort compared to all the work in the engine.

https://youtu.be/F4QXG5cvNSc

John,

Roger makes a good point on size of your garden and turning circle, my 4" Ruston needs a bit over 10' to turn in and that is a small engine, really more like 3". Obviously you can't pick it up. I understand your desire to keep it manageable but I am finding as I get older (and a bit behind you yet) all the bending and kneeling that goes with a small engine is less attractive. Thus I am going the other way 6"! Everything at the right height except the ashpan. Obviously I won't be able to lift it, can't even lift some of the bits! So you make arrangements do you don't have to lift it. Less like watchmaking too! Not suggesting bigger would be better for you but do remember you can't turn your back on the fire on anything less than about 2" for very long.

Paul.

Locos and traction engines should either be so light that there is no problem lifting them, or so heavy that there is no question of trying. So for locos for instance, 5 inch gauge is the hernia gauge. As Paul says. for bigger stuff you just make appropriate arrangements.

John

I built a 2" scale Burrell Gold Medal tractor and that is as much as I want to lift at 74 it is just shy of 1cwt and I can just manage it into the boot of the car,and this is a small tractor.

Frank

Hi, thanks for all your input. I haven't decided as yet. I'm still building a 31/2 gauge Jenny Deans and I am re-building a little Ammco 7 inch shaper which is a fascinating project. Our club track is re-opening soon but it's future is still very much uncertain. I appreciate all you say about trying to drive little engines . I just don't have room to store a big one and my garden isn't big enough to run it in.