Don Young's Rail Motor

Does anyone know which issues of Model Enginner serialised the construction of Don Young's Rail Motor. I've tried the online index but failed completely. friend has bought one and it would be nice to have the articles to help in sorting out a couple of problems

Volume 134, issue 3342 to Volume 135, Issue 3363

John

Hello Duncan.

In the ME_Index database i can find 172 articles written by Mr. Don Young. If I add "Rail Motor" to the search criteria i find none.

In case You are interested in to receive a file with the 172 title result, please let me know sending a PM message to me with an e-mail address adequate to the purpose.

Best regards
Dias Costa

Hello John,
Hello Duncan

My mistake. I searched for the complete name "Don Young" so the result couldn't be other.

Best regards
Dias Costa

oops..

Edited By Ady1 on 21/05/2012 16:07:24

google

I think the problem was all the articles were titled 'simple 040 locomotive' rather than railmotor, I fell into the same trap many years ago......

In my index ( courtesy of Bill Philips and Chris Orchard) the articles are under D.Young and called 'Building 5 in. Gauge Rail-Motor Locomotives'. There's also a few called 'Two 5 in. gauge "Push and Pull" locomotives' I presume they are the same although I haven't looked.

John

As John pointed out the series was published in Vol 134 issue 3342 to Vol 135 issue 3363 inclusive. For some reason the series was published under both titles; some articles were captioned 'Building 5 in. Gauge Rail-Motor Locomotives' others 'Two 5 in. gauge "Push and Pull" locomotives'

Also, Don had the unfortunate habit of including updates to earlier engines in the text of later articles. The Railmotor is no exception. Updates can be found in the Elaine series - Vol 136 Issues 3397,3403,3404 & 3405 I don't have the particular articles handy at the moment, but I don't recall there being anything too critical in these.

I recently began building a No 1 starting with the tender. But with limited equipment and even more limited experience I scaled back my ambitions a bit to first gain some experience with some relatively simple stationary engines. I hope to get back to the loco in the next few weeks.

Clive

hi duncan,

everything you need is in the 1968 and 1969 volumes of ME, though i think some of the drawings for the No.1 version are missing from ME. i started mine when i was 16, cycling to adgestone to see don himself and inspect his own loco before departing with a set of drawings and a saddlebag full of castings! don confided not to open the cylinder bores more than the No.2 size and to fit the No. 1 boiler, which advice i followed (mine had a No. 2 chassis). steamed on a candle and such a boring loco to drive as it did everything and more required of it without any hassle and plenty of steam! it's still running regualrly now, though a friend now has it. excellent begineer's loco. ive driven a few, and ended up having don's own loco for awhile, which is still on the isle of wight.

if you need ny further info i'd be very pleased to help.

cheers,

julian

That's stunning. Less than 12 hours and all you chaps have answered. Thanks to all who have replied. I have all bar 2 of 1968 and 1969 MEs in my attic, so i'll be digging them out tomorrow

Thanks again

Duncan

hi duncan,

if you have any gaps in the construction series let me know and i'll photocopy and send you any missing. the later references are simply comments by don on building his own RAILMOTOR, and dont add anything to the excellent construction series. the only other comment i would add is that on the original designs the water gauge top fitting is on the manifold... i drove a RAILMOTOR before starting my boiler and was rather surprised at the alteration in water gauge level caused by any of the other manifild valves being opened, so fitted a separate elbow to the top of my boiler. i also opened up the exhaust ways from the cylinders and fitted larger connections to the cylinders, and re-designed the exhaust pipes and blast pipe connections. i ended up with a 1/4" dia exhaust nozzle (not bad for a small loco i thought!)

cheers,

julian

Edited By julian atkins on 21/05/2012 23:34:58

the springs are also a bit light. i fitted 'Greenly' type springs within a spring. dont be allarmed if the loco is quite lively on a track. i also did away with the 4 element super heaters (No.1 boiler) and fitted my standard 2 element 1/4" dia type. if i had known that 20 years later i would be working from Rhymney depot on the Rhymney line i might have taken a bit more care with prototype details! if your friend has a No. 1 RAILMOTOR, don's drawing of the hudswell clarke chimney cap is wrong!

cheers,

julian

Hi, I have inherited an unfinished Railmotor 1 or 2-what differences are there in the chassis? I would also like to aquire the articles from ME mentioned re Don Young. Can I get all the missing parts from A J Reeve? I do not have a lot of experience with steam models but I do want to finish this project.

Thanks Digby

No. 2 has angle iron horncheeks, plain coupling and conn rods, and a valve gear to different dimensions.

No.1 has cast horncheeks, a valve rod guide, and the equivalent of split brasses and cotter for the conn rod big end

Thanks Julian. Not too familiar with the terminology but the horncheeks are on the inner surface of the chassis supporting the axles? These are angle iron riveted to the chassis. I was confused as it seems to have a type 1 chimney although some parts that came with it are type 2.

Hi Digby,

The No 1 engine was based on a Rhymney Railway Railmotor with a tender substituted for the carriage.

No 2 was a freelance redesign of the engine speculating as to what it may have looked like as a tank loco. Don Young suggested that potential builders might like to mix and match the bits and pieces according to taste, so it's not surprising that you have what appears to be a No 2 chassis with a No 1 chimney .

Your best bet would be to try and find the original magazine articles. Many public libraries in larger cities carry bound volumes of ME stretching back many years. Alternatively, any nearby ME club would also probably have the relevant volumes in their library.

Here are some photos of what appears to be a No 1: **LINK** and a No 2: **LINK** .

Regards,

Clive

hi clive,

there is no reference whatsoever in the ME articles to Don suggesting you could 'mix and match', and bearing in mind the valve gears are quite different this could be a recipe for disaster. apart from what Don said personally to me not to open the bores up above the No. 2 diameter and to fit the No. 1 boiler, i am not aware of Don stating anywhere else to 'mix' the 2 designs. i knew Don very well before his untimely death.

Digby, yours is obviously No.2. i would recommend getting the construction series from MEs 1968/9. if you have difficulties i can photocopy you copies. TEE (EIM) can supply the back issues/construction series at a very reasonable price.

it is a super loco (there are actually 4 variations, 1 in 7.25g" and 3 in 5" g (including the LSWR C14 published in Don's magazine LLAS). my own example got 'narrow gauge-ified' with lengthened frames and enlarged superstructure, and was a lovely loco and my kiddies still remind me how i ought to buy it back after i sold it as they were very fond of it and named it 'Molly'! it was painted in genuine LT maroon with stroudley type lining out in vermillion etc.

the throw of the crankpin on No. 2 is too great (i cant comment on No.1) so the die block on mine never reached the end of the expansion link slot by quite a margin to avoid over-running of the valvegear. apart from my previous comment about fitting a separate water gauge top fitting i cant praise this design enough!

cheers,

julian

Edited By julian atkins on 19/06/2012 23:45:13

Hi, Many thanks Clive for the info and brilliant pics. Thank you Julian-I would like copies of the articles- I will reimburse the cost. I will be ordering the missing parts and I am reassured by your favourable comments. Regards Digby