FfR 'Mary Ann' 40 hp Simplex (scratch building)

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 5:50 pm

Hello,
This is currently just a bundle of parts, but will eventually become a model of the Ffestiniog Railway's 40 h.p Simplex 'Mary Ann', in present condition. I'm hoping to use some knowledge gained from helping out with the most recent restoration of the real thing, to make it a superd model. It will even have a scratch built chassis from brass and I.P wheels with a motor, intermidiate shaft, and then chain driven to the wheelsets. I will alert you as I make progress, I'm hoping to get some work done sooon. Wish me Luck!

steamyjim · Post by **steamyjim** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:39 pm

Sounds a good project.

Pics?

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:33 pm

Made some progress yesterday, went to Boston Lodge, and with the help of my father marked out the chassis members, soldered them together, and drilled. We then made a start on the cross members, & that's where it all started to go wrong, first of all we couldn't find a chuck correct for the drill bit & the lathe, and once we'd found one, not only was there a 4-jaw chuck on the lathe, but sombody had a job in it. So we now have to go back in next Sunday and do these. But atleast I know nearly have a rolling chassis!

steamyjim · Post by **steamyjim** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:37 pm

Sounds good! Id love to be able to go down to Boston Lodge like you do to make someting

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:46 pm

Just to keep you happy Jim, here's a rather boring photo of the chassis members resting on the wheelsets!

steamyjim · Post by **steamyjim** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:33 pm

Looks great!

laalratty · Post by **laalratty** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:34 pm

looking good. Boston lodge must be the best equiped workshop ever used in the construction of something for a garden railway!
i have to make do with the lounge table (when mums not looking!)

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:57 am

Yes it is, apart from some of the machines are a little large, and sometimes you spend hours trying to find things (like a chuck key that was at the other end of the workshop to the lathe, took me a good 2hrs to find it!).
Anyway, at least I don't have to buy a lathe, ect..!

I've been a little lazy with updates (and work) on this project, on the 25/11/07 we had the chassis spacers through the lathe (once I found the chuck key), later that evening I tapped a 6BA hole in them and assembled the chassis, following a trial run with a temporary coupling (paper clip) superb running was achieved, so later on yesterday, I made up the mount for the engine mount out of some brass box section soldered together (not the best quality job but it'll do).

It's looking a bit like this now:

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:37 am

I assume that it is just how you placed the motor on the chassis for this photo, as it looks a bit out of gauge with the motor out to the side.

mhlr · Post by **mhlr** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:31 am

I agree Chris, it looks a bit out of gauge. Is the SHR loading gauge that wide?

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:48 pm

That's how wide the real thing is and it most certainly is inside the SHR loading gauge, as the SHR loading gauge is as wide as an 'Edrig'. The motor is that side,so that the undercarriage isn't too crampped as there will be gears driving to the intermidiate shaft and then chains from there to both wheelsets.

mhlr · Post by **mhlr** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:56 pm

aha! It is the same width as a Edrig then. That makes more sense.

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:05 pm

It's not as wide, but it's only a few cms out.

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:29 pm

Oops, again no updates, thought I'd updated at Easter. Anyway, at easter the Simplex chassis ran under its own power for the first time, due to various changes indesign the motor is now stood vertical, I shall take somje photos tomorrow.

This evening I completed the marking out of the bufferbeams and side plates I hope to drill these in the next few days and attach them to the loco, I can then put it through some pulling trials!

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:03 pm

In future I'm NEVER giving time scales for stuff, and if I do they're lies, anyway, tomorrow turned out to be the next year. I've riveted the bufferbeams and one side frame, glued them on and this is it as it stands.

laalratty · Post by **laalratty** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:09 pm

Looks great and very well armoured! Looks to me like it will be a bit of a powerhouse if it's got a half decent motor

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:13 pm

Same motor as the other Simplex (I.P Engineering Budget chassis), which despite the looks is actually quite powerful, this' I expect will be even more powerful as there is quite a bit of weight in it.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:55 pm

laalratty wrote:Looks great and very well armoured! Looks to me like it will be a bit of a powerhouse if it's got a half decent motor

Just what I was thinking... are you sure it isn't a tank?

Looking good so far.

laalratty · Post by **laalratty** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 11:07 pm

Chris wrote:
laalratty wrote:Looks great and very well armoured! Looks to me like it will be a bit of a powerhouse if it's got a half decent motor
Just what I was thinking... are you sure it isn't a tank?

Well if you do decide that it's a tank Will, can we fit it with SLRmidge's miniature gun (as seen on the starship enterplough) for a bit of railcar destruction?

Or maybe just ram the simplex into the railcar, it won't stand a chance

SillyBilly · Post by **SillyBilly** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 11:08 pm

Lol, well I'm building a second one for a friend, which has the second stage armour! I can see Gag Torton getting killed if you continue to think like this!

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FfR 'Mary Ann' 40 hp Simplex (scratch building)

FfR 'Mary Ann' 40 hp Simplex (scratch building)

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