Recycled Detritus - How it came about
by Dave Watkins
Someone better qualified than I should write a history of small scale working internal combustion locomotives. It would make fascinating reading for those of us who have suffered from the craving to build their own. There have been quite a few success stories and not a few failures. For me the real classic tale is the story of the standard gauge Hymek built by Bob Symes and his team in gauge one. I am sure that in operation it would be a sight to behold.
It was some years ago that I first saw a real 16mm scale diesel loco running. It was at an open-day on John Wenlock’s line and I was duly impressed. The sight, sound and smell of a diesel are not to everyone’s taste but I was delighted. Much more recently Steve Bell brought his Archangel diesel to an open day on the Birches Barn Light Railway. The Archangel model again uses a very small diesel engine and mechanical gear train. The Archangel loco was started in the traditional way used by marine modellers with a cord wrapped round the flywheel. One other model in our size which springs to mind was a superbly crafted gauge one locomotive which I saw running on a local line. This had been built by a skilled model engineer. It had a glo-plug engine with electric start and reverse gearbox all remotely operated by radio control.
The starting point for Detritus was a second hand model aircraft engine of 1.5 cc complete with fuel tank and can of fuel. The first owner had intended to fit this to a model spitfire. Unfortunately the model had been accidentally destroyed before it even flew. I bought the engine, admired the workmanship and then put it away in a box whilst I finished various other projects. Eventually I fitted it with a flywheel, mounted it on a wooden block held in the vice and connected up the fuel tank. I then tried to start it with a cord round the flywheel. I am sure those of you who have played with model diesels in the past will know what I am about to write next - yes you have guessed it. It proved almost impossible to start.
Copyright Dave watkins 1996.
Mail me if you want to know more Send e-mail to: davewatkins@blueyonder.co.uk