INSIDE MOTION No 18 August 2021 - Tyneside Society of Model & Experimental Engineers

News and Views from the
TYNESIDE SOCIETY of MODEL and EXPERIMENTAL ENGINEERS

Download IM document in PDF format here

Preamble

The pessimism I expressed in July about “Freedom Day” proved to be unfounded – the release from virtually all legal restraints went ahead as planned.

The limit of a maximum of thirty members on-site no longer applies. However, the dreaded lurgy is still out there in the population at large, and infection numbers are high. Because of this, the Clubhouse remains out of use, there will be no public access except for invited guests and Public Running will not resume as hoped.

Tedious though this may be after so long, it’s all for the best in the long-run.

Club Matters

Boiler Inspections

In last month’s feature on this subject, it stated quite clearly “If you need a boiler test, please contact one of the Boiler Inspectors beforehand to agree a date and time. Do not just turn up expecting them to drop what they are doing to test your boiler.”
Nonetheless, people are still just turning up expecting … ! In future, without a prior arrangement, you will simply be politely but firmly refused. Please remember that the Boiler Inspectors are also Club members with their own interests and priorities – just like you – and should be afforded the same courtesies you would expect. All the information you need is now hosted on the Website in the Member’s Area, or you can contact the Secretary for help.

Site Security

You may have noticed, and even used, the red-and-white chain which has appeared hung between the posts of the vehicle access gates. This addition is because there have been instances when the general public has wandered onto the site when the gates have been left open whilst vehicles are unloading or loading at the traverser. The chain is intended to be a quick and easy alternative to closing the heavy gates whilst vehicles are on site, so please make use of it.

Members are also reminded to close the foot-access gate by the Clubhouse when they enter or leave the site.

These measures are particularly important just now whilst CV-19 cases are still widespread.

Jim Stephenson Memorial Day
Sunday September 26th 10:00 ‘til when …

At the suggestion of his Family, the Club will be hosting a special day in Jim’s memory. It will be a private affair for Family and Club members only.

Members are asked to bring along lots of locos to run, and there will also be a “Lockdown Projects” display for you to showcase your inactivity activities.

A running buffet will keep everyone fed and watered throughout the day. Please come along and help make this a truly memorable event.

Other Dates for your Diary

Unfortunately, there will be no access to the Club on the following dates ….

Sunday September 12th Great North Run

Sunday September 19th “This is Tomorrow” Festival. Setting-up and taking-down of this event will occupy several days either side of the (long) weekend, so the access road may be busy on the Wednesdays immediately before and after and extra vigilance is advisable

Scrap Drive

There is still time for you to bring along any non-ferrous scrap you may wish to donate to aid the Club’s coffers.

Wedding Train

Wednesday 21st July saw the Club host its first public event since the beginning of restrictions – a booking for Wedding Trains in association with the Brewery. Covid-mitigation measures were in place to minimise risk to Club members.

All who rode seemed to enjoy the experience – that’s what it’s about, after all ! Kudos to those who sweltered in the afternoon sun to make it happen. The booking was also a welcome source of additional funds for the Club.

People

Junior Engineer Sam Yeeles continues his run of having his line-side photographs showcased – this time in “The Railway Magazine” July issue.

LMS Princess Royal Class No.6201 “Princess Elizabeth” heads north through the Lune Gorge

Members Musings …

Modern Glue Chuck

Peter Newby

An item of equipment familiar to Ornamental- and Wood-turners is the Glue Chuck. This was traditionally a steel faceplate coated with a glue called Turner’s Cement (TC), made from resin and bees-wax. The faceplate was heated, the TC melted over the face and the job set down onto it. The modern equivalent to TC is superglue, which speeds up the glueing process – a job superglued can be ready for machining in 10 – 15 minutes.

Similar applications can be applied to jobs on the milling machine. Once finished, the work can be freed by heating. This is a simple solution to a number of jobs where the work is thin and cannot be held in a conventional chuck.

Quite Interesting
Jim Scott

The observations noted in the following “Letter to the Editor” (of Model Engineer magazine) have probably been heard by many of us over the years.

I remember overhearing a similar conversation between a lady and her young son regarding the equipment displayed alongside a magnificent class-winning 5″ gauge locomotive at one of the London shows in the ’70s. The conversation centred around the miniature fireman’s shovel which was apparently “just like the one Father uses to put coal on the living room fire.”

Quite Interesting #2
Phil Page

From Modern Railways & Locomotives Magazine September 1920

Postamble

A rather slim issue this month, but I work with what I have. Thanks to Peter and Jim for the “stocking filler” items, without which it would have been positively skeletal. Still, it leaves a bit more room for some pictures taken over the last month …