"Ellie" The Steam Tram
‘A Simple 16mm scale live steam locomotive you can build’.
“Ellie” , whose construction is described in this book, is a very simple live steam model locomotive, and is a superb first project for any newcomer to model engineering – or as a quick-build model for the more experienced, possibly as a gift for a young steam minded relative.
Whilst not a model of a particular prototype, “Ellie” follows the pattern of many steam tram engines built by Beyer-Peacock, Dick Kerr, and other builders, with a vertical engine driving the leading axle, connecting rods to the second axle and a boiler placed behind the engine, all covered by a simple canopy. No castings are required, so this is a cheap model to build.
Power is provided by a single cylinder oscillating engine, with steam coming from a simple pot-boiler, fired by methylated spirits. The locomotive is suitable for 16mm narrow gauge or G scale and the wheel spacing can be simply adjusted to run on either 32 mm or 45 mm gauge track.
The original design, which forms the bulk of this book, was originally published as a series of articles in Australian Model Engineering magazine, and has drive from the vertical engine to the leading axles by a train of Meccano gears. Author Andrew Allison subsequently drew up a variant with jackshaft drive which only needs two easily sourced gears, and drawings for this are also included, as is a design by the author’s father for an alternative form of displacement lubricator.
The two major attractions of this design are its suitability for beginners, including younger builders with supervised access to a model engineer's workshop and, for the more experienced builder, the design lends itself to modification both in appearance and mechanically.
Full drawings and building instructions, as well as photographs of parts and machining set-ups are included. 64 page A4 format paperback.
Now you can build your own live steam locomotive! Dirk Wijns in Holland did - his is the blue "Ellie" in the snow amongst the pictures, and also on unusual domestic duties below!
A DIGITAL EDITION of this book is available HERE
SETS OF LASER-CUT PARTS for the frames, motion and other parts of "Ellie" are available - click HERE for details
Any beginner starting to build "Ellie" will find this (Digital) book useful:
"Ellies" in action - in Australia:
in Belgium:
and in Holland, being put to domestic use:
