"Ephraim" A simple freelance live steam Shay locomotive for 45mm gauge

“Ephraim”, is described by author Peter Scott as ‘a simple freelance live steam Shay locomotive for 45mm gauge’.

Peter had just finished building “Ellie” the Steam Tram when the Covid lockdown struck, and decided to design an engine for his own LGB 45mm gauge track. The main requirements were that it should be able to cope with 900mm curves and be visually interesting. A geared locomotive of the type designed by Ephraim Shay for use on the logging railroads of America was selected, and “Ephraim” is the result.

Other than moving one bush, the pot boiler is identical to that used in “Ellie” and is meths-firing. The side-mounted engine has three single-acting cylinders with a single geared valve, driving the two geared bogies through Cardan shafts. The model is not based on a particular class of Shay, but a final chapter includes ideas and suggestions for ‘super-detailing’ the design. As can be seen in the film-clip below, the resulting model is remarkably powerful.

Peter Scott made considerable use of jigs in building the prototype, and these are described as they make “Ephraim’s’ construction even easier, especially as this book contains over 210 all colour photographs of set-ups to help the builder. Laser-cut parts are in development, so builders will be able to have their versions of “Ephraim” in steam even quicker.

As designed "Ephraim" is not reversible, but Peter Scot has come up with a modification to the engine unit which means it can be reversed with a flick of the finger. Download details of this for FREE - just click HERE to download the PDF file.  A brief film of this process is below.

106 A4 pages. 30 drawings of assemblies. Paperback.

This is a fascinating project for the less experienced model engineer, a little more complex than "Ellie",and introducing new skills and practices.

NB: Since publication the author has provided a few additional technical details that can be down loaded HERE as a PDF.  This will be included with all futures copies ordered.

ALSO you may download a copy of this book's review in 'Model Engineer' HERE.