Hereward

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

I thought maybe some of you chaps might be interested in another build I completed a few years ago.  This one was serialised in Model Boats Magazine just over three years ago so this is just a very condensed version of that to give you an idea.

The idea started off with an article and plan published in Model Engineering Magazine in 1972 for an open hulled clinker built boat.  It was based on a steam launch used as a marshals’ boat for yacht races in Ireland and the plan was called the Wide-A-Wake.  As I was working at the time, away from home for about two thirds of the year I asked a retired boat builder to build the hull for me, which he duly did:

The plan was specifically designed for a Stuart Turner D10 engine and boiler but around the same time I came across an unused John Hemmens ‘V’ Four Caton engine and boiler, so I decided that would be a suitable power plant:

As often happens this all then sat on a shelf for around 20 years until lockdowns pushed me into completing some of the ‘pending’ projects I had sat around.  The first job was to ditch the original deck as it was too high so I built a new deck in place, designed to be removeable.  Consequently it sat on a riser on top of the keel and locked into all the side frames to enable it to be secure but removeable:

The engine was mounted on bearers attached to the hull and the side frames and a sealed for life ball bearing stern tube was fitted:

I wanted to incorporate a feed tank so a 1/6th scale steel drum was converted for the task and fitted to a frame built into the bow:

The separator tank was fitted to the deck with stiffeners added below it and bearers were added to take the boiler.  I wanted the entire model to be able to be dismantled after completion for maintenance or modifications so all parts are simply slotted into place or bolted to bearers:

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Lovely work, Richard

MichaelG.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

One of the earliest things I did with the hull was to put it in the bath to check it was watertight.  It wasn’t, which was basically why it sat on a shelf for all those years!  One of the first jobs then was to identify the leaks, seal the planks by rubbing some body filler into them and then recovering the entire hull with a coat of West pouring resin.  This sealed everything and made it watertight.  I wanted to keep the look of the varnished wood externally but decided that an anti fouling coat below the waterline made for a bit more interest.  The water line was marked out, with difficulty on a clinker hull, then masked and painted with two coats of Craftmasters coach enamel:

One thing I wanted to do, as I had so much space available, was to use an Automatic Boiler Control unit.  Consequently I needed to fit a servo operated water valve and a servo operated gas valve.  I frequently see these hidden in boxes with rods sticking out but I wanted to try a different approach.  I wanted the machinery to be visible as though it is meant to be there so the servo and valve arrangements were painted up and weathered to resemble hydraulic equipment.  The servo leads were also painted to resemble hydraulic pipework.  This was all done in a typical machinery green gloss enamel.  The water valve simply directs the watr to either the boiler or the feed tank, depending on boiler water level:

And the gas valve:

With it’s ‘hydraulic pipework’:

The gas tank could not be left without some sort of disguise so that was mounted on a frame to enable it to move outboard a little and then a cover was made for it from another 1/6th scale drum.  This was fitted with a manual oil pump, scratch built from scrap styrene and pipe fittings:

And dropped in place after the base was removed with a tin opener!:

The cockpit area was useable with a forward bulkhead, a raised deck and seating.  I was going to have a guy on the engine and a guy on the wheel, both 1/6th scale action figures.  I wanted the guy on the engine to ‘operate’ the engine so I had to come up with an arrangement to enable this.  The engine could be operated in one of two ways.  There is a control valve on the engine that controls direction and speed but there is also a valve on top of the boiler that controls steam output.  This valve proved to be the more accurate in controlling speed so I decided I wanted direction control and speed control via two separate servos.  Mounting these on the bulkhead, again painted up to look like machinery would enable control of the two valves and the operating rods could be extended into the cockpit to be attached to the drivers hands.  So two servos were fitted to the bulkhead, penetrations were added and the cockpit fitted out with a binnacle and wheel.  The binnacle was a kit my Dad bought for me as a teenager and the wheel was simply a spare I had lying around.:

Cockpit fitted out:

And in place:

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Moving on, the electronics all needed to be housed somewhere, as did the receiver and power supplies.  I decided to use two separate boxes as the boiler can be left to its own devices as it all runs entirely independently.  So I wanted a box with a power supply and the boiler ABC unit, somewhere close to the two servo operated valves.  I decided to make a softwood frame, in place between two hull frames, that was then clad in doll’s house floorboarding and additional softwood framing on the outside:

The lower framework piece is actually attached to the deck, not the box, so this acts as a locating device ensuring the box is held securely but can be removed:

The battery pack is mounted in the box but can be recharged with an external connection, hidden beneath a seat.  The unit can be switched on with a slide switch.

On the other side a similar box was added, this one hiding the receiver and the engine control unit.  This unit combines the reversing servo and the speed control servo into a single channel so the engine can still be operated with a single stick on the transmitter:

Most of the woodwork done:

Mounting the steering servo internally was going to be extremely difficult and would then make removal of the cockpit parts difficult.  I therefore decided to mount the steering servo externally, with a housing and access cover.  This also meant that there was not a requirement for hull penetrations for the operating rods.

Servo in place:

Housing built around it:

The overall look of the model was going to be that of a well used workboat.  Consequently I was going to need careful weathering.  I wanted the engine and pipework to look well used but well cared for so more of a ‘burnished’ finish, but the boiler was going to be sooty and stained.  Consequently the boiler was given an enamel wash and a liberal coat of soot.  The flue was given a chipped paint effect and again sooted up:

The model is starting to look suitably busy:

A test run of the engine proved to be particularly disappointing so a top end strip down was done.  Not surprisingly, after so many years on the shelf, the top end was full of solidified oil:

Everything was cleaned and new gaskets made and fitted:

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

The next job was to connect up the engine control servos and continue them into the cockpit.  Again everything was left on view and painted up to simulate machinery:

Meet the Skipper.  He had some serious surgery to remove the mechanisms that provide resistance on his arm movements so his arms were then nice and floppy and free moving.  They now follow the movement of the engine operating levers:

With the operation of the engine control unit, everything was tidied up and the wires secured:

And the same with the automatic boiler control unit:

The servo operated valves were connected with model boat bottle screws to give extremely fine adjustment.  They were secured with a spot of enamel wash on the threads:

There was a deliberate gap at the aft end of the main deck and the cockpit bulkhead to give access to the coupling.  This needed a suitable covering.  A raised deck area was added with a grating on top to neaten it all up:

Also a suitable gauge panel was needed to finish off the control position so this was made up from a wooden venetian blind offcut, brass model boat portholes and gauge faces downloaded and printed off.  The feed to the gauges are servo cables:

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

All that was then really left was adding as much detail as I could imagine in such a workboat.  A mechanic was added to look after the engine, boiler and anything manual that needed doing.  A boiler suit seemed the most likely gear for him to be wearing:

Then other suitable bits and pieces were added such as name boards.  These are bespoke doll’s house street names:

Steps from chequer plate:

An anchor:

A couple of boat hooks:

And, of course, using 1/6th scale gives you access to a huge range of accessories available for 1/6th scale action figures:

And a couple of storage rails for hanging spare ropes, lanterns etc.  These also serve the more important purpose of holding the forward cockpit bulkhead in place:

So the skipper and the mechanic have finally been joined by the Cox who takes his place at the wheel.  I’m happy with the overall ‘well used but well looked after’ appearance of it all and the level of detail gives plenty of visual interest:

So the completed model basking in the sun:

And, yes, she has been on the water a number of times:

[Trumpet / FlugelParticipant @trumpetflugel]

Absolutely stunning work Richard. Thank you for sharing.

Peter.

[AStroudParticipant @astroud]

Fabulous detailing, congratulations on a wonderful model.

Andrew

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Superb work, and to see it with steam coming from the funnel is perfect. Thank you. Noel.

[Author]

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