The Kotanga Valley and the Kotanga Timber Tramway.

[crackingjob]

In darkest Wales

http://www.freewebs.com/railmachinesltd/index.htm

[Annie]

Yes that little steam loco on the Rail Machines website is amazing!  Though I think if I tried copying that style of monorail I'd be moving beyond building models on a tray on my knees in the evenings as I do at the moment while I keep my Mum company while she watches the telly.

I completely agree about the Ewing System being totally practical as a people mover and it would work well in a modern day setting.  Advantages are that negotiating tight curves are not a problem and it's waaaaay cheaper to build and maintain due to the single rail.  Having a modern pneumatic tyre on the balance wheel would be a real improvement too.
As for the model-making the Kotanga Valley Tramway will be having a lot more whimsy than any modern day practical application would have and I don't have any plans to change out the steel rimmed balance wheels for rubber anytime soon.  I have various items of G-ish cheap rolling stock of a variety of gauges that I'm considering converting to the Ewing System.  Apparently the Patiala State Monorail did have some bogie coaches in later years with each bogie having a balance wheel attached.  I wouldn't mind having a go at that 

 I've got an old and very well worn Chinese made combine coach that would be great for conversion and by the time it's been suitably modified to suit Kiwi practice as well as to suit the general 'atmosphere' of the Kotanga Valley much of the damaged bits will be removed anyway.

[Annie]

For more about the Welsh steam monorail have a look at this........

http://www.centurymillwrights.com/portfolio/category/16-monorail

[adrian]

G'day Annie
Since finding the Welsh monorail earlier this year have thought that it would look good in model form.
Unfortunately a request for information, via the guest book, on their site has been met with deafening silence.
Maybe the next option is 'snail mail'.
Or maybe just build it free lance ?
Cheers
Adrian

[crackingjob]

Try Amberly Museum in the uk....I have seen photos of a similar mono rail they have from Bishops Waltham Water Works

www.amberleymuseum.co.uk

and to the dedicated railway site

www.amberleynarrowgauge.co.uk

and also

 http://www.mdrs.org.uk/2009gallery.htm

where I found a picutre of the mono rail...youll have to scroll down for it

but I couldnot find it on the Amberly web site...try them as they are a friendly bunch...I think matey in Wales is in business and has bought the rights and so is a little protective.

Musing as I was today in town.....plastic curtain rail?....when I get a few pennies I might try it

Crackingjob

[Annie]

I have a new battery for my camera on order so it shouldn't be long before I can start to post pictures again.  Despite my efforts to encourage my little helpers to work more slowly due to my inability to maintain a photographic record things still seem to be steaming ahead.  Roberta the carpenter has been busy with converting the small test Ewing monorail wagon I built into a travelling workshop for herself.  Think small tin shed on an open wagon and you'll be getting close.  Roberta's built a very nice workbench inside the workshop and she asked me to order a vice for her.  I bet the lads won't be allowed anywhere near her new workshop let alone being allowed to step inside it!  Heaven help the loco driver that rough shunts her little workshop, he won't half catch it. 

[crackingjob]

Annie entice  or threaten the workers with this I found whilst doing a Google sweep by Eric G Lewis

Crackingjob

[crackingjob]

Also found this

[Annie]

Oh that 0-1-0 is delightful     Could be useful as a training aid for apprentice loco drivers, - only I reckon they wouldn't half get dizzy though.

George, Jim the foreman's brother, says that the monorail won't need special tip wagons because if Sidney gets near any monorail wagons they'll tip over like magic.  Bill thought that wasn't a very nice thing to say so he gave George a cuppa tea with no sugar in it at smoko to teach him a lesson.

Seriously though I've been working on trying to figure out how to make a monorail tip wagon without much success so far.   

[adrian]

G'day Crackingjob

Thanks for the links.....

Musing as I was today in town.....plastic curtain rail?....when I get a few pennies I might try it

That reminds me of a copy of Practical Mechanics ( about 1948 ) that had plans for a monorail using brass curtain rail ( no plastic then ) and a 'Mighty Midget' motor and a couple of 'D' cells all enclosed in an aerodynamic balsa body.

If I had only kept that magazine 

Cheers

Adrian

[bkbates]

Love the 0-1-0. Brilliant!

[crackingjob]

Yes its all plastic curtain rail these days , but it would work...you would have to build on to the hooks...will think on it.

many of the old garden railers used brass rail for bogie sides...long gone now ...need to find an old dear who needs new curtains

Crackingjob

[Annie]

My new camera battery arrived which means that I can finally catch up on what my little helpers have been doing.


'Be careful Sidney, Jim is just over there.  Are you sure you're supposed to be doing that?'

'Jim told us to do this coz I'm good at it.'

'Only I'm wondering if that's Roberta's saw you're using Sidney? - You know she doesn't like anybody using her tools.'

'Isn't.  Borrowed this saw from the new chaps.'

So there you go we have some new staff about the place.  They're from the 'Mighty World' range and they are absolutely great for 'G-ish' scale endeavors.

Roberta the carpenter has been very busy converting the experimental Ewing wagon I made into a mobile workshop.

She's made herself a carpenter's apron from some leather scraps I had about the place too.  

[Annie]

This is the official picture from the 'Mighty World' website of the 'Construction Crew' set that I recently purchased.


I think they're terrific sets, - only it was by sheer fluke that I got this one as it was an importer's sample and they decided not to go ahead with stocking the 'Mighty World' sets.   :'(

[Tommy Two Strikes]

That wonderful and speedy work Roberta is doing might qualify her for a promotion to Project Manager. Then again without her production might drop 50%. Compliments!!