Johns Model Madness-Visit my model world!

Share my models, Kerr Stuart locomotive, Allchin traction engine, boats, OO railway and some drawings

I want to share some of my work with you. I am 81 years young and have made models of all kinds for more than 60 years. Many of these have long gone to the great scrapyard in the sky.

I illustrate recent work, some of which I am quite pleased with........... I am still learning however !

On some versions of Windows the text size can be expanded, if required, by scrolling over the page whilst pressing the Control key.

Click on the images below to go to the relevant pages.

I hope that the models illustrated and in some cases the description of steps in construction will tempt the visitor to try his/her hand at building the model they have been thinking about and which perhaps prompted them to visit this site.

On these pages I show some of the construction techniques and will later describe some of the problems encountered in the course of construction, describing ways and means by which they were overcome.

I am not keen on construction kits but enjoy using materials recovered from sources such as scrap and recycled objects, buying only items that I cannot make such as electronic components. For engineering projects I employ castings where I cannot fabricate. This provides practice in pattern making !

For what they are worth, I will be adding a set of recommendations based on lessons learnt during my 60 years+ of modelmaking. I call these ' Nostrums ' ( Perhaps it should be ' Nostras ! ) If you can spare the time to look at them click here modelengineersnostrums.htm

Site contents September 2008 :-

Building the 1 1/2" scale Allchin ....Click here

3 1/2" Gauge Loco 'Tich's' pedigree.. Click here

5" Gauge Loco 'Pixie's' background, survey and contruction... Click here

Have a look at my workshop........workshops.htm

Building the 1/32" scale Rhine pusher tug 'Egrete'.. Click here

Scratchbuilding building two simple R.C. sailing boats click here..Click here

1/24th scale scratchbuilt workboat 'Free Lancer '.. Click here

Looking back at OO Gauge Model railways click.. Click here

Why build Model Railways ? whymodelrailways.htm

The Clyde Puffer and other earlier boats.. Click here

1/24th scale scratchbuilt workboat 'Free Lancer 2'.. Click here

Scratchbuilding a small cruising boat...' Silhouette 'Click here

Ongoing build of a small pusher tug similar to the popular ' Springer ' class. buildingsmallpsher.htm

A model engineer's nostrums click here modelengineersnostrums.htm

Traction engines

	Allchin traction engine to 1 1/2" Scale
An earlier ( 1910 ) prototype

A major project carried on over a period of six years was construction of the Allchin traction engine ( Road locomotive ) to 1 1/2" scale. The six year term resulted from shortage of spare time due to a job which involved lots of travelling !

To see the construction of the Allchin from plans produced by the late great model engineer W. J. Hughes and a description of the many parts click here BuildingtheAllchin.htm

Following contact initially built up over the Internet with my now good friend Peter Beck, a German model engineer, pictures of my models now appear on his site. Peter is an accomplished model engineer and we share many interests, he has also built the Allchin and a number of locomotives, so appreciates the hours of application required. Peter has recently built a 1" to the foot scale traction engine ' Minnie ' to a design by L.C. Mason. And is now building a model of the ' Rocket ' The high quality of Peter's work is evident from these images :-

The hornplates and gear assembly for 'Minnie '. The gears were individually cut in Peter's home workshop.

Many hours of work result in the engine standing firm on it's intricate wheels. Next the ' Engine proper '..... the cylinder block, valve gear and transmission which sit on the boiler.

Peter's ' Minnie ' high quality workmanship, complete and tested.Click here! to see images of the build

Peter is currently making an model of the famous ' Rocket ' which is being illustrated on his pages. Follow the link above to view his elegant work in producing an extremely complicated subject !

Locomotives in 3/4" and 1 1/2"scales

	3/4" scale ' Tich ' for 3 1/2 gauge track (to LBSC drawings ) Click here for Tich's pedigree
2 1/2" scale 'Pixie ' for 5"gauge track (from site survey and drawings which I produced courtesy of the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway ) Click here ! for Pixie's background, survey and contruction.

All modellers with railway interests should make a point of visiting the A1 locomotive trust site to view the work on a 12" to the foot ' TORNADO ' locomotive being built from scratch.

Those who have built any live steam locomotive model will see the processes that they have carried out in miniature illustrated in the full size construction !

To visit the site click here http://www.a1steam.com/

Having reached this far you will be wondering what facilities I have for model making in the variety of materials shown. To see my present workshop and and read about some of the past locations click here John's workshops

Radio controlled model boats, power and sail

Currently activities are focussed on building model boats........so a page on the site describes construction of the Rhine Pusher ' Egrete ' from drawings published in Model Boats magazine, a fountain of knowledge for all who enjoy Boats, and in particular model boats.

 

	' Egrete ' A Rhine ' Pusher tug ' in 1/2" scale from free drawings published in Model Boats Magazine . clickBuilding the Rhine pusher to view construction.
The wheelhouse is raised and lowered to clear the bridges along the river

Martin Davis a great model boat enthusiast has a superb site at www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk where amongst a wealth of topics, show reports, construction features and so on, he kindly exhibits illustrations of other modellers work.

Back to my activities......................

A recent model boat building project was construction of a freelance model of workboat, aptly named ' Free Lancer ' constructed in wood as you might say,.' All out of my head '. The step- by- step build is illustrated here

Building RC model workboats

This boat has been followed by a larger version ' Free Lancer 2 ' also illustrated on another page

	Test of the workboat under way in the bath ...where else? Whilst it is a scratchbuilt freelance model the details are all based on images on the web
' Free Lancer ' a 1/24" scale, scratchbuilt workboat ' .....own design based on details of boats taken from the 'web' to .To see the construction Click here

This is ' Freelancer 2 ' based upon lessons learned from the earlier build. To see the construction Clickhere

Building RC model sailing boats

A Recently added page which describes describing two successful radio controlled model sailing boats

A Trailer sailer

This page describes construction of a small trailer sailer / cruiser which I used to sail with my sons and my father.

OO Gauge model railways

 

Small cameos from 16'x 10' fun model railway which in it's time was enjoyed by 3 generations of my family and countless visitors !

To look back at my OO Gauge Model railways Click here

Artwork and cartoons .

	' The beach '
' L'Isolabelle, Maggiori
	' Safe Harbour ' Salcombe

' Cornish fantasy '

When time permits I will be adding a gallery of items from my sketchbooks.

Cartoons

The drawing below is from cartoons I produced for a construction magazine for more than 25 years under the pen name ' Jon ' The cartoons were also used in CDroms for training at various levels within the industry from the ' Man on the Job ' to continueing professional development courses for architects, designers, contractors and product manufacturers.

This is a character named ' Cubcoman ' who developed over the years into something of a concrete pundit. The cartoons were quasi-technical commenting on best practice and innovation in all aspects of concrete construction..

To comment on this site, add to or discuss any of the content please click the link to mail John:-

We thank the thousands who have taken an interest in the site, particularly those from all parts of the world who have mailed. These mails have in a number of cases lead to ongoing ' Email friendships' and a useful exchange of ideas and methods.

It is great when you mail and tell us what you are doing, whether in Model Engineering , Model Boats and any modelling activities.

We will always acknowledge your mail and offer help if needed, and if we have sufficient knowledge to help!

Our mail address is :- jaygee@johnsmodelmadness.co.uk

Last updated 27th April 2009 Copyright John Richardson.

Viking Office

To return to the top click here