ERRORS !!

TRACTION ENGINES and OTHER ROAD VEHICLES.

41/2" Simplicity roller to Plaistow's drawings .
Bob Dennis says that:

Sheet 2
lower water gauge not shown.
Dimensions from brake shaft hole up to row of rivets for floor should be 1 7/32.
holes required in vertical rear plate for regulator handle.
Sheet 3
Steering shaft length not given 37" 9/162"
Square for hand wheel 9/32"
Sheet 4
Internal Diam of final gear must be increased to clear spring box made mine 8" 1/8"
Sheet 6
Check dimension from cyl C/L to exhaust C/L to suit cylinder casting and chimney base.
Additional hole required in front of cylinder for blower.
Exhaust nozzle must be made detachable so that the pipe can pass through the hole in chimney base.
Safety valve centres not given 1" 5/16".
Sheet 7
left and right hand guard, angle at front not given 27 deg.
The Simplicity is known for being a poor steamer
Not so, throw away the cast grate and make one with 5/16" round stainless bars so that she can breath the difference will be amazing.

"BILL", Burrell, by Plaistow.

Jerry Kimberlin has supplied the following information.
He has also sent me some sketches illustrating each item which I will forward to anyone upon request.


As with all of the errors, in some cases it might be variations in the castings, and YOURS may be different.
Please check before making changes, which may, in some cases, not be needed.


  1. The clearance between the flywheel and the winding drum is insufficient.
Suggested remedy is to machine ¼" off the outer flange (the wheel side) of the winding drum.


  1. The water pump does not line up properly. There would appear to be two errors.
Firstly, if the bore of the pump is aligned to the centre line of the shaft, this throws the body of the shaft off line.
Secondly, one pump leg fouls the third shaft tunnel. It is suggested that this leg be removed and silver soldered back onto the pump further to the rear.


The whistle on the steam chest is in a very congested area. It is suggested that it be moved to the side of the cylinder chest, where it can be fitted by means of a 90o bend.


The weighshaft bracket casting is about ½" too short where the weighshaft passes through.


The front spectacle plate is too close to the rear spectacle plate by about ¾".
This may be due to incorrect location of spectacle plate bracket holes, in crown wrapper of boiler.
(There must be room for the crank to rotate between the spectacle plates, nd for the fittings on the boiler crown wrapper.


The steering chain drum brackets are too short, which causes the steering chain to foul the boiler throatplate.
It is suggested that the brackets be made slightly longer.


If the tender is made with removable floor it facilitates assembly and allows for future maintenance. This is easily done by adding a piece of angle each side, and fixing the floor to that.

Email me for sketches illustrating the above.

Live Steam Models 4" Burrell Scenic Engine (DCC Road Loco)

1 The water pump eccentric strap hits the front spectacle plate, it needs to be moved around and down
toward the firebox crown so as to give clearance.

2 The injector and water pump boiler clack pads on the boiler are also in the wrong place, these need to be moved forward so as to clear the leading edge of the horn plates.

(Thanks to Clive Hearsey.)

DURHAM & NORTH YORKSHIRE TRACTION ENGINE DRAWING ERRORS

This list was compiled in good faith to help other builders. The entries are purely my own opinion and should not be taken too seriously. I accept no liability for any mistakes. (Thanks to Jim Moorcroft).

BOILER DRG
On side view, the check valve boss is shown on the centre line of the top tube - it should be the centre line of the boiler barrel.

An additional boss was later added for fitting of an injector. It is the same as the blow down boss and is positioned 5/8 forward of the turret boss and 9/16 from the centre line to the near side.

HORNPLATES / SMOKEBOX DRG
3 off No 26 holes in each horn plate are wrong. They should be checked with the spectacle plate and water pump eccentric bracket.

Perch bracket should be 1/8MS not 12swg. (the stiffener bracket is 3/32)

Length of smoke box hinge is 2 7/8.

Square part of smoke box door handles is too long. I think it should be 3/32 not 3/16.

TENDER DRG
Spectacle plate cut outs are wrong and should be marked on assy.

WHEELS / GEARING DRG
The wide part of the large perch bush should be 5/16 thick, not 3/16. Also the dimension for the overall length of the bush looks like 1 3/16 when it is actually 13/16.

MOTION DRG
Reversing lever sweep rear bracket should be 1" between centres, not 1 9/16.

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