The above photograph is after the last restoration.

In the November 2013 Model Boats magazine, Phil Button carries out part 2 of his Graupner Glasgow paddle tug conversion to John H Amos. This part was to remove the temporary electric drive and install a steam plant. Phil has take a lot of precautions to prevent the steam plant damaging the interior of the model. Quite interesting when a lady nearby asked him is the model supposed to smell like that – No I think it’s on fire!

With my model, built as the kit, the intention is to go the other way by removing the steam plant and installing a permanent electric drive system. The photograph shows the damage that years of use with the steam installation have take its toll on the model’s interior. The difficulty in obtaining a steam safety certificate for the boiler, the varnished deck being ruined and I would need to fabricate an aluminium tray for the boiler are other factors which swayed this decision. Some of the damage is irrepairable (e.g. new deck) and to re-build as a first class standard it would be easier to start again with a new kit.

Steam plant now removed and a MFA geared motor 11:1 ratio purchased. At 6 volt the motor gives 718 rpm which when reduced by a further 3:1 gear ratio gives a no load paddle speed of 239 rpm, which should be in the right ‘ball park’. The intention is to retain the 3:1 Graupner gears should the steam plant be re-installed at some time in the future. The layshaft and its gears which further reduced the steam plant from 3:1 to 9:1 was also removed and placed into safe storage.

As the motor shaft on the MFA motor is 6mm diameter and the bore of the gear is only 5mm diameter, an MFA 6mm to 5mm converter was sourced from technobots. This option was chosen, as I no longer have access to a lathe, to make my own adapter shaft, since finishing work. As this will extend the length of the motor some of the coaming will need to be cut away.

Before the shaft adapter was bought, I considered boring out the pinion, but as can be seen there just wasn't enought brass.

Tony

Edited By Tony Hadley on 24/10/2013 08:24:40

Edited By Tony Hadley on 24/10/2013 08:35:07

Hi Bob

Under steam the model performed extremely well, with a surprisingly good turn of speed. Run time was approx. 10minutes+

Ian, I am unsure as to whether the photograph was taken with a temporary electric drive or whilst under steam. After the previous restoration, to give the model a test run, I hastily installed a temporary 550 motor which was far too fast. Looking at the top of the stack is a slight wisp, so it could have been under steam, I'm just not sure.

Had a scare when giving it a trial run last time though, went to the lake alone in the evening, when along came a gang of 'likely lads' who started talking. They informed me they were recently out of prison and obviously I humoured them as best as I could. Fortunately a couple of youngish ladies they knew came along and started to talk to them and share their drinks. At this point I loaded my model into the car and thought that was a lucky escape. I seriously thought either the model or my wallet + credit card would be stolen — Moral of the story — Never sail alone.

Thanks for the interest shown,

Tony

Here is the next task for the build –

The paddleboxes currently have the kit supplied transfers as paddlebox vents. I plan to drill and cut out actual vents. Whilst looking at this, I thought of modifying the design to a similar design to the ones on the Ramsgate paddle tug John Batey.

What do you think of this design or should I stay with the original Graupner design? The photograph has a paper template of the proposed new design, before the mini-drill is set to work.

Original Graupner design.

Proposed design, similar to John Batey.

Tony

Managed to modify the first paddle box to a design similar to the John Batey paddle tug. The paddle boxes are quite flimsy and cutting the vents is time consuming.

Tony

Ian,

Since the last post, I came across this November/December 1991 RCBM magazine, on ebay, which has an excellent item on the Glasgow by Ray Brigden. The model in the magazine puts many Glasgows in the shade (mine included) and the magazine is well worth obtaining for anyone who is building, owns or wishes to own the paddler. Whether Graupner's new owners will re-release the kit in the future is anyones guess.

This photograph from the magazine item, is of the individual paddle wheel drive system which I will be looking to achieve in the future ( hopefully next winter). Ray uses meccano brackets to support the central shaft bearings. He does comment in the text that engineers will frown on the use of these brackets, but they do the job. For mine I will look for something better, but the idea looks right. The plan is to use a second MFA motor and make a similar conversion to plastic chain drive. Colin Bishop has commented in another thread about using gears within a 'sound box' (hull) and my thoughts are only to keep the existing Graupner 3:1 gear drive for the coming season. Bob has posted a similar, but single chain drive set-up earlier in the thread.

Tony