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Manbench Industries; Purveyors of general mayhem since 1994, a blog to follow the crazed, possibly deranged projects and emotive musings, of an undergraduate engineer, and an apprentice organ builder who have always felt they were born in the wrong age. Follow us as we, re-write history, learn lost skills, discover strange new worlds, break things, rant at things, mend things, make new things and generally find ways of passing the day instead of doing "proper work" !

Wednesday 9 October 2013

From the Collection - The Cornish Maid

As I am quite busy with university, the progression of projects has slowed, so I shall inter space those posts with an insight into some of the more interesting aspects of my collection, starting with this lovely model traction engine, 'The Cornish Maid'. I was given this engine by a friend of mine several years ago now, along with a model of a steam roller powered by a Stuart 10H. I expect this engine was built in the 1950s out of whatever could be found around the place. The wheels are made from sections of steel tube, with tinplate spokes soldered on. The motion-work including full Stephenson's Link valve gear all seems to be handmade without a lathe, but everything runs beautifully on a few pounds of compressed air. The flywheel seems to be made from a sewing machine flywheel and the boiler from an old shell case. When I was given it, I was inclined to rebuild it, but, after running it I think it looks far more interesting like this.



The Engineer.


2 comments:

  1. That's at least worth sticking all the bits back together, it's kinda cute and quirky! In need of some love and attention

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    1. She certainly is - the thing is I have plenty of up together engines making this one is just a bit different. As it runs I am inclined to leave her as she is!

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