As I write this, we are in this part of the world just recovering from a cold spell, snow, ice, sleet, rain, etc. – in other words the conditions which make outdoor activities irksome to a degree. Suffice to say, wrap up warm is the order of the day.

New Years Day saw Mr. & Mrs. M.D.F. together with younger son and daughter-in-law and two grandchildren at the Chesterfield S.M.E. “Arctic Running” Day. The weather did nothing to encourage our leaving a warm home to embark upon such folly but two grandchildren would not be denied. They had enjoyed last year’s event and “Grand Dad, you promised that we could go”.

Fortunately, the Chesterfield Society is well organised and have a warm Clubhouse, well stocked to provide all that is needed to survive the conditions outside, plus a group of ladies who deserve gold medals in triplicate for their devotion to duty. Supplying endless cups of tea and coffee, not to mention soup, hot sausage rolls, hot apple crumble and custard and all other things that encourage the festive spirit.

We, the adults stoically survived, the grand children with glowing cheeks and cold noses wanted more but grandma and grand dad were cited as being in need of home comfort and so reluctantly and with “Grand Dad, can we come again next year?” ringing in our ears, we set off for home leaving behind the Crooked Spire, the hardy Chesterfield Model Engineers who had braved the elements to run – and the ladies of the kitchen who will not get their medals, but by golly, they more than deserve them. Our family returned south to their home on the following day as school was calling grand children, work was beckoning their father, but only to encounter worse weather than here in the (frozen) north. Fleet in Hampshire made national news – so much for the sunny south!

Having got over our visitations, things settled back to normal routine – well almost. The weather decided that all summer bugs needed killing off and so the thermometer descended to unusual depths and the urge to stay indoors in the warmth was all pervading. Our dog Sami enjoyed the outdoor conditions revelling in fresh snow, un-trampled by human feet. “Stupid mutt” – but then his breed do hail from colder climates – perhaps he is one up on us.

However, outdoor and workshop activities are on hold but that has allowed me to indulge in some wistful thinking (flights of fancy).

As well as Model Engineering, I am also interested in full size railways, especially narrow gauge, not only in Great Britain but elsewhere, but to be more specific, we are members of the Ashover Light Railway Society. As a Society we are endeavouring to re-create at least part of the former Ashover Railway.

Like the Festiniog, the route of the Ashover Railway is severed by a reservoir and so to re-instate the whole route will be a major undertaking possibly never to be achieved, but a part realization is a distinct possibility. However as all of the former railway rolling stock is either lost or in other hands, mostly the former, new build will be the order of the day.

To this end I have looked at a design for a four wheeled coach and for my inspiration, I have turned to a vehicle used on the Glyn Valley Tramway which again although only four wheeled had much in keeping with the old Ashover coaches in having longitudinal seating to each side of the coach with entry by end balconies.

The drawings for all the Glyn Valley locomotives and rolling stock in the book “The Glyn Valley Tramway” by J. Milner are by Eleanor Steel – Henry Greenly’s daughter who was trained as a draught-person (must be P.C.) at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, Hants. Her work deserves more than a passing glance, being wonderful examples of the draughting art much to be admired.

The coach that I have designed (dreamed up) would be 16ft long, 5ft 6ins and about 6ft high from the sole bars to the eaves. The design of a coach body is to me no problem being just a joinery job, but of the under frame I am not quite so sure, so I have enlisted the help of my elder son, a Chartered Civil Engineer to look after the stresses and strains department. The wheel sets, etc, I have not considered – it would be nice to build replicas of the original Ashover bogie coaches by the Gloucester company but I would suggest that is a dream too far.

Also considered in my dream (trance) is a simple four wheeled wagon with the inspiration culled from “Light Railways of the First World War” by W.J.K.Davies, published by David and Charles. Again of modular design with sides and ends inter changeable and the whole superstructure readily removeable to create a truly flat wagon for over lengths and over width loads. Size of basic flat wagon would be 8ft long and 4ft wide (just the size of a sheet of construction grade plywood), the under frame of timber or steel – like the inspirational originals, no springing involved, low speed and light weight making the same something of a luxury.

I am writing up my ideas in more detail for the Ashover Society magazine together with some sketches which I will forward to your Editor in due course as well. Enough of day dreaming, flights of fancy or however you may describe it!

I subscribe to the “Engineering in Miniature” to keep me somewhat in touch with current Model Engineering scene and I have been taken by a series of articles (just completed) on making a Regulator Clock, another thing to keep the grey matter working on cold and inhospitable days when the fireside calls. To embark upon this venture calls for some kit that I do not posses – division plate, high speed auxiliary spindle to name but two things. The divisions called for are 144, 120, 96 and 90. Now as has been shown in “The Oily Rag” by Steve Gosling, 120 divisions can be obtained by the 60 tooth bull wheel of the Myford Super 7 back gear (“Oily Rag” No. 93, Spring 2008) and as I have 48 and 45 tooth change wheels using the same method as Steve used above takes care of the 90 and 96 divisions leaving only 144 divisions to deal with.

Now by calculation I find that a wheel 144 inches in circumference is 45.836662 inches in diameter – thank goodness for electronic calculators – and if I can turn a disc that diameter, then the problem is solved.

However, being “Mr. M.D.F.” and not “Gunga Din”, a measurement called “damn it” comes to mind somewhere in the equation – but I will have a go and hope for the best. I am sure that the “Tickers Group” have aching ribs from the laughter my antics generate.

Anyway, “sufficient for the day” as the saying goes. I will end my contribution and hope for kinder and more congenial weather so that my old bones can be stirred to greater efforts.

Lazily – from the (frozen) north,

Alan Westby