| Research | Fittings | |
| Vessel Details | Radio Installation | |
| Building the Hull | Conclusion | |
| Superstructure | ||
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It is always very hard to choose a subject because of the number of different types of models being built these days. I like to build something I have not seen before, but I need also to acquire enough information on the original to construct a fairly detailed model. The scale I enjoy building at is 1:24 (1/2" = lft) but the model has to be no more than 48" in length to fit in the boot of my car. This means the subject can be no bigger than 96ft in length. The Clyde puffer fits this specification as not many of them are over 88ft in length. | |
| So which one was it going to be? Many modellers
have built the earlier designs that existed in the first
forty years of the 20th century so a more modern design
appealed to me. After looking through various books,
magazines and journals my choice fell on the Moonlight.
Once a prototype you like has chosen, the next part is just about the hardest of all, to find enough information on a particular vessel, especially one that was scrapped some twenty-two years ago. Originally, I saw the plans and a general colour scheme in the book by Waine Research, Coasters and Short Sea Traders, and was taken by the interesting feature of the coal bunker protruding at an angle over the main deck. |
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| This showed that the original designer had been set a brief and came up with some interesting solutions. For photographs I tried all the usual photo studios that are advertised, also the many local museums, without any luck whatsoever. Going back to Coasters and Short Sea Traders I approached Waine Research and in due course received a bow shot of the Moonlight leaving a lock on the Crinan Canal system. In a letter Dr Waine stated that this was one of only two supplied by Dan McDonald, author of The Clyde Puffer (David & Charles 1977) who, unfortunately, had passed on. From other sources I obtained some small photographs, and winch drawings from an engineering journal from the time Moonlight was built. At this point I was able to start rescaling the plans to 1/24 scale, and begin on the hull. Many months went past before the hull was built to a point where it required plating, and I then displayed it on our club's `under construction stand' at the Ellesmere Port Boat Convention in 1990. During the event I was approached by a gentleman who promptly started to tell me all about Moonlight. I asked him how he had come to be so knowledgeable about the vessel, and he explained that he had been one of the original team of designers that worked for Yarwoods. A number of weeks after the show a parcel arrived containing approximately fifteen pages of design sketches and they all tied up with the original set of drawings I had obtained from the coaster book. With the addition of various documents from the Yorkshire Ship Society, I had amassed A4 ring binder full of information to build a very detailed working model. | ||
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Vessel
Details The Steam Coaster Moonlight built by W J Yarwood & Sons, Northwich, to the order of Ross & Marshall Limited, Greenock. The arrangement of Moonlight departs from the traditional style, the vessel having good sheer forward, a raised quarter deck with cruiser stern, machinery aft, a large hold and hatchway amidships and the forepeak as a ballast tank with an inner tank for feed water. She was built to Lloyd's register highest class, the scantlings being generally in excess of requirements. Accommodation is aft; the master's cabin, the mess room, galley and wash places are arranged in the aft cabin. The wheelhouse is arranged forward of the funnel, providing a clear view for the helmsman. For cargo handling, a 3-ton derrick operated by a Clarke, Chapman silent running winch/windlass is fitted. |
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| Specification
Length overall: 88ft 0in Length bp: 85ft 6in Breadth extreme: 20ft 6in Depth moulded: l0ft 0in |
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| Constructing the Hull The main problem with the construction of the hull of this model was the fact that I was unable to obtain any frame drawings showing the exact sections of the hull. I had the keel shape and deck outline shown on the general arrangement drawing. Eventually, I managed to find written documentation of the radius of the bilges and the rise in the hull bottom. From this I worked out the hull shapes that I required to construct the plug for the hull. Allowing for the hull to be constructed on the outside of the plug all the required formers were cut from plywood and glued using PVA glue. Next, the spaces between all the sections were filled using blocks of shaped polystyrene to keep the construction light. To finish it off a 1/4" thick layer of builder's plaster was applied and finished with water and a brush to give a smooth finish. This was allowed to set for a number of days before attempting to get a mould from the plug. |
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Once completely dry the plug had a releasing agent applied so that I could get it out when the resin had set. The fibreglass matt I use is fairly heavy so only one layer is required. Approximately 3lb was measured and the appropriate quantity of catalyst, l0cc per pound, was mixed in. The first step was to apply the resin to the plug to make sure that all the fibreglass matt would be penetrated by the resin. Next, the matting was draped over the plug and the resin dabbed into it. Once I was satisfied that the cast was totally saturated with resin it was left to harden. A number of hours later the cast was simply levered off the plug and the basis of the model was complete. | |
| Before the outside could be completed it was important to strengthen the hull with plywood formers and to fit the main and raised quarter decks. These again were cut from 1/4" plywood and would have a plating finish applied later. The hull was finished by simply applying fibreglass car body filler all over and sanding it to a smooth finish, using various grades of glass paper and finishing with wet and dry. | ||
| Now it was back to my file to study the plating details on the photographs I had obtained of the hull. The original vessel had some fifty frames. In the engine room and bow they were spaced at l9" apart and in the main hold 2l" apart. All this information was translated to the hull to give the correct butt positions for the plates. Then the plating lines were drawn on and an indication added to show the order in which the plates had to be applied. All the plates were cut from thin card and individually applied with PVA glue. The starting point was at the stern near to the keel. The plates overlapped slightly by about 1/16" to give the raised effect. Once complete and the glue dry the final finishing touch had to be added, the rivet heads. These were simulated by applying small blobs of PVA glue from a syringe and a fine needle. Each blob was carefully applied in the correct position. Some eight thousand were required to complete the hull, but the effect was well worth the patience. |  |
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Superstructure The superstructure of this vessel is of modern design and is much larger than on earlier puffers. The basic structure is made from 3mm plywood, all parts being glued with PVA wood adhesive. At this point I must confess that I am not a lover of having to prepare wood, painting it and rubbing it all down to obtain a smooth finish. So, in order to obtain a smooth finish, I covered the whole superstructure with 10 thou plasticard. This gives a smooth finish that can simply be given three coats of paint. The plywood gives a structurally sound basis for the superstructure that will not warp or flex like plasticard does. The whole of the model from the decks upwards was done this way. It may sound time consuming to cover all the flat surfaces with thin plastic but it does save time on the preparation of wood, and all the plated surfaces can be easily simulated. |
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| The top of the wheelhouse window frames were constructed from square brass tubing to give a perfectly square finish to the frames. I built a wooden jig on which to solder all the parts together and to allow the construction of the door frames to be incorporated. One of the features I thought I would include in the main superstructure was the galley and crew's quarters. I designed and constructed the after end so it could be removed to reveal all the internal fittings. |  |
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| Fittings This is the stage of a model I really enjoy. When I started the project I decided that I would build some working features to add to the model when on the water. One such was to be the fully working winch and derrick. Due to the scale, the winch was big enough to build and make working. I had to draw the winch to scale and design it around standard gears I knew I could get from any model shops. Once the various sizes of gears had been found the centres for the shafts could be set and the winch designed around this, still keeping to the design of the Clarke Chapman winch. The winch base and sides are constructed from 1mm plastic. The pistons are brass tubing with plastic ends. |
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| The main shafts are mild steel and all the warping drums and wire drum are turned from brass. The drive mechanism is built below the base and a large hole was cut into the deck to position the winch and gear box. It is simply run off a 2v battery through two micro switches to give forward and reverse motion. The derrick, where it fits to the crutch on the mast, was extended down through the deck and attached to another small gear box. This also is controlled through two micro switches to swing it to port or starboard. | ||
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The lighting on the model is fully working with
masthead light, stern light, port and starboard lights on
one circuit and the anchor light on a second so as not to
have both sets working at once. The masthead light uses
the mast, which is made of brass tube, as a negative
earth, thus cutting down the number of wires running up
or down the inside of the mast. Many of the fittings are made from brass, plastic, balsa, card and any other suitable materials that can easily be used to simulate an object. The other material used was silicon moulding compound for various repetitive items. All the lifebelts are made from one mould, and cast in fibreglass resin. This was the first time I had used silicon, so many hours of experimentation went by before the correct results were obtained. Other items included the wheelhouse steps, anchors, cowl vents and portholes. Once they are painted it is hard to tell how they are constructed. The lifeboat is a model in its own right and is constructed entirely from cardboard, over a wooden plug. When the basic clinker hull was completed all the timbers, thwarts and internal details were added.
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| Radio Installation The radio is a 27Mhz Futaba 6M series, six channel set to allow full radio operation of all the model's features. The two main channels operate the electronic speed control, which is on the ratchet stick, and the other is for the rudder control. These are fairly straightforward to install. The rudder servo is in fact a sail winch servo because it also has to turn all the steering chain that runs around the edge of the quarter deck, so extra pull is required to operate this. The other features, like the winch and derrick, micro switches are mounted either side of the servo which is fitted with a cam to switch them on/off when turned. In fact, all the switching functions are solved in this way because they are simple and maintenance-free once installed. |
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| Conclusion Though the model was finished the project was not yet quite complete. Over the years I have observed many models, built to a high standard, let down by the poor quality of the display stand. From the start of the project I had decided that a decent presentation stand was required. While constructing the model I hit upon the idea of using the brass name plate found on the front of the wheelhouse as a centrepiece of the stand. The round disc was produced by a commercial engraver after two or three attempts of trying to cast my own without satisfactory results. The base is solid 1in hardwood with a moulding cut into the edge by the supplier. The three capstans are turned from solid hardwood on the lathe and finished with brass in the appropriate places. The model gained a silver medal and was awarded the H V Evans trophy at the 6lst Model Engineer Exhibition in London. |
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