SIMPLEX building instructions

Ahh Hullo, I am just the same position, I need the plans, book or ME's and if possible castings if any one has any under a bench. So if anybody, afer fulfilling Mr Eberhardt request still has simplex stuff they could sell, rent or borrow I would be most pleased. All the best Mike Cole

Hello gents,

The following shop in Clare, Suffolk, UK has a surprising range of books in from time to time, and often in the past I have seen bundles of magazines:

Good luck

Geoff

Thanks, I'll email them.

Russell.

If either of you is interested in a boiler kit for the same (firebox plates are shaped but not drilled) then I have one for disposal - I have decided against the Simplex because of its fire being a poor steam producer.

£100 (What I paid for it a couple of years ago) Thrown in are a very few (not complete) set of shabby drawings.

Hi Folks

I'm about 18 months into a 5" Simplex myself.

I borrowed the relevant Model Engineers and scanned them into my computer ( in jpg format).

I think 2 or 3 mags are missing.

I'll gladly email them to anyone who wants them but were talking about

25 Mb so you'd probably need broadband.

If you're interested send me your email address.

Cheers Ian Cardwell

Hullo Ariy Thanks for the offer. a couple of questions, who made it? how complete is it? and what is condition like?

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the offer. Yes, please email the scans. I have broadband so 25 Mb is no problem. Just remove the obvious anti spam measures from my email address.

What issues do you have missing? I have the last four issues of the series #3351, 3353, 3355, & 3357 if that's any help. I have also managed to borrow most of the issues covering Super Simplex and am in the process of scanning them.

Not sure how long copyright lasts on these things so don't tell anyone!

I intend to incorporate some of the improvements from Super Simplex such as brakes (a requirement for insurance here) and the flanged steam connections to the cylinders (I don't see how the original design can work and be steam tight).

How far have you got? What snags have you come across on the way? Any tips?

Best regards, Russell.

1. I don't know who "made" it - it was sold to me by someone who had built one, and changed his mind about building another. But it's not "made" as such- it's a kit for which the plates are already flanged but not drilled.
2. Condition - is as new copper that's been left in a box in the workshop, therefore dull.

The reason that I bought it was because I'd just received my driving instruction on one, but on subsequent discussion with other club members decided that a "Speedy" would be just as straightforward but a better steamer.

I've just checked up with the guy who sold it to me......

The boiler kit is a Reeves kit and is 10 to 15 years old.

He _WAS_ making his second Simplex, and in the ME club of which he was a member at the time, another member set out to batch build Simplex boilers, 3 of them to be precise. My friend got one of the batch and so was left with a spare kit which he duly sold to me.

It had been my intention to do an up-and-back 5" line in my garden, but at one of the shows last year was a company selling 5" gauge points on only a 10' radius, which radius means that I could get a loop into my back garden under SWMBO rules, given a suitable engine.

Since that time I purchased Hiraoka's book on building the Shay, and what with the Simplex's reputation for being hungry on steam, my planned direction has changed.

Thanks to everyone who replied with offers to supply the requested information. Both Mike and I now have copies of all the relevent articles for Simplex.

I am now eagerly waiting for a parcel from England containing the frame steel and the first few castings so that I can get started.

Regards, Russell.

Hi,

I emailed you about this but as I got no reply I presume that your email address is a false one for anti-spam.

I would be interested in the boiler kit. I am going to visit England in August so may be able to collect. Please email me giving location and contact details (deleting obvious anti spam measure from my email address). I gather that Mike has decided to build a Super Simplex and so will not be interested.

Regards, Russell.

Before entering into ANY deal with "Airy R Bean", I suggest you do a search of Google and decide if he is the sort of person you wish to have dealings with.

Hi Russel

I'm looking for a coppy of simplex drawing, mine got lost, and in the proses of rebuilding it I build it. if you can help pse send me a e- mail.

thanks Johan Gerber

Russell Eberhardt Wrote:

I was amazed when Pyotr replied last week to my message dating to 2008 about cutting speeds, but this is surely a record because Russel posted his query eight years ago in 2004.

Cliff Coggin.

It's not really eight years, it's a leap year thing.

Steve

Yet another case of the Eternal September.

Mark Rand RTFM

That's odd. 2012 minus 2004 used to equal 8 when I went to school, but then I never got beyond A-level.

Cliff Coggin.

Whoosh!

Steve