And now for something COMPLETELY different!

[Harry P.]

Ok, a quick history lesson first... so you guys know what the heck you're looking at. This is Stephenson's "Rocket" locomotive, built in the UK in 1829. It was actually an entry in a contest sponsored by the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Co. to find the best, most competent locomtotive design. The "Rocket" was not the first steam locomotive, but it was the first "modern" steam locomotive design, that is, wheels driven directly by pistons instead of geared cogwheel setups.

This is actually the first design. The cylinders, mounted on an angle, were a problem. They gave the locomotive a bumpy, pounding ride as the pistons cycled. A subsequent redesign had the cylinders at only a very slight angle... almost horizontal, the way all steam engines had them ever since then.

Since photography was only in its infancy back in the 1820s and still in the experimental stage, no photos of the "Rocket" exist. The current examples in various museums are all replicas created from original engineering drawings.

Here is the kit. It's 1/26 scale (), from Minicraft:

I made a display base for it. The ballast is from the model RR aisle of Hobby Lobby, glued down with a 50/50 Elmer's glue/water mix. The crossties and rail sections are included in the kit; I just detail-painted them. I added "coal" in the tender; it's the same ballast as I used on the track bed, only painted black. I also added real wood strips to the inside (unpainted) surfaces of the tender. The "brass" straps on the tank are BMF that I first painted by brush with Humbrol "Brass," then cut strips and applied to the model. The rest of the "brass" pieces were made by painting the kit plastic pieces first with Rustoleum "Metallic" brass, then toned down and given a more "aged" (unpolished) look with a wash of the Humbrol brass, thinned down. After painting, I added a little weathering here and there to give it a more realistic, less "showroom shiny" look.

[Gregg]

Bill Borgen eat your heart out!!!!

Way to go boss!

[Nitro Neil]

Nice job Harry. Good to see something different here.

[Foxer]

That's cool .. I like the primitive log ties too. and 1/26 scale! Lets see it next to a Model T

Edited April 6, 2011 by Foxer

[Rob Z]

Bill Borgen eat your heart out!!!!

Way to go boss!

HEY!!! Watch you typing!!!

This is really KOOL Harry and knowing Bill, will definately get his juices flowing... Great job on something REALLY different...

[Tom Kren]

Yes nice job! Dont let Bill see that he will be getting one. Last nite he brought a new build to our meeting WANA SEE IT? Guess you will have to wait till NNL East

[Terror]

WOW how cool is that?Museum worthy.Did you use real coal?

[Harry P.]

WOW how cool is that?Museum worthy.Did you use real coal?

No, I used the same ballast that I used on the rail bed. I just painted it black to look like coal..

[Agent G]

Oh now that's nice, real nice.

G

[Danno]

'Bout time you got off that Pocher MercyBenzine and got on the right track!!

Or, 'It's a stoker not a Pocher!'

Nice!

Edited April 7, 2011 by Danno

[george 53]

Thanks for posting this Harry. i LOVE this kinda odd-ball stuff. At 1/26th, i don't really think anyone will notice the difference. It looks GREAT!

[paul alflen]

HARRY, IS THAT THING A MUSCLE CAR FROM YOUR YOUTH YEARS? LOL SERIOUSLY , QUITE A DIFFERENT MODELING SUBJECT THATS FOR SURE!

[highway]

Bill Borgen eat your heart out!!!!

Way to go boss!

From the work of Bill Borgen I've had the pleasure to see in person (and judge!), I think he would have made it look more like it would look after years of hard work!

By the way, Gregg, I thought you were "Da Boss"!

[Foxer]

By the way, Gregg, I thought you were "Da Boss"!

I think they're a couple .. you know how THAT works!

[highway]

Harry, wonderful work, I like it a lot! Is that a new kit still available or is it an older issue? That would look great sitting next to my old 1/25 scale MPC General steam engine!

[Terror]

No, I used the same ballast that I used on the rail bed. I just painted it black to look like coal..

The reason I ask is cause,I heat my home with it and it's bout the same size.If you need some let me know.Probly won't send it till X-mas tho. J/K

[Harry P.]

Harry, wonderful work, I like it a lot! Is that a new kit still available or is it an older issue? That would look great sitting next to my old 1/25 scale MPC General steam engine!

I got it at Hobby Lobby a few months ago. It's also available online from a variety of places. Here's just one:

http://www.megahobby.com/1829stephensonrocketlocomotivebyminicraft.aspx

[highway]

I got it at Hobby Lobby a few months ago. It's also available online from a variety of places. Here's just one:

http://www.megahobby.com/1829stephensonrocketlocomotivebyminicraft.aspx

Thanks Harry!

[Joe Handley]

Ok, a quick history lesson first... so you guys know what the heck you're looking at. This is Stephenson's "Rocket" locomotive, built in the UK in 1829. It was actually an entry in a contest sponsored by the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Co. to find the best, most competent locomtotive design. The "Rocket" was not the first steam locomotive, but it was the first "modern" steam locomotive design, that is, wheels driven directly by pistons instead of geared cogwheel setups.

This is actually the first design. The cylinders, mounted on an angle, were a problem. They gave the locomotive a bumpy, pounding ride as the pistons cycled. A subsequent redesign had the cylinders at only a very slight angle... almost horizontal, the way all steam engines had them ever since then.

Since photography was only in its infancy back in the 1820s and still in the experimental stage, no photos of the "Rocket" exist. The current examples in various museums are all replicas created from original engineering drawings.

Here is the kit. It's 1/26 scale (), from Minicraft:

I made a display base for it. The ballast is from the model RR aisle of Hobby Lobby, glued down with a 50/50 Elmer's glue/water mix. The crossties and rail sections are included in the kit; I just detail-painted them. I added "coal" in the tender; it's the same ballast as I used on the track bed, only painted black. I also added real wood strips to the inside (unpainted) surfaces of the tender. The "brass" straps on the tank are BMF that I first painted by brush with Humbrol "Brass," then cut strips and applied to the model. The rest of the "brass" pieces were made by painting the kit plastic pieces first with Rustoleum "Metallic" brass, then toned down and given a more "aged" (unpolished) look with a wash of the Humbrol brass, thinned down. After painting, I added a little weathering here and there to give it a more realistic, less "showroom shiny" look.

You know, I kept looking at those pics and kept thinking that that locomotive looked familiar, then it hit me as to why!

One of the clones is on display at The Museum of Science and Industry!

[su27rules]

So nice and so cool to see!!

[pepperdrumstix]

I found one of these kits decades ago in a long gone drug store in Cornville AZ. I think I still have it and I always wanted to build a small dio with it and a AMT T truck next to it with tools in the back. Or a nice Monogram early Mack truck. Nice job Harry. Ken Hamilton would be proud. Patrick Mitchell

[bsoder]

Hmmm...didi they really have a Stephenson rocket showroom just looked at your other loco, and those are just really neat!!

[TheCat]

Harry - That's really cool model you've built. Great Job!!! Love IT!!

[Danno]

That is really coal, Harry!