3" Burrell Traction Engine build.

  3" Burrell Reversing / Brake Lever (Year 7)! First of all — happy 53rd birthday! 🎉 That’s a proper milestone. You could go out and buy a finished engine for 7K. But that wouldn’t be your engine. It wouldn’t carry the hours in the workshop, the problem-solving, the remakes, or the “that went well to plan” moments. The value isn’t just in the finished article — it’s in the Model Engineering. Having completed a 1" Minnie to steam up when you want that instant satisfaction is actually a perfect balance. It keeps the joy alive while the bigger build continues at its own pace. Planning shows is a smart move too. Events like: The Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition Welland Steam Show. They do  — spark conversations, ideas, photos, and that little internal nudge that says “Right… back in the workshop.” Long projects aren’t about speed. They’re about momentum. And momentum doesn’t mean dramatic progress — it means not letting it quietly fade away. The engine will b...

 Happy New year 2026 !! (Year 7) Build Log – Reversing Lever General Update Happy New Year. It’s been a while since the last update, and now the festivities are out of the way it’s time to report on what’s been happening in the workshop. Time in the Shed I wouldn’t say machining stopped altogether. Odd bits were done here and there just to keep things ticking over, but between getting older and the fairly grim weather we’ve had, standing in a cold shed for hours isn’t always that appealing. More than once the pub won that particular argument. Most of the recent effort has been on the reversing lever, which turned out to be more awkward than expected. I first tried working straight from the drawing and made a paper mock-up to check the folded shape. That quickly showed the angles were nowhere near right once folded up. Revised Drawing As a result, I went back and produced a proper drawing with all dimensions added, along with a flat pattern that should be useful for anyone el...

 End of year Roundup (6 year's In) Six Years in the Making: My End-of-Year Roundup Finally !!. As the year draws to a close and Christmas is around the corner, I’ve finally taken the time to gather everything I’ve made over the past six years. What started as a few small castings and bits has slowly grown into an engine spread across countless late nights, bursts of inspiration, and more than a few headaches. This week, I decided it was time to assemble all the bits and pieces together — to see how far things have come. There’s something incredibly satisfying about laying it all out and realising that each piece holds a challenge overcome, or a skill learned along the way. < Behind, my mother is watching on — as she’s done quietly and patiently for years. Much of this work has lived on her dining room table for at least the last four or five years, and I can’t thank her enough for her tolerance, encouragement, and gentle humour about the ever-present clutter of “creative prog...

 Penultimate Post this year. Reversing Lever                                                             Regulator Lever < Left reverser working progress hand modelled by me.  Not a huge amount to show for this month, but I did make a solid start on the reversing bracket and lever. I’ve had the metal for this part for well over 12 months, so it’s satisfying to finally see it taking shape. The plan is for it to eventually be mounted on the tender, but for now—once finished—it can sit on the shelf and look decorative. The regulator lever was part started but is now fully completed.  In my next post I’ll try to put together an end-of-year photo, Year-6 round-up: all the current progress assembled or balanced together for a group photo, similar to last year’s. It’s a useful reminder of how far things have come over the ...

 Bridgnorth Mini-Gala Featuring Steam Road Miniatures. (Pictures from Saturday 1/11/25)  Bridgnorth Mini Gala: End of Season Steam Inspiration Bridgnorth once again marked the close of the running season with its Miniature Steam Gala , a compact but characterful gathering of miniature road vehicles, steam lorries, and traction engines . The event has become a highlight for enthusiasts, and this year’s display was every bit as enjoyable as before. My attendance was unplanned — much like the previous year — but that seems to be part of the charm. What began as an impromptu visit quickly turned into another opportunity to watch a fine collection of engines in steam. The station car park was once again transformed into a working yard of miniature traction engines, all hissing, chuffing, and radiating warmth against the chill of early November. It’s a real credit to the owners and crews who take the trouble to bring their engines out at this time of year. Keeping steam up in unp...

Missed Model Engineers Show. Workshop Notes I was hoping to be writing a show report from last week’s Model Engineers Show, since we regularly attend and usually take the opportunity to acquire a few parts and tools for the coming winter’s work. However, I managed to double-book myself with a weekend away, so the advance tickets I’d bought went to a friend instead — not a complete loss, but still a lesson learned. Next year’s reminder to self: check the calendar before buying tickets! With no show to report on, and the usual post-show enthusiasm somewhat absent, progress in the workshop has been slow. A little simple machining of the oil connectors has been done, and a few bits re-machined to achieve a better fit — steady but unremarkable progress. Items id like to start on in the coming months. Water Pump Oil lines Regulator lever to complete. Feel free to leave a comment  If you have any questions while reading these blog updates—I'm always happy to reply. Whether you have a su...