|
|
From the Editor - February 2023
To add to the complexity of my life, I finally ran out of road on my old computer, which served me flawlessly for all of ten years using Windows 8.1. Support for that version of Windows finally ran out on January 10th, forcing me to get a replacement which operates on Windows 11. For a total cyber-klutz like me, this change presented a daunting challenge - a number of the trusty old programs which I’ve been using for years to develop material for this website no longer work, so I’m on a major learning curve to become familiar with the necessary replacements. The editing function for this website has also developed an annoying glitch, which my IT guys have so far been unable to sort. I think it will be a while before things are back to normal. I’ll do my best to keep things going, but there are no guarantees ………… Here in British Columbia, Canada’s traditionally Wet Coast is making a somewhat half-hearted effort to live down to its name. Winter has certainly arrived, but not with its usual vigor. The shortage of precipitation either as rain or snow has persisted, at least in our area - much of January has remained far dryer than usual. Temperatures have been well above normal, with very little visible accumulation of snow on the nearby mountains. I fear for our water supply in 2023 given our dependence on snowmelt to see us through the summer.…….
Looking at the situation realistically, I suppose that all we can do is carry on as best we’re able while exercising due caution, which is what I’m doing. It really does help to know that there’s still an ongoing interest in model engines among my valued readers - that’s what keeps me going! My statistics reporting system has continued to report very encouraging visitation figures.
My good friend Peter Rathke of Germany wrote in to point out that with the termination of publication of Tim Dannels’ already-missed “Engine Collector’s Journal” (ECJ), this website is now one of only two remaining regular publications specifically focused on model engines, the other being the MECA Bulletin. I certainly never expected to be in this position, and I must hasten to point out that Peter is only correct as far as publications in English go - thankfully, mon bon ami Michel Rosanoff is continuing to maintain and expand his outstanding French-language "Engine History" thread in the "Vintage Models" section of the outstanding Retroplane forum.
For next month, and assuming that all goes well with my adaptation to the new operating system, I hope to be able to present an article on another product of my adopted country of Canada. I already presented a detailed review of the Queen Bee range from Vancouver, British Columbia as well as the Hurricane range and Monarch 600 racing engine from Toronto, Ontario. My article on the latter very rare unit included an overview of the Canadian model engine manufacturing scene in general, in which one of the engines mentioned was Canada’s only other classic racing engine, the Banshee .604 spark ignition unit of 1945-46 from London, Ontario. The all-new feature article for next month will focus upon the Banshee.
I think that about does it for this edition. All being well, I'll be back to you with another edition on or about March 1st, 2023. Meanwhile, please accept my best wishes for continuing the process of learning to live with the various challenges which now beset us so as to get the best of what life still has to offer under present circumstances. Take care and stay well - keep yourself informed from credible sources and trust your own informed opinions rather than the fantasies of others whose focus is entirely on themselves, not on you. Ignore them and the misinformation that they spread, make up your own mind based on authoritative current information and act accordingly! It’s your future and that of your kids and grandkids .……….don’t let others having conflicting self-centred agendas decide it for you and for them! Cheers, Adrian Duncan British Columbia, Canada ___________________________________ Note regarding material to be found on this site - unless specifically otherwise noted, all images and text which appear on this site are my own work, and I hereby assert my right to be recognized as the originator of this material. For the record, this material is made freely available to all upon two firm conditions:
Adrian C. Duncan British Columbia, Canada |
Greetings from Canada once again! Well, it’s been a somewhat challenging month for me. Early in the month, I managed to do something to my back which pretty much laid me low for several weeks - initially I could barely stand up! That put a stop to any work in the shop as well as any further testing. I’m pretty much back to normal now, so it clearly wasn’t anything chronic. However, it has set my research and testing programs back by a few weeks. 
Sadly, the global situation has not improved - we still find ourselves facing many of the same challenges that we had to confront during 2022. The festering Ukraine situation; North Korea’s posturing; the inexplicably rising political influence of the far-right conspiracy theorists; the seemingly uncheckable spread and unthinking embracing of misinformation on so many important topics such as the evolving climate emergency to which there’s an ongoing global failure to respond - all of these factors contribute to the continuing uncertainty. As if this wasn’t enough, we continue to face the combined threats from the emerging Kraken strain of the Covid virus as well as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). A few of my friends and neighbours have been bitten hard in recent months and weeks ........
Confirmation that a significant number of folks are seeking an escape from all that ails us by remaining very much engaged with our hobby comes from the fact that the mail box has remained quite active. Despite the many distractions now preying upon us, I still heard from quite a few of you during January, including (in no particular order) Peter Valicek, Don Imrie, Gordon Beeby, Luis Petersen, Maris Dislers, Steve Betney, Dean Clarke, Chris Stoddart, Tim Dannels, Pat Hardy, Alistair Bostrom, Dave Ellis, Peter Scott, Ates Gurcan, Russell Willis, Mike Noakes, Larry Davidson, Hugh Blowers, Roger LaPrelle, Ken Burdick, David Burke, Chris Coote, Miles Patience, Jed Bond, Min Liu, Peter Rathke, Jeff McCammant, Scott Newkirk, Otto Mederle, Bob Beaumont and Neill McRae. Apologies to anyone whom I may have inadvertently missed in the crowd, and apologies also to anyone whose message(s) went unanswered - things do slip through the cracks, especially when I’m distracted! The 
Although presented in French, the information on Michel's thread may easily be rendered into comprehensible English using current translation software. Many high quality images of very rare French engines appear on Michel’s thread, along with a good deal of information and related images about engines from other countries. If you haven’t already done so, give it a look - you will not be wasting your time! 
Turning now to this month’s lead articles, we make a long overdue return to Scandinavia to take a look at a rare Danish engine, the 1948 Mikro II 2 cc diesel. This engine was mentioned in my earlier article on the 
The MEN transfer article for the month takes the form of a re-mounting of my earlier article on the infamous 1.41 cc Milford Mite diesel from Harrow in England. I say “infamous” because this engine has consistently received a very bad press from earlier writers! It has even been described as “probably the worst diesel ever to appear in Britain”. Statements like that definitely invite testing, and I hope that you’ll enjoy reading about my efforts to do just that! I've been able to add a number of additional details which should contribute to the article's interest. 
The Banshee .604 is yet another almost-forgotten product of the Canadian model engine manufacturing industry, such as it was. This disc rear rotary valve (RRV) unit was first made in 1945 in very small quantities by George Molson Barrett, trading as Barrett Engines of London, Ontario. It proved to have a very interesting story to tell, as next month’s planned article will confirm.
All being well, I also hope to present another MEN transfer article next month. This will cover another of the iconic British ranges, the Rivers engines from Middlesex, England. This very highly regarded range embodied some unusual design features, also being manufactured to extremely high standards of precision. Its story is well worth preserving.| |