Westlake Publishing Forums

General Category => Modellers At Work => Topic started by: Barney on May 04, 2026, 01:38:26 PM

Title: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on May 04, 2026, 01:38:26 PM
Just love these rail bikes so Im having a go with a 1/16th version
Engine built up of plastic card panels staked and fitted to an acrylic crankcase ( before you say it NO its not got a square cylinder Just followed the practice of the prototype started as a casting with fins then bored out to the bore size required no bore shown because you can not see it ) Engined modelled on a 1923 Triumph side valve version
The bike frame was found on the scrap pile in the yard and the slab fuel tank is of generator also found in the scrap.
The model built mainly from Evergreen strip/ channel /section/ and tube -the wheels are 20mm curly spoke from Swift Sixteen the tractor seat is from a tractor kit of 1/24th scale but is the larger size ideally measuring up for a motor bike size
First up the start of the engine I made a small jig to keep the fins and bore in line 
Barney
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on May 04, 2026, 01:40:50 PM
The engine nearly finished with the carburettor / dynamo and gearbox - the gearbox made by laminating plastic card the shaping
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on May 04, 2026, 01:43:12 PM
The bike frame with slab tank all requiring detail  all nuts /bolts rivets are from MasterClub and screw heads from Aber PE
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on May 04, 2026, 01:44:20 PM
Trial fit for engine
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on May 04, 2026, 01:45:09 PM
inspiration from the prototypes
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: finescalerr on May 04, 2026, 01:59:04 PM
Only a jealous nincompoop could find anything about that model to criticize. -- Russ
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on May 04, 2026, 02:12:51 PM
Scale 1/16th my height 5ft:10in  and as happy as an 18year old with my new cap bought from the tractor show
Barney
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Stuart on May 04, 2026, 10:40:05 PM
That's a pretty spiffy little pony.

Stuart
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: lab-dad on May 06, 2026, 06:40:33 PM
Maybe we can build one for Russ to ride around in his senior days?

Off to the corner......

Mj
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: finescalerr on May 07, 2026, 11:58:11 AM
I've already built my bike. It's a track racing bike. No gears, no freewheel for coasting and, under ideal circumstances, no brake. But because I'm an old geezer, I added a brake for emergencies. Put THAT in yer pipe 'n' smoke it! -- ssuR
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: shropshire lad on May 07, 2026, 12:24:29 PM
  Greetings, Russ, from the corner...



Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on May 07, 2026, 02:14:50 PM
A question why do the bikers have to dress funny - I can ride my bike with my best suit on
Barney
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: lab-dad on May 07, 2026, 03:16:10 PM
Very nice both of you!
MJinTN
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: finescalerr on May 07, 2026, 06:11:51 PM
Nick, only YOU would find a comic like that.

Barney, if your question about bicycling clothes is serious, everything is tight to reduce wind drag and the shorts have padding because the saddle is kind of like sitting on a brick. Exercise is fine but I'm not into the racing/masochism culture and clothing. It's a shame bikes aren't designed for beautiful girls in thong bikinis, each eager to cater to your every whim. -- Russ
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on May 08, 2026, 05:17:21 AM
I don't really know how to answer this with out upsetting the "bikers"
case closed
Barney
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on July 19, 2026, 09:26:10 AM
Onward and a little Upward on the bike - the dangling wires and cables are yet to be coupled up to the various bits - clutch / Carburettor / advance - retard - mixture control / fuel lines / and generator - decided to rebuild the generator and control boxes
and also a remodelled saddle - the truck is a Slaters V skip (a 16mm scale truck but when I started to measure things up rather over scaled but just right for 1/16th scale ) angle irons fitted to sides  to fit some wooden boards link and pin couplers to be fitted
Now fiddling around with a exhaust pipe and head lamp/ tail lamp and brake shoes for the rear wheels lots more to do but enjoying the work so far
Barney
and of course Humbrol green paint job !
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on July 19, 2026, 09:30:43 AM
Trailer wheels are the metal ones supplied by Slaters - Bike wheels are from Swift Sixteen and are plastic sprayed with Humbrol tank grey then dry brushed with Humbrol metal coat polished steel
Barney
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on July 19, 2026, 09:33:09 AM
one more
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: finescalerr on July 19, 2026, 02:12:27 PM
Satisfactory ... but where is the bicycle seat? Also, anyone can tell the handlebars don't move so where's the steering wheel? -- Russ
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on July 20, 2026, 04:07:32 AM
"But where is the seat " at the moment "standing room only "  true bikers like jockeys don't sit down !
Barney
working on it
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Barney on July 20, 2026, 02:08:18 PM
Terrifyingly Simply - can carry 6 people - with buffet service a bottle of water
barney 
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: Bernhard on July 21, 2026, 05:03:45 AM
Lovely – it almost makes you want to hop on and ride off into the sunset.

Bernhard
Title: Re: The Rail Bike of a sort -Inspired and built in 1/16th
Post by: 1-32 on July 24, 2026, 01:34:03 PM
Bravo Barney.
These rail motors are great, just waiting in my backyard ready for a quick trip to the shops,
Cheers