Models of QE2

[pete cain]

How can one not be amazed at this, awsome in the real sense

[Clydebuilt1971]

Tim Henderson has provided a photo of the engine that propels this wonderful model and explained his choice of engine:

Oh is that a wee compound? Love the gearing !!

Gav

[June Ingram]

Awesome, awesome, awesome !  Wish I could see QE2 (model) in person !   

[Pete Hamill]

Gav,
That looks like a twin single expansion engine - similar to the Stuart Models version.
There is a single steam feed to each steam chest and a single exhaust to the oil separator. Doesn't look to be any of the arrangements you would expect to see on a compound. Also both cylinders are the same size.
The main exhaust pipe hides the detail a bit, but it looks like there is no valve gear reverser either, so I think reversing is achieved by the gearbox.
Top marks to the builder though for putting a steam plant into a model that would  almost certainly use electric propulsion as the norm.
Fantastic working model.

[Greg Rudd]

What a beast!

Another proposition would be to have used two marine glow 4 strokes eg use two or one  marine OS-FS40 (a very rare bird I know) with geared shafts. Or if you wanted to build her post 87 you would do it as an Electric with motors to each shafts. In both cases you could end up with quite a speed daemon as you would be looking at around .5 hp across the two shafts.   

[Clydebuilt1971]

Gav,
That looks like a twin single expansion engine - similar to the Stuart Models version.
There is a single steam feed to each steam chest and a single exhaust to the oil separator. Doesn't look to be any of the arrangements you would expect to see on a compound. Also both cylinders are the same size.
The main exhaust pipe hides the detail a bit, but it looks like there is no valve gear reverser either, so I think reversing is achieved by the gearbox.
Top marks to the builder though for putting a steam plant into a model that would  almost certainly use electric propulsion as the norm.
Fantastic working model.

Ah yes Pete - didn't notice the fact the two cylinders were the same size - doh!!!

Great layout though - nice example of engineering in miniature!!

[Pete Hamill]

Yes, it's a really nice compact steam plant. It would also be interesting to know what the boiler feed arrangements are. There are no obvious signs of a feed pump in that view, but there are some quite intricate electronic gadgets that can monitor the water level via optical sensors on the water gauge and then open and close the feed bypass valve to keep the water level right.

Again, a very fine installation well beyond the complexity of what would be required to provide basic propulsion of a great scale model.

[Peter Mugridge]

As simply as I can:

I would guess that it would be whatever speed takes it along its own length in the same time that the real one moves its own length is the scale of whatever the speed of the real thing is?

[Bob C.]

Correct Peter.  rate = distance/time.  Time is constant but the scaled distance a model travels is the same proportion as the model scale.  The scaled speed is therefore equal to the scaled distance divided by the time.

Example: (caution, math alert!)

Lets find out what the speed of a 200:1 scale model QE2 would need to be to match the real QE2 doing 30 knots (30 nautical miles per hour).   

For a 200:1 model scale, one model foot equals 200 feet of the real QE2 - in this case our model would be about 4 ft 9 3/4 in long.  The scaled speed to emulate one nautical mile per hour would be one real knot divided by the scale of 200 or 1/200 of a knot.  So in order to emulate the real QE2 at 30 kts, the model would need 30 times 1/200 of a knot or 0.15 knots.  Using some conversions this would be the same as 0.173 mph or about three inches per second. 

[Peter Mugridge]

I'm not sure a radio controlled aircraft, unless it was of an airship, would stay airborne for very long if it was flying at a true scale speed...?

[Lynda Bradford]

Hi, thanks for all the post about Tim Henderson's model.

He has sent the following in relation to the question regarding "calculating the speed of a certain scale model to be equivalent to the real thing". This is beyond me but I am sure it will mean something to our boat model enthusiasts. 

True scale speed is equal to the square root of the scale of the model multiplied by the full size speed.
For example, a 1/200 scale model of the full size QE2 travelling at 32.5 knots would travel at:
 
                square root 1/200 x 32.5 = 2.298097 knots (Rounded off = 2.3knots)
 
Taking the actual measured speed of my 1/200 scale model of QE2 as 2.3 knots the full size ship would be travelling at:
 
                square root 200 x 2.3 = 32.526912 knots.
 
This is calculation originating from an article in Model Boat magazine used by me.
 

[Bob C.]

I've been playing around with Google Sketchup to create a 3d virtual model of QE2's interiors, 1969-style.  I've been working from original passenger deck plans, photos and my memories but in order to do this correctly, I need more details to get things right, especially in the vertical axis (i.e. deck heights). 

Can anyone point me to a resource that would have scaled drawings with a bit more detail than a deck plan (e.g. door locations, midships lobby sunken floor diameter, etc.)?

My objective is to create a 3d walkthrough model of public ares, stairways and select cabins for all to enjoy the QE2 interiors - at least virtually.

Here's some examples of my work so far but be kind, virtual QE2 is still being fitted out!

[Bob C.]

One more photo.

[Michael Gallagher]

Bob

Does this help?

Michael

[Bob C.]

Yes it does Michael! Thanks!!!

Do you happen to know what the frame spacing is?  It looks to be around 3 ft (0.9 m). 

And is there anything on your plans that indicates deck height? The height from the waterline/keel or between decks would work.

I definitely could use a copy of those plans.  Is there a way to get them or are they too rare?