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Pitbox 26 |
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| Ransom 'Rhiando Trimax' Alvin 'Spike' Rhiando, who apparently also went by a variety of other names, was a speedway rider before moving in to 500cc F3 racing after the war. After successes with a Cooper car he set about building a car of his own that was both 'advanced and innovative'. He planned to use it with engines of 500, 1,000cc and 2 litres, hence the 'Trimax' name. It was raced from 1950 onwards before being sold to the US. In 1953, NLSME club member Bill Ransom, built this replica for rail racing. The motor is a 1cc Weaver/Ransom sideport diesel, designed by Arthur Weaver and drawn up by Bill. This was the first engine Bill had ever built, but the Colson name cast in to the crankcase reveals a bit more of the engine's history. When construction of the engine was first described in Model Maker it was entirely built from bar stock but it was indicated that if there was sufficient demand, a casting would be available for the crankcase along with other components, now known to be supplied by Colson
The 'Trimax' railcar features in
several articles and was photographed on the Rex Hays track at
the Model Engineer Exhibition.
Nothing further was seen of the car until
it turned up, along with another chassis in 2025. The full sized
version is described in detail in Model Maker March 1951 and was returned to the UK in 2007, was extensively restored and
can now be seen at Vintage race meetings.
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| Arthur Cockman's V4 flash
steam motor Arthur
devoted almost his entire modelling career to steam powered
models, the famous 'IFIT' flash steam hydros, straight runners
and latterly traction engines. His flash steam motors became
increasingly complex with the twin fitted to some of the later 'Ifits'
and this V four in
his straight runner
'Guinivere'. The boat
was sold at auction in 2005 with a plan for its restoration. The
quad fuel, oil and water pumps that also served on
'Ifit 9' were
reunited with the hydro, as included in the restoration plan was
conversion to electric RC pumps. As it transpired this never
took place as the boat was subsequently passed on, minus its
steam plant that was to be repurposed, leaving the V four now
surplus to requirements. It was therefore a great surprise when
a lump wrapped in a piece of curtain material was handed over so
that it could sit alongside the twin that had been salvaged many
years previously. |
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