Wilesco TE Modification
| This poor thing arrived in the mail one day, I actually bought it for whatever parts I could salvage from it. Upon inspection the boiler and cylinder were still functionable, what the heck, I had the start of of another traction engine. Considering the beginnings of this engine there was no other choice but to name it "The Pheonix". |
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I used the Wilesco rear rims fastened to Mamod wheels, the rubber tires are strips cut from a sheet of bulk automotive floor matting. The front wheels ar stock Mamod.
The flywheel is one that was in my parts box, not sure where it came from.
The Wilesco throttle valve was toast so I used a globe valve controllled with the brass wheel that you can see in the top right photo.
A BIX gas burner was installed to replace the missing solid fuel burner.
I had intended to strip the completed unit down and give it a coat off paint, but decided I liked the character it has just as is.
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The Gearing
The drive is mostly modified Meccano gears, the last shaft slides to mesh the gears to engage the right rear wheel, this is a single wheel drive tractor, I hadn't perfected the differential when I built it.
The boiler extension is a copper mearuring cup that was a perfect fit, I cut the mount for the roller off the top and moved it under the boiler as a perch bracket. The Pheonix emblem is a pendant that I found on Ebay. Video of "Phoenix" in Action
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