Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Tugs and Towing => Topic started by: Kevgarth on June 06, 2025, 09:43:39 pm
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Hi there
Please find attached a photo of my voith-schneider tug Fiery Cross all built from scratch including the voith units. The model is built to a scale of 1:32 and the units are driven from a gearbox with motor built onto it. The superstructure is made from tinplate, skeg is made from brass soldered onto a frame. Hull was made up using 5 layers of epoxy cloth (used for canoe and windsurfer repairs).
The rest of the fittings are manufactured in all sorts of various materials ie perspex ali plastic brass really whatever was in the workshop.
I hope it's of interest
Regards Kevin
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For some reason I've resized the images right down to send and they won't attach to messages.
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I'm trying this again one more time to get photos through.
Hopefully it works out this time?
Regards
Kevin
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Excellent work :-)) :-)) :-))
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Beautiful work!
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Thanks for you kinds comments, here's a photo of the voith units made from scratch.
Regards
Kevin
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Made from SCRATCH?! O0
Strewth, that's some SERIOUS engineering! :-))
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That must have kept you busy Kevin :-))
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Wow! Those Voith units are just way above my pay grade. The painting behind the model, looks like one from the 'Pitman Painters'?
Cheers
Mike
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Hi Mike
Really with the Fiery Cross model i bit off more than I could chew when l started, as l was told l could never do it. I won't mention names but guess what l have!!!!
Also Svitzer were extremely helpful with any info l needed, when l first got in contact with them the guy thought I'd just come out the pub with such a crazy idea of building a model voith-schneider tug. When l nearly finished the units l had a completely different response. Even now they contact me to let me know when the tugs going into drydock.
I have also had some great days spent on the river Tees being out on the tugs whilst their working. In 2012 l went up to York for the weekend, went to Middlesbrough on a Friday to take photos and measurements of the tug. Saturday I went to the model engineering exhibition at Harrogate which for me was the best show in the UK. Sunday I was invited by Svitzer to go down to Immingham to go over and take photos of their tugs that serviced the Humber.
It doesnt get better than that, yeah so a big thank-you again to Svitzer and the guys who helped me.
BTW the print is an Alexander Millar piece who painted industrial prints based on folk from the north-east (Newcastle), as the print in the photo reprocents workers from a shipyard going to work. Which is ironic as I was working at A&P Tyne in 2005 and the Fiery Cross come up from Boro to help get the big square riggers as it was the Tall Ships being held in Newcastle.
Regards
Kevin
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Hi Kevin,
It's amazing the extra stuff you can learn on this forum, (thanks Martin!). I looked up the artist Alexander Millar, quite famous apparently, a Scottish contemporary impressionist artist. I'm actually from the banks of the river Tyne, (born North Shields), and I think the picture represents shipyard workers heading towards 'Swans', the Swan Hunters and Wigham Richardson shipyard in Wallsend on Tyne.
Although I've lived in North London for the last half century, (how the years roll by!), I always try to get back to home turf. In 2005 I actually stood on the headland at Tynemouth, on the north bank of the Tyne estuary, watching the Tall Ships. You mentioned that you were working at A&P Tyne, would the A&P stand for Austin and Pickersgill?
I looked again at your photos of the Fiery Cross tug, not only could I not do the Voith-Schneider units, but the lattice mast would bring me out in a fit of the vapours as well.
I also saw your Flying Eagle post, again just wow!
Best Regards,
Mike
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Hi Mike
Thanks for your reply.
In trying to answer your questions not sure re A&P name as i was working there on a TV series, great shame they were pulling the cranes down while we were there and I don't think anything has happened to the site since?
The Fiery Cross yeah everything was complicated including the mast, originally I was thinking about making it out of brass with a plastic ladder that failed before making it to the boat. In the end I made it entirely out of brass and used soft solder paste to join it, and that work well plus its very strong and no bowing.
While I was in Newcastle for four months in 2005 I regularly used to visit the Tynemouth model boat club on a Sunday and spent quite a few pleasant hours there in the time I was in Newcastle.
Regards
Kevin
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Hello again Kevin,
Looking at the lattice mast on the Fiery Cross, I had guessed that it was fabricated out of brass, very sharp detail, looks fantastic, probably something I couldn?t do.
In the early 1960?s I was given a Tri-ang Yacht as a Christmas present. Many happy hours were spent on a Sunday morning sailing it on Tynemouth boating lake. So, the seed was sowed, and I?ve been in the ?dark side? ever since, which has sustained me through the good times, and the not so good times. Sailed my scratch built efforts later, all free-running of course, who could afford Radio Control in those days? Saturdays were spent hanging out on North Shields fish quay, watching the marine traffic going by.
I?ve attached a couple of pictures of Tynemouth model boating, featuring the Tynemouth Model Boat Club, (Est. 1893), and I hope that this gives you a touch of nostalgia!
Cheers,
Mike
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Hi Mike
Yeah many happy hours there chatting model boats whilst drinking tea.
Then after I used to drive down to Middlesbrough and take photos and measurements of the Fiery Cross, yes happy memories of working up in Newcastle.
I also went to Heaton Pk and the marine lake in South Shields where they both had model boat clubs and met up with some really nice people
Regards
Kevin