'Lionsmeet' is the long-established annual day out where owners of live-steam 'Lion' models can compare notes and engage in a not-too-serious competition to see which model can perform the greatest 'work done' in ten minutes. Each year, 'Lionsmeet' is staged at a different location and, in 2012, the Newport (Gwent) model engineering club were our hosts on Saturday, 11th August 2012. The weather was excellent.
The club are still developing facilities at the site but an amazing amount of work has been done. There is an elevated dual-gauge (3.5"/5") circuit of modest length which was used for the 5" competition. In addition, there is a long ground level circuit which accommodates 5" and 7.25" models.
Alan Bibby, who had organised the event with Newport club, made sure the arrangements ran smoothly but, sadly, this year OLCO Chairman John Brandrick was unable to attend. 'Lionsheart' editor John Hawley was on hand taking photographs and making copious notes. 'Lionsheart', of course, is the excellent magazine on all things 'Lion' related circulated to OLCO members. The morning was spent in preparing locomotives, trial running and earnest discussions. Jon Swindlehurst displayed his 7.25" gauge 'Lion' under construction and Alan Bibby had arranged a display of second-hand superheaters of different patterns. Barrie Larke's meticulous 'Lion' model was much admired.
After Alan's briefing to competitors at 12 noon, the host club provided a splendid buffet lunch in the clubhouse. The competitions started around 1.0 p.m.
This year, there were two 7.25" 'Lion' models in steam and they performed on the ground level track, but without benefit of a dynamometer car. For this part of the event, judges determined the winner.
On the elevated circuit, we had four entrants to the competition, driving three different models. Last year, at Chelmsford, David Neish demonstrated his 'LIONsPOWER' measuring system. Having perfected the design, at Newport David allowed us to use his measuring system as the official dynamometer device. A small measuring unit (somewhat analogous to a spring balance) replaces the drawlink between locomotive and driving truck. The extension of the springs in the measuring unit is measured electronically and a cable extends this information to a small battery-powered processing unit which is carried on the front of the passenger truck and displays work done to the Observer. David has also instrumented the driving truck to display instantaneous speed and total mileage to the Observer.
In recent years, Jan always seems to get press-ganged into being the Observer, which role she is pleased to call the 'Dynamometrix'. It's not as much fun as it sounds and this year Jan sustained a hole burnt in jeans (and a little hole burnt in leg) from a particularly aggressive bout of 'fire-throwing' by Jon's engine. I suppose this is to be expected from a locomotive where the prototype was absorbed into the stock of the London and North Western Railway. The L.N.W.R. (with its small engines and heavy trains) had a reputation for throwing half the fire straight out of the chimney.
Each competitor was allowed an untimed lap to 'warm-through' the engine and determine what load he wished to carry on the single bogie passenger truck coupled behind the driving truck. Members of the Newport club and John Hawley volunteered, as required, to be passengers during the competition (I'm told the technical term is "self-loading ballast").
As last years winner, Jon ran first, followed by David Neish, Andrew Neish (driving David's engine) and, finally, Philip Pritchard from Newport club. Jon took the Dynamometrix plus three passengers but David only took the Dynamometrix plus one because of adhesion problems. Andrew split the difference taking the Dynamometrix plus two. Philip completed his trial lap but experienced difficulties filling the boiler prior to his competition run and was forced to retire because of a defective locomotive.
The performances are summarised below:-
| Name | Work done (ft./lb.) | Position |
| Jon Swindlehurst | 55756 | 1 |
| David Neish | 40200 | 2 |
| Andrew Neish | 36675 | 3 |
| Philip Pritchard | 0 | 4 (retired) |
Although there was a slight reservation over Andrew's 'work done' because of a cable connection working loose, it was concluded that (once again) Jon was the undisputed winner. The award was presented to Jon by Philip.
The 7.25" gauge award went to Harrye Frowen for the fanatical fidelity of his model to the prototype.
More pictures at Newport are here.
All my posts about the Old Locomotive Committee (OLCO) are here.
