Wednesday, April 27, 2011

ride in models

This is worth a look and there is others in the same type.Some kids have good dads!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg2lssqi0IQ

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Jumna ride in paddle tug Western Australia

Where is the little Western Australian  Jumna today?
http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=769.0

I have been researching "Jumna", a paddle wheel steam tug boat which operated at the turn of the 20th Century in the small port of Littlehampton, Sussex, UK.  The Curator of the Littlehampton Museum recently sent me a photocopy of an article from a modeling magazine article dated August 1980.  Here are the first three paragraphs of the article which will clarify things.

    "Today, the little tug "Jumna" sits almost forlorn on the verandah of the Busselton             Museum, where people come and go and take away a photo of a once proud steamship.

    "Jumna" first saw light in the imagination of a young boy in England when his eyes observed the real "Jumna" assisting vessels in and out of the Port of Littlehampton on the South Coast.

    Canon, or as he was known as Rev. Robert Davies, came to Western Australia and started his training in the ministry of the Church at Bussleton."

The article describes him as one of "Australia's most prominent model engineers".  He apparently built a 12' 6" fully operating replica of "Jumna" which was powered by a live steam engine and was large enough that Rev. Davies and a passenger could ride in the model itself.  The author of the article was Keith Watson and it appeared in the August 1980 issue of "Live Steam" magazine which appears to be an American publication out of Michigan.

The author describes the construction of the model which apparently took place in the Busselton Rectory and it's quite detailed along with drawings and technical information about the live steam plant.  It seems he knew Rev. Davies and describes in some length a trip he took in the model.

    " To ride the "Jumna" was an experience I shall never forget, and goes back to the late 1950's when I had the good fortune to meet Canon and his wife Dulcie, who shared his love of steam."

It seems this model was very well known in the town of Busselton as must have been it's builder, and apparently even once transported the Prince of Wales during a Royal visit.

It would be fun to locate the model and re-establish it's connection with the Museum at Littlehampton half a world away. It's even possible the Rev. Davies is still alive today as "Jumna" operated at the Port Littlehampton up to around 1914.

Any help in tracking this down would be appreciated, Derek, and as always, very best regards.

PJ
Victoria, British columbia, Canada