Timothy Edwards - Meccano
Brian Rowe's Model Building Instructions
(For website updates see the bottom of the page)
Brian Rowe got his first Meccano set in 1929 for his birthday and from that day he became an Meccano enthusiast, gradually building up his collection as funds allowed. However joining the RAF as an apprentice and then World War Two, put a stop to his model building. Following the war he gradually built up his Meccano collection and in 1952 he entered his first official Meccano competition and won second prize with a model of a Stanier Pacific locomotive. This led to him entering more competitions and also having his models featured in the Meccano Magazine.
He was now the manager of a number of railway bookstalls in Devon and the sight of the many steam engines led him to build many models of these - often displayed in the bookstalls. He was also exhibiting at many exhibitions in the south west and had a vast collection of Meccano models, sets, literature and model steam engines by many manufacturers. His models were always admired and he started to produce building instructions for many of them. These were mainly models of steam engines of various types. He would sell the instructions and associated photos by mail order and at exhibitions.
He also started to produce his 'Treatise' on Meccano, which is virtually a history of much of his life. The treatise gradually expanded over the years to eventually become three volumes, each one containing over a hundred pages
Following Brian's death in the late 1990s, these building instructions and his Treatise have virtually all disappeared from the Meccano scene and I felt that it would be good to resurrect them. If anyone has building instructions and/or additional photos of Brian Rowe's models that are not yet on this website, please get in touch.
Virtually all his building instructions were photocopied from typewritten and hand-drawn illustrations, together with a few very poor photocopied photos. Brian did also sell for an additional cost, prints of colour photos of many of his models. Where I have them, they are included with the model building instructions. Note that as the plans etc. on this website are all from scans of his photocopies, the quality of many of the pictures is rather poor.
If anyone can supply any of Brian's plans, photos etc. which are currently not on this website, please get in touch.
I also understand that upon Brian's death someone did buy the originals of many of these documents. If anyone know the whereabouts of these, I would be very interested to hear about it.
The numbers against the model instructions below refer to the number of that model in Brian's 1994 list of model plans also available below.
For Constructor Quarterly and Sheffield Guild Magazines noted below see https://www.constructorquarterly.com/pmwiki.php.
Brian Rowes 'Treatise'
volume 1.
(Added 13/05/2024)
Brian Rowes 'Treatise'
volume 2.
(Added 13/05/2024)
Brian Rowes 'Treatise'
volume 3.
(Added 13/05/2024)
A list dated 1988/9 of Brian Rowes model plans and photos available for sale.
(Added 22/07/2024)
A list dated 1994 of Brian Rowes model plans and photos available for sale.
(Added 14/04/2024)
No.2 - A small 'Watt' type beam engine with parallel motion
(Updated 22/07/2024)
No.3 - A Kientz Oscillating Engine
(Added 22/07/2024)
No.4 - Stephenson's Rocket Locomotive
(Added 22/07/2024)
No.5 - A Wilsco D21 Steam Plant
For an additional photo and a brief description see Constructor Quarterly No.33
(Added 22/07/2024)
No.6 - A Bing 1913 vertical boiler steam engine - End crank type
For an additional photo and a brief description see Constructor Quarterly No.4
(Added 14/04/2024)
No.6 - Revised instructions for the Bing 1913 vertical boiler steam engine - End crank type
(Added 22/07/2024)
No.6 - 1995 Revised instructions following a rebuild for the Bing 1913 vertical boiler steam engine - End crank type
(Added 22/07/2024)
No.6 - A Bing 1913 vertical boiler steam engine - End crank type
Photos only of a very similar model with only detail differences to the previous model
(Added 14/04/2024)
No.8 - A Giant Beam Engine
(Added 22/07/2024)
No.9 - A Märklin compound steam engine with twin flywheels
(Added 14/04/2024)
No.10 - A Burrell Showman's Engine
Photos only - For building instructions see the December 1986 Sheffield Guild Magazine
(Added 22/07/2024)
No.11 - The Davey Motor
For an additional photo and a brief description see Constructor Quarterly No.16
(Added 22/07/2024)
No.12 - A Burrell Showman's Engine with large flanged ring rear wheels
(Revised 22/07/2024)
No.13 - A Bray side rod engine (taken from a model in the 'Model Engineer')
(Revised 22/07/2024)
No.15 - A Giant 'Doll' Vertical Steam Engine
(Added 08/09/2024)
No.17 - A Stuart Turner Beam Engine
(Revised 22/07/2024)
No.18 - A Steeple (or Table) Engine with a 12" flywheel (taken from a model in the 'Model Engineer')
(Added 09/08/2024)
No.22 - A Wilesco D32el Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
(Added 09/08/2024)
No.23 - An Overtype Steam Plant
(Added 22/07/2024)
No.24 - 'Swannington' winding engine with 20" flywheel
For an additional photo and a brief description see Constructor Quarterly No.6
(Added 14/04/2024)
No.25 - Southern Railways 4-6-0 locomotive and tender
For an additional photo and a brief description see Constructor Quarterly No.5
(Added 14/04/2024)
No.44 - A 'Doll' German Vertical Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
For an additional photo and a brief description see Constructor Quarterly No.19
(Added 22/07/2024)
No.45 - A Mill steam engine - single cylinder
(Added 14/04/2024)
No.46 - Boulton & Watt Bell Crank Steam Engine of 1802
(Added 14/04/2024)
No.47 - Four pillar beam engine with 12" flywheel
(Added 14/04/2024)
No.50 - A Marklin Twin Cylinder Overtype Steam Engine
(Added 09/08/2024)
Simpson & Shipton's Short Stroke Engine
For building instructions see Constructor Quarterly No.34
(Added 22/07/2024)
A Stuart-Turner No.9 Engine
For building instructions see Constructor Quarterly No.38
(Added 22/07/2024)
A Ernst Plank Toy Steam Engine of 1906
For building instructions see Constructor Quarterly No.38
(Added 22/07/2024)
Instructions for building six spoke flywheels
(Revised 09/08/2024)
The following is a list of missing instructions that I know should exist.
1. Steam Operated T/Engine with Mamod SP2 unit.
7. Steam Car with Mamod/Meccano engine unit.
14. Replica 1929 Steam Engine.
16. Prints of a Broad Gauge Steam Locomotive.
19. Meccanograph for felt tip pens with gearbox.
20. Prints of a mini Rocket Locomotive.
21. Prints of 'Evening Star' loco and tender.
43. Bing vertical engine with centre crank, single cylinder.
48. Oscillating engine, single cylinder and heavy built.
49. Foot Hammer - Blacksmith's type.
??. Benson's Vertical Steam Engine.
There may well be others which I am not aware of.
UPDATES
8 September 2024 : Instructions for No.15 - a Giant Doll Vertical Steam Engine. Thanks to Barry Richardson.
Also the German Doll Twin Cylinder Engine instructions was previously in, in error as No.15. This has been corrected to No.44.
9 August 2024 : Three more model instructions added (18, 22, 50). Also additional flywheels to the 'Six Spoke Flywheel' document. Thanks to Colin Hoare.
22 July 2024 : Several more model instructions added. Also a number revised with additional photos. Thanks to George Roy, Les Nightingale and Joe Etheridge.
13 May 2024 : Brian's Treatise added.
14 April 2024 : This section of the website created.