Keith Black

Craig, John, thank you both so much for your kind comments. It's high praise coming from the builders of the beautiful Twilight and Klondike models.

Welcome to MSW. Do we need another....you bet! Glad to have you aboard.

Thank you to all for the comments and likes. Quick update... The knee braces and winches have been added and that completes the bow face except for the deckhand and he will be the last piece added to the model. With the exception of the water and steam pipes the boiler is done and glued in place Next on the list is the steam engine. Thank you for the support and for being part of the journey. Keith

I'm onboard for the journey, Giorgio.

Thank you, Keith. I just asked Mr Google how many homes in Britain are still heated with coal and the answer was 30,000. I then asked how many narrowboats and wide beam boats there are in Britain and the answer was 35,000. I watch several YouTube videos on canal boating and several use coal to heat their boats. I would think coal usage is declining but you and the canal boats seem to be hanging on.

I raise a glass.

What a drop dead gorgeous model, makes me wish I owned the real thing! What a cleaver way to hide the batteries, Craig. The model looks so real, it looks like one could step aboard and cast off for distant shores.

Thank you very much, Craig.

Crank up some Pink Floyd for Mrs Knocklouder and see how she likes them apples.

Nice tidy work, LJP. She's really looking sharp!

Thank you guys for your kind and informative comments and the likes. I appreciate your support so very much. The first time i saw the photos of this push boat I was smitten with the ugly, dirty, quirkiness of her but I had serious reservations when I started the build not knowing if I was going to be capable of doing her justice. It's only been in this last week that I've really warmed to the build as the work has finally developed a rhythm and flow and now I'm having a ton of fun, let the devil take the hind quarter. First off, I want to apologize for the following photos.......bad camera day. The steel plate is painted but not yet glued down. I looked at beads and a whole slew of other options for lightbulbs but nothing worked as well as the belaying pins. I did try filing and sanding the shape from egg to ball, they're now acceptable. I added coal to the coal crib and the auto stoker's conveyer belt. Coal has a slight gleam to it so I lightly patted poly on top of the coal to give it just a hint of shine. I also got the conveyer belt tail rigged through the blocks. The stern maintenance hatch is made and glued in place. The coal crib and stoker are glued to the steel plate but the boiler is not yet glued to the plate as I have more work to do on it which is next on the list. Thank you for following along and being part of the journey. Keith

The penguin looks good, Bob. 👍

A new post is alway a treat seeing more of your beautiful work, Paul.

Eric, thank you for sharing your insights.

Ken, thank you for the input. While railcars are supported at the ends, water's support is greatest in the middle of a sternwheeler's hull allowing the ends to sag. It's physics my wee brain at times has a hard time comprehending. Nautical engineering be hard.