About the Models:

A Steam Wagon model no 5.41 a.k.a H38 or H44 in manuals in the 1930’s as seen on the roads during the late 20s through the 30s. It was difficult to decide how to make what I thought was the right version as the designer of the model has made a 24ft tipper out of a haulage model. When I investigated, I managed to find the possible make is a Sentinel DG6 and found photos to prove the theory so made the 2 models he may have used to make the model in the manual. To make it, which is relatively easy, you would need the instructions from one of the  manuals of the 1930s.

The first version was to take the cab from the manual with the bigger boiler and put a suitable tipping body as you see, trying to stick to the original instruction. This is a practical version but had no pictures to prove it, only a haulage version not a tipper. It would have 37h chassis with holes on top, and the body of 25h as seen in the picture; all the rest is the same as per instructions, apart from using spacers above the springs as I found the wheels too close to the underside of the body. The switch for the E15 motor was out of the top of the cab as I found it easier to operate, consisting of 2 collars and an 8” axle. The front panel was a 17 x 7h flexible plate from Dave Taylor which I think looks better. Also a water/storage tank underneath the rear was added for realism.
 
The second version was to take the body and standard 43h chassis and fit a suitable to scale cab. This I found from photographs that it needed to be 10h high as opposed to 11h in the instructions. This now seemed in proportion, the cab you can see is built a little differently and now requires a standard boiler #162 capped with #137 with a flatter bonnet and bumper. This now would take the tandem axle/wheels, the rear wheels I have made by sticking 2 #19a together back-to-back with small strips of double-sided tape, covered with insulation tape, this producing a groove as the original tyres had. As you can see already looks better with all the wheels the same. As the No 5 outfit had only 4 x #19a, it was not possible to use all the same wheels. I thought it would be better to use a 6-speed powerdrive motor as it was a lower profile and you can then adjust the output better. I also added a standard chain differential from an earlier manual. As the body was a haulage type, it did not need the tipping equipment. A water tank was added at the rear underneath.

The third version, was the model that I think the designer should have made. It had the cab and chassis of version 1 and the tipping body but by moving the motor 3 holes forward, I have managed to fit in the differential and the tandem wheels which are perfectly placed in the centre of the body, allowing it to carry twice as much as the single wheeled truck now a practical answer. The rear axle centre is now 12h from the rear of the chassis. It would also be better for the slotted side of the chassis angles to face down; this will allow adjustment for the trunions which carry the springs.The only thing is that I could not find evidence of such a truck, I did find, however, a version of truck a Sentinel S6T with a later designed square-fronted closed cab. Ideally, some more gears for the drive could be added as they are quite high and the truck moves rather quickly when engaged.

I am not sure which version is the right one but I guess the designer did not think he had enough space, so he lengthened the chassis and the body. All three were a pleasure to make and suit the Meccano system, and they do look like the real thing. You could, of course, change what you want but I preferred to keep to the manual as much as possible.