Martin Evans was a major contributor to the English recreational magazine Model Engineer

Model Engineer magazine

Model Engineer Magazine was first published to support the hobby of model engineering in 1898 by Percival Marshall, who was to remain its editor for over 50 years. It has been published by My Hobby Store since 2008. The magazine addressed the emergence of a new hobby — the construction of models ...

. He was promoted from Technical Editor to Editor of the magazine in January 1966.. His editorship, along with a change in almost all other staff on the magazine, is credited as having saved it from decline. The next year, the prolific model locomotive designer 'Curly' Lawrence

Curly Lawrence

Curly Lawrence, known as LBSC, was one of Britain's most prolific and well known model or scale-steam-locomotive designers. LBSC were the initials of Britain's London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. LBSC, “Curly” to his friends, was born 27 September 1883 and christened William Morris Benjamin...

, aka LBSC, died. At this point, Martin Evans took over the serialisation of locomotive designs, apparently rivalling LBSC in his output. He inaugurated the International Model Locomotive Efficiency Competition (IMLEC) in 1969. Evans was an erudite editor, whose time in the job was distinguished by a stable of brilliant contributors who came into the magazine from lifetime careers at the very height of British toolroom engineering. At this time the magazine was of extraordinary quality, reflected even in the learned and passionate debates that raged in the letters columns and demanded the best of the reader's intellect. He retired from the editorship in June 1977, concentrating on locomotive designs. He died on 29 Dec 2003.

Locomotive Designs

Many model locomotive designs in a range of gauges were serialised by Martin Evans in the pages of Model Engineer. The castings with which to machine and build these designs are in many cases still available from commercial suppliers such as Reeves 2000 (formerly A.J. Reeves) and Blackgates Engineering; as well as laser cut components by Model Engineers Laser. Some of these designs are very popular, as websites such as The Simplex Website and threads in many Model engineer's web forums demonstrate. They are frequently seen both on model railway society tracks and the second hand market, such as Station Road Steam. The designs included:


2½ in. gauge

• Black Five, 4-6-0

• Eagle, 4-4-0
  

3½ in. gauge

• Columbia, 4-8-4

• Conway, 0-4-0

• Euston, 2-8-0

• Evening Star, 2-10-0 (completed the design started by LBSC)

• Greene King, 4-6-0

• Ivatt, 2-6-0

• Jubilee, 2-6-4

• Rob Roy, 0-6-0

• William, 2-6-2

5 in. gauge

• Boxhill, 0-6-0

• Enterprise, 2-6-2

• Jinty, 0-6-0

• Metro, 2-4-0

• Nigel Gresley, 2-8-0

• Royal Scot, 4-6-0

• Simplex, 0-6-0

• Super Simplex, 0-6-0

• Springbok, 4-6-0

• Stirling Single, 2-2-2

• Stratford, 0-6-0

• Superclaud, 4-4-0

• Torquay Manor, 4-6-0

• Waverley North, 4-4-2

7¼ in. gauge

• Singapore, 0-4-0 Saddle Tank

• Dart, 0-4-2

• Greene Queen, 4-6-0

• Highlander, 4-6-0

• Holmside, 0-6-0
  
  

Books Published

Martin Evans was author of a number of books, including:

• Manual of model steam locomotive construction. London: Percival Marshall, 1960 (158 p). 2nd ed: 1962 (172 p). Reprint 1967.

• Altantic era: the British Atlantic locomotive. Percival Marshall, 1961 (94 p).

• Pacific steam: the British Pacific locomotive. Percival Marshall, 1961 (80 p).

• Model locomotive valve gears. London: Percival Marshall, 1962. 2nd ed: Hemel Hempstead: Model &​ Allied Publications, 1967 (98 p).

• Inverness to Crewe: The British 4-6-0 locomotive. Model Aeronautical Press, 1966 (164 p).

• Outdoor Model Railways. Hemel Hempstead: Model and Allied Publications, 1970 (96 p).

• Rob Roy: how to build a simple 3 1/2 in. gauge 0-6-0 tank locomotive based on the dockyard engines of the old Caledonian Railway. Hemel Hempstead: Model and Allied Publications, 1972 (112 p). Rev ed: 1979.

• Model locomotive construction. Hemel Hempstead: Model &​ Allied Publications, 1974 (viii, 163 p). 2nd ed.: Watford: Model and Allied Publications, 1978 (viii, 163 p).

• Model locomotive boilers: their design and construction. Rev ed: Watford, Hertfordshire: Model &​ Allied Publications, 1976, (144 p).

• Caribou 0-8-0 Canadian switcher for 3 1/2in. gauge: (and "Buffalo" a 2-8-0 - a Consolidation). Watford, UK: Model &​ Allied Publications, Argus Books, 1977. (79 p).

• Simplex 0-6-0 freelance tank locomotive for 5in. gauge. Watford, UK: Model &​ Allied Publications, Argus Books, 1977. (80 p).

• Introducing model steam locomotive construction. London: K. Dickson, 1981 (114 p).

• The model steam locomotive: a complete treatise on design and construction. Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire: Argus Books, 1983 (208 p).

• Rob Roy and William: two 3 1/2in. gauge locomotives. London: Argus Books, c.1987 (219 p).

• Model locomotive and marine boilers. Hemel Hempstead, UK: Argus Books, 1988 (190 p).