# Railway buff comes up with model ceiling idea



## tworail (Apr 13, 2006)

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.u...iling-idea/article-575490-detail/article.html

MODEL railway enthusiast Keith Beadle has created the ultimate space-saving railway which runs upside down on the ceiling.
The 73-year-old former electrician has spent three years perfecting and patenting his design, which uses magnets to hold the trains and their cargo in place.
Mr Beadle, who lives in Rockwood Avenue, Crewe, has spent £4,500 getting his upside down railway patented and is now looking for a manufacturer to take up his idea.
He created two more railways after the first one, which runs on his
bedroom ceiling.

The other two have been confined to the roof of his garden shed, one of which is a figure of eight shape.
Mr Beadle, who worked for 40 years at Midland Rollmakers, in Crewe, told The Sentinel he has always had a love for model railways and three years ago he came up with his idea of putting a railway on the ceiling.
Mr Beadle said: “It’s just something different, isn’t it?
“I looked at the ceiling and realised it was an empty space just waiting to be filled.
“And it means I don’t have my trains running round the living room casing havoc.
“I’ve spent a lot of hours creating the railways, but I’ve enjoyed every minute. I wouldn’t have done it otherwise. It’s not like it’s a job. It’s a hobby.
“I’ve always been interested in trains. I’m not sure how I came up with the idea but nobody else has ever thought of it.”
The model trains are held in place on the tracks by magnets but Mr Beadle said occasionally they do fall off the rails.
He said: “Trains can fall off the tracks normally so it does sometimes happen with the model railway but luckily no-one has been underneath at the time.
“The only drawback with the railway is that it can’t have points because of the magnets under the trains.”
Mr Beadle whose other interests are classic cars, music and antiques, said he may make another railway but that it depends if anyone comes along who is willing to invest in his product.
He said: “The problem is that with the current financial climate nobody is willing to invest or take a chance.
“I need to get some backers or there is no point carrying on. I would like to create another one but I need to get some money behind it.
“I’m 73 and can’t carry on doing this for much longer, but if I sell it would have to be for the right price.”
Mike Landon, owner of Alsager Toys And Models, said he didn’t believe upside down railway tracks would be a hit with his customers.
He said: “I wouldn’t imagine the idea of having a train set on your ceiling would go down very well. I’ve seen people who have had sets suspended from their ceilings, but I’ve never heard of anything like this. It sounds a bit over the top to me.”
Has your hobby taken over your home?


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## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

Umm... this isn't new, and he shouldn't be trying to patent it. When I was growing up, there was a "Turbo Train" HO gauge stunt trainset.... here we go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2s5DDtIcTw

It had magnets on the bottom to keep it on the track. It wasn't the best of toys, it would derail all the time... although, the magnets would keep it on the track, so it'd just stop really quickly. Track was steel, if you tried to run the turbo train even on gentle curves using brass track, it would fly off into the sunset. The magnets were required to keep it on the track at high speed. It also allowed the train to climb the wall and do the loop. It actually worked much better over the wall and through the loop at 1/4 power or so - it could stop completely upside-down and not fall off.

Over all it was cheaply made, and the structures were just laminated card stock with glow-in-the-dark stickers that started peeling off a week or two after i put them on. Wasn't impressed... still sad i got rid of it though!

Charles.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

" ... faster than the speed of sound ..."

Glad Tyco made their fortune off of that!

Uhh ... err ... wait a minute ...


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Dang, now I'm inspired! Fellows, I'm going to design a new toy that will be unique. I'm going to build a fleet of WW1 biplanes, but they don't just hang in the air or fly around the room. My planes will be inverted and will roll around on the floor, upside down, as if flying on the carpet! You won't have to get a crick in your neck looking up at the bellies of the planes as they soar: you can look down at them! I'm gonna make millions!


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## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

I wish I'd kept it now only because there's not a single youtube video of an actual turbotrain layout... just the commercials. Plus the train itself might be kind of cool for use as an airport tram or something. Or put a different body on it and make it a rollercoaster in an o-gauge layout!

Charles.


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

I had the first Turbo Train when i was a kid. That thing was great!! Fast as a slot car (cause it used slot car power train components) it would go over the walls and through the loop. I loved it. My mom stepped on the loop track part and broke it beyond repair and I never was able to get another one. I still could go up the walls and stuff but that was not as fun. If you did the wall climb at full throttle you would fly off the apex and if you did not slow down on the down side of the loop it would fly off the first curve right after the loop. All and all it was still cool and I still have memories of the set.

Massey


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## Steve S (Jan 7, 2012)

Here's a vid of Mr. Beadle's upside down train. It uses a steel plate under (above, really) the track and a magnet on the bottom (top?) of each car and engine attracts it to the steel plate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8jPD4rynKc

Steve S


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## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

Okay, so I was up in my parents attic yesterday looking for more American Flyer stuff, and low and behold, I found the whole Turbotrain set! Not really planning to do anyhting with it, but I found it! 

Charles.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Steve S said:


> Here's a vid of Mr. Beadle's upside down train. It uses a steel plate under (above, really) the track and a magnet on the bottom (top?) of each car and engine attracts it to the steel plate.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8jPD4rynKc
> 
> Steve S


You've got it wrong ...

I think he's running the train in Australia ... gravity points in the other direction there.


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## Steve S (Jan 7, 2012)

tjcruiser said:


> You've got it wrong ...
> 
> I think he's running the train in Australia ... gravity points in the other direction there.


Do their roundy-rounds go in the opposite direction?

Steve S


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

ah the Tyco turbo train....fun stuff...anyways the cars might work well for a airport tram...worth a try


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## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

I remember desperately wanting one of those Turbo Trains as a kid. "But Mom, it glows in the dark!"


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## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

I got it for Christmas one year... was kind of disappointing after all the TV hype. I will totally grab it next time I'm at my mom's, set it up, and take a video. Here's to beign a kid again! 

Charles


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

Upside-down model railways..... What's next? Upside-down cakes? Oh...wait....

Hmmm. I shall patent such a cake!

Er....ummm.....


-J.


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## Eric_L (Feb 11, 2011)

tworail said:


> place.
> 
> He said: “Trains can fall off the tracks normally so it does sometimes happen with the model railway but luckily no-one has been underneath at the time.
> “The only drawback with the railway is that it can’t have points because of the magnets under the trains.”


I would have used a completely different solution; a 'T - bracket' which goes through the track with a spring tensioner. There would be wheels both above and below the track with the spring acting to hold the upside down wheels to the track. A simple twist could uncouple the loco or car from the suspension T when you want to remove or swap them out. Then you won't have any critical failure that could result in the destruction of your train (or friends noggin) 

Yes, a slot between the rails might not be as aesthetically pleasing, but neither is the sight of a car splintering into a dozen pieces over your buddies skull.


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## Grbauc (Dec 13, 2012)

Just like anything to each his own but i dont see this being a big hit besides being a novelty kinda thing i get vertigo dizzy just trying to  watch the video. I wanted a turbo train has a kid never got one but I'm sure its the same mechanics.
He's better off saving his money and energy to make more cool stuff for himself or his close friends cause i don't see that selling...


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