Got a bit of a challenge! My old 1989 Mamod.

[Respite]

Ok so it's not exactly scale, but it was my first and only venture into live steam. I had this loco as a kit in 1989 for christmas when I was in my teens. It ran, ok ish for about a year but then suffered slipping wheel's on one axle. This was about the time that Mamod stopped trading as far as I recall & I couldnt find spares anywhere. It eventually got placed on a short stretch of track amongst my 00 guage garden railway. I think it last was in steam (but not moving around 1994). Anyway I moved out from the parents house about then & the 00 garden line got abandoned along with the mamod. Nature overtook the line's & swallowed up the mamod along with it. Forward wind to last week & my mother rings me to tell me she's found my old steam engine whilst gardening, do I still want it? I think about cosmetically restoring it, but then look on the internet & find loads of places selling new parts for these loco's, a new plan to steam it again emerges.

However the poor loco has suffered quite bad from all it's years outside, but hey I like a challenge.
I picked it up today & it isn't pretty.........................

RUST!

More RUST!

Yep, RUST!

You get the idea by now.

The cab bulkhead is shot through with rust.

But the wheels still turn & the frame is sound with nothing but some surface rust.

The strip down starts, everything came apart really easy which I wasn't expecting.

SCRAP!

But all this plus the boiler, frame is servicable.

Boiler looks perfect.

Frame's fine.

Brass rubs up with some elbow grease. I can see the scrawl I made on it 19years ago. It states that it's loco #1 & the date 25/12/89......ahhh bless!

Steam chest rebuilt, the "O" rings in it looked as good as new.

So I need to get ordering some new body parts & a wheelset for starters....However I think I may go a bit further than just cosmetically restored now....

 

[O L Leigh]

Good lord...!! Where have you been these past few months? Thank God you're back. I've missed the back-up of another mainline driver.

O L Leigh

 

[Daniel533]

Looks like a nice little project, inspired me to get my mamod steam wagon a new glass for the boiler water level.

 

[Respite]

Good lord...!! Where have you been these past few months? Thank God you're back. I've missed the back-up of another mainline driver.

O L Leigh

Have those pesky kid's been picking on You again?

I've been O/T king for the end of last year. Needed the money & there was plenty of R/D's & sundays going.

Have you seen the crazy plan we have for running trains to London?!?! Thats gonna be some road learning if it ever happens.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Looks like a nice little project, inspired me to get my mamod steam wagon a new glass for the boiler water level.

They are fun these live steam thingys.... Those "glass" items soon go rather misty if I recall. My mamod's safety valve used to let go to early, but I have a plan for it. Looking at a company called dream steam that seem to sell everything for the mamod (Or later made MMS) loco's. I did look at there uber boiler upgrade, but £99 is too steap at the minute for me. Instead I'm looking at the 3 wick meths burner, High pressure safety valve, upgrade piston's, lubricator, & cab regulator fittings along with the new improved wheelset. Eeekk, best not let the wife see the reciept for that little lot.
Anyway need to rebuild the little beast first. GWR Brunswick Green I'm thinking, boiler in black but should I use a high temp paint for that, I'm thinking so.

 

[O L Leigh]

Have those pesky kid's been picking on You again?

It's nothing I can't handle. It's just more of a battle when you're the lone voice. They tend to shut up that little bit sooner when there's more than one.

I've been O/T king for the end of last year. Needed the money & there was plenty of R/D's & sundays going.

Ah...!! You've allowed yourself to be "owned" by the company in order to prostrate yourself at the altar of the great god, Mamon.

Well rather you than someone else, I guess. Personally I like my rest days, but I understand that folk need the OT from time to time so I'm happy to leave it for those that need it. I hope you got what you needed.

Have you seen the crazy plan we have for running trains to London?!?! Thats gonna be some road learning if it ever happens.

No, I must have missed that one. Where will that be between?

Road learning can be a real ****er, but at least you can't have an incident when you're in the front of someone else's train. Then again, that's going to be a real monster route exam.

Safe roads, buddy.

O L Leigh

 

[Respite]

No, I must have missed that one. Where will that be between?


O L Leigh

It's supposed to be a one train each way affair. It's to give the Cambrian line (Aber/Mach/Pwl) a direct link to london that they lost in the last days of BR. Currently We run Aber/Pwl to Birmingham International (NEC/Airport). The plan is to detach one 158 at Bham Inter & run it London Marylebone via Coventry & then down the branch. It's the only way we can get around the Virgin Gestapo's policy of the "No other TOC can call at Wolverhampton or Birmingham except us for London".

 

[Daniel533]

They are fun these live steam thingys.... Those "glass" items soon go rather misty if I recall.

Well the glass is the original from when i got it new in 1999 so its faired well over the years but i fear it is now too dangerous to steam as the last time it was steamed about 2 months ago, cracks started apering here and there and it looks as if it has warped as well , i might try a few mods in time like a scale size South African Chime whistle

 

[O L Leigh]

It's supposed to be a one train each way affair. It's to give the Cambrian line (Aber/Mach/Pwl) a direct link to london that they lost in the last days of BR. Currently We run Aber/Pwl to Birmingham International (NEC/Airport). The plan is to detach one 158 at Bham Inter & run it London Marylebone via Coventry & then down the branch. It's the only way we can get around the Virgin Gestapo's policy of the "No other TOC can call at Wolverhampton or Birmingham except us for London".

Good lord, that's going to be quite a slog on a "Flying Coffin". Not sure I'd fancy that myself.

Are you boys going to be doing that or will a Chiltern or even a GBRf/EWS crew be taking it forward?

O L Leigh

 

[Respite]

Nope, looks like ATW Salop crew on that run. Plan is book on salop, pass to bham inter, work detached set forward to London & back. Reattach to bham inter to aber service & travel back pass....awesome.

 

[EE Type 3]

It won't be a problem Shane, just look at Tornado! That was brand new, you've already got some parts

 

[Craig]

Just get some Cillit Bang on it...

 

[O L Leigh]

Nope, looks like ATW Salop crew on that run. Plan is book on salop, pass to bham inter, work detached set forward to London & back. Reattach to bham inter to aber service & travel back pass....awesome.

That isn't half bad. Where do I sign...?

O L Leigh

 

[guillyman]

Geez! I've seen some restoration jobs, but this one looks amazing! It somehow reminds me of the original axe which has only had three new heads and twenty-seven new handles!

Aye, they certainly don't make them like they used to... Mamod stationary steam engines used to be fully compatible with Meccano (remember that?) and were brilliant pieces of engineering. I came across one of their old traction engines in Brixton market for a tenner some years ago, but it was a bit knackered!

Anyway, keep us posted on your progress, GhostCav, I really can't wait to see the results of this one! You have my respect!

Al.

 

[mumrar]

That's not in a bad state, just look at these before and after shotsof Earl of Mount Edgcumbe!

You just have to believe!

 

[John_158]

Tel me GhostCav will your train be on the Liverpool-Norwich whne it is compleated ?

 

[Respite]

Been tinkering a bit with the old mamod. Started stripping stuff back to metal & poking about to see what's salvagable & whats not. I could just buy new bits for everything but where's the fun in that :roll: . So anything that can be reused is.. Even if it looks a bit old & worn, then again it's based on a narrow gauge loco so that would be about right.

The bodywork that can be saved is the roof, right side tank & cab back. Just a lick of primer before another rub down & then a skim of filler to take out the major undulations in the panels.

The side tank rubbed down after filling & awaiting plating work for the rust holes. Just going to use thin metal to plate over the holes to make it look neater.

Boiler, smokebox & frame have been rubbed down & repainted. Still need to order new wheel set as these ones ar fubared.

Plating work complete & now awaiting the order of leftside tank & cabfront to arrive before priming & top coat. I decided to also plate over the hole in the rear of the cab that used to keep the burner tray in place. As I'm going over to meths or gas firing it won't be needed.