A GOOD BEGINNERS ENGINE

pauly · A GOOD BEGINNERS ENGINE

just started building my garden railway for the third time and want a steam loco it must:

run on LGB track

must be controlable

must run out of fuel before water

must look good pulling LGB starter set coaches

My garden railway has been in the planning stage fo 2 years and have finally got the thumbs up from my parent Dancing banana

(if a bit grumperley

) and have started digging the trench for the track bed

for a first steam engine I had hopes on a accucraft mortimer but that seems a bit far off at the moment so has anyone got any suggestions for somthing cheaper any responses greatly appreciated

tmuir

I guess the important questions you must ask yourself first is.

How much do you want to spend?
Do you want it to run out of the box or are you happy to work on it?
Do you want it modelled on a real prototype or is that not important?

If you don't mind doing a bit of work and playing around to get a good runner I would buy a cheap run down Mamod loco and then buy new guage 1 cylinders and wheels and a uprated safety valve.
Then later as more money comes along get a meths burner and lubricator.
You can buy the parts from PPS
http://www.pps-steam-models.co.uk/

and you used to be able to buy parts from IPEngineering but they have recently stopped doing that but one of the members here has bought all his stock and will be selling them again soon.

My avatar is a Mamod that I converted to run on LGB track.

pauly

James

For £400 you could get a few Mamod Locos

tmuir

Shame you can't stretch your budget a bit more to a Basic Roundhouse Loco as there locos are good quality and they give excelent customer service.
I've got a Lady Anne that I built from the kit.

Mamods aren't that expensive to sort out.

To sort mine all out cost me around £150 including buying the loco as I got the loco for a good price. It's actually the engine I use the most.

I've heard good things about the PPS Janet although I've nver seem one myself and that would fit your budget even with the extras on it.

steamyjim

For £400 get an Accuraft Edrig!

It will run straight out of the box but can easily be modified

pauly

I do like mss engines I think they look pretty sharp but I dont think 1 would look right pulling LGB stock a bit to small

but I will think about an edrig

Im not to fond of the roundhouse basics range as I dont fancy the slip excentric valve gear

CCairns

Firstly, if you are using LGB points then you need to be very careful with using Roundhouse engines. Apparently the supplied guide used for regauging these locos sets the wrong back to back gauge (too small) causing them to derail on some points. I would also be careful with using a meths burner with this plastic sleeper track, you'll need to be ready to put out any meths spillage right away to prevent damage. LGB track is also in short supply at present, whilst the new owners get to grips with the company.

With a budget of £400 this rules out Radio Control, unless you are very lucky getting one 2nd hand. Prices for live steam items on ebay, including Mamod, have been very high for some months now, and I was outbid on a nice De-Winton yesterday. There is very rarely a cheap Mamod loco on ebay these days. I picked up an incomplete SL1K, which was fitted with 45mm wheels, and I'm currently running it in on 32mm wheels, with a view to selling it on. However you've stated you are not interested in Mamods.

Popular engine on another Forum is the Accucraft Edrig, but it is so popular now that there is a wait for them, and prices from China have increased - see here for cheapest dealer online http://www.track-shack.com/index....=4e4c3250348a243e5cffaa74c74bceb1

I agree that the PPS Janet is a nice model, although I personally prefer the earlier IP Jane with the much better built Cheddar Models boiler (disadvantage is it is not easy to fit a pressure gauge to that boiler, whereas it is an easy option on the PPS Janet). Supply of the Cheddar Models gas burner that fitted the Mamod/MSS/IP Jane/ PPS Janet has dried up, so alternatives now available have gone up in price accordingly.

pauly

thanks Im alright for track as being the clever so and so I am I

bought loads last year just before the prices went up I would like an mamod loco but I dont think it will look right pulling LGB stock if someone has a picture of a mamod pulling LGB stock I might change my mind

I also dont want radio control yet as I like to be hands on with my engine I just cant stand sitting there and watching them go round and round this is why Im not using electrical track engines

Graham-Jilly

im kicking myself now that I didnt go guage1 to start with on my railway going to be an expensive job ripping up and relaying the ACLR