Archive for The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum The Original Unofficial Toy Steam Forum Established 2006 The biggest, most popular global steam forum around! Accept NO imitations! We have a growing community of regular posting members who chat about all aspects of toy and model steam.          The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum Forum Index -> Meet the members! Keith S Good Day from Canada Hi everyone. My name is Keith, from the Northwest Territories. I am a long time steam enthusiast, because of my father, who is an avid train enthusiast. We spent school holidays when I was a boy driving around North America finding operating steam railways. My father is enthusiastic about all things railroad-y, but I always felt disappointed when we didn't see any steam engines. When I was 10 my Grandfather gave me a Mamod stationary engine for Christmas. I believe this engine could probably qualify as the most-fired mamod ever. I don't believe it cooled down at all for several months after I opened the box. My father mounted it on a piece of plywood and hooked it up to a generator he made with an ammeter and a tiny light bulb. He had a tendency to do these things at night and leave the project lying around for me to find in the morning. One day about 25 years ago, we were attending, at my insistence, the "Milton Steam Fair". It's a gathering of restored traction engines. There was nothing train-related about it so I'm not sure Dad was having as much fun as me. ( I remember once spending an entire afternoon when I was 13 pestering the engineer on the RMS Seguin and not seeing any scenery and Dad being cross because I didn't come above deck once in the whole trip). Anyway, we spotted a man selling Wilesco engines at the fair, and I made a big fuss about the black and brass traction engine. My father didn't appear very interested in spending $120 on a steam engine so I reconciled myself to never having the persuasion skills necessary to induce my father to buy one. Then the next Christmas there it was under the tree. Anyway, now the engine is 25 years old. I used to fire it every Christmas but haven't in a couple of years. The other day I spotted it sitting on the shelf. It's little sad and tarnished-looking and I want to restore it so I decided to sign up here to harvest some advice. I like looking at the photos of other peoples' engines here and it's nice to see some other adults who like to tinker with these things. I don't think many kids are interested in steam engines these days, because they lack the relevance to them that they do to people my age. When I was a very small boy full-size steam power was still in its death throes in Canada and the US. My wife's grandfather used to drive the Canadian National Mountain class #6060 , which I used to sit beside the tracks and watch go by every Wednesday in the late 1970s. I'll post some questions about this steam tractor in the appropriate forum. madeinenglang Hi and welcome .   pauly Welcome be careful of the steam toy bug       what kind of mamod was it?  was it a minor? chances are it in the mamod section of the steam toy bible http://www.toysteambible.org/ Les What a wonderful introduction to steam, glad your have kept the Wilesco, do you still have the Mamod?? Welcome to the forum from Bournemouth.   Keith S The SP2 looks like the one. I think the structure holding the cylinder on mine was blue but it's that one for sure. It was probably purchased in 1981/2. It was a very simple engine but I had lots of fun with it. My brother has it now at his house. johnreid Welcome to the forum from Indiana. 6060 is a beautiful engine Dampfmaschine Welcome from Scotland - A very nice intro Keith       Roly Williams Re: Good Day from Canada Keith S wrote: ... I don't think many kids are interested in steam engines these days, because they lack the relevance to them that they do to people my age. ... There are a few youngsters around and, I think, most of them are on this forum. But then we are all youngsters at heart. Hi and welcome to the forum. We look forward to your queries - it's what we do best I don't own a Wilesco traction engine myself but there are lots of members who do. Sandman Another great big Scottish welcome Keith. I really enjoyed your introduction. You've come to the right place, so don't be shy in asking any questions you need to help with your restoration. I'm sure you'll soon be looking for more projects when this one is over. (That's how most of us started.)   Steamfan Welcome from Illinois!  You'll like it here. Atticman Welcome to the forum   , there are some younger members who are old at heart as well! logoman Atticman wrote: Welcome to the forum   , there are some younger members who are old at heart as well! welcome! and get a steam boat IndianaRog A hearty welcome Keith, from central Indiana...there are three of us on the forum...a growth hobby for sure! cheers, Roger Steve_S Welcome to the forum Keith! I'm sure you'll find many like-minded souls here. I'd very much like to see pictures of your engines. kusuchi A warm welcome from Richard and Andrew in the US Virgin Islands. steamyjim Welcome to the forum Nick from Minnesota! kevininasia Hi Keith, welcome from another Canadian newbie! mogogear Hello to you Steve- thanks for taking the time to relate that great story!! tmuir Hi, and welcome from Perth Western Australia Graham-Jilly welcome from Brisbane Qld Australia Keith S Thanks for the warm welcome, guys! I've been through the forum and seen all the pictures of beautiful working engines all over the world. If I'd realised there was such a big group I would have gotten started on the traction engine a long time ago. My real dream is to have a garden railway with an accucraft 3 truck shay but 1) I don't have a garden 2) I'll never be able to afford the shay I thought I might make a shay with wilesco marine engine cylinders and the firebox/boiler assembly from a traction engine, but this is still in the "imagining" stage. I like to make things. I'm looking forward to participating in this group. Thanks guys. Mitch hi keith big hello from sunny walsall birmingham, and welcome to the forum pauly Keith S wrote: Thanks for the warm welcome, guys! I've been through the forum and seen all the pictures of beautiful working engines all over the world. If I'd realised there was such a big group I would have gotten started on the traction engine a long time ago. My real dream is to have a garden railway with an accucraft 3 truck shay but 1) I don't have a garden 2) I'll never be able to afford the shay I thought I might make a shay with wilesco marine engine cylinders and the firebox/boiler assembly from a traction engine, but this is still in the "imagining" stage. I like to make things. I'm looking forward to participating in this group. Thanks guys. make sure you check out my Woodrow railway thread in the locomotive section then dampfmaschinenjoe 1967 As all we Guys and a few Gals too are an international group: A friendly     from Northern Germany from Joe, the owner of the "Table of steam" Mark-One G'day. I'm a wee bit southeast of you, in Manitoba Same situation too: had an old Wilesco D6 that sat idle for some 20 years.  I took it out to see if it still ran and now almost 2 years later...well.... get out now before your credit cards melt   steamgranny Welcome aboard Keith & good luck with all those projects. I'm sure you'll get plenty of help & encouragement on here CuriousSteam From NY, USA, Welcome to the forum GUTMACH Quote: I like to make things. I take it that you have a shop ? Oh,   from the southland. Wayde Kritika A big forum  from the South of England Keith S No, I don't have a shop. Well, I have a big tent where I keep my boat but it's mostly got woodwork tools. I've been working on my steam engine on the kitchen counter, I'm afraid. Pauly, I've been looking at your railway. I particularly like the engine shed. It looks like you're having a good time. prid Re: Good Day from Canada [quote="Keith S"] it's nice to see some other adults who like to tinker with these things. I don't think many kids are interested in steam engines these days, because they lack the relevance to them that they do to people my age. Hi    i am 25 and my bro is only 13 and we love steam. The kids on my sqn loved my engine when they saw it.   so there are some that are interested. Keith S Kids on your sqn? You mean as in squadron? I guess you can't really tell who is a kid here and who isn't. I actually think everyone likes steam engines whether they know it or not. Even my wife, who I am not sure can tell a helicopter from an aeroplane, seems to have takne an interest in my steam engine since I started fixing it up. pauly loads of kids on here mate     Im only 17   Roly Williams We did a survey a while back about how old the members were, and the ages were pretty evenly spread over almost the whole human lifespan. I think there are about an equal number of school kids and retirees. As somebody once said, "growing old is inevitable, but growing up is optional". Sandman Roly Williams wrote: We did a survey a while back about how old the members were, and the ages were pretty evenly spread over almost the whole human lifespan. I think there are about an equal number of school kids and retirees. As somebody once said, "growing old is inevitable, but growing up is optional". Bloomin' well said Roly. You keep finding the most appropriate quotes.     Roly Williams Sandman wrote: Roly Williams wrote: We did a survey a while back about how old the members were, and the ages were pretty evenly spread over almost the whole human lifespan. I think there are about an equal number of school kids and retirees. As somebody once said, "growing old is inevitable, but growing up is optional". Bloomin' well said Roly. You keep finding the most appropriate quotes.     I collect them. They're cheaper than steam engines They have many similarities with steam engines, though. Some are interesting, some are good fun, others are just plain tacky. Some are famous, some are obscure. Some are made by famous people, some are home made; and some of the home made ones are amongst the best. I haven't tried selling any on Ebay yet but if somebody want's to make me an offer ... Keith S ...And some you lose interest in for a while, then remember years later and find out they're more appropriate than ever! Not putting down young fellas here, guys. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of young people here. James I set the forum up when I was 13! Welcome to the forum! Keith S James, I have a surprise for you coming up. I've seen your adventures on the Case traction Engine, and it reminded me of something... I live in the Arctic part of Canada, and about 300 miles North of here on the shore of Great Bear Lake there's a place called Sawmill Bay, which was active around and before the second world war. It's been abandoned for better than 60 years.There is a Case steam tractor there, which was used I assume for construction and logging in the early days, then converted to a stationary engine and used to run a sawmill. It is in pretty crappy condition, but it's pretty interesting due to its extreme location. I have photos of it but they are on my friend's camera. I plan on posting them here in the near future.        The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum Forum Index -> Meet the members! Page 1 of 1