MTA's 2008 Additions

MTA · MTA's 2008 Additions

In a similar vein to Nick's 2008 arrivals thread, I have opened up one of my own seeing as I have bought a fair few engines recently

Mamod SE2

SEL No. 1550 Major

A Music Box

Wilesco 'Traktor'

Roundhouse Beck 'Anna'

Mamod SL2

Latimer Plane L4

Philcraft Jenny Wren

MEC1 (awaiting picture)

I ran the MEC1 an hour ago and it doesn't half fly along

Loads of revs, and it made steam like it was going out of fashion!

Nick

These are great to keep track of who bought what. That Philcraft has to be my favorite.

johnreid

I agree, I normally like Horizontals, but I think the Jenny Wren looks like a a bundle of fun in a little package. I think that would be my exception to the no verticals rule

IndianaRog

Si,

Some really nice engines have joined your collection of late...I don't know locomotives, but Anna looks like she might be something pretty special!!! Of course the Jenny Wren is pretty cool as well.

Thanks for sharing!

Rog

Lewis

Mec1 ones are good fast engines mate a great choice in buying one

supprisingly powerfull as well

Les

You have some really nice engines there. Thumbs up!

MTA

Thank you for the nice comments lads

Another engine, along with a picture of the MEC1, will be posted up after Tilford

Mamodman123

Some excellent models Simon!

Add a Centurion to the list, you know you want to

duncandumpertruck

Good items there MTA. I'm curious about the music box with it's little pulley. Was this made to be driven by steam engines or is it coincidence? Seeing as i'm questioning you, what's the tune too?!

James

Eee you're building up a rate collection now! !

MTA

Mamodman123

[quote="MTA"]

Sandman

Some nice gear there Si.

Nice ones mate.

MTA

MTA

Thanks Sandy

I intend to add at least one more Bowman this year to my collection

Les

MTA

Les

MTA

Les

MTA

Mamod SE3:

And if you are wondering what is in the bright yello bag... It is something REALLY special...

A MERSEY 54R!

I bought this from Colin Laker. It is rather interesting in some respects...

It has a stamped brass plate under the crankshaft.

It has its original 5 wick burner.

The paintwork is immaculate.

AND as a claim to fame, Colin emparted some information that this very engine was in Geoffrey Bowman Jenkins son's lap, and his son said "Why couldn't my Dad make engines like these"

Here are some more pics, I will post some more detailed ones the very next sunny day

Ever since seeing Sandman's Mersey, I have always wanted a Mersey and I think this fits the bill rather nicely

Mamodman123

Wow thats a beast MTA!

A lot better than the early Bowmans for sure

MTA

I am in two minds about steaming her though MM.

There is absolutely no soot whatsoever on the underside of the engine, and I would be too afraid of taking her to bits just to scrape off the soot.

Although I have no second thoughts about running her on compressed air

Mamodman123

MTA

I was talking to someone today about collecting versus running.

Originally I started out to buy engines to run, but now I am starting to collect as well.

For example the SL2 and RS3A set, the engines will never be fired in my ownership. Loads of others are steamed so why should I fire a mint, unfired example which looks gorgeous just sitting on the top of my bookcase?

Anyway, before I start rambling on anymore I am going to investigate into small compressors to run the Mersey with...

Mamodman123

johnreid

I think they all need to be run, some. Some more some less. Its a shame to think that one would never see steam again, but it is wasteful to wear an old one out for no good reason.

James

Eeeeee MTA! That's a crap engine, I'll give you £10 for it, PLEASE!!

MArvellous! What a beauty

MTA

James

Make it £15 then

Steve_S

That's a stunning Mersey... I'm very jealous! And I would definitely steam it.

mogogear

I am very new here- but I have to side with two points..

Engines were meant to be run- that what they were made for, their speedometers - if they theoretically have one???- would not register one more kilometer... with the occasional run..

And many former owners don't use good quality alcohol- so that is why most soot up so badly. I have made and produced back packing stoves that all burn alcohol ( meths) for over 5 years- sold over 2,500 stoves ....ZERO soot on any pot or stove... after say 200 firings out in the woods or on mountain tops... Quality meths like ( my favorite) Kleanstip SLX- burn absolutely soot free..that is the key in my mind...Not in engines mind you but on the bottoms of Aluminum, stainless or titanium pans..

I know I am not telling you anything you do not know...and..You have much more first hand experience in these little mechanical wonders than I MTA.. I just cringe when I see a caked up boiler and know it was from some poor ignorant person using what was in the medicine cabinet for fuel..over and over and over.

Fire away in the privacy of your own space !!- just to grin and watch it do what it was made to do by the long past fellow that designed her!!!

Shutting up now... sorry I just felt the spirit move me- because that is indeed a beautiful engine!! A great purchase..

FIRE Her up!

Wallace

That's a great example MTA. Perfect.

Stilldrillin

MTA

Les

That is a stunning engine, and I would defintely run it.

Sandman

What a great Mersey Si.

Just oozes class.

I agree with MM. Some engines just demand to be preserved in the mint state.

I would say that is certainly one of them.

There is no shame in having an engine just to be proud of mate.

Once again, congrats on a fantastic buy.

MTA

steamyjim

Beutiful MTA!!!!

I wouldn't steam this one though

johnreid

I went and polished all of mt brass engines and now hate to dirty them up, but that will change as I love to watch them go. After all that is what they were made for.

MooseMan

Oh my, how did I miss this topic! Si, that's a stunning 54, welcome to the club mate! Hope you do run it, I love running mine. Any problems, drop me a line, they can be a wee bit temperamental, but once they're running.....oh my!

Congrats!

Les

At the end of the day it is your engine to do with as you wish.

Andy

great collection

MTA

CCairns

MooseMan

mogogear

MTA

Mogo,

I am in no way as well educated as the other members in this hobby. I just happen to have some nice (well, to me anyway) engines in my collection which I take great pleasure in owning and running.

It is a damn shame we cannot get readily available less sooty meths, which is why I am in the process of applying for a licence to be able to purchase industrial meths

CCairns

MTA

CCairns

It is here - http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channe..._000263&propertyType=document

and in PDF format - http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channe...loadFile?contentID=HMCE_CL_000263

And it depends on their interpretation of this ruling: -

For use in small quantities (no greater than 20 litres per annum) in any specialised hobby or pastime where:

use of IDA is specified in technical or trade literature; and
the quantities received are reasonable having regard to the nature of the pursuit involved.

Which manufacturers specify the use of Industrial Denatured Alcohol in their operating instructions - certainly not Mamod or Wilesco?

MTA

A friend of Steamman yesterday said he stated his use for it as:

fuel for German Toy Steam engines...

I am not sure what Minor1PJG put for his use for it

johnreid

Mine might burn a bit sooty, but I have so much that I can not justify buying more.

CCairns

Good to hear that some members have managed to get IDA. Who supplies them?

MTA

MamodFan

We get it at work in 5litre bottles

You have to document where it is being used and sign it.

Some suppliers can be a pain they have recently changed the name and we ended up getting customs to phone our supplier that our certificate was the correct one.

I have to say that for all of the positive comments about it you really dont need to use it

mogogear

So is the concern that the alcohol is "drinkable"??
I sold my back packing stoves all over the world and with the big plus from customers that Meths was readily available everywhere..? as opposed to white gas or propane canisters for stoves. Meths can even be taken on board airplanes in many cases( in checked luggage) as reported to me by customers because it was classified as a solvent.. where other stoves would get confiscated due to detectable combustible fuel residues etc..Alcoholstoves always passed the electronic "sniffer" tests...

Hmm , not so in the Uk..? this is curious to me....

So Cleanstrip brand alcohol SLX - that states on the container- on the front label For use in marine alcohol stoves / and cleaning solvent..is against sales to minors or to anyone without a chemist license or some such?

Is that the problem? - I digress - this just is puzzling to me and perplexing to you!!

Stilldrillin

Mogo.
Not wanting to move any further away from MTA`s Additions....
Did you see this thread?

http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about8988.

2nd page. The pictured bottles are all that is available locally, without going "industrial".

mogogear

My apologies- didn't mean to wander...

MTA

As seen elsewhere, I bought an IP Jane:

She has a gauge glass, Cheddar Steam silver soldered boiler, add on regulator, 50 psi safety valve, top up valve, steel wheels, milled rods, uprated cylinders with glands and O ring pistons, 3 wick meths burner, displacement lubricator and a pressure gauge.

Since getting her home, I have put her up on blocks and I have had to replace the regulator as the handle was stuck in with glue (!) and the joint to the lubricator was forever leaking due to a warn thread.

The furthest wick on the burner goes out after a while so Ivor as he is now known cannot keep up to pressure. I hope a change of wick will cure this...

Running in is currently taking place so he should run better soon

I have also removed the lining as it wasn't applied very well. I plan to redo it in a different style and add nameplates

johnreid

Great looking Loco, some day, but not for a while I fear, I will have to get into that also.

bessytractor

Ooo a Jane! I do like them

DLR

the end wick going out may be a case of another blocking the flow, Nice loco though

CCairns

MTA

Ian dropped this off with me at Merstham, I bought it from him some time ago but I do not trust Royal Mail with engines now.

It is a Wormar E Elite, in other words a Bowman M158 engine with a vertical boiler

I ran her on Sunday and she runs beautifully.

Les

Very nice.

Atticman

That is so nice Si, they dont come up very often, probably just as well.

MTA

Thank you Les and Tom

I think the Wormar's have a charm all of their own, possibly due to the vertical boiler

Who knoweth! They certainly have character.

Back tracking a bit, I have given Ivor some attention:

The leaking joints have been cured by the wonder that is PTFE Tape. No leaks whatsoever now, I even checked by dripping washing up liquid around the joins

It seems that the front wick on the burner was going out as the wick holder was higher than that of the others. A slight tweak at the join soon brought them level.

Whilst the burner was out I took the opportunity to rewick it with MF's 'Wonder Wick'. This improved the engines performance two fold, with it maintaining a good 50psi at 3/4 regulator opening. Of course, the fixed joins also contributed to this.

To give you an idea about how good the wick is, the engine still maintained 50 psi on just two wicks!

I think I will have to pay some attention to the wheels now as one of the wheelsets isn't running uniformally...

CCairns

Glad to hear that your Jane is improving greatly.

I had 2 problems with my wheel sets.

1. Both sets of wheels I have for my Jane, and the composite rebuild, had one axle set at a different gauge. Using a blunt nail I re-punched them to a 28mm back to back measurement.

2. One of the coupling rod pins on the rear axle had worked loose, and was rubbing against the chassis frame. Some thread lock/torque seal and a little filing cured that problem.

Make sure that the chassis frames are both inline (these wheel sets do not like any fore & aft misalignment), and the bearings for the wheels are tightened right up. Helps if you have 2 flat spanners of the right size.

I like your Wormar. Another engine to add to my Must Get Collections list.

Steve_S

The Wormar is a gem... I've wanted one for ages. Very nice!

Sandman

Nice addition Si.

Most impressed.

MTA

An engine is soon (all being well) to arrive at the house of MTA.

I'm not telling you what it is just to keep you guessing, but to narrow it down a wee bit it is coming from overseas...

johnreid

Cant wait to see what it is.

Les

steamyjim

A Jensen 55?

MTA

Nick

New or used?

Minor1PJG

I can't remember exactly what I put on my HMRC form other than use as a hobby fuel required for a variety of Vintage Model Steam Toys. I wasn't too specific.

Good luck with the application, as it seems a bit hit and miss.

Lovely new engines BTW Si

MTA

Just to say that my new engine has landed.

How do I know? I had to pay £40 VAT and a £10 ParcelForce clearance fee

Anyway, it should be here by Wednesday

Minor1PJG

Ooh, an overseas purchase........hmm interesting

MTA

'Tis for me, seeing as I've never bought anything from overseas (knowingly

).

Looking at my letter from Parcelforce, it is rather ironic that their depot is on a road called:

James Watt Way

Minor1PJG

Ha, I like that.

I got stung for taxes etc for my Jensen 75 and the Jensen Workshop

MTA

CCairns

MTA

The new engine has arrived

I have just taken some pics, and they are just uploading

I apologise in advance for the quality of the pics, I had to take them inside as the weather outside isn't ideal...

MTA

I suspect the first picture is a bit of a giveaway

Yes, my new engine has come all the way from Australia and it is made by Steamco.

My model is the STC-04:

I chose this over the STC-01 as I prefer overtype engines and this one just oozes character with its copper and brass boiler, copper chimney and the overall 'Victorian' feel it carries.

The engine comes with instructions, a small bottle of oil and it is all contained within a very sturdy cardboard box:

The engine uses solid fuel, and the burner is very nice in its own right:

The tape is only in place to hold the grill into the burner during transit, to stop it moving around.

I bought this engine as I was looking for something different to add to the collection. At the time, I was looking at IndianaRog's website and he just so happened to have one.

There and then I placed an order on the Steamco website, and two weeks later it has arrived safe and sound.

I'm waiting for a nice day to steam this one, and I will video it of course. In the meantime, here are some more pics!

The boiler carries a mirror finish:

The paint finish on the flywheel is seamless, no bubbles or trapped dirt and it is as smooth as silk

The spigot at the bottom of the chimney drains it of any condensate.

I heartily recommend that everyone should have a Steamco engine in their collection

Les

Very nice indeed.

paul_c

Everyone should have one, mine arrived on Tuesday

CCairns

A very nice looking & well made engine Si.

The £50 UK entrance fee is a bit steep though (almost a third of the original cost) - do you get to claim the Australian GST back or is it send GST free, as it would be sent VAT free the other way?

Mamodman123

That's really nice, doubt the boiler will stay that shiney for long though

andysleigh

thats very nice!.

Now all you have to do is never steam it to keep it shiny. as mm said

MTA

bessytractor

wow thats nice!

CCairns

Thanks for the info Si. It was not clear on their website about GST, but putting a dummy order in for one to be delivered to Australia came up with the extra AU$ 30 (10% GST).

It is not a cheap hobby when we start going worldwide!

MTA

I bought this little dome and base for my Jenny Wren a couple of weeks ago, it only cost £5 so you can't complain.

The main purpose is to protect it from little hands, and when anyone interested in steam comes round it sits on our living room table

Unfortunately, these domes will no longer be available as they cost a hell of a lot to produce, particularly the glass variant.

johnreid

I was thinking of buying a Watch Dome for mine too. Although I am now thinking of making something that can hold it still when running as it wants to dance all over the table and gets too hot to put a finger on to hold it in place.

Chris

made-in-england

We have one of those domes on our mantle peice. Has a dusty plastic buterfly in it! Wonder if i can pursued folks to put somting more "Interesting" in it

Wallace

Great addition MTA

flywheel61

That's a great litle engine Si, I like the idea of the spoggot in the base of the chimney, it's the one thing my ST-01 lacks. Some time in the future I'll up grade to the same model as yours, as I don't have any large overtypes in my collection, only MM1's & MM2's.

Cheers

Chris