Newest member

Drexelius · Newest member

After lurking for about a week I have decided to take the plunge - I stumbled upon your site looking for articles on toy steam and imagine my surprise when I discovered a world of model steamers like myself. I always thought (especially here in the states) that I was one of a very small group of people interested in model steam - kind of a lonely hobby. Now I find a whole group of fanatics like myself - an early Christmas present!

I reside in Cincinnati, Ohio - became interested in model steam when my uncle gave me a Mamod SP2 as a college graduation gift in 1992. I was formerly a Machinist Mate in the US Navy for almost 7 years and so I naturally had an interest in steam but didn't even know that steam toys existed - they are much more rare (as a mainstream hobby) in the states and not every young chap is introduced here at a young age like I imagine might be the case in the UK or Australia. I began researching what was out there and began collecting shortly after - mostly Mamods and Wilesco. I've seen some active debates between the two reading through these forums and must say upfront that I like both of them How about that for "riding the fence" - don't want any enemies as a new member.

As an ex-Navy guy I also collect a lot of Tucher and Walther tin ships - many of them have Wilesco marine engines in them (those are my favorite) but some of them also have wind-up mechanisms in them (and some even electric motors). Tucher & Walther makes some of the finest tintoys you can imagine - much in the style and quality of the old Nuremburg toymakers of the early and mid-1900's. Expensive but very nice.

Thanks to James for starting up these forums - a great place for us "steamers" to meet and chat about the things we love.

tmuir

Welcome Drexelius, being from the States I would of thought you might have a Jensen or two in your collection and I'm sure over the coming future your fellow citisens will tell you of the benefit of Jensens.

Your right that the Mamod Wilesco debate has flamed many times over here but I think most will agree they both have thier good and bad points.

Please feel welcome here and post any questions you have and please post some pictures of your favourite engines as we all love to see photos.

I think a couple of members here own some Tucher and Walther models but I don't think any own any tin ships made by them so please post some photos up.

Tony

johnreid

Dang, a Neighbor no less! I live about 40 miles from Cincy in Indiana, near Friendship.
Yes you need to discover Jensen, they are built to last. Welcome aboard, maybe we can meet sometime.

IndianaRog

Welcome Drexelius,

Like John, fellow American here and I also live not too far away. I'm just south of Indianapolis about 30 miles. Wow...like yourself I seemed to find US based toy steamers to be few and far between, but like a liferaft bobbing on the sea...we somehow have found this place. Now there are 3 of us within a few hours drive.

You will enjoy it immensly I assure you...bit like pulling a stool up at the pub, having a brew and talking about our favorite hobby. You will find we also have a few machinists on board as well...some make gorgeous engines and replicas and pieces needed to complete various engines.

Lots of UK folks, plenty of Aussies (who say they are from OZ though I have no idea where that name arises)...others from NZ, Canada, France, Austria, Germany and of course the US pretty much round out our group. We are growing in numbers but moderate that membership carefully to keep the spammers at bay.

Again, welcome to our forum...if you need help posting photos or videos, just hollar.

cheers,
Rog

Mamodman123

Welcome to the forums!

You will really enjoy it here

will be good to hear more about your engines too

Cheers!

MM

Mister Occlusion

G'day from Ca.

My first engine was a Wilesco D6, and my next several were Wilesco's as well. Despite the issue of them economizing on their metal, they do make sound running engines, and I've yet to break one.

Got a few Mamods in the mail coming to me: SR1 and SE2a, though a nice S.E.3 is my goal, since I love twins

I'll echo two other posters and suggest that you may very well find yourself pleasantly surprised should you cast your eyes towards Jensen. I never thought much of them before I had one, since they look pretty plain and unassuming in pictures. They've got it where it counts in the quality and performance areas, though. I'm hooked.

James

Drex!

Massive welcome to the forum mate! Nice to hear your story, too

No probs about setting this place up. It's times like this when it's worthwhile!!

Drexelius · Thanks for the Welcome Messages

Checking in at Lunchtime. Thanks for the hearty welcome to the forum. Sounds like I need to purchase a couple of Jensen engines - since they are made in the next state over (Penn) I guess I feel obligated to try them out. Sounds like the quality is very good.

Mister Occlusion - I bought my daughter (12 YO) a D6 for Christmas last year to get her started and now my 8 YO daughter wants an engine. The wife just kind of rolls her eyes but indulges my influences on the youngsters.

James - already calling me Drex! That's been my nickname my entire life. Makes me feel at home...

James

Wow!!! Really?

SillyBilly

Welcome, I can't wait to see some of your boats!

Stilldrillin

Welcome to the forum Drex.

It`s nice on here, even for the quieter ones.
No need to make waves..... Unless you want to!

Griffin

Welcome aboard Drexelius, you will be fine here.

Look forward to seeing your collection.

johnreid

As far as Jensen goes, please visit IndianaRogs web Page, there is enough Jensen there to get one in the spirit to want one
http://www.indianarog.com/
I hope that you have a digital camera and can show us some of your Boats, they sound very interesting.

Dauntless

Welcome Drexelius,

I hope you enjoy yourself here

Paul.

MooseMan

Drex it is then! A very warm welcome to the forum mate!

toxx · Re: Newest member

Welcome, Drexelius!
And kind greetz from Vienna, Austria! I own some Tucher&Walter toys myself - my fav is the wind up Zeppelin. Charming toys they are! Check out their new WW1 submarine when you get the chance - she's a real looker (and so is her price).
Good to have you with us! Friends in steam (hm, sounds funny, but you know what I mean

) scattered all over the globe!
Cheers mate, says Tom

Cranko

Welcome aboard Drex from New zealand , I'm sure you will enjoy it here

flywheel61

We seem to have gone all nautical, so welcome aboard Drex from Down Under. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with us and learn heaps to boot, like I did. I never heard of Jensen until I got on here and now I have two including the obligatory 75#.

Cheers

Chris

wyvern

A warm welcome to the forum

I hope you have a great time here, I am principally a mamod and bowman fan. Drexelius is an interesting psuedonymn.

Wyvern

Mister Occlusion · Re: Thanks for the Welcome Messages

Steve_S

Welcome to the forum Drex, you've certainly come to the right place!

bessytractor

Hiya Drex, welcome to the forum!

Kritika

Welcom to the forum Drex, good to have you on board.

Drexelius · Thanks Everyone

Thanks again everyone for the great welcome. It's nice to have such an international meeting of the minds - just shows that if steamers were running the world it would be a better place.

Toxx - glad to hear that you are familiar with Tucher & Walther. I'm envious that you are so close - it would be a neat little factory to visit some day. I am familar with the wind-up Zeppelin but do not own. I know that all of their tin models are very well made - nothing like that here in the states - expensive but worth it for Father's Day, Birthday, Christmas, any other excuse I can think of...
Oh, by the way, our family just loves Austria. Two of our favorite cities in the world are Vienna and Salzburg (for different reasons, of course).

Europe is our favorite vacation destination and we love every place that we've been (England, Scotland, Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Netherlands & Spain) but the UK, Austria and Switzerland are our favorite. No offense to Australia or New Zealand, just haven't been there yet but hear great things. They are a bit far for a two-week vacation and that's what I'm stuck with until I retire...

I'l definitely start getting together some pictures of my collection including some steam-fired boats. I might need a bit of help getting them up onto the site. I'm a bit new to some of this "web" technology.

Bob Drex

James

Wow!! Come over to England again mate

Wallace

Welcome to the forums Drexelius.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here

Newest member

Thanks for the Welcome Messages

Re: Newest member

Re: Thanks for the Welcome Messages

Thanks Everyone