Archive for The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum The Original Unofficial Toy Steam Forum
Established 2006
The biggest, most popular 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.
|
mc_mc
|
Who is that mc_mc?When I joined the forum in January this year I posted this introduction (in the wrong place of course):
| mc_mc wrote: | Hi, I've been lurking round here since the start of the year and so thought I'd formally introduce myself. My name is Michael and I’m 33 years old living in Milton Keynes. I used to own a Mamod stationary engine when I was a child (an 80’s SP1 I think), but I was a bit too young to appreciate it (my dad bought if for me and I think he played with it more than me!) and it eventually got broken / trashed as these things do when you are young, I seem to remember it was built quite well and took quite a beating before it finally died. I remember that I was also bought a steam model of the Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ one Christmas (gas powered I think) but both cylinders leaked continuously and it would hardly move, we got another one from the shop and it did exactly the same so in the end we swapped it for a Scalextric Porsche set (which of course eventually got trashed…).
Over Christmas looking for a present for my brother I stumbled across the name ‘Mamod’ which I’d totally forgotten about but it brought back memories. A quick search on eBay showed things were still active and I was surprised to see that new models were still being produced (British manufacturing being in a bit of decline for the last 20 years). I also found your forums and started to lurk and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and learnt quite a bit from reading various posts (mostly at random).
I went back to work in January and was called into my bosses office and she told me I’d just been awarded a £600 merit award for all the good work I’d be doing last year. (I’m a computer programmer / software designer by the way. I prefer the programming but they make me design the stuff too  ) When I get these awards I like to spend them on something concrete (rather than just p**sing it up the wall if you’ll excuse the expression) so I bought a new printer (Canon Pixma 4300 £60) because my old one had been annoying me for some time and thought about what else I could get. It didn’t take me long to think of a getting a Mamod (or two, or three). I thought about getting one new but the prices are quite high £100+ and I’d read the quality wasn’t as good as the older ones, so I began looking on eBay.
I thought I’d maybe start off with a stationary engine and a mobile engine. I found an excellent looking 1979 traction engine: [url] http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAP...em=160072019133&rd=1&rd=1 [/url] It wasn’t cheap but looked in excellent condition so I bid and won it as the only bidder. I’ve now received it and it is as good as it looks and it runs like a dream (so it’s my new pride and joy). The first time I fired it up the smell of the solid fuel burning brought memories flooding back, there’s nothing quite like the smell and sound of a running model steam engine.
I was also in the market for a stationary engine and liked the look of this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAP...em=200067602400&rd=1&rd=1 So I jumped in with a bid of £60, but then found it being discussed on the forum, it seemed the chimney wasn’t original and looked like it was missing the regulator valve. The chimney didn’t bother me but I thought I would like to be able to control the speed a bit, so when I was eventually outbid I decided that I wouldn’t pursue it further.
In the mean time I found this engine which was much simpler and way cheaper: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAP...em=180073911282&rd=1&rd=1 Not in as good condition as the traction engine, but seemed like a good place to start. My bid placed in the last few seconds of the auction secured the item. When I received it I was disappointed to find the safety valve was missing it’s spring and retaining washer and so I couldn’t run it immediately (Wallace has advised me that you should always ask two questions when buying an engine: Does the mechanism run freely? and Is the safety valve working properly? I would now agree that this is good advice!). I contacted the seller about the dodgy valve and he agreed that he would refund me £3 as a goodwill gesture towards the price of a new one. So I can’t complain that much…
The actual engine I would describe as ‘okay’ condition, the photos on eBay flatter it a bit. The boiler end drain plug(?) looks like it’s maybe been replaced by a screw and washer so I decided to leave it in place and not unscrew it, but using the valve borrowed from my traction engine I found that the engine does indeed run fine. I did manage to overfill the boiler first time I think and had water filling up the chimney and gushing out everywhere and putting out the fire, but once it lost the excess it settled down and ran fine. Subsequent runs with less water were perfect. So I am happy with my purchase overall.
I am now planning to get myself a twin cylinder engine of some sort (SE3?) it must have a regulator though. Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks to everyone on the forums, to the people who offered me good advice and to those who just posted interesting things for everyone to read. Hopefully I will be around here for a long time!
Kind Regards,
Michael
p.s. Sorry for the long post! |
So how about an update: I am still working as a software designer (I'm doing less and less programming it seems), but was 34 years old from the end of March. My involvement in this forum prompted me to build the www.ToySteamBible.org website for education / enjoyment of our members (submissions still greatfully accepted by the way).
I now have a collection of nine engines (and one on it's way!) but still no SE3 has yet graced my collection (although I've bid on a few). My collecting has necessitated me to learn how to solder engine pipe work and I am inordinately proud of the repairs that I've managed.
I am currently 'scratch building' a burner out of random bits and pieces, something that I am completely new at having never made anything before (see this thread for my progress http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about4114.html ).
I've enjoyed the last six months interacting with you guys (and girls) and seeing your wonderful collections / build projects which have inspired me further.
So thanks everyone, let's hope we can be here together for many years to come!
|
Wallace
|
Great to read mc mc.
Hopefully you can pick up a SE3 soon, in the "cheaper season"
|
Graham-Jilly
|
Great Read MC_MC
I second Wallace 
|
Sandman
|
You'll get your SE3 mate.
Of that I'm certain.
Thanks for the info. 
|
Mamodman123
|
Glad you are enjouying the forums MC!
If you want an SE3, then I have one that I am selling. If you are interested PM me
MM
|
IndianaRog
|
MC, YOU are to blame (or thank) for the latest rash of Introductions! It was you who commented to me less than a week ago that you couldn't find and intro for me though I had been here for almost 6 months. I remedied that and 10-15 more have followed suit.
This has been a marvelous way for us all to refresh WHO we are and our various passions. Your toy steam bible has been a real boon to the toy steam world and you have to be exceptionally proud of it.
As you said Michael, I hope we can all ride this wave together for a long time to come.
cheers,
Rog
|
mc_mc
|
| IndianaRog wrote: | | MC, YOU are to blame (or thank) for the latest rash of Introductions! |
Not sure about the blame, but I'm happy to take the credit for it.
|
|