Manxman
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Wilesco Traction EngineI've just got my latest addition. I only paid £36.00 for this because it was listed badly and came on a piece of wood. (it was just standing on the wood, slab now in garage).
I believe this is one of the first Wilesco TE's and must date back towards their introduction in 1970. The main differences are the front (old Smoky bit) which changed on the standard models in 1980. The fire tray (early ones just sit under the boiler and don't have a handle, now they have slide guides to help them fit snug and not fall out) and also, the early ones had a short canopy (like the Steam Roller). I don't know what year the longer canopy came in but you don't see very many with the short canopy so I'm guessing fairly early. Anyway for £36.00 a good model. Looks like it just needs a good clean and it should go a treat.
Here's a modern Wilesco burner and an older one from the Traction Engine.
And finally my 3 Wilesco Traction Engines together. I don't have a clue about colours (except for the red ones 1985-1995). Wilesco seem to have introduced variation in colour fairly early on and these models often remain in the catalouges along with the standard production models.
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Mamodman123
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Not bad for 26 pounds! Is it meant to be that colour then Manxman? So eventually Wilesco changed the front of the Traction engine to one like the TE1a? Is that a meths burner? 
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SPOKESMAN
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Looks terrific Manx - very purposeful. I like that! 
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Manxman
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| Mamodman123 wrote: | | Not bad for 26 pounds! Is it meant to be that colour then Manxman? So eventually Wilesco changed the front of the Traction engine to one like the TE1a? Is that a meths burner? |
£36.00. Yes I think the colour is all original and yes Wilisco (like Mamod) developed their engines and I guess that as their TE became more popular they could afford more 'tooling' for the TE and not have to share so many bits with the roller.
It is interesting to me that although Wilesco only have 5 mobiles in their range (Mamod have 11), the Wilesco 5 manage to be more different and have more seperate characters than the Mamods. The Mamod's are really only built on 2 basic types (SR and Roadster), The Wilesco's have at least 3 (SR, Locomobile and Fire Engine).
Final point. I dont think the Wilesco mobiles were ever meths fired. I think you'd have to break up solid fuel tablets and put them in the tray (like now) to get the model working.
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tmuir
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I saw that, I think it was Te1a man that mentioned it.
Very nearly bid on it myself but was after some other stuff.
Wish I had now.... 
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Manxman
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| tmuir wrote: | I saw that, I think it was Te1a man that mentioned it.
Very nearly bid on it myself but was after some other stuff.
Wish I had now.... |
Sorry Tony. It does look like it is going to be a nice model.
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tmuir
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If I remember correctly the seller just thought it was a brass ornament, didnt even realise it was an actual toy steam engine. 
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Mamodman123
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| tmuir wrote: | | If I remember correctly the seller just thought it was a brass ornament, didnt even realise it was an actual toy steam engine. |
It does look like an ornament though in a way
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SPOKESMAN
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| Mamodman123 wrote: | | tmuir wrote: | | If I remember correctly the seller just thought it was a brass ornament, didnt even realise it was an actual toy steam engine. |
It does look like an ornament though in a way |
Nah MM! You could say that about any toy steam engine in some ways.
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Mamodman123
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| SPOKESMAN wrote: | | Mamodman123 wrote: | | tmuir wrote: | | If I remember correctly the seller just thought it was a brass ornament, didnt even realise it was an actual toy steam engine. |
It does look like an ornament though in a way |
Nah MM! You could say that about any toy steam engine in some ways. |
Well i meant it in the way that it wasn't brightly coloured like most other steam TOYS! it doesn't look like a toy it could be easily mistaken for a display model, not a bad thing in a way!
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SPOKESMAN
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I think because it has no colour it looks less 'toy' like!
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Mamodman123
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| SPOKESMAN wrote: | | I think because it has no colour it looks less 'toy' like! |
Thats what I was trying to say
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SPOKESMAN
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| Mamodman123 wrote: | | SPOKESMAN wrote: | | I think because it has no colour it looks less 'toy' like! |
Thats what I was trying to say |
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mj
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Bargain buy manx!
It looks great as it is, nice aged patina to it. You're not going to polish it too much are you 
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Manxman
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| mj wrote: | Bargain buy manx!
It looks great as it is, nice aged patina to it. You're not going to polish it too much are you |
Now you see that is the question. I think as I'm going to use this model I'm just going to give it a clean and light polish on the bits I can get to easily.
Then I'm going to use it. To me this one just wants to be used.
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Griffin
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A very nice engine Manx, and a excellent price.
I too like the colour and character of the engine, infact I like it a lot
A very good purchase, well done.
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oldstuff
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Jeez Manx, I think it's awesome. Hard to believe it came like that when new,
surely it was finished in some color of paint? Yet, just my opinion, I like that look
better than any of the others! It looks much more realistic like that. Great buy!!
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Wallace
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Great buy manxman, well done
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MTA
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Good to hear that the base wasn't attached then  Methinks that you need a cylinder cap and cover But then again you'd need an old one, as a new one would stand out a bit
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yosa
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That's the best Willesco TE I've ever seen Manx. Real Character. 
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Steve_S
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That was a bargain! 
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Manxman
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Thanks for the comments. It's always nice when you get a model that's better than you expected. I've done well with my last couple of ebay buys. However, I guess that just makes up for the ones where things have arrived 'not quite' the way they had been described.
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SPOKESMAN
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| Manxman wrote: | | Thanks for the comments. It's always nice when you get a model that's better than you expected. I've done well with my last couple of ebay buys. However, I guess that just makes up for the ones where things have arrived 'not quite' the way they had been described. |
I know that feeling!
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Manxman
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Yes, sorry Mike. I wasn't thinking about your green paint experiences. What's the latest update on the paint. Did it clean off with T Cut.
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sparky
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thats lovely mate, i really do like that, i hope your really prowed to own that
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SPOKESMAN
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| Manxman wrote: | | Yes, sorry Mike. I wasn't thinking about your green paint experiences. What's the latest update on the paint. Did it clean off with T Cut. |
Im going to turn to that one now - been doing work on my Bowman M140.
Need to find my Nitromors . . . 
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