ChooChoo_Baloo Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Hello all, I have been watching and enjoying some videos on youtube of mainline O gauge British steam locomotives, but live steam powered. I am aware of the likes of Roundhouse who produce attractive live steam engines, though they're not of mainline standard gauge engines. For example in this video there was a GWR King class. After a quick Google search I cannot seem to find either kits or ready-to-run live steam locos. Surely there must be a few manufacturers out there? Thanks in a advance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davec.hh Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 If my memory serves me right, E&T have (or had if its sold) a live steam 0 gauge loco. Might be worth a look, or contact Kerry if it interests you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I don't know what is current, but Basset-Lowke made a few good ones which can be picked up second hand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Hello all, I have been watching and enjoying some videos on youtube of mainline O gauge British steam locomotives, but live steam powered. I am aware of the likes of Roundhouse who produce attractive live steam engines, though they're not of mainline standard gauge engines. For example in this video there was a GWR King class. After a quick Google search I cannot seem to find either kits or ready-to-run live steam locos. Surely there must be a few manufacturers out there? Thanks in a advance. Hi, I have a keen interest in O Gauge live steam having come across many fine examples so a few links to youtube of what you've been watching would be appreciated. As far as kits or RTR then to the best of my knowledge there is nothing currently available - going back many years then obviously Basset Lowke was a major player. The Mogul was very popular and sometime in the late 80's early 90's the design for the live steamers was acquired by another party and released under the Bassett Lowke banner but I don't think they are available any longer , happy to be corrected though. There was also a RTR live steam Jinty (Burton Jinty?) available early 90's (IIRC) but again no longer available. In the smaller scale (4mm) David Taylor of Steamcraft Southport offered a small range of pacific locos, again early 90's, and later on there were the Hornby live Steamers. So currently the smallest live steamers in kit form are probably the various offerings from Aster in 10mm scale. The vast majority of live steamers in 7mm will have been scratch built, either to commission by the likes of Eddie Cooke or for private ownership by the likes of Clarry Edwards and Rafe Shirley. Unfortunately the amount of work involved in building a live steamer makes it totally uneconomic commercially in 7mm - just look at the Aster prices, people will not pay those prices for 7mm models. Any other questions then please ask - as mentioned it is an interest of mine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flexible_coupling Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 O scale would lend itself far better to the styling used by Hornby with its' OO-scale electric live steam. I'd love an O-scale 8F or Stainer mogul with functioning valve gear... to add scale coal-smoke smell would be sublime! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 No reason why it couldn't be done - although meths or gas seems to be more popular than coal. That said there was a father and son team in the 50's, the Parkers from the Northwest, Manchester I believe, who built several 7mm coal fired loco's. A New Zealand Garrett, a Mikado and an Atlantic among them. The Atlantic being quite close to scale but a slightly over scale firebox, but coal fired nonetheless, and Baker valve gear rather than Walschearts . There was what I consider to be their finest piece, a 7mm scale LMS 2P coal fired, unfortunately I've never been able to find out much about it other than an article in the Model Engineer about it. The Garrett, Mikado and Atlantic I have been blessed with seeing them first hand and firing them when at one point they were owned by my father. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted April 3, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 3, 2014 John Shawe had a lovely coal fired GNR Atlantic I used my photo of it for the front of the Gazette. Clary Edwards made some wonderful models his Spam Can featured the chain drive and his Toby Tram engine could pull a very respectable load. Rafe Shirly made a beautiful Crab. But these were made by skilled craftsmen. To match them might take a lot of effort but if you were interested enough skills can be learned. The Basset Lowke Mogul was reintroduced a short while ago but it not currently available so far as I know . I personally favour 16mmNG for one thing they are more suited to the tighter curves needed in modern gardens. I think an Eddie Cooke King needed 11ft radius curves. If ou have the room I would suggest Gauge 1 for mainline live steam. Not cheap but there is more choice probably the Accucraft B4 at around £750 is the cheapest. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbs Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Ace Trains London have been developing a live steam A4 for some time and the prototype is shown on their website. There is also mention of a streamlined Coronation. Not sure when these will be available as they have been in development for some time and they have a lot of other projects they are getting ready for production. Regards John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I remember seeing a "bolt together" kit for a butane fired 0-6-0 tank engine. This was back in the early 90's though. Always wondered who it was by and if theres anything like it still available. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Back in the 70s HB Models offered a 57xx pannier and (ISTR) a Jinty, both with a single slide valve cylinder between the frames. They also offered the various bits separately for scratchbuilders. Also in the late 70s there was a potboiler Jinty available, although the manufacturer's name escapes me, with a single, geared, oscillating cylinder. Dad and I spent what seemed like a humungous amount of money on one and were disappointed to find that it displayed pretty much all the nasty habits available to a small live steamer. Gutless, uncontrollably fast, impossible to steam in the slightest breeze and with a tendency to set fire to itself and anything else within a 3' radius. I keep looking with interest at LBSC's Bat and Sir Morris de Cowley designs. Out of scale I know, but Curly's engines were all designed to do a proper job of work and so, constructed to a reasonable standard, I would expect them to perform well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumnock Flyer Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 i don't know if anyone is interested, i have just purchased a BR class 9F 2-10-0 I bought it from photos on the understanding that it was gauge 1. On it's arrival it was O gauge. It's coal fired with opening smokebox door and lever in the cab for forward and reverse, water sight gauge and it's never been fired. The reason for this is the pressure gauge and fire grate have never been fitted. If anyone is interested in this please message me. Can take photos of any of it if you wish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 i don't know if anyone is interested, i have just purchased a BR class 9F 2-10-0 I bought it from photos on the understanding that it was gauge 1. On it's arrival it was O gauge. It's coal fired with opening smokebox door and lever in the cab for forward and reverse, water sight gauge and it's never been fired. The reason for this is the pressure gauge and fire grate have never been fitted. If anyone is interested in this please message me. Can take photos of any of it if you wish. Photo's posted on here would be appreciated - particularly the valve gear, cylinders and cab fittings. Unusual to be coal fired in this scale but not unknown, that could suggest circa 1940s-1950s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumnock Flyer Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Just a few picures of my 9F Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Isambarduk Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 This is a BR class 9F 2-10-0? David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Hi, an interesting acquisition, apart from the wheel arrangement I think it could only be loosely described as based on a 9F - more a freelance loco. I suspect that it wasn't built to a drawing, not even modified L.B.S.C. There are a number of reasons why I suspect that it hasn't been steamed, and the pressure gauge is not one of them. In fact the more I look at it then I suspect the original builder was just making it up as he went along. To start with the fire grate - it's difficult to see how it will ever be fitted. You need some way of dropping the fire and grate after steaming and I can't see how that is possible with the driving wheel in the way. My Dad used to have a coal fired Atlantic, obviously in that case it was a simple case of removing the pivot pin for the trailing pony truck and then the fire could be dropped. There are some other issues, I can't see any clack valves for a water feed to the boiler, the tender doesn't seem to have any water tank and fittings, hand pump etc. It seems to be a multitube boiler fitted but the cylinder exhaust nozzle is too long. I can't see any lubricator in the steam feed. A pressure gauge is not essential for steaming, there seems to be a additional steam take off on the back head, and to be honest this would be better to be used as a blower valve rather than for a pressure gauge. Maybe the chassis could run on air but it would require quite a deal of work and modifications to get a fully fledged steamer out of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 14, 2014 I remember John Shawe's coal fired 0 gauge Atlantic I cannot imagine he removed the pony truck on that to drop the fire. However I agree with you about the loco. Personally if it was described as a BR 9F I would want my money back. Although if there was a photo it could be argued differently. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumnock Flyer Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 thanks for all your comments, much appriciated, Loco didn't cost me alot of money, so it's now in the bin, dustman calls tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 I remember John Shawe's coal fired 0 gauge Atlantic I cannot imagine he removed the pony truck on that to drop the fire. However I agree with you about the loco. Personally if it was described as a BR 9F I would want my money back. Although if there was a photo it could be argued differently. Don The Atlantic I mentioned was built by the Parkers in the 1940's, coal fired, baker valve gear. It had a shaped ashpan that sat inside the rear pony truck, a small split pin and washer held the rear pony truck in which had to be removed to drop the fire. thanks for all your comments, much appriciated, Loco didn't cost me alot of money, so it's now in the bin, dustman calls tomorrow. I wouldn't bin it, as mentioned the chassis may well run on air, if so and you don't want it, video it running on air and stick it back on e-bay with a suitable description. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 NOOO!!! Don't bin it, that seems a shame and a waste. I certainly don't have the know how to do anything with it but surely you could get something for it from your local live steam group(?), a local buy/sell emporium or do as Adrian says, even if you can't make it run, just better photos and description of the approximate scale and type of loco - you may be surprised! As an aside, I have a little 0 gauge generic "Jinty" type of spirit fired loco. I picked it up at auction for £20, a lad at my local club advised me it was scratchbuilt and "worthless" - turned out it was built from a kit and actually works quite well, if a little fast! Also worth possibly ten times what I paid!!! Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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