The Roundhouse Sammie is an excellent starter locomotive. You have more control over it than the Mamod or Accucraft starters. Plus, they break in quickly and run great!
There was a live steam HO/OO scale live stramer from Hornby, but it was/is ludicroulously expensive. (As opposed to most live steamers which are merely ridiculously expensive!)
Gauge 1 mamod owner experience speaking: The engine is a bit front heavy. Having the cab back and maybe a bit of weight tucked under the cab floor helps it stay on the track better. Also, keep a rag handy for the safety valve overflow. That bubble of water snuffs out the forward fuel tray with ease. I had limited success with cutting fuel tablets and stacking the pieces on end to jam just a bit more fuel under there. A meths or gas burner are better options. You can also lever the cylinder off the crank pin and squirt a bit of steam oil between the cylinder and port faces. I also did something similar with the reversing lever. At 15 psi blowoff, it doesn't take much of a steam leak to immobilize the engine. Have fun though. Kid giggles are the best part! Community breakfast blend.
A gas burner kit is the safest way to run the engine, since butane won't spill everywhere like alcohol would if the train tips over. The flame is much more controlled. And the gas tank and burner are very heavy, so they also add a lot of traction and stability to the engine, on top of maximizing power.
An Accucraft Ruby or Dora would be a good upgrade over one of these, as they have a wider power band and aren't quite so fussy as these little MSS ones are. Built a Ruby from a kit over a decade ago, and it's still a reliable performer today.
Some of the older Mamod steam engines use meths burners. They have a a tray with a gauze which you fill with fuel light it and then place into the firebox. One thing that can often speed up the steaming up process is to fill the boiler with water that has been boiled in the kettle. Early Mamods have a funnel that you fill it by taking out the safety valve.
I have a little Mamod engine and they're a ton of fun! Can definitely recommend the Methylated spirits. I'd love to see more live steam content from you!
Thankyou for posting this vid 🙂 Your joy and enthusiasm for model railways is infectious, and reminds me why I got involved in the hobby in the first place 😊❤
There is alot cool things about live steam in my opinion and not advertising but there's a UA-camr named Terry and the shit he shows is awsome, from live steam Shay locos, to vertical boiler, or even fly wheel locos, and are meant to be customizable!
Just about all of us would like real steam locos. I was given a serious live steam model tender back when I was maybe 10 or so by an old lady whose husband had died and was into live steam. She rightly sold off all the expensive stuff but gave me that beat-up tender and it was my prize possession for years. I think it was either 3 1/2 or 4 3/4 gauge. I had a Mamod static steam engine already, but the quality of that tender was appreciated even as a kid. I'd love to get a complete live steam loco of the type that tender belonged to but it's a lot of money for a grownup toy.
There is sort of. The valve isn't simple on and off and if you can adjust it properly, it will adjust the speed. The more expensive models have better methods.
The Roundhouse Sammie is an excellent starter locomotive. You have more control over it than the Mamod or Accucraft starters. Plus, they break in quickly and run great!
My grandad bought me a stationary Mamod engine when I was about 8 - that's 63 years ago!
hmmmm gloves? wish I had thought of that, before the burned fingers
What fun! Yes Methylated spirits would be the way to go. Far less messy and probably lots less expensive. Now if we could just do this in N gauge
There was a live steam HO/OO scale live stramer from Hornby, but it was/is ludicroulously expensive. (As opposed to most live steamers which are merely ridiculously expensive!)
Gauge 1 mamod owner experience speaking:
The engine is a bit front heavy. Having the cab back and maybe a bit of weight tucked under the cab floor helps it stay on the track better. Also, keep a rag handy for the safety valve overflow. That bubble of water snuffs out the forward fuel tray with ease. I had limited success with cutting fuel tablets and stacking the pieces on end to jam just a bit more fuel under there. A meths or gas burner are better options.
You can also lever the cylinder off the crank pin and squirt a bit of steam oil between the cylinder and port faces. I also did something similar with the reversing lever. At 15 psi blowoff, it doesn't take much of a steam leak to immobilize the engine.
Have fun though. Kid giggles are the best part!
Community breakfast blend.
A gas burner kit is the safest way to run the engine, since butane won't spill everywhere like alcohol would if the train tips over. The flame is much more controlled. And the gas tank and burner are very heavy, so they also add a lot of traction and stability to the engine, on top of maximizing power.
An Accucraft Ruby or Dora would be a good upgrade over one of these, as they have a wider power band and aren't quite so fussy as these little MSS ones are.
Built a Ruby from a kit over a decade ago, and it's still a reliable performer today.
Some of the older Mamod steam engines use meths burners. They have a a tray with a gauze which you fill with fuel light it and then place into the firebox.
One thing that can often speed up the steaming up process is to fill the boiler with water that has been boiled in the kettle. Early Mamods have a funnel that you fill it by taking out the safety valve.
I have a little Mamod engine and they're a ton of fun! Can definitely recommend the Methylated spirits. I'd love to see more live steam content from you!
🚂🚂 Steam on brother! Can’t wait to see you build a scale version of the N&W 611. We need to buy you a set of grease guns!
Thankyou for posting this vid 🙂
Your joy and enthusiasm for model railways is infectious, and reminds me why I got involved in the hobby in the first place 😊❤
Something tells me that voice was actually Jimmy's voice! 4:22 😉
There is alot cool things about live steam in my opinion and not advertising but there's a UA-camr named Terry and the shit he shows is awsome, from live steam Shay locos, to vertical boiler, or even fly wheel locos, and are meant to be customizable!
Looks like the kids really enjoyed it. even the older one (Jimmy). LOL Thanks for sharing.
i got an acucraft ruby i got it used off amazon thing runs great have to replace the burner as it cant keep a consistent flame anymore
Just about all of us would like real steam locos.
I was given a serious live steam model tender back when I was maybe 10 or so by an old lady whose husband had died and was into live steam.
She rightly sold off all the expensive stuff but gave me that beat-up tender and it was my prize possession for years. I think it was either 3 1/2 or 4 3/4 gauge.
I had a Mamod static steam engine already, but the quality of that tender was appreciated even as a kid.
I'd love to get a complete live steam loco of the type that tender belonged to but it's a lot of money for a grownup toy.
That’s awesome!
beautiful video 👍👍👍👍👍👍
so cool
Neat!
Nice
Could u do a short video about people doing wall layouts? I don’t have enough room to do a real layout. Thank you! Kyra-Rayne
Pretty nifty, my wife would kill me on the price of a real steamer!!
Nice
Well, OK. This is a bit of fun, but really!
That's an awesome little steam engine, Jimmy - Is there a way to regulate the speed?
There is sort of. The valve isn't simple on and off and if you can adjust it properly, it will adjust the speed. The more expensive models have better methods.
👍😀OperateOnOperator
Can you please add the link for the locomotive?
Done!
Pretty cool, didn't real steam was a thing.
Hello