Sabre Steam Kathryn

[lukejpetch]

Hi All,

Were there ever any Sabre Steam 'Kathryn' locomotives built? Or did they never make it to that stage before they stopped trading.

Just wondered if anyone on here had one?

I've been toying with the idea of building a coal fired Katie (with a working saddle tank and axle pump) much like the Kathryn. Using an either and ELR or a Riverdale boiler.

I currently own and Sabre Steam Annabel and it runs really quite well.


Thanks in advance,

[MDLR]

I currently own a Sabre Steam Annabel and it runs really quite well.

You're a very lucky lad, then! The Company Secretary has a Katie fitted with a Riverdale boiler which works very well (most of the time - he's got a lot better than he was!)

[lukejpetch]

Yes there is definitely a real art to it, which I have just about got now...!

[Llanwellyn]

Luke,

I bought an early Annette from David Cooper. I have to say it's a great runner. I then bought an Annabel. Same great runner. Both can be seen on my Youtube posts. Search for LLANWELLYN to see them. Both are as good as the John Shawe Jack. I have enjoyed building coal fired Accucraft locos using DJB boilers. Highly recommended.
John.

[lukejpetch]

Yes I've seen you posts before - I was specifically interested in the Kathryn though, I don't know if any were ever made/sold?

Luke

[TonyW]

Both are as good as the John Shawe Jack.

I think you are doing John a disservice there. Having worked on many of John's locos I know that they are at the pinnacle of exquisite engineering. Having worked on several Sabre locos I know that they rely more on good luck than sound engineering to work at all. Some of the workmanship is frankly shocking. Rickety bodywork with a poor paint finish is one example, and the axle-driven pump (well, that's what they call it - it may be axle driven but it is rare to find one that actually pumps) is another.

There are a lot of people who lost a lot of money in their dealings with Sabre Steam. Many have a loco that does not work and will never, ever work without some serious re-building. The rest don't have a loco at all, just an embarrassingly large hole in their bank balance.

It sounds as though you have been lucky to get two good Sabre locos. Treasure them, they are a rare breed. But to compare them with John Shawe locos is in my opinion very unfair.

[maxi-model]

Are we talking about the same Sabre Tony ? I seem to remember a couple of long and acrimonious threads on another forum regarding this "makes" later incarnations following David Cooper's demise. The original products were by all accounts good. It was those produced after his death under the Sabre name where the problems started. Careful that you do not sully a good man's work when they are no longer here to defend themselves. Max.

[TonyW]

Yes, it is the same Sabre Steam. When David passed the business continued under his son. It is true that the earlier models are poles apart from the later ones, hence my comment "you have been lucky to get two good Sabre locos". Unfortunately the bad Sabre locos outnumber the good ones and even the early ones exhibit the bodywork and pump problems I cited. I have had several early Sabre locos here for body repairs, repainting and fitting of a DJB axle pump.

The problems on locos made after David's death are in a different league to those I have described.

What concerned me was the comparison of John Shawe's locos with any of the Sabre products, no matter how good. They both make/made coal-fired garden railway locos, but in my opinion the comparison ends there.

[Llanwellyn]

Well Tony I have locos from both John Shawe and David Cooper. Just speaking as I find. I know the later Sabre locos were rough to say the least but David Cooper made two good locos for me. Watch the YouTube clips to see. The Shawe Jack is also shown
John.