First Steam up for umpteen years

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 11:37 pm

Decided as the weather was too hot for gardening this weekend that I would attempt a trial steaming of my Archangel Brick.
So I dug it out and set it up on blocks and went to find some meths in the workshop, no luck.
Off to B&Q to be robbed blind for a pint of meths. Now as we all know the busier this shops is the less checkouts are open. Today was no exception, One line about 15 miles long with a weekend special sitting at the end of it (you know the ones, spotty, un helpful and completely disinterested it anything, oh yes with an IQ slightly less than their collar size).
When I finally got to the end of the line I was not happy, even less so when I was told, "you have to be 21 to buy this"
"Oh really" I reply handing over a tenner
"Yes, do you have any id?"
"errr no, but I am well over 21, infact I am nearly double it"
"Well I need to see your id"
"Look chum, I am old enough to be your father. My hair is greying rapidly and I have a beard you could hide a badger in, that is also grey in large parts."
"Sorry I still need id"
"Can I speak to your manager please"
"Yes, but they will want to see your id as well."
"Right then, stick your meths"
Anyway I finally aquired some in another shop went home and steamed up.
Amazingly apart from a leak around the level plug caused by a fibre washer past its best she ran fine on blocks until one of the connecting rods came loose and the bolt shot into the flowerbed. Never mind it will give me somthing to do when I get home from work tommorow!
I was really amazed that a loco that has not run in nearly 20 years came back to life so well. It had not been stored well and has suffered several house moves. It just shows what a cracking little engine she is.
Now all I need to do is build some track to run it on.

dewintondave · Post by **dewintondave** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 10:26 am

Excellent write-up Jim. We really appreciated it.

Best wishes,
Dave.

Dr. Bond of the DVLR · Post by **Dr. Bond of the DVLR** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 10:10 pm

I had to prove I was buying butane to put in garden railway locomotives not up my nose once... Luckily I had my camera with me...

Got any pics of brick?

dougrail · Post by **dougrail** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 10:22 pm

Done that too! I still get IDed even though I'm nearer 30 than 20

Pics on phone = saved the day. The staff were keen on seeing Swordbreaker

paullad1984 · Post by **paullad1984** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:04 pm

Archnagel loco's never die, they go on and on.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:14 pm

How times have changed!
When I was apprenticed to a picture frame maker, some years ago now, I was frequently sent to purchase meths from a local chemist taking with me a 5ltr container. I would only be about 17 at the time, but no questions were asked. (I still don't drink it even now)
This restriction, like that of alcoholic drinks, is taking things too far in its interpretation and application by retailers.
If you can legally drink alcohol (not meths!) at 18 years, why is it that you need to prove you are at least 25 before you can purchase it?
A test case at the European Court of Human Rights is called for!

Big Al · Post by **Big Al** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:50 pm

I must look like an old git every dear serves me.

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Tue Aug 27, 2013 11:05 pm

My steam fleet is slowly coming back to life again. I got one of the Mamods going today. This is a very modifed loco I built up about 20 years ago.
Like the Brick it has suffered from storage and house moves but it ran well enough to delight my 18 month old son. (who if the current Mrs Big Jim is reading this, I am building the garden railway for.)
The only problem I had with it was the (uprated) safety valve seemed to blow off at a very low pressure and as a result there was not a lot of power available.
I hope this is due to the seal in the valve failing and the spring loosing compression.
I have just ordered a new valve so hopefully this should sort the problem out.
I have another modded Mamod to resurect and a completly standard one to steam for the first time in my ownership.
Incidently the standard loco has a rather interesting brass funnel fitted which looks original but I have never seen another like it. It is standard Mamod shape but appears to be turned brass rather than cast pot metal.
If anyone has any info on this I would be pleased to hear it.

pauly · Post by **pauly** » Tue Aug 27, 2013 11:29 pm

yeah the brass funnel was a feature on some of the passenger train set locos I think

nothing really unusual at all

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Wed Aug 28, 2013 11:33 am

Funnels are fitted to ships, chimneys are fitted to locomotives, although our American colleagues may refer to them as funnels.

When a Mamodification item is not recognised many people attach a "Mike Chaney" tag to them. In this case however Mike Chaney did indeed make a replacement straight chimney but a photo of your item may help to identify it.

Mamod only fitted the brass spark arrester balloon chimney to the SL2 (painted black) and the SL3 (brass). It actually has the standard straight chimney in the middle of the brass balloon.

Don't forget we have a Mamod sub-Forum on here.

Chris Cairns.

laurence703 · Post by **laurence703** » Wed Aug 28, 2013 3:30 pm

I'm still waiting for the day that I'm pulled over by a police officer on my way to or from a steam up which I will no doubt have on me about two cans of Butane and a bottle or two of Meths... Going to enjoy explaining that one...

Good to hear there are a good number of us who have that problem... Personally I go to a B&M store for my fuel as I can get both Meths and Butane rather cheaply there!

IrishPeter · Post by **IrishPeter** » Wed Aug 28, 2013 3:53 pm

I buy fuel from the Survival Store called 'Off the Grid' which just up the street from the church. His motto is "Stuff to Keep Your Ass Alive" except a small picture of the quadruped is substituted on his sign. Anyway, no questions asked as no-one seem to bother sticking mixed (70B/30P) fuel up their nose. However, this being AZ no-one thinks there is anything peculiar about someone buying camping gas, they just assume you are going hunting and have the MREs and the ammo already. We mind our own business and not other people's. It is probably typical of the attitude in these parts that whorehouses were legal here until some politician decided to make a name for himself and clean the place up in the late 1950s. Mind you, it was years before they could get the local cops to enforce that one!

Peter in AZ

GardenRail · Post by **GardenRail** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:53 pm

Obviously Jim you have retained your boyish good looks well into middle age....javascript:emoticon(':roll:')

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:20 pm

It is down to clean living, total avoidance of stong drink and tobacco and cold showers every morning.

And if you believe that you will believe anything.

Right, now where did i put my fags and pint of scotch.

Clinkard · Post by **Clinkard** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 8:52 pm

It's a bit odd, but I have the devils own job convincing the checkout girl that she should be asking for my ID. Perhaps it's something to do with my grey hair and wrinkled skin.

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First Steam up for umpteen years

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