Joined the Mamod Club

[williamfj]

Earlier this year I purchased a modified Mamod, she's been fitted with an better boiler and cylinders plus a meths burner and displacement lubricator, apart from that she's pretty much standard! She was a box of bits job with most of the loco coming from an SL1 kit.

Showing Dylan how it's done!




She's back in the works, hopefully for the last time for a while as she's to be fitted with a larger meths tank so I'm less likely to set fire to her & the railway.

[Superbiker_uk]

Very nice and what looks like very rare early Mamod/MMS body work as shown by the combination of the Mamod Steam Railway belt /buckle border around the MSS logo which originally stood for Mamod Sales and Service.

Here is a picture from Mamodevons Photobucket (Alan Dunster) entitled "The Missing Link":



Interesting stuff if you are a Mamodologist like myself

[williamfj]

Thanks, I didn't know she was anything special. The plan is to keep it looking as close to a standard SL1 as possible, although the new meths tank will be somewhat visible due to it's size.

[-steves-]

Best meths burner I ever found for a Mamod was made by a guy called "Gremlin" on here. Here is one I previously sold, unfortunately I do not have any more of them, but they are great if you can get hold of one The extra tank looks really neat under the cab

http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/abou ... ht=gremlin


.

[Chris Cairns]

As Peter (Superbiker_uk) has posted above your side tanks are from an early MSS locomotive, where the Mamod logo was replaced with the MSS logo within the belt & buckle transfer. These were produced from about 1994 but in limited quantities as the association/connection between MSS (Mamod Sales & Services) & Mamod Limited was not to last (allegedly over the acquiral of the Railway System assets by David Evans) with MSS becoming Model Steam Specialists.

This is only the 3rd locomotive I've seen with those early MSS logo side tanks.

Looks like an IP Eng boiler with the short safety valve, and you also have a PPS regulator/reverser valve. If that is the meths burner filler pipe sticking out the left side of the cab do you have an overflow pipe as well? Otherwise you risk overfilling the meths burner with the resultant fire risk.

Chris Cairns

[williamfj]

If I remember right she does have an overflow pipe on the meths burner, although she is currently being fitted with another one as the current fitted has been borrowed from another Mamod.

[williamfj]

Since the last post the Mamod which will eventually be named Baz has been fitted with a large capacity meths tank and to cure her somewhat lacklustre performance she's now fitted with Roy Wood cylinders and a reversing block from the same stable.

Seen on test with any loose items left off.


Not the best photo in the world but it's the best one I've got of her in 1 piece again.


At the moment the only thing left to do is fit the name and worksplates once they arrive, no doubt something else will crop up in time!

[Superbiker_uk]

Not the best photo in the world but it's the best one I've got of her in 1 piece again.

Great to see again! Thanks for posting. I would love a loco with the Mamod/MSS logo on the bodywork. I think your loco looks excellent. Please post some more pictures if you can when the works plates are fitted

Is your loco a 'cut frame' engine? i.e. does it have the rear of the frames removed for the meths burner tank? (that's what it looks like in the pictures)

[dougrail]

Since the last post the Mamod which will eventually be named Baz has been fitted with a large capacity meths tank and to cure her somewhat lacklustre performance she's now fitted with Roy Wood cylinders and a reversing block from the same stable.

Seen on test with any loose items left off.


Not the best photo in the world but it's the best one I've got of her in 1 piece again.


At the moment the only thing left to do is fit the name and worksplates once they arrive, no doubt something else will crop up in time!

Excellent update William!


First of all - am pleased to see someone give due care and give such a loco a chance via new parts. Your call of fitting it with RWM motion (cyls and rev block) is a wise one and I am hoping it performed well? Have you opened out the gaskets to ensure the cylinder portface's steamholes aren't partially obscured?

In reference to Superbiker's query of cut frames -- it could be either. Older models of larger tanks did require the frames to be butchered, but some (the Gremlin specials come to mind) are more like three separate tanks with the connecting pipes sat under the frames to ensure supply. Is Baz's meths burner such?

I notice the retention of MSS wheels - I trust they run well then as opposed to many who replace them (shallow flanges) with steel options.

Lastly -- very rare bodywork indeed. Looking forward to seeing Baz sporting its plates -- please show more photos of you can.

[williamfj]

Thanks for the replies guys, she did need to have the rear of the frames cut off to fit the tank. When I fitted the gaskets I didn't think to open them out, I'll keep that in mind next time she needs some work. The wheels haven't caused any trouble yet, although replacement wheels are something that might be fitted eventually as she does seem to waddle a bit.

[dougrail]

I'll try and take some photos of what I mean by opening out the gaskets - all it is is taking a needle file, and filing into the gasket material approximately where it partially obstructs the steam holes on the cylinder. If not on Lady of the Lake, expect it in the next couple of months when I work on my new 'permanent fleet member'.

Waddling wheels might be caused by the wheels not being perfectly circular or by bearing wearing - my old steel lock-nut bearing ones did this after five years of solid use, a surprise mind as older wheels seemed to have lasted much longer.

[Chris Cairns]

Have you opened out the gaskets to ensure the cylinder portface's steamholes aren't partially obscured?

It seems that everyone is now supplying the MSS gaskets for mounting cylinders? Here's what I do. Fit the gasket to the cylinder back plate using the bolts to check how the cut-outs line up with the steam/exhaust ports.


This example is actually very good - I use a small circular file to make sure the ports are clear

For the chassis frame I mount the gaskets so I can now see where the gasket cut-outs need adjusting with the circular file (I've drilled the chassis steam ports out here).


So here you can see the gaskets need opening out between the steam ports & the front mounting bolts

The aftermarket 'O' ring piston cylinders have the steam/exhaust path machined into their cylinder back plate so only need to be mounted using plain sheet gaskets. Must be easier/more cost effective now to just supply the ready made MSS gaskets - my PPS/RWM De Winton's cylinders are mounted with plain sheet gaskets.

Chris Cairns