[Alan Green]

Hello

New to this forum and this is in fact my first post!

Figured it would be a good idea to join a form like this so I can ask for advice and bounce ideas around. A few weeks ago I decided to take the plunge and start a hobby I've always wanted to do but never previously had the time/money

One of my earliest memories is looking at and riding on the live steam trains my grandad made and always wanted to build one of my own... Well I've decided to have a go!

Bought a part built Bantam Cock, I figured this would be a bit less daunting than starting from scratch

I've set up a blog to keep a record of my progress... http://alanpgreen.wordpress.com

I'd appreciate any thoughts or comments (good or bad)

Thanks

Alan

 

[John Webb]

Welcome to the Forum! Hope you enjoy your building.

The only piece of advice I'd give is to find your nearest model engineering society with a running track and join them. You should find them a source of advice and help, and of course somewhere to run your engine once constructed.

Regards,
John

 

[Long funnel & tiresome]

Welcome to the forum Alan.
A most interesting project to be embarking upon - the 3 cylinder Bantam Cock with Cartazzi truck is hardly the simplest of of locos to inherit! My old scoutmaster (a delightful Captain Mainwairing style bank official) had an LBSC design that he never completed, but his son inherited the project and I understand will roll it on to the grandson with still some of the running gear to complete.
Curious to know what gauge your loco is, very admiring of your spirit, please try to overcome the hurdles of posting pictures on this forum of your progress.
It makes a welcome change from 00; spring must be on its way!

LF&T

 

[David Todd]

QUOTE Curious to know what gauge your loco is The clue, "they" say, will always be in the Title.............

 

[sean hpw]

DT good one,

Alan,

Welcom to the forum, I look forward to seeing the progress, I built a 7.1/4 inch gauge electric tram (needs refitting if I am honest) it weights entirely to much at 3CWT without batteries! so I look forward to someting that can be lifted by an indevidual as opposed to the 2 or even three needed to move 'Toby' (thread to follow, one day)

Sean

 

[Ashley Hathaway]

This looks like a spectacular build, is there any recent updates to this project?

 

[LTSR]

Apparently LBSC (Laurie Laurence aka "Curley") described the building of "Bantam Cock " in English Mechanics during 1945/6.

It should be possible to obtain copies by submitting a request through your local library to the National Lending Library, these copies you can purchase or at least you could in the past, unless of course our Westminster masters have privatised that too.

Visit the A.J. Reeves website, they advertise drawings and probably do castings too.

Bear in mind that there are not so many 3½" tracks around as there once were, 5" & 7¼" are far more popular these days. Maybe 'cos we are getting richer or fatter -- 'an I know wot one I am . . .

Also remember the boiler certificate requirements, the EU, in it's wisdom, lumped model boilers in with the likes of Drax and Sizewell B for testing purposes! If you are going to run the loco anywhere in public a current certificate and insurance is a must have. LBSC's sixtyfive year old boiler design might not cut the mustard these days, something else to check. That is not to say that LBSC didn't design good boilers, he did but they might not meet current specs.

 

[conmaira]

When I was still at school, the local library had a book entitled "Model Steam Locomotive Construction" during the period of my loan someone set the library on fire and they lost a lot of their records of loans. I know of one book they didn't get back!

It was always my intention to build one, one day and 40 years later still haven't so congratulations on actually starting!

Looks as though your progress could form the basis for a good book.

Hugh

 

[Bill Veloz]

Yes, I bought the LSBC book for building a Maisie, the 4-4-2 Atlantic.

Still have it, but my metalwork skills never got beyond trying to make a garden fork in school, and that was never completed.

Good luck to you, and good advice given there about joining your local Society of Model Engineers.