Mamod Locomotive Rebuild

Hi all, I recently signed up to the website and have been enjoying reading the forum posts so I thought I would share one of my ongoing projects with you. Some time ago I bought a rather sad looking Mamod railway locomotive on eBay as a restoration project. I’m rebuilding it as a 7/8” scale narrow gauge quarry/industrial type to run on SM32 peco track in my back garden.

I’ve fabricated a taller spectacle plate from brass sheet and an extended chimney as the first steps in the resizing process.

I’ll post updates as things progress.

Welcome to the forum, William

MichaelG.

Hi William, good looking start and I like the colour scheme.

Regards Nick.

Welcome William, your post prompts the question are Mamod still trading ? They used to be made in Burntwood West Midlands not far from me. I have a Mamod stationery engine that has not steamed for many years. Chris.

I'd be surprised if Mamod are still trading. Children with fire and burny stuff. Perish the thought!

I look forward to seeing the completed rebuild William.

Hi William, welcome to this useful forum. In case you hadn't come acreoss them there have been several threads about Mamods on this site, some which may be of interest. Literally put 'Mamod' in the search box

reagrds Mike

My understanding is that they are still trading. I believe the locomotives are still made by MSS, which I don't think is a part of the Mamod group but could be wrong.

Just had a Google search and it would appear that Mamod is still going strong, see here, but they are not cheap to buy

Martin

Edited By Martin W on 20/12/2021 11:35:18

Many thanks for the welcome messages.

My parents had the foresight to buy me the Mamod Meccano steam engine when I was about 10 years old and later I was given the SE3 twin cylinder one. Many a happy hour spent with a bottle of meths and a box of matches using these to power contraptions I had created.

I have collected other Mamods since then including another Meccano one in a very sad state that I’m thinking of turning into a Tram style or geared loco to run alongside the locomotive featured in this thread.

Forest Classics still sell a comprehensive range of Mamod models and spares.

Jim

Welcome to the forum

H

Hi William

I keep wondering about turning my old Meccano steam engine into some kind of bush tram as I have a soft spot for this sort of thing team_locomotive_of_Robert_T.Watson,_Charming_Creek,_West_Coast,_NZ.jpg">Charming Creek Tramway

Incidentally Dream Steam near Maidstone sell a lot of Mamod/MSS loco spares. As I understand it, when Malins went under, MSS bought the railway tooling whilst the new Mamod company continued with the stationary and road engines, then later went on to bring out a new range of locomotives.

Brian G

Is anything cheap these days? To be fair, if you look up a short video of them making these models (youtube) you can appreciate the number of processes they go through to complete, test etc so are bound to cost a few quid.

I wonder if they are still made in this country, or like everything else - the far east?

regards Mike

The Mamod website shows that the manufacture of models is in the West Midlands in fact the supply chain etc appears mostly locally based.

Link to the Mamod about us page here:

Mamod

 P.S. very impressive work the loco is looking good.

Edited By V8Eng on 21/12/2021 12:14:40

Hi Brian G.

Thanks for the link to the bush tram site, it's quite amazing what has been done in the past with a borrowed boiler and a bit of chain drive.

I've used Dream Steam to provide the missing cylinders and some other parts for the project.

"Just had a Google search and it would appear that Mamod is still going strong, see here, but they are not cheap to buy".

I have just checked the Mamod site and was surprised, to say the least, at the prices. The last Mamod model that I bought was a traction engine for my then step-daughter's young son. This would be about 1993 and I can't think that the model cost much more than £80, if that. To see that a similar model now runs into several hundreds of pounds seems to me to have outstripped the inflation of the intervening years by quite a margin. However, if this British manufacturer can succeed and prosper with these models which have traditionally been bought for boys by fathers and grandfathers there will be no criticism from me.

I think the key word in your comments Chris was 'traditionally'. Regardless of how much people like us may appreciate the models, I have a feeling the the vast majority of young folk given a straight choice between a Mamod engine and an X-Box or Playstation the choice would be quite simple these days!

They're collectors pieces or toys for much-older-boys now! (I've got one on the shelf in my workshop).

Deleted V8.

Edited By V8Eng on 23/12/2021 12:35:24