I have always been willing to fire an engine up once, even some of my 1880’s engines, but this engine has made it roughly 65 years with no evidence of a fire under the boiler. Even the firebox shows very light scratching where the smoke stack sits and the burner came with an old yellowed 4 pack of fuel. Could use a gentle cleaning and polishing in a few areas, but what a nice piece! It was on eBay for what seemed like a month and I had ran out of offers for the seller, but they finally lowered the price and I had to take it. A bit more than I wanted to spend, but there can’t be too many out there this clean.
I once had a very nice 125/4 that I let go of after getting a 135/2 thinking I only needed one Fleischmann. Four 135/2’s later (currently have 3 variants and traded off a duplicate) I am now on the lookout for another after getting this 130/2 c1957 😆
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Seller did an excellent job packing the engine with all the loose parts wrapped and boxed up and they understood my warning about the boilers being easily dented. I wish I could have more experience like this on eBay!!
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That's a real beauty Nick, and I do love Fleischmanns as a quality engine from the "old" school.
I actually have one in similar condition, perhaps not quite as nice as yours, that I also believe to be unfired, or maybe only nearly so. It still has its original box and literature as well, though the box is rather out of shape but still structurally okay. I'll have to dig mine back out to confirm what I've said, but I think it is correct. I think mine has a blue base, though I may be confusing it with another as I have three.
With a blue base, it’s likely the larger 135/2, even better! 😆
Two of my 135/2’s in the video below. My blue base also has a rough original box. While I like boxes, it is huge and a pain to store, so it is currently used as a storage box for all my Fleischmann accessory boxes 😆
If there is a lesson we should all take from this purchase, it’s that this engine is 65 or so years old, never fired and still sold for less than half of what it would cost brand new. If you’re buying a new engine and putting it on the shelf for future collector value, don’t! 😆 fire it up and enjoy it! Most if not all of us here will be gone in 65 years, so enjoy your brand new engines!!
https://youtu.be/nV3KtSYndDU
No, the engine I'm referring to is definitely a 130/2. The box has a hand written "Grandpa's Steam Engine" on it, and the chimney was still wrapped in what appeared to be original tissue with straw. Also came with a loop of string full of various washers.
I do also have two 135/2 Fleischmanns, so there is no confusion as to model, only remembering actual base color?!?! ;c)
That is in amazing condition, Nick...!!!
Congrats...!!!
Since you have others similar, you will always have at least one you can enjoy firing.
Gil