Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines
The Regular Stuff: Chat, Buy, Sell, Off Topic, etc. => Off Topic => Topic started by: St Paul Steam on October 03, 2022, 07:58:53 pm
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My first was a Jensen 30. We went down and bought it from Tom SR at the shop. I really wanted a 25 but they were out of them since it was right before Christmas. He was smoking a cigar like in the pictures and still had the accent from Denmark.
That's pretty neat John, I would imagine your the only person on this forum that has met Tom Sr.
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My first was a Jensen 30. We went down and bought it from Tom SR at the shop. I really wanted a 25 but they were out of them since it was right before Christmas. He was smoking a cigar like in the pictures and still had the accent from Denmark.
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My first steam engine was a Weeden 420 which I bought in 2017. It's in my profile picture.
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Thanks for the explanation Tony, looking forward to the videos.
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Definitely looking forward to yet another of your "boring" videos Tony!
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Hi Bruce,
So, did you actually build the dbl 10 Tony ?
Yes, found it under the bench yesterday, a bit dusty and tarnished, the the exhaust pipe has had a knock. I remember know at the time I was learning plating and gold plated the lubricator! Also, the Model Engineer had an article on making and fitting cast iron piston rings of which I made many before fitting two to the pistons that didn't break, which also improved my vocabulary.
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Sorry to hear about the rain interfering with your Garden rail meet, just curios...what is the alternative when that happens ?
We have a covered area at the bottom of our garden a sort of rustic summer house known as the 'Winter Palace' and had the rain continued it is a healthy three hundred walk to the pub down the road.
As it was the sun shone at midday and all afternoon, though it was very windy. I will undoubtedly be boreing you with the videos that friends made when I have cobbled them together.
Take care Tony.
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Interesting story Arnold, nice 1st engine as well.
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My Dad had a Maerklin 4097/7 or similar when I was a Kid and we never had the chance
to play with it. We only may watch but striktly no fingers. Later on he sold it without
ask us children. The Virus has started in my brain. Ca. 1978 when I bought my first
Unimat Lathe there were also building sets available. I bought the Boiler and Engine Set
but there were only stock bars and sheet metal in the Boxes and a construction drawing.
I was happy that I already had some practice in silver brazing so it took only a month
to finish it into a working steam plant. The burner tray and the posts are finished parts
that I got from Swiss Wilesco Importer. I still have this simple engine and it may run from
time to time. After that I made several Stuart's starting with the V 10 and I had to
update my machinery park with a professional lathe etc.
Arnold :D
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Bonjour Tony,
To my opinion, as it seems that we are of the same generation, The Stuart D10 is "THE MUST" in terms of steam machine as I told it in my messsage, this is why I am as curious as Bruce on the future of these castings ;)
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Hi,
In the early 1960's when in my mid teens I was bought a set of castings for a Stuart double ten, I still have it somewhere, and I have no idea of how many engines that have been built in the following 60 years.
Its raining heavily today and we are supposed to be hosting the last garden rail meet of the year, in our garden!
Take care Tony.
So, did you actually build the dbl 10 Tony ?
Sorry to hear about the rain interfering with your Garden rail meet, just curios...what is the alternative when that happens ?
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Hi,
In the early 1960's when in my mid teens I was bought a set of castings for a Stuart double ten, I still have it somewhere, and I have no idea of how many engines that have been built in the following 60 years.
Its raining heavily today and we are supposed to be hosting the last garden rail meet of the year, in our garden!
Take care Tony.
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Nice beginning Charlie, & as they say "the rest is history ", do you still have your 1st engine ?
Absolutely.
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Rainer I'm sure it was replaced with much finer machines, I have seen glimpses of your very nice collection. (Especially accessories)
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My first steam engine was a poor DOLL 348/4 of the late 1930s.
After some cleaning it finally worked but over the time I found other steam engines and sold it two years ago.
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Nice beginning Charlie, & as they say "the rest is history ", do you still have your 1st engine ?
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And this was my first YouTube Video posted April 2017.
https://youtu.be/rKo9-ihOP-M
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Weeden 702. My wife bought it for me in 2006 as a Christmas present.
She has regretted it ever since. :)
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A very nice (full size) engine, only a dream for many of us 😊
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Ruston Proctor, here is a video, I’m the old fat guy in a blue check shirt with the hat.
https://youtu.be/55Re_qeEubk
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I have to agree with the others, Raphael, that is some fantastic work!
My beginning was much more humble. I could not afford a steam engine so I resolved to build one! I found one in a library book at school:
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I built the thing, but with my lack of skills and equipment, it never ran. I'm not quite sure where it ended up.
Eventually, I received a Jensen #75 as a Christmas present. Mom purchased it from the Montgomery Ward Christmas catalog. Curiously, it had no Jensen tag, or even a Ward's tag. I used to run it indoors with an electric motor: By running it backwards, I could fill the boiler with air pressure, then "run" the engine on the compressed air! I was so happy with that engine! That is, until after the first couple of firings. It acquired that "charming" burnt look, and I never quite felt the same about it. Shallow, I know. :-\ When I moved out of my parents' house, I think it stayed behind. All of the Jensens I own now are electric fired. ;)
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Bonjour Bruce,
I test all my boats in my bathtub as soon as they measure less than 1,37 m, limit with the emptying system.
For fun, another long boat : https://youtu.be/KYDvZ6-ZPFE
But also a "fast' one with a compound JMC : https://youtu.be/m5zmisFCIT8
Bad luck, my last "fast" boat measures 1,40 m : https://youtu.be/cc-cy1wx7I8
And another powerful one with a Stuart D10 plant : https://youtu.be/utYZJDJPBVg
With these tests, I find possible issues (leaks,...) and note their average autonomy.
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I did chuckle a little bit at that 1st video Raphael , you tug is only "slightly" smaller than the bathtub it's sitting in. 😄
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Bonjour Bruce,
Good question.
As steamboat passionate since I was a young boy, my first steam plant and boat should have been this "Côte d'Emeraude" tug, Diesel in real life but designed for a Syuart D10 plant as model : https://youtu.be/tSOSj89BY_M
Quite too expensive for me at that time, I waited for more than 40 years to have mine.
My first steam plant and boat came for my 50th anniversary, a 1,20 m launch with a 3 è 7,5 cm3 JMC steam plant and already... a whistle ;D : https://youtu.be/ElYtqlvtB-4
And now I am 66... And a too large fleet for my beloved wife !
Raphael, that Liva 1 is a magnificent first steam engine package!
Gil
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The first I played with was my Dad's and his Dad's Weeden 14 which I over revved and disintegrated the flywheel.
The first steam engine I could call my own was a Christmas gift from my grandparents ca 1960-61 who must have remembered me (7 months earlier on a previous visit) drooling over the Jensen #55 in the glass counter display case at a hobby shop near their home. It was just the right height off the floor to catch the eye and imagination of this young boy. By Christmas I was thinking about other things and having no idea what was in this heavy box. I was filled with joy and mightily chuffed to open a box to find a shiny new Jensen #55.
Fast forward to around 1999-2000... I knew I still had it yet it took me 4 years to find it after I began collecting steam engines over 20 years ago while I was searching boxes for ancient family photographs. Finding it gave a me joy similar to that on the day I opened that box over 60 years ago. It was just as I remembered it... #55 engine on wood base with entire boiler assembly missing.
I acquired another #55 from which I cannibalized the entire boiler assembly. I repainted the black parts and put the beast back together.
Over the years I acquired 3 more #55s that were of the same era but in nicer condition. I sold or traded each of them, always keeping my original #55 for obvious sentimental reasons.
Enjoy!
Gil
Here it is!
as found... and restored as it should be
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My first engine was a Mamod SE1 bought new for me in around 1964, sadly no longer around, I still have my second one though which is a 1965 Mamod TE1 gifted to me for Christmas of that year.
Dave
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My first was a Graham TVR1ABB. It turned out pretty good but then years later suffered a bent crank after a fall to a concrete floor. Sold it on to Bruce and replaced it with another TVR1ABB which turned out to be a better build. Should have kept it even though I wasn't up to fixing it but........!
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Bonjour Bruce,
Good question.
As steamboat passionate since I was a young boy, my first steam plant and boat should have been this "Côte d'Emeraude" tug, Diesel in real life but designed for a Syuart D10 plant as model : https://youtu.be/tSOSj89BY_M
Quite too expensive for me at that time, I waited for more than 40 years to have mine.
My first steam plant and boat came for my 50th anniversary, a 1,20 m launch with a 3 è 7,5 cm3 JMC steam plant and already... a whistle ;D : https://youtu.be/ElYtqlvtB-4
And now I am 66... And a too large fleet for my beloved wife !
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Mamod MM1, around 1955 that disappeared eventually, second was a MM2 my sister-in-law helped me buy on Ebay early 2000's, rest is history.
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Good thread Bruce!
Mine was an older spirits fired Mamod SE1a, acquired well over a decade ago, possibly over two, though it somehow feels like it has been much longer than that.
The Mamod was an accidental ebay find, that I was delighted with, as it took me back to my envious childhood days (daze) of the 1950's, when I was able to play with a neighbor and his nice Fleishmann steam engine with some few accessories. I don't recall the model number and am unsure exactly which model it may have been, but my memory and the old catalogs suggest it was a mid-sized double acting engine possibly in the 125 range (125/2?).
The real problem however, occurred while looking on-line for steam engine info, and happened to run across Indiana Rog's Temple of Steam, which totally amazed and initially inspired me. Rog very kindly mentored me some, and in an evil moment suggested that I might like to join a noted international steam Forum, to get a better feel for the subject.
The rest, as they say, is history!
Uncounted dollars, and well over 100 engines (I think?) later, and here I am today .... may the Steam Gods protect and forgive me?!?!
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Wilesco D10 from Sears for Christmas 1967. Still have it.
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Wilesco D21. Red with water pump and gauge and good price and power. Great runner.
Technically I had a sunnycraft sterling engine with generator first.
Jason
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Mine was a small oscillating single, German import, maybe a Wilesco?, dry fuel fired engine that I got as a Christmas present in about 1960. I wish I still had it but it went the way of many childhood toys after I had a lot of fun running it.
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My first engine was a scarce Weeden no.18 at a flea market about 30 years ago. I only spent $25 at the time but actually cost me a fortune in the long run as it started this obsession.
Classic 😄👍
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My first engine was a scarce Weeden no.18 at a flea market about 30 years ago. I only spent $25 at the time but actually cost me a fortune in the long run as it started this obsession.
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My first steam engine was a Wilesco D20 that my grandparents bought in Germany in the 1970s. I still have it.
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Nothing to be embarrassed about mine was a Mamod TE1a purchased in 1979 and I still have it with box a good solid starter engine.
Roy
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I am embarrassed to admit my first engine was a Mamod TE1a
Cheers
Dennis
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In an effort to get some action in slow forum posting lately, I thought I would ask the above question. My 1st steam engine was a carefully selected Wilesco D22 which I still have, I tried to sell it many years ago but fortunately nobody bought it. we all know IndianRogs well documented Fleischmann 122/3 is currently residing with me , but I'll always consider it his.
Soooo....what was your 1st steam engine ?