Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Builds, Repairs, Show Your Machines! => Live Steam Locomotives => Topic started by: Tony Bird on February 06, 2026, 03:15:31 am

Title: Re: Rhydypenau Garden Railway.
Post by: Stoker on February 07, 2026, 10:34:38 am
Hi Daniel

That is quite the impressive consist to be hauled by a little single cylinder oscillator!

The cylinder is a Mamod double acting one, a pair of which are used on their locomotive. The drive train uses Meccano gears, sprockets and chain that give about a 5:1 reduction to the axle. The models wheels are brass Meccano flanged wheels.

The traction is remarkable, what is seen in the video might be considered a light load; some months earlier at an open day at the model engineering club I belong to we ran out of wagons that would couple. The wheels, axle boxes and saddle are 3.5" gauge castings. The heavier load is seen towards the end of the video.

  https://youtu.be/Ok_NALMqico?si=gwtaH1mSLh6Y1mhJ

Hi Jim, Glad you like it.

Take care Tony.

Okay, yes, a double acting cylinder and some significant gear reduction all help and that makes perfect sense, but in my opinion, that is still just a single cylinder oscillator, and as such I continue to feel that as quite impressive performance!

Well Done Tony!!!
Title: Re: Rhydypenau Garden Railway.
Post by: RedRyder on February 07, 2026, 08:12:56 am
That's awesome, Tony...!!! 
You have built a superb display of locomotive and rolling stock.
Title: Re: Rhydypenau Garden Railway.
Post by: Tony Bird on February 07, 2026, 03:15:50 am
Hi Daniel

That is quite the impressive consist to be hauled by a little single cylinder oscillator!

The cylinder is a Mamod double acting one, a pair of which are used on their locomotive. The drive train uses Meccano gears, sprockets and chain that give about a 5:1 reduction to the axle. The models wheels are brass Meccano flanged wheels.

The traction is remarkable, what is seen in the video might be considered a light load; some months earlier at an open day at the model engineering club I belong to we ran out of wagons that would couple. The wheels, axle boxes and saddle are 3.5" gauge castings. The heavier load is seen towards the end of the video.

  https://youtu.be/Ok_NALMqico?si=gwtaH1mSLh6Y1mhJ

Hi Jim, Glad you like it.

Take care Tony.
Title: Re: Rhydypenau Garden Railway.
Post by: Jim on February 06, 2026, 11:23:54 pm
What a fantastic layout.
Title: Re: Rhydypenau Garden Railway.
Post by: Stoker on February 06, 2026, 01:52:22 pm
That is quite the impressive consist to be hauled by a little single cylinder oscillator!

Well done on all of that!!!
Title: Rhydypenau Garden Railway.
Post by: Tony Bird on February 06, 2026, 03:15:31 am
Hi,

Given the bad weather that some of us are experiencing, a reminder of better weather.

Cracker XL hauls some newly made stock based on the stock of the fictious 15" gauge Churchwater Slate Railway thought up by Brian Clarke in the 1980's.

https://youtu.be/R-IsIQLehiE?si=FNyW0xWN1JU5WNy9

Take care Tony.