Enlargement - Part the Second.

[Big Jim]

Before I go any further, I would like to make it clear that I had no intention of another engine joining the stable. The Son and Heir has his gronk that gets a lot of use and I have the Railmotor.

However a member of the local club has decided at the age of 89 to sell his engine. He can still manage to drive it but the maintenance has become a problem as he no longer uses his workshop due to age related problems. The engine was built by another club member and in its 40 year life has been a bit of a fixture at the club. The member offered it to the club to purchase, but we have just acquired a 7 1/4" steam engine and are building another. There is a large 5" narrow gauge engine that needs a rebuild and various other projects that would mean that this engine would not be looked at for a good long time.

There was a desire to keep the engine on its home line and get it rebuilt ASAP so its original builder and last owner can still use it. It was decided that myself and another member would purchase the engine between ourselves and rebuild it, with an eye to selling it back to the club or another club member at some point in the future.

Ladies and Gentleman I give you......

ZULU CHIEF



It is a 3 1/2" Mountaineer, designed by Don Young and based on the FR's ALCO. Despite being 3 1/2" inch gauge it is a bit of a lump as it is a 2ft prototype.

It is seriously worn out. The boiler is good, the paint is awful and there is a lot of play in the motion/valve-gear/horn-blocks etc.

I am not joking when I said a lot of play, the big ends have about 1/4" of play in them. How it still ran is a bit of a mystery.

[tom_tom_go]

Very jealous Jim, looks like you are drifting further away from 16mm!

[Big Jim]

The terrible drift....
There is a bit of that, but it is mainly to do with the fact that there is a club right on my doorstep. I can't see me giving up 16mm at all. (In fact I am currently sorting out loads of bonds track to get it ready for a possible portable layout.) Once I move away and this convieniance no longer applies who knows?

The advantage of the large stuff is that I work on it away from home. In my current parish it is quite difficult to be off duty while still in the house.

It is quite interesting looking at the prices of items in the model engineering scales and how they compare to 16mm. The railmotor was less than a nice second hand RH large engine and the Gronk was second hand mamod money. More bang for your bucks I suppose.