Garden Railway Forum

Interesting...


George


Mildred

Just appeared on the Roundhouse web site - British style 0-4-0T with or without tender. I quite like the style - nice to have some proper footplate over the cylinders.

Not quite so sure about the tender - a bit big? I'd leave that off, close off the gap at the back of the cab with some doors, and add a bunker on the tank.

Appears to be the Katie/Billy chassis - no water gauge, lubricator drains to the side. (Surely Katie/Billy/Lady Ann/Fowler are due for a bit of a revamp in the boiler fittings department some time?)

Very nice, the style is very british

Definitely liking these indeed. Very powerful looking.

My cynicism is well-exercised however at a £183 tender...!

hmm more lady annes

Am I the only one who thinks that they look better than the standard Lady Anne?

Must admit, I don't especially like the looks of the cab back [1] - I hope that an alternative could be offered in the future with either a full backsheet or a full back with spectacles - there were not that many many British engines of that size with open backs.

[1] Looks rather like the Winterthur engines on the Snowdon - suppose you could make a hinged back for the looks.

I'm sorry to say that personally, I don't like them. They're a bit plain and boxy, the shape of the side tanks is rather odd to my eye, and I have to agree that I'm not keen on the tender - they might have done better to re-use the old Linda tender IMHO. The positioning of the dome is a bit odd, too - it would have looked better a little further forward. Oh, and I also think the smokebox is disproportionately large.

Still, I wouldn't have the money to buy them anyway, so it's all academic...

Quite nice, but like MuzTrem, I think the dome would look better further forward.

Mildred in green looks very GWR

Gone Wrong Railway?

I think Roundhouse have got it right. They are very workman like tank engines using alot of roundhouses existing parts (billy chassis, billy cab etch, lady anne smokebox, im guessing a carrie boiler) This adds another few freelance locos to the range and more variety to the range. Look forward to seeing them on a garden line soon!

Sir haydn:57010 wrote:I think Roundhouse have got it right.

Absolutely!

oh dear, I'm now torn between saving up for an accucraft lew, or one of these. lew will probably be nicer, but these are more practical.

Sir haydn:57010 wrote:I think Roundhouse have got it right.

Yup, I think this is going to appeal to a good number, besides being an economical build with existing parts. A real step up from a Millie but noticeably different to Lady Ann.

My hesitation is over the cab back - I don't mind the upper part being open (reminds me of British Aluminium Larne No. 1 "Tyrone", the loco I had my first cab ride on aged 3!) but for me it would need the lower central section. Shouldn't be too tricky to create something removable.

Sir haydn:57010 wrote:using alot of roundhouses existing parts (billy chassis, billy cab etch, lady anne smokebox, im guessing a carrie boiler)

Looks to me like the Katie boiler rather than the Carrie one - no gauge glass, no boiler topup, lubricator drain at side in cab opening rather than below footplate.

It does show that Roundhouse are at least thinking, we live in a period where cash is for many somewhat tight at the moment. By juggling existing components around they have produced two new models with minimal development costs therefore offering variation without raising the price. Some will like them, some will not, thats down to personal taste but Roundhouse should be applauded for bringing these to the market, i do wonder though if it means one or two others will be dropped? some of them have been around a long time now and have perhaps reached a natural end, best regards, Rob

hussra:57033 wrote:

Sir haydn:57010 wrote:I think Roundhouse have got it right.

Yup, I think this is going to appeal to a good number, besides being an economical build with existing parts. A real step up from a Millie but noticeably different to Lady Ann.

My hesitation is over the cab back - I don't mind the upper part being open (reminds me of British Aluminium Larne No. 1 "Tyrone", the loco I had my first cab ride on aged 3!) but for me it would need the lower central section. Shouldn't be too tricky to create something removable.

Sir haydn:57010 wrote:using alot of roundhouses existing parts (billy chassis, billy cab etch, lady anne smokebox, im guessing a carrie boiler)

Looks to me like the Katie boiler rather than the Carrie one - no gauge glass, no boiler topup, lubricator drain at side in cab opening rather than below footplate.

Good point richard but I was looking at the safety valve positioning

'Without raising prices'?

Millie/Bertie - £575
George/Mildred - £1130 or 1313.

Still way too expensive gents. In short, you could get a s/h working car for that price. :/

They are not built onto the Millie\Bertie range, they are built with items from the classic range, therefore the prices are comparable with the existing Katie, Billy etc. One could get an extremely nice s\h car for the price of the high end loco's, or a nice shiny new bicycle for the price of a Mamod!! but still the orders come. cheers Rob

By always comparing items such as these to cars extra no one would ever buy them, buying one is a invesment, like a car
I think there brillint looking locos

i think you just have to accept these things are luxury items and will cost what they cost, the demand is not massive and as such the price will always be high.

Besides, its cheap compared to some hobbies that are about

Not bad looking engines these two, but i think I would rather have some others before these.

Trust them to bring out a loco that personally looks as good as the Lady Anne and also more suited to my line..... even though If I did have the choice between that or a Lady Anne, I think I would still take the Lady Anne!