My Live Steam Loco's No.2 - Mamod SL1

A very popular starting point for Live Steam. With their low cost comes a number of problems which can be discussed here
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Chris Cairns
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My Live Steam Loco's No.2 - Mamod SL1

Post by Chris Cairns » Sat Jan 12, 2008 5:22 pm

This is my second Live Steam loco, which is also a Mamod SL1.

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This was part of a near complete set which I won on ebay about 5 years ago. It was described as a shed find, and the loco was missing it's safety valve (replacement easily obtained). It did come with a somewhat battered polystyrene insert. I've now added a funnel and coupling hook to this set.

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The loco has obviously been well used and is very free running. The boiler insert for the steam dome was leaking so this has been soldered up, and I removed the whistle to fit a water top-up valve instead. I have also filed the rear drag beam to allow fitting of a meths burner which is part of another Mamod loco I purchased after this one (Loco No.7).

Several of the track sections had broken tabs, which I have managed to replace by using scrap plastic from a model boat kit. This has provided me with a test loop in order to run this loco, and others, in my kitchen or garage, whilst I await the construction of my garden railway (a very long term project due to current commitments and winter weather). This track is the earlier type with no reinforcing strips on the joining tabs which would date this set as 1980.

Those of you who have won these sets on ebay will know that postage is expensive due to the weight. So I actually went to Dundee on a cheap mid-week return ticket from Glasgow to collect this set in person. That worked out cheaper that the £20 postage quoted (I think the rail fare was about £14.50 on the National Express Scotrail franchise).

Thanks for looking.

Chris Cairns.
Last edited by Chris Cairns on Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:57 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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ACLR
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Post by ACLR » Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:07 pm

another great engine

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Post by steamyjim » Sun Jan 13, 2008 6:23 pm

Very nice again!

Are you going to mod any of the SL1s? Regulators, lubricators etc?

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Post by Chris Cairns » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:13 am

Loco No.1 will stay in original condition, and be a solid fuel burner until I can get that funny meths block to work properly.

Loco No.2 is an excellent runner as long as you set the reverser/regulator carefully. It has a water top-up valve and uses my meths burner. So no changes anticipated with this loco.

I'm waiting for a safety valve to turn up and then use the body to make a syphon tube for my Mamod type pressure gauge. This would then see how all my Mamod/MSS locos are doing.

Still to be posted on this forum Loco No.7 is another SL1 which has several upgrades. It is fitted with an IP Eng Lubricator which is fairly useless at present, and I suspect the bent pipe may be restricting the flow of oil. If I cannot get that fixed then a Roundhouse lubricator will be fitted as it has 'O' ring pistons fitted which need lubricating under use.

Loco No.4 is the MSS Saddle Tank and I'm waiting to post this here on the forum as I've just managed to get the 2nd boiler insert working on this after removing the MSS 'plug'.

And Loco No.8 is a SL1K which has been a big struggle. Although running it still needs a lot of work. Fitted with a water top-up valve (currently on the Saddle Tank), uprated safety valve, and with a ceramic gas burner which is now going into the IP Jane (Loco No.3).

I do have most of a set of the upgraded 'O' ring pistons to retrofit, but they need another 'O' ring to complete - possibly use them on Loco No.8.

Whilst I like the needle valve regulators (same as fitted to the Jane & Janet), they are a bit pricey for me at present (no Grandfather to make me them!). So I'll stick to getting another water top-up valve and possibly another uprated safety valve for just now. Rebuilding the IPS Janet is going to drain my money and will be time consuming as it involves silver soldering, which is still new to me.

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Post by ACLR » Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:26 am

that all sounds Great Chris.
the needle valves are a bit pricy but I think worth it. we can get them for 17.5% less as no vat for us but add postage brings it back again .

have ordered uprated piston kit  for my MSS loco so waiting for it to turn up hopefully next week. will post up on here the upgrade with pics

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