Mamod vs MSS vs PPS vs IP

South-Trethevy · Post by **South-Trethevy** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:57 am

This is a follow up to my once popular Mamod vs Edrig where Mamod quite clearly lost, here i want to know which ''mamod type'' loco you would prefer out of the types i mention in poll. Enjoy voting, it will be an interseting battle!

South-Trethevy · Post by **South-Trethevy** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:59 am

Sorry the IP Jane was cut off the poll, so if you want to vote for her place your vote in PPS Janet, as it is basicly the same loco.

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:20 pm

We do love to have a lot of polls on this small Forum.

Problem with this one is it is comparing old/second hand locos (which you cannot send back for replacement) against new locos.

And I do think there is enough difference between the old IP Jane and the new PPS Janet to warrant it being in a separate category (IP Jane had a much better cast smokebox and chimney, whilst PPS Janet uses the MSS one - formerly Mamod one, and the wheels on the IP Jane were much better than the plain standard wheels fitted to the PPS Janet).

Of course if you go for all the options (gas burner, spoked wheels & pressure gauge) on the PPS Janet then you have the best performer of this lot, but at over twice the price of the others (depends how much an IP Jane is worth in second hand market, last one on ebay UK went for about £200).

I've placed my vote in the PPS Janet category, but it is actually for the IP Jane with the Cheddar Models boiler, which has a better build quality than the current PPS boiler.

South-Trethevy · Post by **South-Trethevy** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:24 pm

i see your point.....................
thanks for voting.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:22 pm

is anyone going to vote for the first option apart from me?

South-Trethevy · Post by **South-Trethevy** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:35 pm

is any one going to vote for the 3rd option?

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:39 pm

CCairns wrote:We do love to have a lot of polls on this small Forum.

I've placed my vote in the PPS Janet category, but it is actually for the IP Jane with the Cheddar Models boiler, which has a better build quality than the current PPS boiler.

I noticed that, and was not sure what we are comparing..... appearance, performace, cost, age, each value could have a different vote.

Also, what are the negatives to the PPS boiler? Thanks!

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:37 pm

what are the negatives to the PPS boiler

It is just my opinion of the quality build. Cheddar Models had a very good stove enameller, and the paint on my IP Jane is much better than the paint on the 2nd hand PPS boiler I recently got off ebay. Also the tubes for the water sight glass are much better positioned on the Cheddar boiler, the PPS one's are not directly above each other (although sight glass tube still fits OK). And lastly the holes for securing it to the smokebox have been mis-aligned on my PPS boiler, so much so that a second hole has been scored on the boiler surface due to fitting this boiler wrong previously. When I soldered in some 6BA nuts inside the front plate of this boiler I adjusted the holes so that the safety valve is in line with the chimney when fitted.

Big advantage of the current PPS boiler is the additional take-offs for a pressure gauge and whistle, which is much easier than trying to modify our IP boilers top sight glass tube bolt.

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:23 pm

CCairns wrote:what are the negatives to the PPS boiler

It is just my opinion of the quality build. Cheddar Models had a very good stove enameller, and the paint on my IP Jane is much better than the paint on the 2nd hand PPS boiler I recently got off ebay. Also the tubes for the water sight glass are much better positioned on the Cheddar boiler, the PPS one's are not directly above each other (although sight glass tube still fits OK). And lastly the holes for securing it to the smokebox have been mis-aligned on my PPS boiler, so much so that a second hole has been scored on the boiler surface due to fitting this boiler wrong previously. When I soldered in some 6BA nuts inside the front plate of this boiler I adjusted the holes so that the safety valve is in line with the chimney when fitted.

Big advantage of the current PPS boiler is the additional take-offs for a pressure gauge and whistle, which is much easier than trying to modify our IP boilers top sight glass tube bolt.

The paint on my IP boiler started flaking off when I unpacked it from the box. Not enamel either, a flat type of paint. No physical problems with the boiler, but I did use two sheetmetal screws for mounting the smokebox. Did not think of the nut idea, I may do that when I take it back apart for painting, thanks!

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:44 pm

Yes I think the later IP boilers came from the same source as the early PPS boilers and use that flat matt black paint. The Cheddar boilers were a nice gloss black.

By the way, do we have any members that have a PPS Janet?

I know that we have several members who have Mamod SLs, and MSS Side Tank locos, plus at least 2 members that have the MSS Saddle Tank loco, and again at least 2 members that have an IP Jane, but I've not seen a PPS Janet appear on the forum yet.

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:10 pm

CCairns wrote:Yes I think the later IP boilers came from the same source as the early PPS boilers and use that flat matt black paint. The Cheddar boilers were a nice gloss black.

By the way, do we have any members that have a PPS Janet?

I know that we have several members who have Mamod SLs, and MSS Side Tank locos, plus at least 2 members that have the MSS Saddle Tank loco, and again at least 2 members that have an IP Jane, but I've not seen a PPS Janet appear on the forum yet.

Give me a couple months, I plan to get one....might have to have a poll on the final color tho (I am between blue and black).

steamyjim · Post by **steamyjim** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:48 pm

Got to be black for me Garrett

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 7:41 pm

Finally found out how to quote someone's posting.

Spule 4 wrote:I am between blue and black

Apart from on the PPS website, I've not seen one in blue, and I think with black (which is not illustrated on the PPS website), it needs highlighting to show the bodywork to its best. Look how dull the Mamod SL1Ks look, particularly as some of the red lining they used was very poor, and not easy to see.

Still it will be nice to see a PPS Janet with all the bells and whistles attached!

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:01 pm

Hi Chris!

CCairns wrote:Finally found out how to quote someone's posting.

Spule 4 wrote:I am between blue and black
Apart from on the PPS website, I've not seen one in blue, and I think with black (which is not illustrated on the PPS website), it needs highlighting to show the bodywork to its best. Look how dull the Mamod SL1Ks look, particularly as some of the red lining they used was very poor, and not easy to see.

Still it will be nice to see a PPS Janet with all the bells and whistles attached!

I figured out how to quote a qoute.

Yes, that would be the bad bit about black. You would have to spring for some brightwork and lining rather quickly.

My initial plans would be for getting the spoked wheels (expensive), chimney cap and dome. Nameplates and some other details to come later. I like the idea of a pressure gauge, but the one shown is a bit on the big size, steamfittings.co.uk supposedly have a 1/2" diameter one coming, and Tag Gorton listed another small diameter one too.

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:12 pm

Yes I was planning on getting a chimney cap, steam dome and name plates for my IP Jane/PPS Janets as well.

Problem with the pressure gauge is getting the 1/2" with a small range, say 0 - 40 PSI, as the currently available 0 - 120 PSI is not appropriate for the IP Jane/PPS Janet. And then it is getting a syphon tube to fit as well!

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