Garden Railway Forum

I am planning on buying an old Bing for Bassett Lowke LMS Compound #1000 as its one of the few that will gauge one engines that will tollerate my less that perfect track work and LGB track/switches with its tinplate style flanges and wheel treads. But....how do they run? I have seen pics of one runn...

The bunker is on my gas fired Billy, Elk has the tender and the typical open cab back that comes on the Billy. Roundhouse offers a coal bunker for the rear of the cab that fits the Billy, Katie and Lady Anne. I put one on my BIlly.

I put one of the new rear coal bunkers that Roundhouse offers on my factory built Billy, that also really makes the engine look more complete as a tank engine. The open cab back really needs either the bunker or the tender.

I would also, in hindsight, recommend a satin or matte finish for the model vs the high gloss that Roundhouse uses. Typical paint from a rattle can does not have enough hardener in it to deal with the grit and grime of a coal fired model. It scratches up very quickly when you clean it up, many times...

That would be Justin Koch of Nanticoke boiler works that does Jay's coal conversions. I know he is booked up for boiler work a good year to 2 years in advance. I know at one time they were planning a coal fired Lady Anne, but I am guessing it would be more like the DJB set up with axle pump, working...

I painted the boiler and smokebox with high temp satin finish BBQ grill paint. I used regular paint with a built in primer on everything else. All parts including the boiler got baked in the oven at 175'F for one hour or a bit more to cure the paint. It was then left alone for a day or so before ass...

My one day off from work this week, beautiful weather, a great day to do what Roundhouse engines do best....raise steam! I also started some modifications to the railway to suit my European meter gauge theme/16mm narrow gauge(on 45mm track). New engine house area started and awaiting longer boards t...

high heat/fireproof area to drop the ash pan on coal fired engines that are becoming more common, so no sleepers for several inches to allow the pan to be dropped with ashes, remains of hot partially burnt coal falling into a metal pan/tin that is removable. I have also seen cookie tins recessed int...

Thanks! I did notice that Roundhouse's version of the chuffer is much slimmer in diameter. I never liked how much the other brands would block the chimney and force the gas burner heat out the bottom of the smokebox. Roundhouse's enhancer is barely larger than the pipe itself and takes up less space...

On both my Mayflower and my late run Major, there was a four AA battery pack under the cab footplate between the frames rails and behind the rear driver axle. Receiver was mounted on one side of the butane tank. I no longer own the engines, so I have no pictures to share. A modern four AAA rechargea...

Neither are, Lilla cannot be fitted as it has inside valve gear. Billy will be later this year. But the combination of a heavy train of LGB coaches/wagons, all with metal wheels, the lead blue box wagon has a heavy battery in it to power my LGB electric engines and the ability to control the RC serv...

My friend came up to my place after I got off work one evening this past week. He needed to get out of his house for a bit and he brought me the replacement receiver for my brand new Billy that would let it link to my RCS palm size tx. We then spent the evening running our two Roundhouse engines. On...

Pressure gauge and the water top up kit with sight glass would be excellent upgrade items when your train fund allows the purchase. I added both to my Bertie back when I had her, along with the brass chimney cap. I have moved up with a pair of Roundhouse Billy class O&K locomotives, one of them ...

Yes. I was very active in HO scale and into brass locomotives which are painted much the same way then baked in the oven at 170'F for an hour or so. I did the same with the Elke. Everything was baked in the oven. That helps, then leaving the model alone for a day or two helps as well as even with ba...

If I lived in the UK, I would seriously look into going to work for Roundhouse assembling locomotives. Assembling things is something I really enjoy doing. My job on the assembly line for Chrysler is very satisfying. Being on the autism spectrum, the routine and assembly part of my job is a perfect ...

Successful first run on coal. Lots of detail work still to do, but she runs really nice. Lots to learn and practice with the coal firing before the fist public run next month.

It might look automatic as the Riverdale is designed for it to be controlled via RC servo on the 3rd or 4th channel. Here is the basic engine completed for the most part. Once the missing safety valve and its mounting adapter arrive, I can fire her up for the first time. https://i.ibb.co/fD3fZyM/Riv...

The damping is not automatic, its just the ability to slightly open the firebox door a bit to allow cool air to put pulled in and not up thru the fire. I will get a picture of the grate later today, its a conventional bar type. The firebox is dry sided and quite thick. 2 large, 10mm internal diamete...

New pic time, progress is being made. By the time the missing parts are shipped to me, I will be ready to light a fire in her. https://i.ibb.co/hcwN4M8/Riverdale7.jpg https://i.ibb.co/74Lv6BQ/Riverdale6.jpg view inside the firebox before i put the boiler on the chassis https://i.ibb.co/zs8XPkK/20220...

Yes, I will get a pic here later today looking up inside the firebox.