Garden Railway Forum

Sounds good to me! For the George\Mildred you may have no choice but to go down the kit route, since RH stopped producing finished locos last year (or the year before, don't remember). Caradoc is rather handsome, I do agree. I now somewhat regret that I never got hold of a John Sutton Meeting while I had the chance... The open-cabbed appearance really befits the overall Victorian theme that I am looking for.

I'd almost forgotten your Victorian theme. What about a Millie with a spectacle plate or half cab? I think the Silver Lady dome looks very Victorian in appearance. I'll find a picture of what I have in mind for a spectacle plate and post it later.

You are correct about George/Mildred being only available as a kit. To my eyes it is an 0-4-0 version of the Lady Anne. When I bought my Lady Anne Katie was my second choice. I still like it but prefer side tanks to saddle tanks.

By coincidence, after I posted my short list of preferred locos I was offered a Caradoc. The Sellar isn't a forum member so doesn't know about my short list It's been heavily modified and detailed. The only issue I have with it is the colour and name. Both easily sorted. I will have a look at it and post pictures of it on here if I buy it.

Ian

I was going to post a link to a picture of the spectacle plate I had in mind, but I just noticed the Millie already has one! Tag Gorton did an article on improving the Millie. Possibly in Garden Rail?

Would look good in Maroon, with gold lining and plenty of polished brass.

Ian

Wow, what a great coincidence about that Caradoc! I look forward to seeing more about it.

Millie was my first choice and has been for a number of years, but the slip-eccentric valve gear has put me off somewhat, since I really like a little more realism when I play with trains. That and it basically comes with nothing added - when I did some mathematics, a Millie with the additions required to make it up to spec with other models (water gauge, pressure gauge etc) it actually costs just as much if not a bit more than an Accucraft Ragleth. In my mind, it wasn't as economically viable.

HereticUK wrote: ↑Thu Jul 19, 2018 10:01 am Wow, what a great coincidence about that Caradoc! I look forward to seeing more about it.

Millie was my first choice and has been for a number of years, but the slip-eccentric valve gear has put me off somewhat, since I really like a little more realism when I play with trains. That and it basically comes with nothing added - when I did some mathematics, a Millie with the additions required to make it up to spec with other models (water gauge, pressure gauge etc) it actually costs just as much if not a bit more than an Accucraft Ragleth. In my mind, it wasn't as economically viable.

I am going to view the Caradoc today, so watch this space. I have seen it before the mods and pictures of it afterwards so I know what to expect. Just have one or two questions but I'll be taking the money ready to hand over!

I know what you mean about the cost of the add-ons. It is similar for the kit build Roundhouse locomotives. When I add in the cost of tools required and painting the saving isn't great, if any! Factor in a cost for time and it's better value to buy ready to run. Plus of course with Roundhouse it comes with a guarantee and already tested and run in on air. What about an Edrig, second hand? The only benefit I can see to a kit is the "I built that" factor. If the Caradoc I'm considering hadn't come up I'd have bought one second hand and changed it to suit my tastes.

Ian