MSS

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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Arthur Sleep
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MSS

Post by Arthur Sleep » Wed Dec 16, 2015 8:01 pm

Hello everyone
Are mss locos any good? Only wondering as they are cheap and they look good for a first locomotive.
Thanks

Joe
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Post by Joe » Thu Dec 17, 2015 4:05 pm

This conversation comes up a lot and all i can say is that mss/mamod locos are very fun and entertaining and you can have lots of fun with "mamodification" although if you can it may be best to invest in a RH basic or lower priced accucraft loco as they are undeniably better in many ways and have conventional cylinders etc. If you cant afford one though theres nothing wrong with occilators but the problem nowadays is that new ones are sold as fuel tablet burners which are not the best and easiest things to fire an engine with. There are methilated spirit conversions or you could make one yourself but this does increase the price you spend on them. Another good option is to get a RWM janet which looks a bit like a mamod and has oscillating cylinders but the build quality is far better and there gas fired and have lots of extras; for 445 pounds these dont seem bad at all.
At the end of the day its up to you and all locos mentioned you can have great fun with its just how far your budget can stretch and what locos you like
hope that helps
Joe
Steam is highly under rated

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Post by Joe » Thu Dec 17, 2015 4:07 pm

Just thought another option is to go down the second hand route but if its your first loco it may be best to stay away from online auctions and buy from a proper trader. You can sometimes pick up mamod and mss locos for very small amounts of money at car boots although int hat case it is a bit of a lottery wether they will work but for anythign less than about 40 pounds its worth getting for parts anyway :D
Steam is highly under rated

Arthur Sleep
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Post by Arthur Sleep » Sat Dec 19, 2015 8:56 am

OK thanks

DLRdan
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Post by DLRdan » Sat Dec 19, 2015 11:50 am

My MSS tank worked straight out the box, that was however 10 years ago. Recently MSS have had quality control issues with loose or badly turned wheels and poorly made cylinders. This is a shame as they are nice locos that are easily altered and if all goes wrong all the spares are easily available. Don't take this as all negative as I've got 3 of them, all good runners. If you are interested I can put some links to videos.
Dan,

James: "Dan, can you use your hearing and tell me if that trains coming ?"
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Post by Arthur Sleep » Sat Dec 19, 2015 3:29 pm

DLRdan:114949 wrote: If you are interested I can put some links to videos.
Yes please!!

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Post by DLRdan » Sat Dec 19, 2015 4:03 pm

Ok then here are 4 videos that I have filmed on my railway. I have also included a couple of locos that are not mine, if you look on my channel there are about a dozen different ones with Mamods in with varying degrees of upgrades/modifications.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gySywcCByY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8V6r-9VD_Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hMRaMlvyuA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06aumHYvxbA

Any questions feel free to ask
Dan,

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DLR
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Arthur Sleep
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Post by Arthur Sleep » Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:24 pm

Thanks, and great videos!!
Next train's gone

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Post by stoker » Mon Jan 11, 2016 4:31 pm

Can these MSS steamers be fitted with r/c?

:D
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Post by dizzysteamer » Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:51 pm

stoker:115543 wrote:Can these MSS steamers be fitted with r/c?

:D
they really are not much different to the older Mamods to answer your question yes there are lots of different pictures showing how its done most involve a rod running from the foot plate to the smoke box apron with an arm attached each end one to the servo via a link the other to a link to a hole in the fw/rev lever

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Post by artfull dodger » Mon Jan 30, 2017 8:30 pm

I think tinkering with a Mamod/MSS engine is almost a rite of passage into the world of steam. I have 2 nice, proper if you want to call them that, UK style live steamers in the form of a Merlin Mayflower and a Major. I got both of them for one just one Lady Anne from RH would have cost me. But just today, I bought myself a used Mamod locomotive to mess around with. I will have to get a gauge conversion kit from Dream Steam as most every railway in the USA is 45mm. I will keep my 32mm gauge stuff as my long term plan is to convert my railway to Peco SM32 track. Mamods can be as cheap or as expensive as you make them. I fire with Sterno instead of fuel tablets. Usually a load of Sterno to get steam up, then blow it out and refresh the load of Sterno before heading out of the station. My grandmother left us a whole closet shelf of the stuff, so I am not worrying about a meths burner till I run out of Sterno. Can a better engine be had for what a fully upgraded Mamod will cost, yes. But to many in the steam hobby, the journey from what is basicly a toy, to a functional and dependable railway engine is a big part of the fun. Buying upgrades as your budget allows, modifying the engine to suit your tastes. I have seen Mamods turned into something that rivals the most expensive live steamers. It amazes me every time I see what can be done. I espically like the 0-6-0 conversion. Wish I could find the stuff to do that to mine! Cheers Mike
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Post by tom_tom_go » Mon Jan 30, 2017 9:22 pm

artfull dodger:122497 wrote:I have seen Mamods turned into something that rivals the most expensive live steamers.
I would like to know where these examples are please as personally Mamods belong in a junk heap on any railway ;)

-prepares for the Mamod faithful to hurl abuse-

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artfull dodger
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Post by artfull dodger » Mon Jan 30, 2017 9:33 pm

Just watch a few videos on youtube of a blue Mamod called Swordbreaker and some of the huge trains she pulled without complaint, without stalling and at a realistic speed. It can be done. Its all about what one wants, realisticly, from the model. If you want to crawl along at a scale 10 miles per hour with full RC control, a Mamod is probably not what you want. But it has to be said, they wouldn't be still making them, if they were not selling! Mikie
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Post by dizzysteamer » Mon Jan 30, 2017 11:33 pm

Look at it another way some people who do not have the easy access to funds and are struggling to even get the most basic set up going have the chance to feed their passion with these little loco,s.

Also if your interest is to play and inspire your own knowledge my own feelings are this is a fairly cheap way to go.
Whereas nobody in there right mind who is struggling to make ends meet are going to buy a roundhouse and strip it to tinker and most probably scrap it in the process.
I know there are better loco,s available but there are a lot of people into this hobby who have to cut there cloth to suite their income, but starting with a mms or mamod as very probably inspired more members on here than are probably Prepaired to admit.

We have two mms loco,s I am working on both, I can not afford a roundhouse at the moment but its some thing to aspire to one day.
Having said that I am finding great enjoyment in making both these little loco,s perform as best as my ability will allow.

This hobby is like any other, anybody with a large bank balance can make any dream come true, my own feelings about any hobby is how much passion is put into it and the enjoyment got out, this is down to the individual and their own circumstance :D

dizzysteamer ;)
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