Garden Railway Forum

Hello,
I am planning to purchase a MSS side tank locomotive. What are the essential accessories that I need with this locomotive (water filling bottle, steam oil ...)? Due to the postal restrictions between Great Britain and France I must buy my packs of solid fuel in France. Thank you very much in advance for all your answers.

I'm italian, and i have a MSS locomotive, Vincenzo, First thing first, a meths burner, so you can buy meths in the nearer grocer, methanol or ethyl doesnt make difference.
You can buy these from www.dreamsteam.com .
second a water top bottle and valve, so you can put water into the boiler while she's on steam, and third a 25psi safety valve.
And from there you can start modifying your locomotive as you like.

Good Luck with your locomotive, i had few problems with mine.

Thanks for your answer.

LFSFV wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2017 8:40 pmGood Luck with your locomotive, i had few problems with mine.

Hallo,

I own one with all upgrades ever had been 2013 available, even the silver soldered copper boiler.

Good recommendations I estimate, are this parts:

Gas burner, water top up system, lubrificator set, tune up pistons, high pressure safety valve.

But beware of overheating the boiler by drive him empty, with the gas burner, he will be immediately damaged.
I tried the tablets and the meths burner without any remarkable success, but I know some meths burner work well, when changed the wick materials and added an an additional tank.

I would never buy this engine again and tune them up, but rather buy a Millie, I have them in the meantime. There are worlds between the 2 products.
Millie is hard working engine, MSS is competitive to her only a bad playing game,making always again difficulities due to their weak construction!

To Your info to the solid fuel tabs, I even did not get suitable ones for this burner in G, only the esbit tablets. One is to small, 2 are to big and they are not to cut suitable without breaking. Additional the smells of these are very caustic, when fired! Not for indoor use recommended.


Regards

Frederic

Thanks for all your advices. The best thing I can do is cancelling my project and keep my money for a real steam loco.

Indeed!

If You don`t know this, You have a very good saler in France, who can advice You with all questions for life steam model trains.

Good wishes

Federic

Don't be too quick to condem the MSS engine. They can be built into nice little locomotives but may need a little care and attention.

With a standard boiler I would only use a meths burner, others have used gas and had success with it but in my humble opinion the gas is too brutal.

A meths burner, uprated safety valve and water top up system will improve things immensely.

With an up rated burner you do need to keep an eye on the water level and never let it drop below a quarter full.

You may want to look at uprated cylinders (Roy Wood Models produce a good set)

With something like a Millie you will be able to run it straight out if the box with no worries but you do pay more.

If you fancy a challenge and don't mind tinkering the MSS will give you plenty of fun and experience. You will need to play with it and make a few modifications.

Don't be too quick to condem the MSS engine. They can be built into nice little locomotives but may need a little care and attention.

With a standard boiler I would only use a meths burner, others have used gas and had success with it but in my humble opinion the gas is too brutal.

A meths burner, uprated safety valve and water top up system will improve things immensely.

With an up rated burner you do need to keep an eye on the water level and never let it drop below a quarter full.

You may want to look at uprated cylinders (Roy Wood Models produce a good set)

With something like a Millie you will be able to run it straight out if the box with no worries but you do pay more.

If you fancy a challenge and don't mind tinkering the MSS will give you plenty of fun and experience. You will need to play with it and make a few modifications.

By the time you have done all the mods to the MSS loco you might as well buy a RWM Janet:

http://roywoodmodels.co.uk/janet

Yes you could do that.

Pricing has got silly though from most of the popular manufacturers.