I ended up going back to the 16mm scale, new engine purchase

artfull dodger

artfull dodger

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While I still do have my O scale live steam, and it will eventually have its own outdoor loop to run on(right now the dual gauge is still in place). I am reworking my railway for 2'6" gauge using my exhisting LGB/Piko track. I bought a nice old Merlin Sierra Leone #85 from Anything Narrow Gauge, very low use, according to Simon, it was personally delivered by Mr Cooper to the customer, who then left it in a box under his work bench for a couple decades. After cleaning the limescale out of the sight glass(engine must have been laying on its side in the box), that feature works again and she steams and runs very well. While there is old oil staining to the motion work, a bit gummy as well, there is zero wear in the motion/rods. RC has been updated to 2.4ghz but that RX wont link with my RCS palm controller, so I will replace it with on that will. She is works number 74, has a whistle that can be blown while standing still. I am missing one of the cast metal side frames on the pony truck, so you can see the bare brass, I am hunting a replacement or my friend may try to 3d print one to closely match the originals. One of the neat features, is the whole body and smokebox lifts off the boiler/chassis. Makes servicing the model super easy. Boiler is of a "T" flue design, and has quite a large water capacity. Model weighs over 10lbs, so very heavy for a small 2-6-2t. I am planning to add Swiftsixteen cow catchers on both ends and light up the spot lights(I run at night quite a bit. Not sure if my railway will take on more of a W&L look(#85's current home) or the Sierra Leone Railway. Probably W&L as more rolling stock is available vs the SLR rolling stock of which there is very little unless one scratch builds. Enjoy the pics, work and weather have gotten in the way of much running so no video of her on the railway running yet. Mike
Merlin1.jpg

Merlin2.jpg

Merlin3.jpg
 
The body just lifts off Paul, this is how the Merlin Hunslet is serviced. This is before the age of hinged cab roofs. To handle the Hunslet, you only pick it up by the end buffer beams/frame, now by the body.
 
artfull dodger said:
While I still do have my O scale live steam, and it will eventually have its own outdoor loop to run on(right now the dual gauge is still in place). I am reworking my railway for 2'6" gauge using my exhisting LGB/Piko track. I bought a nice old Merlin Sierra Leone #85 from Anything Narrow Gauge, very low use, according to Simon, it was personally delivered by Mr Cooper to the customer, who then left it in a box under his work bench for a couple decades. After cleaning the limescale out of the sight glass(engine must have been laying on its side in the box), that feature works again and she steams and runs very well. While there is old oil staining to the motion work, a bit gummy as well, there is zero wear in the motion/rods. RC has been updated to 2.4ghz but that RX wont link with my RCS palm controller, so I will replace it with on that will. She is works number 74, has a whistle that can be blown while standing still. I am missing one of the cast metal side frames on the pony truck, so you can see the bare brass, I am hunting a replacement or my friend may try to 3d print one to closely match the originals. One of the neat features, is the whole body and smokebox lifts off the boiler/chassis. Makes servicing the model super easy. Boiler is of a "T" flue design, and has quite a large water capacity. Model weighs over 10lbs, so very heavy for a small 2-6-2t. I am planning to add Swiftsixteen cow catchers on both ends and light up the spot lights(I run at night quite a bit. Not sure if my railway will take on more of a W&L look(#85's current home) or the Sierra Leone Railway. Probably W&L as more rolling stock is available vs the SLR rolling stock of which there is very little unless one scratch builds. Enjoy the pics, work and weather have gotten in the way of much running so no video of her on the railway running yet. Mike
Merlin1.jpg

Merlin2.jpg

Merlin3.jpg
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Mr Merlin certainly made some cracking locomotives, this was certainly his finest. I was lucky to own 4 Merlins though one of them was an old Beck/Merlin that gave endless trouble. Served me right as I named it after the x wife's doughter who was a real troublesome truck!
 
artfull dodger said:
The body just lifts off Paul, this is how the Merlin Hunslet is serviced. This is before the age of hinged cab roofs. To handle the Hunslet, you only pick it up by the end buffer beams/frame, now by the body.
Click to expand...
I must say, now you said that, it seems an ideal way of doing things, both my RC engines are a pain if anything goes wrong
 
Paul M said:
I must say, now you said that, it seems an ideal way of doing things, both my RC engines are a pain if anything goes wrong
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Hm my roundhouse Jack body lifts off by undoing just 1 screw in the dome and wiggling the cab bottom past the oil drain screw. On my RH Stanley there are just 2 screws 1 each end in the middle that allow the body off, again wigling past the oil drain screw.
 
I figured the RH tram bodies came off, didnt know the Jack was that way. Having an easily removed body makes working on the engine much easier and cleaning things up easier. I prefer my engines be nice and polished. I still need to polish out the brasswork on my Hunslet.
 
My Accucraft locos are fine for refuelling etc, but to take the body of requires undoing a lot of little bolts, even then it doesn't just lift off. A good slug of something strong is essential to steady one's nerves
 
Paul M said:
My Accucraft locos are fine for refuelling etc, but to take the body of requires undoing a lot of little bolts, even then it doesn't just lift off. A good slug of something strong is essential to steady one's nerves
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Peter Angus and Regner locs appear to be a mixed bag for getting the body off in complexity. One Angus being just 2 screws the others not so simple. Neither is my RH Russell so simple, that takes some lifting off. So as I said at the begining of this Mr Merlin was a class act with designing his SL loco.
 
It has been said that the Pearse engines that came out after Ian and his dad set up their own locomotive company are what Merlin should have evolved to. But bad decisions by management and advisors led them down another path that ended with their demise. Its really tragic as Merlin could have been a powerhouse builder like Roundhouse evolved into had some decisions and actions taken been different. But they did, along with Archangel relight the spark for live steam 16mm narrow gauge railways, with Merlin thru Beck bringing us the center flue gas fired boiler and RC as standard equipment on all but a couple of their models. Both the Mayflower and Major I owned a few years ago where beautiful runners once sorted out. Most issues have just been related to age and not a design fault of any kind. I am still hoping to add some catalogs and other Merlin items to my collection. One of the Motor Mules is high on my list for those non live steam run sessions. Mike
 
artfull dodger said:
It has been said that the Pearse engines that came out after Ian and his dad set up their own locomotive company are what Merlin should have evolved to. But bad decisions by management and advisors led them down another path that ended with their demise. Its really tragic as Merlin could have been a powerhouse builder like Roundhouse evolved into had some decisions and actions taken been different. But they did, along with Archangel relight the spark for live steam 16mm narrow gauge railways, with Merlin thru Beck bringing us the center flue gas fired boiler and RC as standard equipment on all but a couple of their models. Both the Mayflower and Major I owned a few years ago where beautiful runners once sorted out. Most issues have just been related to age and not a design fault of any kind. I am still hoping to add some catalogs and other Merlin items to my collection. One of the Motor Mules is high on my list for those non live steam run sessions. Mike
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My 2 favorites were my Mayflower and Monarch but these were sold around 1999 in non working condition to a guy that knew what he was getting and reckoned he could sort them. Somewhere in Essex I recall. Casey of CFR fame on here got my Motor Mule, that was also non working but I think it was sorted ok. That went belly up due to the electrics, sad as it was a great puller and could easily rescue any failed puffer and train out on the line.
 
Motor Mules should be an easy fix, just a motor/gearbox and a battery RC circuit. As long as the rest of it is in good shape. Hopefully one will turn up for sale next spring or right after the holidays. Mike
 
dunnyrail said:
My 2 favorites were my Mayflower and Monarch but these were sold around 1999 in non working condition to a guy that knew what he was getting and reckoned he could sort them. Somewhere in Essex I recall. Casey of CFR fame on here got my Motor Mule, that was also non working but I think it was sorted ok. That went belly up due to the electrics, sad as it was a great puller and could easily rescue any failed puffer and train out on the line.
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The Motormule was soon sorted out(new batteries and radio control). It still puts in sterling service at the CFR.
 
Just a little work, but to me that is part of the fun in this hobby. Making something old and nearly ready for the bin, ready for more service on the railway.
 
Time is my enemy, at the moment..
I think it will be March / April before much is sorted out here?

Two houses to sort out, and a number of projects to sort first..
In fact, I am not even sure which house that loco is presently resident. :(

Good luck with your search!

PhilP.
 
Thanks PhilP, no luck on finding anything Merlin to buy right now. The locomotive fund is growing as I have sold off some smaller scale stuff that was nolonger of interest to me. I have some options state side for a logging engine, but that would require selling off the Merlin due to that engines cost. Would love a RH Billy or Katie, I might be able to swing a kit, but I have never gotten my paint work to hold up on the past 2 that I built and painted. The factory RH paintwork is just top notch for durability due to the way they paint them. Rattle cans, even with an etch primer, just dont hold up as well.
 
artfull dodger said:
The factory RH paintwork is just top notch for durability due to the way they paint them. Rattle cans, even with an etch primer, just dont hold up as well.
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Casey will probably be able to tell you what they use, but it's certainly not standard rattle can stuff!
 
artfull dodger said:
Thanks PhilP, no luck on finding anything Merlin to buy right now. The locomotive fund is growing as I have sold off some smaller scale stuff that was nolonger of interest to me. I have some options state side for a logging engine, but that would require selling off the Merlin due to that engines cost. Would love a RH Billy or Katie, I might be able to swing a kit, but I have never gotten my paint work to hold up on the past 2 that I built and painted. The factory RH paintwork is just top notch for durability due to the way they paint them. Rattle cans, even with an etch primer, just dont hold up as well.
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My good friend Neil Robinson(of this parish), needed is kit built Roundhouse Lady Anne painting. I took it to a friend who resprayed cars for a living. He sprayed it with “Two Pack” paint and it still looks as good as new over fifteen years of steaming.
 
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