Help choose the next Roundhouse loco

[New Haven Neil]

I was just going to make a comment about the Japanese G1 fraternity like high speeds - they do here too in my experience!

I'm not going to embroil myself in scale/gauge arguements (as I have 3 foot gauge VoR etc.....) but at the end of the day this is a very limited market, and for a model to be viable they have to sell a good few - hence gauge adjustable models - surely it is no accident the two market leaders both manufacture in this way.

True scale models would be nice, but this takes us into the Finescale/TME area....costly, and huge waiting lists.

Back on topic.....Tal-y-llyn number 3 (3 foot gauge ) would part me from my hard earned cash!

 

[tagorton]

Because the 16mm Association as such a big voice in the UK I think people often forget that 45mm and not 32mm is the choosen garden rail gauge in most countries.

I personally think that some of the small bodied 2' gauge locos look a bit silling running on 45mm gauge in 16mm scale but the same goes for large 2'6" and larger prototypes wobbling alone 32mm gauge.

Indeed they do. This was why I got rid of my Countess. Of course the Accucraft generic locomotives as well look much better on 45mmm than on 32 because they are big engines. I do like the idea of the 45mm IoM locomotives however because they just look so right on this gauge of track ? as will Irish. I think Accucraft have got it right with their approach and while there will be another hit on the L&B in 16mm scale with two locos and a full set of coaches, I expect to see the IOM expand in both steam and electric with an eventual move over the Irish sea. These latter models will go down well across the pond of course.

 

[Ferrysteam]

My opinion on electric steam outline locomotives is they are are not steam locomotives but an imitation or toy.Why not save a little extra and buy a live steamer.I personally won't even have RC in any of my engines.Don't forget,imitation is the greatest compliment to a live steamer...This is only my opinion as I've already said.

 

[tagorton]

My opinion on electric steam outline locomotives is they are are not steam locomotives but an imitation or toy.Why not save a little extra and buy a live steamer.I personally won't even have RC in any of my engines.Don't forget,imitation is the greatest compliment to a live steamer...This is only my opinion as I've already said.

Hmmmn. Well I prefer live steam as well Allan and indeed I have R/C in only one gas fired engine. However there are all sorts of reasons for running a track-powered railway and we all like garden railways. You should see a catenery powered railway of my acquaintance. I could also perhaps draw an artificial distinction between gas fired locomotives and my 'real' coal powered locos... All of these things however, are toys at root, something to drag us away from the cares of real life and the working day.

 

[tagorton]

I would of said that many minature live steam locos were a lot more toylike than the detailed electric models. Only when you get to the large scales you ride on are they anything like real locos.

.


Interesting isn't it? What it points up is that all of these little railways are toys, but different people find different aspects of modelling more important than another. Now to me the sight of a real working small steam locomotive pulling a train through the garden is very satisfying indeed, albeit that the loco may not be that heavy on detail. The sight, sound and (with coal) the smell, I find very evocative of the real thing. Others will prefer the instant controllability and the high level of detail on some of the electric models. All of us filter out the inconsistent bits and use our imagination to add the missing elements. No-one however, gets on or off when we stop our trains at stations... When I say I like live steam locomotives this is not meant to imply that any other way of modelling a locomotive is somehow inferior to my own

 

[Ferrysteam]

Miniature live steamers have to be a compromise because coal fired are usually so expensive and very labour intensive to keep fired up.But I personally prefer compromise to imitation.I do not count overhead electric as toys as they work on the same principal as the prototype.Again this is only my opinion.

 

[tagorton]

Miniature live steamers have to be a compromise because coal fired are usually so expensive and very labour intensive to keep fired up.

expensive possibly but not particularly labour intensive once you get used to it...

 

[bobg]

Here, here!

Fun and pleasure is where it's at everytime.

 

[stevedenver]

I would of said that many minature live steam locos were a lot more toylike than the detailed electric models. Only when you get to the large scales you ride on are they anything like real locos.

 .


Interesting isn't it? What it points up is that all of these little railways are toys, but different people find different aspects of modelling more important than another. Now to me the sight of a real working small steam locomotive pulling a train through the garden is very satisfying indeed, albeit that the loco may not be that heavy on detail. The sight, sound and (with coal) the smell, I find very evocative of the real thing. Others will prefer the instant controllability and the high level of detail on some of the electric models. All of us filter out the inconsistent bits and use our imagination to add the missing elements. No-one however, gets on or off when we stop our trains at stations... When I say I like live steam locomotives this is not meant to imply that any other way of modelling a locomotive is somehow inferior to my own

i think this perfectly states my own thoughts,and is a brilliant statement regarding filtration- used to resent the fact that i had to do it when i wanted scale LGB-now its not an issue

live steam is a ceremony / process and involvement and a bit more of a planned 'ordeal' albeit pleasant

electric is immediate and no fuss

i agree regarding super detail and additional  costs-and fumbling/handling the little overheated darlings  -i think this is whyLGB kept things simple too-all the little stuff breaks off 

  I would love a nice little US outline loco-like a 2-4-4t, 2-4-2 t , something quaint like a Olomano style plantation loco or the one that ran at Ft Wilderness in disneyworld-just a beautiful little loco  -thought is might be versatile 'among the nations' not a per se US only loco 

 - or a tiny 2ft shay as used on the Gilpin County Narrow gauge- roundhouse does several 2ft prototypes


i imagine either might lend well to variations in superstrutures -ie german, US, colonial etc


my ultimate bank breaking wish would be for a mason bogie-one that runs, is bullet proof  ie is a Roundhouse-but since another maker already has done it i imagine the market is saturated -but if they can make the darjeeling, such a loco may not be too esoteric-but probably way too detailed to produce 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Mmm, I presume Roundhouse didn't do too well with the Forney, they didn't make it for long. Maybe it cost too much in the States, and I have only ever seen one in the UK.

As for a generic US/colonial 2-4-4T or similar, I think you would find the majority of UK minds closed to this......IMHO. That sort of wheel arrangement is almost exclusively (almost, I said!) US in outline, which looks rather odd the UK eyes. Don't forget the Darj is a British design through and through. The Fowler too, although British built for Aus, has a distinct British slant in it's appearance, despite it's colonial cab etc.

I'm still on for more Taly-y-llyn models, and damn the scale-gauge compromise!

 

[Doug]

I would of said that many minature live steam locos were a lot more toylike than the detailed electric models. Only when you get to the large scales you ride on are they anything like real locos.

.


Interesting isn't it? What it points up is that all of these little railways are toys, but different people find different aspects of modelling more important than another. Now to me the sight of a real working small steam locomotive pulling a train through the garden is very satisfying indeed, albeit that the loco may not be that heavy on detail. The sight, sound and (with coal) the smell, I find very evocative of the real thing. Others will prefer the instant controllability and the high level of detail on some of the electric models. All of us filter out the inconsistent bits and use our imagination to add the missing elements. No-one however, gets on or off when we stop our trains at stations... When I say I like live steam locomotives this is not meant to imply that any other way of modelling a locomotive is somehow inferior to my own

i think this perfectly states my own thoughts,and is a brilliant statement regarding filtration- used to resent the fact that i had to do it when i wanted scale LGB-now its not an issue

live steam is a ceremony / process and involvement and a bit more of a planned 'ordeal' albeit pleasant

electric is immediate and no fuss

i agree regarding super detail and additional costs-and fumbling/handling the little overheated darlings -i think this is whyLGB kept things simple too-all the little stuff breaks off

I would love a nice little US outline loco-like a 2-4-4t, 2-4-2 t , something quaint like a Olomano style plantation loco or the one that ran at Ft Wilderness in disneyworld-just a beautiful little loco -thought is might be versatile 'among the nations' not a per se US only loco

- or a tiny 2ft shay as used on the Gilpin County Narrow gauge- roundhouse does several 2ft prototypes


i imagine either might lend well to variations in superstrutures -ie german, US, colonial etc


my ultimate bank breaking wish would be for a mason bogie-one that runs, is bullet proof ie is a Roundhouse-but since another maker already has done it i imagine the market is saturated -but if they can make the darjeeling, such a loco may not be too esoteric-but probably way too detailed to produce

Accucraft are doing a re-run of Lyn the 2-4-2 Baldwin.

Regner do a small shay.

 

[railwayman198]

Well I've voted for one of these:

Ex Beira Rlwy 2ft gauge 4-4-0 now preserved on Sandstone estate and very pretty. I imagine the cylinders would have to be significantly overscale to work well though.
(photo by Hannes Paling on the Railpicture.net site)

 

[palmerston]

The less fiddly parts (detailing) the easier it is to clean your loco. Oil mixed with dust and debry accumulates around the small parts.

The arrival of Accucraft UK has boosted RH but now, as they run out of high volume prototypes, its working against them. Id love to have a rerelease of the L&B Manning Wardle with proper reversing gear but this loco will be done by Accucraft. :thumbdown:

Maybe the withdrawel of the Forney has to do with the unstoppable release of models by Accucraft USA.

A double fairley would suit me, as a kit to keep the price low. Or a new diesel?

 

[tagorton]

IF we look at Post #1 it asks for your comment to Roundhouse yet here we have 41 posts on YOUR likes and dislikes

Back on Track chaps! or it will go on forever.
Roundhouse NEEDS to know.

Well to do this one should fill in the form on the Roundhouse website as per the link in post 1. This is just a discussion, largely for fun.


personally I doubt that Roundhouse will get any sort of idea from this either. last time they tried this, the popular choice was to bring back a modern version of Pooter. There were a couple of very vociferous posters regarding doing just this ? but they went all quiet after Carrie came out. The only vote worth a light is the one made with a credit card and R/H would be better off looking at what sells now and improving on it.


I would go for gas pressure regulation, getting rid of those horrible crosshead screws and cheapo bent tabs.

 

[Ferrysteam]

The only thing that puts me off Roundhouse,and I mean no disrespect,are those cheesehead screws.

 

[palmerston]

On the bottom of the warranty card, which is accompanied with each new RH loco , there is listed the same survey, so no need to fill in online!

They have got a lot of ideas over the years then.

RH probably is getting more and more annoyed about the numerous requests for the L&B Manning Wardle.

 

[tagorton]

The only thing that puts me off Roundhouse,and I mean no disrespect,are those cheesehead screws.

I tend to use these locos as a base for improvement. There are two things at the very least that require changing on any Roundhouse loco ? and that is those awful cheesehead screws and the bent up tab type buffer beams with the white metal buffers. You can make your own bufferbeams or Mike Ousby of Acme does some very nice riveted ones to order. Brandbright can supply some excellent sprung buffers (don't forget to paint the shank of the buffer the same colour as the beam itself. If a Walschaerts type, then don't forget to buy the dummy droplink kit from Roundhouse. Replace the gurt great shiny brass gas control knob, fit a proper drain to the bottom of the oiler as per Accucraft.... I could go on ? and on.


It is nothing to do with disrespect. Roundhouse are a sound company that produce locomotives that work very well indeed (particularly for the novice user) and they are priced to provide excellent logistic backup ? it does not absolve their products from any sort of objective criticism.

 

[New Haven Neil]

Mmm, Ross, I think (I hope) we are discussing what we SENT to Roundhouse.....

As Tag says, Carrie wasn't a good seller either, so I do wonder if the enthusiasts opinion is worth the electrons it's sent with!

I wonder what it is about those screws though......:'( and that (*&%&£ lubricator drain......and I dont think Accu's is much better! Let's have a proper valve on it please!

 

[palmerston]

Having owned several models of Accucraft, Regner, Aster IMHO Roundhouse are the best Garden Railway livesteam locomotives. Their construction shows an almost 30 years of improvement in reliability. The chesehead screws are not imported to that.

Tom Rolt seems a model which will gain interest in the Tall -y- lyn. I do like the twin buffer arangement. Looking forward to how to connect with coaches.

tallylyn nr. 3 (Edit :4) with Hackwort valve gear like Carrie

 

[stevedenver]

I would of said that many minature live steam locos were a lot more toylike than the detailed electric models. Only when you get to the large scales you ride on are they anything like real locos.

 .


Interesting isn't it? What it points up is that all of these little railways are toys, but different people find different aspects of modelling more important than another. Now to me the sight of a real working small steam locomotive pulling a train through the garden is very satisfying indeed, albeit that the loco may not be that heavy on detail. The sight, sound and (with coal) the smell, I find very evocative of the real thing. Others will prefer the instant controllability and the high level of detail on some of the electric models. All of us filter out the inconsistent bits and use our imagination to add the missing elements. No-one however, gets on or off when we stop our trains at stations... When I say I like live steam locomotives this is not meant to imply that any other way of modelling a locomotive is somehow inferior to my own

i think this perfectly states my own thoughts,and is a brilliant statement regarding filtration- used to resent the fact that i had to do it when i wanted scale LGB-now its not an issue

live steam is a ceremony / process and involvement and a bit more of a planned 'ordeal' albeit pleasant

electric is immediate and no fuss

i agree regarding super detail and additional  costs-and fumbling/handling the little overheated darlings  -i think this is whyLGB kept things simple too-all the little stuff breaks off 

I would love a nice little US outline loco-like a 2-4-4t, 2-4-2 t , something quaint like a Olomano style plantation loco or the one that ran at Ft Wilderness in disneyworld-just a beautiful little loco  -thought is might be versatile 'among the nations' not a per se US only loco 

- or a tiny 2ft shay as used on the Gilpin County Narrow gauge- roundhouse does several 2ft prototypes


i imagine either might lend well to variations in superstrutures -ie german, US, colonial etc


my ultimate bank breaking wish would be for a mason bogie-one that runs, is bullet proof  ie is a Roundhouse-but since another maker already has done it i imagine the market is saturated -but if they can make the darjeeling, such a loco may not be too esoteric-but probably way too detailed to produce

I would of said that Accucraft make all that you have said and much cheaper than Roundhouse could make them. If you want a small 2 truck shay for 32mm gauge I think there is a company which sells conversions of the very nice Accucraft model.

Roundhouse already make a plantation loco with the excellent Fowler but I wish they would bring the Forney back.

quite right steve
but nothing runs like  Rundhouse!!!

I am willing to pay for quality and non fiddly

i dont want a Ruby -
i want a small jewel that i love to run-not curse

'frinstance
the accucraft Mason was leaking steam right out the front of the clyinders and at the underside flex hose -brand new -2500 -rather spend a bit more and have something nice

i am pretty capable at tinkering but would rather have something nice-and i hate having to fix new toys