Old Mamod Engine problem

C

Cre8or

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Hi Guys,

I have an old complete set Mamod steam railway with the little engine, a boxcar and a guard van, which I get out and run periodically while saving up to move into 45mm live steam with the Accucraft Peveril.

I have noticed a potential problem with my little Mamod though. I think it has a crack in the boiler water viewing glass, in fact I'm quite sure. It still runs, sort of, but the pressure doesn't stay for long when running. I'm sure it used to run for longer, but I'm thinking that it leaks through the crack. Is there a way to fix it, or is it time to think of other solutions?

I have thought about giving it a complete overhall at some point, i.e. changing it to run on 45mm track so that it can join the Peveril when I get it, and at the same time, upgrading the boiler to gas fired and other various titivations that I've read about. All of these cost, I know, and while saving up for the Peveril all else will have to wait, but I thought I'd ask around in the meantime.

The other option, closer to the Peveril purchase, is to sell the whole boxed set, but I'm not sure about that. It does have sentimental value, and I have no idea what I might get for it, considering the crack in the boiler glass.

Anyway, I look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions.

Bill.

p.s. please take a look at my website. Still work in progress, but there is some stuff on there.
 
a replacement glass and o ring can be purchased from pss.
not too hard a job will take about an hour. dont ask why i know this!!!!!!.
 
Personally I'd keep the Mamod and repair the glass, but not spend much more on it.
Could you post a picture of the cracked glass? I think there have been several variations. Mine is an early model originally with a plastic "glass" apparently blind pop riveted in place. I succeeded in replacing it, if I recall it was more tedious than difficult but it must have been about 15 years ago.
 
As Allan (annieshalt) says the repair is very simple, and the parts only cost a few pence, the only difficulty I had was to make the rubber "O" stay in place. That was till I discovered that the new 'glass' actually had a protective polythene sheet on BOTH sides. Once the second one was removed, it stayed in place fine.

Alan Whittaker at PPS can supply all that you need to do whatever mods/repairs you think necessary, and I have found him extremely helpful.

Give it a go. :thumbup:
 
Thanks for all the helpful answers! You guys are great.
Here's a picture for those who want to see the cracked glass:
2b9fa897796241f69449f88497e27728.jpg

I think it looks like I should ba able to fix it! That's such good news.

Thanks all




[attachment deleted by admin]
 
That's the VERY easy version. Remove the two screws, separate the bits, a bit of a clean round, and replace with new bits and retighten the screws. Probably take you not much longer than it did to read this.
 
funandtrains said:
I don't know why Mamod switched from using thick glass to thin ploycarbonate as it is a flaw in the design.
Click to expand...

Toy safety regs. You cannot use glass in a toy.
 
thought you might like to see the state of it in the full!
cef32ec3983445de905292afe9b1d9b8.jpg


Needs a bit of a clean up I think.

Any tips on how to keep it clean? Just keep cleaning it really regularly?

Bill
 
bobg said:
That's the VERY easy version. Remove the two screws, separate the bits, a bit of a clean round, and replace with new bits and retighten the screws. Probably take you not much longer than it did to read this.
Click to expand...

Just my luck, mine is rivetted! :o:
 
funandtrains said:
KeithT said:
bobg said:
That's the VERY easy version. Remove the two screws, separate the bits, a bit of a clean round, and replace with new bits and retighten the screws. Probably take you not much longer than it did to read this.
Click to expand...

Just my luck, mine is rivetted! :o:
Click to expand...

You can buy Mamod copper / bronze pop rivets or you can solder a brass BA screw in ( pushed through the glass hole) and then use a nut and washer on the outside. There is at least one seller on ebay who sells the rivets.
Click to expand...
Thanks Steve that is good to know for future reference.
I haven't used the Mamod for years despite buying some points for it a while ago, with my luck the next time I steam it the glass will break!!
 
The "Mamod guide" suggests replacing it with a bit of cut microscope glass.

Other soldered it shut with a bit of brass, and either went sans glass (I would never own a steam boiler wihtout a glass) or adapted a tube type with banjo fittings top and bottom, or replaced it with an aftermarket boiler.

I have the aftermarket boiler from IP (years old) for mine, it was quite worth the money.
 
Spule 4 said:
The "Mamod guide" suggests replacing it with a bit of cut microscope glass.
Click to expand...

I went down this route some years ago. Working in NHS labs, microscope glass was readily available.
Having cut/ground/filed to shape, it proved impossible (for me) to tighten the glass against the O ring seal without breaking.
After 6 attempts I went back to plastic.

I no longer have Mamod locos.
 
Does anyone know what difference the connection between the Piston assembly and the main frame makes?

As previously mentioned, I'm going to change to 45mm guage and I've found two options for the upgrade kits. One seems to just have a large number of gaskits to bulk it out and the other seems to have a brass plate and fewer gaskits.

What, if any, difference will it make? Performance, assembly... etc.

cheers,

Bill
 
My guess is that the one with the extra brass plate is the better engineering job. Don't much like the idea of just packing it out with loads of gaskets.:nail:
 
I'm no engineer but the second option should offer a longer and less troublesome future.
 
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