Suggestions for a stable mate for my Mayflower

artfull dodger

artfull dodger

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Looking for suggestions for an affordable stable mate to my venerable Merlin Mayflower. He is getting lots and lots of run time and I know parts like replacement motion and cylinder parts(mine are oddball early ones and totally different than the common ones) are slim to none. So as to not wear the old guy out, a stable mate is sorely needed. I had a RH Bertie at one time and she ran good on my little railway. Then I had a RH Fowler, that was to large. My Mayflower is GWR green and I would like to keep a "family" look to the engines. My two top pics, another Bertie or a Katie kit only look good in blue to my eyes. Lady Anne looks ok in GWR green, as does Millie. Lady Anne also looks great in blue as I built one from a kit years ago and painted him Ford blue(real close to the blue RH uses). Being in the USA, new is about cheaper than used. Going by current second hand prices on Anything Narrow Gauge, I can get a brand new RH cheaper than second hand ones, atleast thru a dealer. Or I could get another Merlin to balance out the wear on two of them vs 1. Suggestions, models you might sell? Funds are coming into place for atleast a basic range model brand new from RH. Must be 45mm gauge however. Thanks Mike the Aspie
 
My current choice is a RH Bertie in blue, with all upgrades, brand new from RH. I might even put thier Walscherts valve gear kit on it like I did to my Sammie that I used to have. That turns a basic engine into a classic other than the folding roof! A Katie kit would be nice, but it stretches the budget more than I think I can manage. I do not need dual gauge ablity as a 32mm line in the USA is rare thing to find. I think the smaller the engine, the better it fits on my little bitty railway. This is why the Mayflower fits so well, its a bit smaller than a Katie or a George in overall size.
 
artfull dodger said:
My current choice is a RH Bertie in blue, with all upgrades, brand new from RH. I might even put thier Walscherts valve gear kit on it like I did to my Sammie that I used to have. That turns a basic engine into a classic other than the folding roof! A Katie kit would be nice, but it stretches the budget more than I think I can manage. I do not need dual gauge ablity as a 32mm line in the USA is rare thing to find. I think the smaller the engine, the better it fits on my little bitty railway. This is why the Mayflower fits so well, its a bit smaller than a Katie or a George in overall size.
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I think thar Bertie is a very good choice. It's a great locomotive. Go for it.
 
Casey, I am trying to stretch to a Lady Anne and am considering trading my Mayflower towards one to help get over the hump. I love to run, alot, like every day if I can when I get home from work. And I want to run steam more than battery power these days. Doing so will wear out the old Merlin. With the LA, or any RH engine for that matter, I get parts support to combat any wear. Just need to find someone interested in taking the old girl in on trade. The darn import fees crap really hurts that chance on your side of the pond.
 
artfull dodger said:
Casey, I am trying to stretch to a Lady Anne and am considering trading my Mayflower towards one to help get over the hump. I love to run, alot, like every day if I can when I get home from work. And I want to run steam more than battery power these days. Doing so will wear out the old Merlin. With the LA, or any RH engine for that matter, I get parts support to combat any wear. Just need to find someone interested in taking the old girl in on trade. The darn import fees crap really hurts that chance on your side of the pond.
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Your absolutely right. Shipping cost and taxes are crippling especially where the fees probably add up to the same value of the locomotive.
 
Well, I found and purchased a stable mate for Smaug, yes the old dragon is staying on the roster here. Joining him is another model from the Merlin Loco Works, an 0-6-0 Maestro. The first remotely reversable model from Merlin. She comes from the collection of Marc Horovitz, one time importer of the Merlin line into the USA back in the infancy of that company. Rarely run according to Marc, he is nearly new and will go well with my LGB rolling stock with his styling. Planning to add center buffers, a Euro style lantern once Regner is up to speed again and probably Koppel works plates. He ships out to me tomorrow, hopefully will arrive before Christmas! Mike the Aspie
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Now i need help to come up with another name from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy/Hobbit there and back again books. The railway is set in The Shire.
 
artfull dodger said:
Now i need help to come up with another name from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy/Hobbit there and back again books. The railway is set in The Shire.
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Well, is there another dragon? Perhaps from the opposing side to Smaug??
 
Not that I can remember, Smaug was slain in the Hobbit book if I remember right. Its been awhile since I read the books, I figure I will probably name him after one of the Hobbits or thier friends
 
artfull dodger said:
Not that I can remember, Smaug was slain in the Hobbit book if I remember right. Its been awhile since I read the books, I figure I will probably name him after one of the Hobbits or thier friends
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Ah, if you go for Hobbits, you will soon need a large engine shed!

Gleaned from a little bibliographic survey..

  • Glaurung — Father of Dragons, slain by Túrin Turambar. ...
  • Ancalagon the Black — first and mightiest of the Winged-dragons, slain by Eärendil in the War of Wrath.
  • Scatha — Slain by Fram of the Éothéod. ...
  • Smaug — the last great dragon of Middle-earth, slain by Bard of Esgaroth

To keep the naming similar, I would suggest 'Scatha'? - Though I guess you will end up explaining where the name comes from to most observers! :nod::nod::nod:
 
Thats only 4 locomotives. Got 2 of them covered so far. Will probably go with your suggestion for the same. I did some horse trading at the G scale shop today with a Hartland Interurban that wasnt getting any interest and got me these 3 passenger cars, front 4 axle Barmer Mt Railway one, and the two coaches behind it. All nearly new in thier original boxes. I should have Smaug's stable mate this coming Friday . Mike the Aspie
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I guess next summer, I will start looking for more Merlins in green. Guess a Monarch and a Major would fill out the roster and the the names of the winged dragons! Definatly not in the budget till next summer at the earliest though. Mike the Aspie
 
artfull dodger said:
I guess next summer, I will start looking for more Merlins in green. Guess a Monarch and a Major would fill out the roster and the the names of the winged dragons! Definatly not in the budget till next summer at the earliest though. Mike the Aspie
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That sounds like a plan, Mike..

Better hope for some 'Christmas money' this year! ;):nod::nod:
 
Actually the next two on my wish list are a like new Beck Helena 0-6-2 and Anna 0-4-0 in green. Both to obviously match my LGB rolling stock. I have the LGB electric version of Helena. Mike the Aspie
 
Well after dark this evening, the big brown truck dropped of a package with my second Merlin loco works engine, an earlier model than my Mayflower, this is Maestro and is a mix of Merlin and Beck technology. He will be named Scatha as soon as funds allow ordering plates from Narrow Planet. Probably will not get a chance to steam him till Christmas eve as the family gathering is tomorrow and I will be to tired from all the socializing to deal with steam.



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artfull dodger said:
Well after dark this evening, the big brown truck dropped of a package with my second Merlin loco works engine, an earlier model than my Mayflower, this is Maestro and is a mix of Merlin and Beck technology. He will be named Scatha as soon as funds allow ordering plates from Narrow Planet. Probably will not get a chance to steam him till Christmas eve as the family gathering is tomorrow and I will be to tired from all the socializing to deal with steam.



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Looking at your models, I'm jealous, very, very jealous.
 
Mayflower went back being owed by my friend, and the Billy kit in the other thread came back to me In time, all of his live steam go to me(he is much much older than I am). I still get to run the Mayflower at shows for him and with him. The Billy with the installed Slomo is much better looking with my LGB wagons and more controlable on my little raised railway. Sort of what LGB might have done had they gone with RH for a steamer instead of Aster with the Frank S I still have my Merlin Maestro, also a continental looking engine. Mike the Aspie
 
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