steam trains (5" gauge)

[MattHB]

went to the wimborne district railway club BBQ last night and got to fulfil a life long dream (albeit on a small scale) when Nigel kindly taught me how to drive his Edward look a like steamer.

What a tremendous experience they really are magnificent pieces of engineering and quite complicated to get the water/steam/fire balance right!!

 

[MattHB]

[QUOTE 1953341, member: 45"]Great, isn't it? I don't own one myself but am part of a group who run a fair few locos, including a couple of Kings, Manors, a 2P, and a few panniers, and I often get to run them.

The level of engineering is very impressive. It would be nice to have the money and the time to have one of my own, but they're a bottomless pit financially.[/quote]

yeah Im going to have to wait until the kids have left home I think! and seeing as the other half is only 13 weeks pregnant that might be a little while!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Get over to Wolsztyn in Poland and drive full size ones on the mainline!

http://thewolsztynexperience.org/

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

That is expensive, but it is well worth the experience, and your money goes to the upkeep of the locos as well as accommodation etc.

Oh and don't think it is a museum, the are real working steam locos and you will get to drive commuter trains etc.

 

[Shaun]

[QUOTE 1953341, member: 45"]The level of engineering is very impressive. It would be nice to have the money and the time to have one of my own, but they're a bottomless pit financially.[/quote]

I imagine they are quite an expensive pasttime - but what sort of money are we talking?

 

[MattHB]

I imagine they are quite an expensive pasttime - but what sort of money are we talking?

the one in the picture was bought by its owner for £1500 not running. It needed a new boiler. They can run up to and over £10,000 though!!

The old boys that tend to run them are all retired engineers, so have sheds and garages full of gear. They make almost everything from scratch for these things besides valves and precision things like that. Awesome guys they are

 

[Shaun]

 

[172traindriver]

Expensive hobby then? and to think of the fortune you can spend on bikes!!

 

[Night Train]

The thing is, aside from the cost of the locomotive there is also the track and space to place it all. Couldn't really run one in a 2 bed terrace house with a small garden.

This is why I have a tractor, costs less and doesn't need infrastructure to play with it.

I'd love a traction engine crane though.

 

[MattHB]

my father in law has a 2 bed bungalow with a 5inch gauge track all the way around it we also belong to wimborne district society of model engineers (where the pic was taken) so we run our train (a small electric) down there. Id love a steamer.. Ill wait around for one of the older ones to become available at the club can pick up some bargains that way.. although that bargain will still be in 4 figures!

 

[Shaun]

And we all thought cycling was an expensive hobby!

Cost aside, I bet they give a good deal of satisfaction to those maintaining them and are great fun to ride!!

 

[Archie_tect]

Think of the hours spent in winter breaking coal down to scale.

 

[Night Train]

Think of the hours spent in winter breaking coal down to scale.

Get one of these and you can spend all winter chopping twigs!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Not quite the same, but I want one of these. Actually, I think it looks better unpainted:

http://website.lineone.net/~cbwesson/GWR Rover.htm

 

[rusky]

I might go to the public track day tomorrow http://www.hoveparkrailway.co.uk/index.html