Hello from Bonnie Scotland

[modelnutz752]

Hello   My name is Tom and i'm a steam enthusiast. i have had a lifelong dream to build my own locomotive but to be honest I don't have a model engineers workshop.
I enjoy building scale models out of card and wood but hope that sometime I can get access to a workshop to build something in metal.

[uuu]

Well hello. Keep that dream!

Is there a club within a sensible distance you could join? With a positive attitude you might get invited to help out in another member's shop and get a good start.

Wilf

[modelnutz752]

Hello Wilf

We live near Aberdeen and as far as I know there are no clubs in the area, or a member that I could go and help. I am out on my own. Many years ago i did attempt to build a 3 1/2" Gauge Tich. I managed to get the frames together with hornblock in and joined a nightclass in Birmingham. I had high hopes of getting help but unfortunately the tutor was too busy building his own engine. I struggled on attempting to turn the buffers but in the end go furstrated and gave up on the whole project. I do have a few laser cut parts for Dave Watkins Wild Rose loco but sadly don't have a metal lathe. I do love the Alice Hunslet locos.

Sincerely

Tom

[uuu]

That will make things a challenge. For even if you were able to build a loco, where would you run it?

Garden gauges might attract? You could make something quite adventurous with modest equipment. Or, you could go to the dark side and consider a traction engine.

Wilf

[JonL]

Maybe a small stationary engine would be a good start. However the lathe would be the first thing on your christmas list!

Failing that my son and I share a Wilesco Stationary engine, a traction engine and a roller. He has learned to do a few modifications, which we didn't need the lathe for. Improving the control valves on the Roller and traction engine are our next jobs; no machine tools required, just a small solder torch.

Whatever you decide, welcome, and if you ever visit the south of england you would be welcomed at our small club in Westbury.

[modelnutz752]

Hi nobbysideways

A lathe would be a great Christmas present but the truth is my wife and I just don't have the money to buy one. Thank you for your kind invitation and I would love to visit but long journeys are just a dream now with the pandemic.

I do have a Wilesco Shomans Engine which my wife and daughter bought me for my 60th birthday. It was a kit and to be honest I was really disappointed with it
to me it was neither a toy or a scale model and I had a real job to get the gears sorted. There was a fault with the cylinder and it took Wilesco a month to replace it. To make it less that a toy I bought proper hubcaps and an extension chimney and brackets for the roof. I couldn't understand why Wilesco painted the boiler black and the smokebox red, so i repainted them.

[tdaharvey]

Hello Tom
I live in Aberdeen and am interested in ME.

There used to be a model track at Alford but that has gone and as far as I am aware the closest track is near Perth smet.org.uk/mrv.
Trevor

[Deleted]

Hi Tom

Welcome to the forum... dreams are where finished models come from, never give up on it and one day you'll achieve your dream.

Good luck

Pete