3½" LBSC "Mona" back in working order.

[erikjan]

An update of my 3½" "Mona". An 0-6-2 live steam locomotive.


My 3½" gauge (scale 1:16) locomotive 'Mona', built 'to the words and music' of LBSC, is my first 'large' passenger hauling live steam locomotive, that I've built. Started in 1982 and completed in 1989, this loco has run many miles on different club tracks, and many people, including my son, have learned to drive a model steam locomotive with this engine. As with everything, it needs regular maintenance and was in the workshop several times over the years.

But the last time on the track, in June 2022, I noticed that a general overhaul was needed. The locomotive ran not smooth, the connecting rods rattled a lot and the valve gear could hardly be operated. The lubricator was not working as it should and therefore the power was lacking, even with a nice fire and plenty of steam.

So in September 2022, it came into the workshop for a complete dismantling and rework of the mechanics, motion, valve gear, cylinders, and more.

Now, in March 2024 it finally left the workshop because the work was done whenever there was time and space available.

See livesteamt3.blogspot.com/2024/03/extra-post-overhaul-3-lbcs-mona.html for some photos and description of this 'general overhaul'


Regards Erik-Jan
(Eindhoven, The Netherlands)

[davewoo]

Nice job Erik-Jan
Very thorough rebuild, good idea with the differing grades of loctite on the portface repair, filed that away for the future. Turned out very well and looks very smart, always like to see a build or rebuild log, always seem to learn something new, thanks for the link.

Dave

PS like the shaper!

[johan]

Good write-up! Very interesting to see how worn such an engine can be after years. And which are parts that need attention for good working.

[weary]

Had a look around your website too: Very nice T3 & accompanying wagons too. Looks great with your very well disguised driving-wagon.

Phil

[erikjan]

livesteamt3.blogspot.com/2024/03/a-good-forecast-for-day-we-went-to-our.html

A quick update of the test drive with the Mona (and other locos) at our club track in Breda (NL).

Regards Erik-Jan

[steamer5]

Hi Erik-Jan,
Looks like Mona was running nicely! & from the rest of the pictures everybody had a fun day. Theres a couple of very interesting looking loco's

Cheers Kerrin

[weary]

Nice presentation of pics and locos. I was interested that there were no 'Dutch Railways' locos though. Are drawings not available or difficult to obtain?
And, are there commercial drawings for 'Gea' the O&K locomotive? I ask as my inference from your write-up is that there are.

Phil

[erikjan]

Hello Phil,
There are some models of Dutch Railways, but not many. This is because the last steam locomotives ended service in 1958 and almost all of them were scrapped straight away. So not many locos are preserved like in the UK and even the Dutch Railway Museum has only a few examples. Preserved steam in the Netherlands is mostly of German origin.
For model engineering, most locos are also of British or German origin. This is because there are many published designs (LBSC, Martin Evans, etc.) available, and for German locos is not that difficult to get fully detailed (metric) worksdrawings. Even if you want to build a Dutch loco (of which a lot of them were actually designed and built in Great Britain and Germany), is hard to find good documentation. Often some B&W photos are the only information the Dutch model engineer has available.
The 'Gea' was a German Orenstein & Koppel narrow gauge design, of which a 3½" design was published in the early 80ties in "De Modelbouwer" magazine. Many of these locos were built because the relatively simple design, building instructions and no need for castings, thus making it a good beginner loco. It has been built in several gauges/scales over the years. Some preserved examples of this loco are also present here in the Netherlands. See www.radingspoor.nl/ for some info.

Hope this info is useful, kind regards Erik-Jan


Ps www.radingspoor.nl/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2240303_Clubdag-RS-6-1.jpg
www.radingspoor.nl/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2240303_Clubdag-RS-7.jpg

a Dutch NS3900 in 5"