Aveling & Porter Tractor 3" from Maxitrak

[kiltman20]

All:
Looking at purchasing the kits for A&P 3" Traction Engine from Maxitrak. Has anyone seen or built one of these engines and if so do you have any comments on the product?

I have the first half of the kits from Modelworks for the 2" Burrell, and now with their demise thought I might give Maxitrak a go.

Your thoughts would be welcome.

Thanks,
Rob

[alexinsuffolk]

Hi

I looked at one of these a few years ago, Maxitracks had taken it back in as a p/ex, but it needed some work, as it had done around 10 years of regular rallying.

So both Maxitrack and the A & P model have been around for several years, the model appears well proven, I found Maxitrack very helpful with my enquiries and dealings with them, owned a 1 inch Burrell of theirs for a while and that was very nice to.

So sorry not owned one but I was impressed wth Engines quality and Maxitrack, was shown around and they had a healthy supply of parts on shelf, and suspect you would not get the back orders or slow supply of kits endured with modelworks.
Cheers
Alex

[kiltman20]

Thanks for the comments.

Rob

[qwerty01]

I have got one and whilst it has been the butt of many jokes at the club (if I had a pound for every time it hear the term maxicrap....) It usually steams brilliantly and has given me a great deal of fun over the years. Best bit is when the chief mickey-takers have run out of steam and I gopast with the safety valves blowing!

They are a starting point and are a little crude. They also lack detail, but they are idle for learning the craft of engine maintenance, operation and modification.

[mfreewheel]

HI,
I have not built or run one of the maxi track models, but a fellow miniature steam rally entrant in our area has one, and I never fail to be amazed at how this engine copes with everything the Scottish summer weather (measured in gallons), rough rally fields and lousy coal.
From my viewpoint (owned and built a 4" scale Burrell) they are excellent wee beasties.
Go for it.
Best wishes,
Martin

[kiltman20]

Thanks for your repies:

Interesting that there were so few opinions regarding this engine. Guess they don't stay in business to selling this engine, or this was the wrong place to ask the question.

Might be on hold now anyway since Dean seems to be on track to finish the 2" Burrell.

Thanks again.

Rob

[alexinsuffolk]

Hi Rob,

I suspect that Maxitrack do more locos and track, than the wheeled steam, not sure if theres a Maxitrack owners club or forum that could advise you better.

Whilst I wish Steam World well, I sincerely hope that they listen to customers and critics this time around, its a big venture and I suspect that you'll have time to build the Aveling, before the Burrell production is resumed.
~Alex~

[tbsteam]

Jun 16, 2008 14:51:28 GMT qwerty01 said:

Best bit is when the chief mickey-takers have run out of steam and I gopast with the safety valves blowing!

I don't want to start arguments but that isn't to do with the engine, its to do with the driver not firing right.
I have done it before and it was to do with firing/watering.

[ericcee]

As a very satisfied customer of Maxitrak (see the Bagnall thread for a photo of my "Jack"), I have to say that you should have every confidence in them. They have been going now for more than 25 years and are obviously careful not to overstrtech themselves, unlike MW! And - very importantly - they build and run prototypes before starting to sell them.
(How I wish I had gone for a Maxitrak Pearl rather than the darned MW Bagnall!)

There is a Maxitrak Owners Club (see http://www.moc.org.uk) and, although it has a very close connection with the company, it does seem to provide an independent voice. The Club should be able to put you in touch with other A&P owners.
I've looked long and hard at the A&P (before I convinced myself that I wanted to stay "on the rails") and the only thing I had reservations about were the cast aluminium wheels. But, with hindsight, they seem to be up to the task.

Kiltman - you could be waiting a long time before you can get on with the Burrell, so go for the A&P in the meantime.

Incidentally - has anyone seen the Maxitrak Quarry Hunslet "Alice"? It looks a gem and at around £3.5k ready to run it must be unique.

[qwerty01]

Jul 11, 2008 11:48:12 GMT tbsteam said:

Jun 16, 2008 14:51:28 GMT qwerty01 said:

Best bit is when the chief mickey-takers have run out of steam and I go past with the safety valves blowing!

I don't want to start arguments but that isn't to do with the engine, its to do with the driver not firing right.
I have done it before and it was to do with firing/watering.

Not arguing but, the design and condition of the engine has a lot to do with it. Many finely built machines that look fantastic and are polished to within an inch of their lives run like pants as have inadequate steam pipes and small boiler tubes. Tiny boiler tubes block very quickly. Small diameter steam pipes strangle the thing when its running. Worst offenders for this are those Atkinson steam lorries (2" & 3") with vertical boilers and a multitude of tiny diameter boiler tubes. Most of these that are coal fired spend more times with the electric blower on than running. The A&P may look a little crude but it is much more forgiving and will happily run all day without tube cleaning or having to drop the ashpan and start again.

[qwerty01]

They are a bit crude and lacking in detail. The tender is cast aluminum as is the belly tank and wheels. Some of the engineering is a bit basic as well, but they are a good starting point for the hobby. They are functional as opposed to ornaments. I have seen some peoples that have been highly detailed and modified and generally go like the clappers. The biggest advantage when you are starting out is the availability of spares. The injector, pump, clacks, and valves such as blower and whistle are all off the shelf and standard sizes.

Unlike a modelworks engine they tend to go straight from the box. Unlike Modelworks, maxitrak are still trading as well!!

My little engine (Bill) is on the Maxitrak you-tube channel which you can get onto from their website (in clips). It is the light green one at Chatham dockyard charging about. If you can't get onto it, pm me and I will send some pictures as I haven't mastered the uploading thing yet. I have had 4 years of immense fun and at times frustration but I think I have got the measure of the beast now. It takes a couple of seasons for you to be able to master the engine rather than you being mastered by it!

I have a 4" engine now so it will be going next year once it has had a repaint into something a bit darker and general overhaul.

[ppplant]

I have had 1 of these Maxitrack A&P engines since 1991. Yes, they are crude but easy to improve and to add detail. The aluminium wheels give no trouble. With the help of numerous friends I have been able to make a huge number of mods and also learn a lot about model engineering. Mine has been fitted with a differential from an old MINI, this made it a lot easier to drive, has also had a new steel boiler with a bigger firebox. The company has been in business for a long time and are always ready to help. Spare parts are no problem, even on anegine this old.

[kiltman20]

Hello:

Just thought I would let you all know that I have been receiving kits for my former Modelworks 2" Burrell (now Steam Traction World 2" Burrell) since last November. I have got an additional four kits and the boiler.

Great looking, beautiful, shiny, beasty is the boiler.

I have found the comments on the Maxitrak A&P traction engine very helpful. I had seen in photographs the cast aluminium wheels and was less than keen with that. After hearing about additional cast parts I decided not to go forward and through procrastination was rewarded with getting my 2" Burrell back on track.

Also since my first post in June I have purchased a small milling machine and minilathe and have been getting back into that side of the sport.

Thanks to all

Rob

[Deleted]

I was thinking of purhasing one of the 2 inch Burrell traction engine kits from the now Steam Traction World. Does the kit go together fairly well and have you had troubles painting the parts. Several years ago I built a 3inch Maxitral A & P steam wagon and whilst it did have cast parts it did work well....I guess it depends whether you want a true scale or an easy driver!