Rob Roy

[Garry Coles]

Hi everyone
I've just finished building the Stuart beam engine (which runs very nicely on comp air) and I am now thinking of building the 3 1/2 in Rob Roy loco as my first loco build. Can anyone advise me on this model. Thanks

[alanstepney]

A nice engine of which many dozens, perhaps hundreds, have been built.
I'm not aware of any vices or problems with them and all the ones I have seen have run nicely.

Not too complex either.

[Blackadder]

Build "William" you will be pleased with the result if you intend to steam it

Stuart

[Donald G]

Hello Gary,

I built a Rob Roy about 15 years ago, it is a good little runner, although, keeping a good fire, and balancing that with keeping the boiler topped with water is a very delicate balancing act.

One thing, if you do build one, make sure you know of all the modifications that are available, and in soe cases neccessary, like the line up of valve gear and steam chest, where there is a 1/16" error.

The loco is relatively easy to build, but do consider what you want from it, it is hard work to drive well, especially if the track has inclines.

Some useful information can be had at the following web address easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~chrish/robroy.htm

This list some of the problems of the build.

All the best in your decision making

Donald

[Donald G]

Hello Gary,

I built a Rob Roy about 15 years ago, it is a good little runner, although, keeping a good fire, and balancing that with keeping the boiler topped with water is a very delicate balancing act.

One thing, if you do build one, make sure you know of all the modifications that are available, and in some cases neccessary, like the line up of valve gear and steam chest, where there is a 1/16" error.

The loco is relatively easy to build, but do consider what you want from it, it is hard work to drive well, especially if the track has inclines.

Some useful information can be had at the following web address easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~chrish/robroy.htm

This lists some of the problems of the build.

All the best in your decision making

Donald

[mott]

Hello Garry, We have 2 Rob Roys in our club. They are great locos for a first build but unless you are an engineer by trade or experience they can still present quite a challange to build. I fully endorse earlier comments about problems steaming on a track with inclines but in the hands of an experienced driver they can do very well. Crosshead feed pump seems for some builders to represent continous problems (me) where as for others it is not a problem at all. I have come across one builder who pumps water directly into the boiler from an auxiliary hand pump carried with tank on the ride on trolley.The boiler is small and from a full head of steam you can end up with the water level disappearing from the gauge with frightening speed.
However nothing is straight forward in this game and as one sage put it to me about the Rob Roy, your learning curve will be "vertical" . Give it a go. Mott