need help live steam

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I Have a guy from New Zealand Trying to get prototype information on plans for 3 1/2" guage,coal fired, live steam.

I have never worked with live steam nor worked with overseas rails so I find myself at a loss to help him. He is trying to get the info for his brother which makes it harder because he doesn’t quite know what his brother is looking for.

Never the less I told him I would try to help. Here is an e-mail from him with some of the requests. If anyone can help, please contact me at krskev@yahoo.com or e-mail info direct to him at gmabbs@xtra.co.nz Thanks Kevin

Dear Kevin
I have got a letter from my brother but it is very hard to summarize
it.
He is interested in technical information on :
three and half inch guage…must be coal fired… likes all British
prototype machines
0-6-0 Tanks ex L.M.S. or perhaps L.N.E.R. Tank
2-6-0 - 2-6-4 etc Taper barrels; parallel barrels round top or
Belpaire.
Wide body or between frames firebox
e.G. L.B.S.C. three and half Britannia ex British Rail
L.B.S.C. three and half Dorris
L.B.S.C Stannier or a L.M.S. 2-6-4 Jubilee.
A nice semifast and capable tank 0-6-0 say ex L.M.S. or Southern or
LNER
suitable to make a reasonable powerful three and half machine capable
of
hauling a reasonable load of a few passengers.
Prefers piston valves, must have a Walschaerts valvegear or Joy
valvegear or
Stephenson’s motion (not keen on Baker gear)
Likes Big 4 or pregrouping or B.R.
Inside or outside cyclinders. 2 or 3 cylinders etc maybe
if 0-6-0 available, then could be 5 inch because 0-6-0 in three and
half is
quite small

I know this is a lot of stuff and probably a bit mixed up but if you
can
help me in any way to search for this information for my brother, I
would be
very grateful,
Thanking you, Yours faithfully, G. E.

2

There is a gentleman who lives in Austin that has built his own live steamer.I believe he is a welder in some sort of manufacturing company.I asked this same question around last April or May.I got an email from him shortly after and he invited me to come see his steamer and if interested in going to steamer guage track.I dont remember exactly how far it was from Austin,but remember it wasnt a great distance away from here.You probably should check if one is near you first.Im sure you dont want to drive a 100 miles or so to test run your steamer.I didnt take up his offer to hang around the steamers because my wife had a fit after finding out how expensive they were.She doesnt mind HO and in her eyes my HO hobby is expensive enough.I sure dont own any Big Boys when most of them are over 300.00.Ouch!Be sure to have your credit card ready if youre serious about this scale.Theyre a kick to watch and listen to but thats as far as I can go.I received an email from him after a post on this site.Hope that helps. Jerry

3

Check out www.livesteaming.com it is the best all inclusive website for the live steaming hobby. It lists many manufacturers of live steam components and lists most of the live steam clubs in the world.