Today's Mamod Story

Pushing his creaking body into the old shed suddenly a wild thought entered his mind. Didn't he remember seeing something like a flywheel or had it been a chimney or something red or was it green hidden away under the pile of gardening tools and age old packets of seeds that had lain there for so many years?

His mind darted back and forth between and this warm summer's evening and his childhood fifty years earlier.  “Yes dear, I'll be in soon" he heard himself saying as if replying to a distant place.  "I'm just looking for something" - words that normally bought more time.

Now where was that little engine? He remembers it. So shiny and what about that smell of ................. what was it, that sweet smell of something that possessed some kind of magic.  He could see the light coloured flames eating up the spilt liquid around a green burner.  Now where is it......... Oh, he had a thought. Wasn't it thrown it away years ago when he was too important and too busy for wasting my time like this?

Hmmmm.  Oh well. Let's at least clear up a bit of this mess. What's that old brass thing over there?  "Yes OK love, I'm just locking up the shed"

He went indoors and placed the shed key safely on its hook and wondered if it will rain tomorrow - or could he get rid of all that mess.

"I think my love, that after tea I'll have a look at eBay"

………….O………….

Many of our customers have found that their childhood interest in Steam never went away!  Others have discovered its magic for the first time. Either way it's a lot of fun and is a lot warmer than sitting under a large umbrella watching the rain spitting into an already swollen river and holding onto a fibre glass rod hoping to catch something so it can be thrown back in again. A matter of opinion of course!

We have collected many photos from our customers and also "borrowed" some we've found in other places places.

FACTS AND PICTURES HERE IT'S A BIT LIKE A MUSEUM.  ONLY NOT SO BORING. THIS INFORMATION WAS TAKEN FROM AN EXCELLENT MAMOD SITE THAT CAN BE FOUND AT: http://www.freewebs.com/mamodsteam/index.htm ENGINES I HAVE KNOWN: SE1: Straight out stationary Steam engine, that runs a flywheel. Has superheating, which is when the steam pipe comes out of the boiler, then runs under it through the flame, then to cylinder. This supposedly creates dryer steam. SE1a: Same as SE1 but no superheating, newer model. SE2: Similar to SE1, has superheating, but also a boiler mounted whistle and exhaust throttle. SE2a: Similar to SE2 but no superheating, no throttle, however has a forward/reverse lever. SE3: Larger than SE2, twin cylinders, whistle and a throttle control at the point where the steam pipe comes out of boiler. SE3 Griffin and George: Same as SE3, but no throttle control, silver soldered, and was made for schools in England to show the basics of how a steam engine works. MM1: Very small engine, boiler mounted flywheel, no exhaust to chimmney MM2: Same as MM1 only bigger. TE1: A Traction engine with exhaust throttle control. TE1a: Same as TE1 but has forward/reverse lever and not throttle control. SR1: Steam Roller. SR1a: Steam Roller with forward/reverse lever. Of course this is the basics. There are others like Steam wagons, SP types (newer stationary models) and so on. Here is a very brief overall view of Mamod dates: Flat bases: Before 1954. Raised bases: After 1954. Nut and bolt construction: Up till 1965. Brass flywheels: Up to 1953 (from around 1948). Mazak flywheels: 1953 onward. Barrel pistons up to around 1958. Wick burners up to around: 1958 Vapourising meths burners: 1958-1976 Solid fuel burners (in the UK) 1976 on STEAM WAGON LOVINGLY RESTORED ONE OF THE BEST RENOVATED BRASS TRACTION ENGINES IN CAPTIVITY THIS PICTURE SHOWS ONE OF THE FIRST MAMOD LOCOS. THE EAGLE EYED WILL NOTICE THE SIX-SPOKED WHEELS ONCE A WRECK BUT NOW LOOKING GREAT A BRAND NEW SHOWMANS ENGINE - NEVER STEAMED UP! THIS CREAM ROADSTER HAS TEN SPOKES - AS IT IS THESE DAYS MM1: 1970-1974 Model, pre water level plug MM2: 1970-1974 Model, pre water level plug SE1: 1958-1967 Model with Nut&Bolt construction and earlier type Vaporising Burner SE2a: 1972-1976 Model SE3: 1972-1976 Model with pre 1972 Whistle added replacing sprung lever type whistle and homemade burner to original specs TE1: 1965-1966 Model, pre reverse lever, but post Nut and Bolt build. These 2 books are essential to any Mamod collector. They give valuable information on dates of Mamods and some interesting information This is a Sutcliffe type miniature oil can. It works, and is great for oiling engines. Not sure on the date though. They were normally painted light green. Here are the 3 tools that SEL (Signalling Equipment Ltd) made. These tools came in around 1948, and were made until 1965. These particular ones, with coloured boxes, are in the later period, so from around Late 1960's, to 1965. Earlier tools had boxes not in colour. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS IS NOW BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED? NO, NEITHER CAN I!! A collection of Mamod tools. Back ground is a Lineshaft with original box. From left to right: A polisher, steam hammer, power press and grinder.