Mamod - live steam models - production closed down

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From The Mail Online

A historic British firm which produced model steam trains for 87 years has been forced to close its doors after getting hamstrung by red tape.

Mamod this month closed down production in its factory due to dwindling sales and spiralling overheads, in an era of gaming consoles and social media.

The firm was also hobbled by a government ban on the 'dangerous' hexamine fuel tablets that had long been used in the models to heat water and set the intricate engines chuntering.

[CyclingSid]

Hexamine cookers used to be the basis of cooking individual rations in the Army.

[Red Squirrel]

It’s interesting that the Mail Online chooses to put ‘dangerous’ in quotes, as though it was a perfectly harmless substance that shouldn’t be banned. A quick Google makes it very obvious why banning it is absolutely the right thing to do!

[Mark A]

What happened to meths?

Mark

[bobm]

It’s interesting that the Mail Online chooses to put ‘dangerous’ in quotes, as though it was a perfectly harmless substance that shouldn’t be banned. A quick Google makes it very obvious why banning it is absolutely the right thing to do!

Not sure "hobbled" is the right word either.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... nor 'chuntering' 

[Ralph Ayres]

The article keeps referring to trains for some reason so I suspect the writer doesn't full understand the subject; not unusual in the modern world of journalism! It looks like Mamod's demise was for a number of reasons, of which the ban on hexamine was just one, but the one the Mail perhaps unsurprisingly chose to focus on as they can then complain about red tape.  

My 1970s traction engine (still got it!) is old enough to have a tray for meths instead, which needs more care to use but no risk I hope of the fuel being banned.  Presumably the solid fuel tray isn't suitable for using meths, though I'm puzzled by the reference to developing a liquid fuel alternative.  Perhaps they actually mean developing a container that doesn't allow burning liquid to slop around all over the kitchen floor as mine did when I first used it!  I see online that some owners are now using firelighter tablets and similar in the solid fuel version.

[Phil]

What happened to meths?

Mark

Models powered by methylated spirits can't be sold in the USA, apparently; otherwise I agree, that would seem a sensible way forward (my 1970s road roller still runs quite happily on meths!). Gas power is another alternative I've heard mentioned.

[grahame]

What happened to meths?

Mark

Models powered by methylated spirits can't be sold in the USA, apparently; otherwise I agree, that would seem a sensible way forward (my 1970s road roller still runs quite happily on meths!). Gas power is another alternative I've heard mentioned.

How about going electric?



Come to think of it, you could you not dispense with that dangerous steam and use an electric motor?

[Oxonhutch]

Knowing some weeks ago the untimely demise of Mamod, I ordered from their spare parts catalogue a new short style safety valve for my father's 1950s stationary engine that has a meths container and two wicks. Duly fitted and now steam tight (the old valve badly leaked), it ran like the clappers when fed and watered. Dad was impressed by the short video I sent of the event.

Highlight of my early childhood was the season around Christmas and dad setting up for me to admire - but certainly not touch - his Hornby Doublo trainset with its tinplate carriages and wagons. I by then had a Hornby O gauge trainset also tinplate and clockwork locomotive. Passed down the family from my grandfather's childhood was his O gauge steam engine powered by liquid meths held in a container under the loco's cab. To get the measure of meths correct, the tank had a small overflow plug in its side.

The engine had no throttle and when set in motion it would set off at high speed and derail on my tight tinplate track so the only way to moderate its speed was to load up a suitable train behind it with sufficient weight. To my five year old delight, he laid out the track across the living room, even under the 1960 settee with its six inch legs.

The loco was prepared, the train suitably loaded was attached and off it steamed to my delight. At some point, disaster struck - the meths overflow plug fell out - and the meths came out. Having the properties of that substance, it soon spread over the whole locomotive which erupted into a blue ball of fire careering around the track and diving under the settee. Mum was rightfully horrified and shouted to my dad to, "Stop it!" - and my dad looking at this rocketting ball of blue flame shouted, "How?"

Luckily it ran out of steam not under the settee, but I never had that pleasure again. Outside only in future.

[GBM]

I had a stationary engine (with flywheel) when I was massively young.
Filling it carefully with meths, waiting ages for steam to be produced, then it running quickly and quietly.
Didn't have a problem with the meths, but always poured very carefully.

Guess I must have recycled/ditched it yonks ago.

Youngsters these days will never know those delights.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I, too, had a Meccano steam engine when I was 'nobbut a lad' - it worked with meths and never endangered any one or thing.  I used to love cleaning and polishing it after each use.

Hexamine cookers used to be the basis of cooking individual rations in the Army.

That doesn't make it right. 

[broadgage]

What happened to meths?

Mark

It turned from being a relatively safe fuel for camping and emergencies, into a dangerously explosive material.

And also from being moderately toxic into a dangerous neurotoxin

[Clan Line]

Ah..............brings back memories of my "Jetex" powered Avro Vulcan bomber !

[Mark A]

Now contemplating that it may have had... four jetex engines, and the chances of having all four successfully light...

Mark