Who builds the best HO/OO Stephenson's Rocket?

The only one I know of was Triang-Hornby's in OO. I have one, it looks nice, and runs, er, um, reasonably well. (Motor is in the tender, under the water barrel.) There is probably a live-steam large-scale one out there too, if you want to spend in the 4 or 5 figure range. Hornby built one of those a few decades ago, too. Neither Hoirnby loco is in production at present AFAIK, but an e-bay serach may find one for you.

IMO, an O scale Rocket would be a good seller. Large enough for all the authentic detail (not that there was much - it was a very plain engine), and small enough to put in case on the mantel, or in the knick-knack case. There are lot of people who would like historical models, not just model railroaders.

Thanks Wolf!

Have seen both - just thought there may have been others ..... seems odd to me that these wouldn't be popular enough to have in a range continuously.

I would get both scales if I could. The live steam one does have a good level of detail and a bunch of track.....

Steve

Oops. Should have gone under the "Who builds the best HO/OO Stephenson's Rocket?" thread.

AFAIK there are/were three possibilities" Dapol - unpowered plastic kit. Quite a nice model. Hornby - powered model from about 1970. Some moderate liberties. Marketted in Germany by Trix in the mid-70s. ? A Swiss firm made a live steamer in something approaching HO scale years back. It was recognisable as the Rocket.

Regards, Greg.P.

thanks for the replies

There were two 0 gauge models for sale in the UK on eBay for a buy-it-now of around 220 pounds each, which I thought was a lot. They didn't achieve a single bid, so I guess I was right.

The bigger versions would allow for more detail and look great in my Display cabinet - I might just have to dig around and find a set of plans and scratch build one - it MUST have the carriage with it though ..... that thing is so cute!

Alternately I would love to see pics of Stephenson's next locomotive as apparently they solved the terrible jolting by placing the piston drivers more horizontal...... this would be interesting.

Still, I honestly find it surprising that The Rocket is not in permanent production, along with "that American Loco with the hug cow-catcher on the front" - no idea what that one was called.

:)

Thanks again

Steve

That was actually a Stevenson 0-4-0 export to which they added the pilot on a leading truck locally.

Thanks for replying!

I recognise every one of those words as English, yet all put together like that I can't make them out

Does Export refer to a type of Locomotive?

Is a pilot a person or a guide or ......?

I don't know what the leading truck is, so if you could explain I would be grateful too.

noviciously yours

Steve

"Export" == product built for export

"Pilot" == cowcatcher (which is not the reason it was invented, BTW.)

"Truck" == bogie

Kapeesh?

The Rocket was altered in service quite quickly, with obvious changes being lowered cylinders and a smoke-box being added to the front of the boiler. There is a long out of print "Profile Publications" booklet detailing the alterations. The booklet was also published with about a dozen other railway subjects in hard-cover book form.

"John Bull" Bachmann make a model.

A number of US railroads purchased Stephenson locos before there was a US loco building industry. They were of various wheel arangements, but all 2 or 3 axle types. (not counting tenders)

A pilot is a "cow catcher"

A leading truck is an extra axle/wheels added in front of the driving wheels to carry some weight and to help guide the loco along the track. The extra axle added to the "John Bull" isn't actually a truck because it didn't have any pivoting arrangement, only vertical movement. The original was shipped as an 0-4-0 but the subsequent alterations included removing the coupling rods so the loco as modelled by Bachmann was a 4-2-0 with odd sized carrying wheels.

Regards, Greg.P.

thanks again for the replies!

I am now "in the know" as to the terms used.

In addition, my new knowledge about the Rocket's migration to the USA means I have a world of MORE research to do, which is great!

In addition I now have Bachmann on my list of early-mid 19th century locomotives to consider

thanks again!

(this is fun)

Steve

I have Bachmann's Norris loco (4-2-0) in my collection. I don't know if I got the only good one or if they are all to the same standard, but mine is a beautiful scale model and operates like something costing ten times as much!

Regards, Greg.P.

Hi Greg

I would love to see a pic - could you please email one if you have the time and inclination

many thanks!

Steve

Bachmann "Prussia" Norris 4-2-0 or a Rocket? The Norris works exported a lot of locos to Europe and even opened a factory in Austria. Just why Bachmann made a model of a specific US loco that was sold in Germany and then only marketted it in the USa, I'll never figure. It is currently available, but in a US colour scheme.

In Britain the Birmingham and Gloucester even had some, and used on freight trains up the Lickey incline.

I agree.

They produced it in 2 versions. With a tiny motor in the firebox, and with a tender drive.

The former performed surprisingly well because it picked up from the front truck as well as the driving wheels, giving a flexible wheelbase for power collection.

The latter is like a half-inch ling 0-4-0 and performs like a dog.

interesting

I am trying to get data on them in order to decide which to display in a cabinet.

First idea was to have the 3.5inch Rocket directly behind the hornby OO version, which I thought would look very nice.

Then I discovered that modified versions were available from Bachmann etc. and are still produced, therefore relatively well-priced compared to the oldies.

BTW The 3.5 inch Live steam version with carriages and full track just sold on eBay for more than $1000 aussie dollars!!!!! Bloody amazing!

Please let me have any links containing more detail if possible

thanks heaps

Steve

I don't like the sound of that!

The Profile Publication on the Norris is worth getting - it includes quite a bit on the Birmingham and Gloucester locos as well as US and European locos.