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Bacmann Mucky Duck

Mine arrived this morning and is running in on the layout. Absolutely superb is the only way to describe this model. They have even got the return cranks the right way round on both sides of the loco, something Hornby so far cannot achieve. There are moving valve spindles as well, but Bachmann have not taken advantage of this to put the loco in forward gear -- I may just attend to that later. The tender B/B seems a bit tight but this also is easily fixed. Well done Bachmann!

Alistair Wright '5522' Models Melrose

Reply to
Alistair Wright
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Absolutely

something

forward gear --

Well that would look rather strange when running backwards, which the prototype did often - hence the cab design - so I would say that Bachmann has made the correct call here, anyway very few steam engines staid in full forward gear for very long once up to speed.

Reply to
:::Jerry::::

All my kit built locos have wotking valve spindles and have their valve gear set for forward travel. Better to be right half the time than never I think. I have news for you. A steam locomotive will not move in mid gear. I doubt the Ducks spent any more time running backwards than any other loco.

Alistair Wright

Reply to
Alistair Wright

speed.

...and a steam loco won't run for very long in full (forwarded or backward) gear, either the boiler will run out of steam or the fireman will collapse from exhaustion! Also, a Loco would NEVER be left in forward or back gear whilst stationary for any length of time (and defiantly unattended - a steam loco can move with a surprisingly low boiler pressure [1]), considering that the valve gear detail is far more noticeable when stationary I will stick to my original suggestion that Backmann has made the correct call.

As for time spent running backwards, many loco's (with the exception of the big passenger or express freight one's) did spend a lot of time running cab first but it was only in the very late '30's (or even due to war time light regulations) that mush thought was given to cab design whilst running cab first.

[1] many engines ended up in turn-table pits or with level crossing gates hung on buffer beams due to this...
Reply to
:::Jerry::::

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