Request for recomendation

You dont say what region or period that interests you. I prefer the simple outline of the Hornby Fowler 2-6-4 esp LMS red or lined black, but it isnt in the current catalogue. There is the Hornby Stanier one though, or Fairburn from Bachmann. But they are quite big so you might prefer Ivatt or standard 2-6-2's (aka 3MT).

Cheers, Simon

What region? Guy

Is the 3MT a good runner? I don't have one and would like to know. Guy

Must confess I dont either - have got 2 of the older Ivatt Tanks and they are.

John - help ?

CHeers, Simon

Why must it be a 2-6-4 ?

Simon's Hornby Fowler 2-6-4 is good with plenty of rolling stock available.

Chris

Sorry dashed that off between visits to clients - He's just starting out so nothing is settled as yet, he seems to favour BR steam and would probably settle on the LN region as that's where he grew up (Warrington ish). Really its more a question of a recommendation for a good runner than for any particular livery, he is pretty badly broken and needs to sit down, (crushed bits in his spine, asbestosis, prone to blood clots and his heart is giving out) , so getting up to give things a nudge is likely to get very tedious for him.

Regards

Mike

Sorry London Midland region - still in too much of a hurry

Mike

Got good taste on locos then - shame about period :-) Recommendation still stands, standard tanks evolved from Fowler -> Stanier ->Fairburn (Ivatt really) -> Ivatt->Standard tanks. The earlier ones have simpler outlines which I prefer. All survived long into BR times, fairly sure all available at one time or another in early and late BR. Most if not all are new models or recently updated eg Fowler

2-6-4 and Ivatt 2-6-2. If in 2009 range then Rails have them, but some are still available new from other shops.

In your situation, would buy from reputable dealer (Yep John again), light lubrication, run them in 15 mins clockwise forwards then back, anti clockwise forwards and back. Investigate any derailments. That checks your loco and track. Clean track, clean wheels, give quick run to make sure and then got happy loco on happy track.

Cheers, Simon

Could not agree more about using a reputable dealer! He is learning, the first bloke he went to sold him the 1st radius track as

2nd radius, so that one is crossed off the list. I have passed John's details to him, on the basis that he has by far the most recommendations I know of, but he has a 'saturdays only' shop just down the road (to be fair the 2-6-4 came from there at a good price and it runs very well).

I'll suggest the models you outline, OO isn't my scale so I know very little about it (although I did unearth some 40+ year old unmade Airfix kits for him from Mum's attic, the completed buildings, track and loco's seem to have gone though, probably donated to another child somewhere).

Thanks again for the help.

Regards

Mike

Period chosen based on the models he liked the look of, so its the CLC in the 1950s (not a bad choice IMO, LMS, LNER and (at a stretch) GWR.

So far LMS 2-6-2 and 2-6-4 (2nd hand and needs some work) and a jinty, all good runners apart from the 2-6-4 which has 'extra pickups' added, one of which has come adrift.

Rake of 3 LMS coaches and a dozen or so wagons, which will do for the moment.

Looks like the combined passenger station and storage yard idea is out, his mem got him a Metcalf station and he's building it.

Ho hum - Got the baseboard in place, with lift out section for access, and laid a full orbit of track down, so he is starting to see what I meant about the 'mountain' section.

He has the makings of a good modeller, lot of hand skills and attention to detail.

Thanks again for the advice.

Regards

Mike