My first loco was the Merlin Hunslet. I still have it and it still steams. As a member of the W&LLR I always thought No 85b a rather elegant little engine & when Tom did his model....
A small irony, the full-sized loco is actually two years younger than me! Best Sam E Geoff Spenceley wrote: > > Right Sam, > > It was Aster and then Tom Cooper's Merlins who helped me into live steam. > Tom needs a great deal of credit as a pioneer. His Merlin Hunslet was a > terrific performer despite some minor defects. I had one for 18 years, > some repairs of course but how it steamed! Big boiler, big butane tank, > very accurate to the prototype, judging by some photos I had. > > Geoff. > > It probably has more to do with what re-sparked the interest in garden > >railways in both countries. > > > >In the UK it is commonly credited to Stuart Browne of Archangel Models > >who made affordable 16mm 'scale' live steamers that WORKED in a garden > >environment. He had his apostles who wrote in the various model mags > >stirring up enthusiasm. Stuart's prices rose quickly, however the baton > >was taken up by Roundhouse Engineering, who provided entry level models > >at reasonable prices. > > > >An unsung hero is Tom Cooper of Merlin models who really introduced > >radio control and gas firing to the 'new' garden rail fraternity. Most > >of his products were sold as radio controlled and I believe that special > >order or retro-engineering was required if you wanted manual control. > > > >The gas-fired boiler provided a halfway house between a plain boiler > >and a 'forced draught' boiler. It freed the manufacturers from having > >to accomodate flame shields in their designs and was less expensive to > >make than an internally fired boiler (whatever the fuel). Roundhouse > >followed Tom's lead and eventually dropped meths firing from their > >range. > > > >Tom also introduced 16mm scale on 45mm gauge to the UK. > > > >In the US my understanding is that LGB provided the spark, particularly > >when they started to make US prototypes. > > > >I stand to be corrected on any of this but I imagine it has a lot to do > >with why both countrys went down different roads. > > > >Sam E > > > >Bede McCormack wrote: > >> > >> > From: Sam Evans <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > > >> > I am surprised a little bit that no Roundhouse clone has sprung up in > >> > the US, you have a far greater potential market. In the UK we suspect > >> > that high product liability insurance in your highly litigious country > >> > may have put folk off. > >> > >> Actually, I suspect it has more to do with instant gratification. Setting > >> the two-rail engine on the track and powering up beats fueling, watering and > >> oiling 'round 90% of the time over here. Remember Medina OH. > >> > >> Bede McCormack > >> Brooklyn, NY > >> > > > >
